It’s winter, and that furnace you don’t think twice about for the rest of the year is finally getting some work.

Not that you typically gave your heater much thought, even during the colder months. When your house started to get chilly, you’d turn the temperature up on your thermostat to get things toasty, and that was that.

That is, not until last week. That day, you were in the attic and you saw something that gave you pause: the furnace was leaking water. Is it supposed to be doing that? Should you get it fixed?

This is an issue that heating professionals get asked all the time, and the short answer is pretty simple: no, your furnace should not leak, and yes, you absolutely need to have it repaired if you notice an accumulation of water around this appliance.

Before you start to panic, however, it’s important to understand two things:

1. This is actually a pretty … Read Full Post »
   

When the sun is out and temperatures are brutally high, homeowners know that it’s critical to have a working air conditioner. Without a properly functioning AC, when summer temperatures rise into the 90s and 100s, you are not just uncomfortable indoors—it can actually be dangerous for humans and household pets, not to mention potentially harmful to your appliances and electronics. So what should you do if your AC suddenly stops working?

When your AC isn’t functioning well—or at all—it may be due to a problem that requires an experienced professional to fix. Certain common AC issues, such as a broken capacitor, are risky for inexperienced DIYers to try handling themselves; even cleaning your own AC condenser coils carries the risk of shorting out your unit. There are certain things, however, that the average homeowner can do to troubleshoot a problem with an air conditioner and resolve an issue on their own. … Read Full Post »

Controlling the temperature inside your home or business has never been easier, especially with the widespread use of programmable thermostats and the growth in “smart” thermostats. You can easily adjust your thermostat to any temperature you like, adjust settings when you are away from home and even control indoor humidity. If comfort is your main goal, bump the temperature down as low as you like. If you’re more concerned about energy costs—but you’d still like to be comfortable—that takes a little more finesse.

We’re going to go out on a limb here and assume that just about everyone falls into the second category. You want to be cool and comfortable inside your home and make your living spaces a desirable place to be temperature-wise. By the same token, you don’t want to spend a lot of unnecessary cash to make that happen.

The best summer thermostat settings for you really depends on … Read Full Post »

Keeping your home as comfortable as possible can be pretty tricky. Sure, you know that you need a great air conditioner installed in your home and that there will be times during the winter season when you’ll have to run your heater. Other considerations, though, such as the humidity in one’s home, can be easily overlooked.

It can be difficult to know how to control humidity in your home. This is a serious problem, as low humidity is a common issue in homes throughout our area. If you suspect that the air in your home is too dry, whole-house humidifiers can resolve the problem. Read on to learn more about humidifier benefits and why you might consider investing in one for your home.

Minimize Potential Damage To Your Biggest Investment

You may know that very humid air can lead to problems throughout the house, including mold growth. What you may not realize, … Read Full Post »