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The Signs Your Water Heater Is Going Bad

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a water heater

The middle of a shower or load of dishes is a bad time to learn your water heater has stopped working. As unpleasant as that would be, the reality is that a water heater gives signals before it quits working altogether. It’s a good idea to know the signs that your water heater is going bad.

Not Enough Hot Water

If you start having to plan showers around whether you also need to get hot water for other tasks soon after, you probably already know your water heater isn’t producing enough of the hot stuff. The problem might be as simple as a need to turn up the temperature a bit, which you can do and then see if that helps.

If you’re still running out of hot water faster than before, your tank might have a sediment buildup. This often happens in areas where the water contains a large amount of sediment. … Read Full Post »

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The Signs and Causes of a Broken AC Unit

. Posted by in • Austin
a white kitchen

It’s a big inconvenience when you have a broken AC unit. It could even be a dangerous situation if your AC breaks when it’s very hot or cold outside. That’s why it’s so important to get the problem fixed as quickly as possible. Of course, that requires determining what the problem is, so that it can be properly addressed.

It’s important to note that sometimes, AC units have problems that don’t cause obvious symptoms. The main thing you might notice is a gradual increase in your monthly utility bills. This is because an AC with worn-out or broken components can’t run efficiently. It may keep limping along, using more and more electricity as it struggles to keep up with demands on the system until it finally breaks completely.

Some AC problems are simple enough to figure out and fix on your own. Others are more complex and need fixing by a professional. … Read Full Post »

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What Is a HEPA Air Filter?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a homeowner changing out a hepa filter

Studies show that the air inside our homes is often much more polluted than the air outside. That is why many people have started turning to air purifiers to help make the air in their home healthier. However, not all air filtration systems are the same. Some offer a much higher level of protection.

HEPA air purifiers offer one of the highest levels of protection available to homeowners. HEPA stands for “high efficiency particulate air,” and it indicates the product uses a certain type of air filter. For a product to say it is a HEPA air purifier or HEPA air filter, it must meet the standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy.

This means that anything labeled as a HEPA filter must remove at least 99.97% of particles from the air that are just 0.3 microns in diameter. A micron is a unit of measurement used to determine the size … Read Full Post »

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Is Your Furnace Making Noises?

. Posted by in • Austin
a home where the furnace is making noises

There are certain sounds your furnace should never make—at least if it’s well-functioning and in good condition. So when you hear your furnace making noise, it’s smart to pay attention. This is especially true if it’s making a strange noise you haven’t heard before.

When furnaces make strange noises, it’s a sign that something within the heating and cooling system is wearing out or broken. These strange noises might include humming, clicking, banging or rattling sounds. Let’s learn more about what it means when your furnace is making noises.

1. Making Banging Noises

If your furnace starts making banging noises, it’s time to contact a heating and cooling specialist to determine what’s going on. Depending on when the noise happens and for how long, it might signal several different problems with your furnace.

If the banging noise happens when you turn on the heat, it could mean the furnace won’t ignite like it’s supposed … Read Full Post »

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How To Find a Water Leak

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
how to find water leaks

Water is essential in a home. We use it to drink, cook, bathe, wash our clothes and dishes and water our yards. Unfortunately, things go wrong sometimes: Pipes crack or break, and water leaks out where it shouldn’t. Sometimes water leaks are obvious, but not always. It’s important to know how to find water leaks because, occasionally, they stay hidden for days or even weeks at a time.

For some people, the first sign of a hidden water leak is when they receive an astronomically high water bill and wonder how it got so high. Water usage and bills often fluctuate month to month, especially in the summer. Most people use more water when it’s hot outside, both to bathe on sweaty days and to keep the yard green. But sometimes, it’s a shock when the utility bill arrives, and they find out they unknowingly used far more water than usual.

A … Read Full Post »

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Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance

. Posted by in • San Antonio
an AC vent

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Anyone living in central Texas knows the importance of having a good, working heating and cooling system. That goes for winter as well as summer. As blazingly hot as it can get outside in July and August, it can get just as bitterly cold during the winter months. But did you know that regular air conditioning preventative maintenance can keep your AC working efficiently for many years?

An efficient AC system uses less energy and fuel to run. That’s better for the environment, and also for your bank account. Regular checkups from an HVAC professional can save you money on your utility bills. Checkups also save you money over the long term by extending the life of your air conditioning system. If you have a home warranty, annual AC maintenance check-ups may even be a requirement for staying covered.

Furthermore, your family will be safer, healthier and more comfortable in your home … Read Full Post »

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Do I Have Hard Water?

. Posted by in , • Austin
a shower that has been turned on

Both seasoned and first-time homeowners have asked the pros, “Do I have hard water?” It’s hard to know if you have hard water if you don’t know the signs to look for. Homes on well water or city water can have hard water. The signs that you have hard water include everything from dry, itchy skin after a shower to spots on your dishes and silverware after running the dishwasher.

Many people don’t even know exactly what hard water is. Put simply, hard water is water that contains high levels of minerals. This specifically means minerals like calcium, limestone or magnesium. But, hard water can also have trace amounts of other minerals as well. These minerals are naturally occurring, and they are safe to drink. Their tiny particles dissolve into the water and typically aren’t visible to the naked eye.

As tiny as they are, though, they are abrasive. These particles become … Read Full Post »

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Ever Heard of Dirty Sock Syndrome?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a vent with an ac that has dirty sock syndrome

It’s never a good thing to catch a whiff of a foul smell coming from your home. It’s even worse when you can’t name it or find it. It seems familiar, like gym socks that fell behind the washing machine. But that isn’t quite it. A quick check of the laundry room finds everything in order.

You know when the cat’s litter box needs changing, or if the laundry has been sitting in the hamper too long. A fragrant trash bin is easily identified. Maybe the house just needs a good cleaning? No, even after the kitchen, bathroom and floors get a good scrubbing, the off-putting scent lingers.

Once you have run through the list of usual suspects and still haven’t discovered the source, you might want to zero in on your HVAC system. Your house might have caught a case of dirty sock syndrome!

Why Is the House So Smelly?

Your home’s heating … Read Full Post »

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Types of Toilet: There’s More Than Meets the Eye

. Posted by in • Austin
a bathroom with a single flush type of toilet

Sometimes, it is pretty obvious a new toilet needs to be on the to-do list. Maybe the bowl is cracked, or it backs up too often for your comfort. It could be leaking and causing damage to your bathroom floors. No matter what is going on, there are a few things you should consider before giving your current fixture a final flush.

If you have checked the basics of your current commode, from the water level in the tank to any easy-to-remove material that could be causing a clog, it is time to contact a professional. Toilet components do wear out over time, and if you have signs of hard water in your home, the lifespan for those parts is even shorter. A licensed professional can give you the real picture on whether the toilet is fixable or ready for removal.

Some issues are more problematic than others. If your toilet leaks … Read Full Post »

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What Is a SEER Rating?

. Posted by in • Austin
a living room

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If you’re shopping for a new AC, you might feel confused by how many different units there are to choose from. One way to narrow down your choices is by looking for a unit with a higher SEER rating. But what is SEER rating? Think of it as an indicator of how efficient your heating and cooling system is—and the more efficient, the better.

If you’ve never heard of SEER ratings before, you aren’t alone. Lots of people aren’t familiar with the term. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s calculated by dividing an AC unit’s total BTUs of cooling output during a given period of time by its total watt-hours of energy input during the same time period.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do complicated math to understand that a higher SEER rating means better AC unit efficiency. The concept is pretty simple. When your heating and cooling system runs … Read Full Post »

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