Many of us enjoy a wood fire on those cold winter nights. In order to be safe, a fireplace needs maintenance just like most other parts of your house. Understanding wood burning fireplace safety and maintenance requires knowledge of the fireplace components. The firebox is the location where the fire is built. It is usually
Toilets are a necessity in every home and have an unlimited life expectancy. However, components inside the toilet tank can fail. Also, the original installation may not have been ideal and cause problems down the road. Fortunately, there are warning signs that allow you to catch some toilet problems early before there is a more
When you leave on a trip and no one is home, you donāt automatically save on energy costs. There are appliances and other devices that continue to use power from the electrical grid when no one is home. The good news is that there are steps you can take to both save money and energy
Carbon monoxide poisoning claims the lives of an average of 439 people each year and another 20,000 make emergency room visits. Don’t let this be you.Carbon monoxide poisoning is totally preventable. Are you doing all you can to protect yourself and your family? Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless and colorless gas that is created
When cooler weather arrives, do you think about getting a furnace tune-up? But, if the heat comes on, do you skip that furnace tune-up? If so, you could be making a big mistake. Here is what a furnace check-up can do: Improve Energy Efficiency: Over time, dirt can build up in the various furnace components.
The toilet may be the most used appliance in your home. In fact, the toilet is so important that most homes have more than one. Here are some valuable prevention tips to help maintain these important fixtures: Donāt treat your toilet as if itās a garbage disposal. Only human waste and toilet paper should be
While cleaning your gutters, itās an excellent time to check the flashings on your roof to prevent a potential water stain on your ceiling or worse. What is roof flashing? Pitched roofs rely on gravity to direct water off the roof. After the roof sheathing is installed, other building components such as the building paper,
When inspecting your crawl space as part of routine home maintenance, it is important to check for fallen fiberglass insulation. Insulation keeps your floors warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Insulation also increases energy efficiency that will decrease your utility bills. In crawl spaces, fiberglass batt insulation is often used to insulate
We use the expression, āHaving a roof over our headā to signal the importance of having a place to live. Literally, though, the roof on our house is what keeps weather out and protects the entire house. Like all building materials, asphalt shingles expand and contract becoming brittle over time. That factor along with hard
Washing machines are one of the most essential appliances that we have in our homes. Like every appliance, though, a washing machine requires maintenance. Washing machine hose bursts account for more than $150 million in damage to homes each year. Because of the pressure on the supply hoses, water can leak from a burst washing