Home Services

Riddex Plus is an ultrasonic pest control device that repels rodents, cockroaches, and termites using digital pulses through your wall’s wires. I’m honestly not sure how I didn’t know about this sooner.

Problems with AC units can be understandably unnerving, especially when they hum without turning on. This is caused by several reasons such as a bad capacitor or broken motor. Whether it be replacing parts or replacing the entire unit, let’s explore what you should do when your AC hums but won’t turn on.

A clean evaporator coil ensures your  air conditioning system is working efficiently and effectively. Evaporator coils can collect dust, debris, and oils over time. It is crucial to maintain this element of your air conditioning system regularly.

It is very common for people to unknowingly bring bed bugs into their home and if they’re not detected quickly, you could end up with a full-scale infestation. Like cockroaches, bed bugs are considered one of the most difficult household pests to eradicate completely. However, is it possible to only have one bed bug in your home?

Thermostats that seem to change the settings randomly can be suffering from several different ailments. A properly operating programmable thermostat may change settings if the thermostat is not programmed correctly.

If you wake up in the morning and the first thing you smell is gas, that would automatically tell you something is wrong. Leaking gas is inevitably a serious situation that you need to handle as soon as possible. It is never ideal to stall when it comes to gas leaks.

In many parts of the country, getting well water is a mandatory part of your daily lifestyle. Wells remain a major source of water for many households in America. However, if you have a well, you’re going to have to pump out the water that is in there if you want to drink something. To do this well, you will need to know how to prime a well pump. The question is, how?

Our furnaces are quite the piece of equipment. There are a number of components within that allow it to deliver heat into our homes, keeping us warm even when the temperatures are subzero. And just like any other type of equipment, things can go wrong.

Getting all of your ducks in a row as a homeowner involves lots of inspections, particularly if you are seeking a conventional loan. Conventional loans sometimes have different stipulations than government-issued loans, leaving renovators and homeowners confused about what inspections are required.

The time has come to replace the submersible pump in your residential water well. There are a variety of options to consider. Of the options, there is one that confuses homeowners more than any other?  Which is the better option?  A 2-wire or 3-wire submersible pump.

Your plumbing contractor tells you it is time to replace your old boiler. Now you face several decisions. The first decision that faces you is replacing your old boiler with a new high-efficiency condensing boiler or sticking with a more traditional non-condensing boiler. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

In finding the best water heater company, both Rheem and AO Smith are easy contenders for the top. Both of them have a couple of hundred years of experience under their belts. They have also produced an impressive line of products. But when comparing the two, which of these water heater companies is the best?

When you hear that a heater is “gas-powered”, it may come as a surprise when you find out that such a heater will not run without electricity. This article will explain why gas-powered heaters don’t run without electricity, and also some tips for what to do when the power goes out will be discussed.

Many people who have a domestic water well system are confused about the difference in pressure switches. Pressure switches are at the heart of your water well system. Its purpose is to tell the water pump that delivers water to your home when to turn on and cut off. The question often comes up about which one is the right choice for your home, a 30/50 or 40/60 pressure switch?

The sight of mice in the home is enough to leave any homeowner with an uneasy feeling. It feels like an invasion of privacy and a health hazard, so it only makes sense to repel them however possible. So, do coffee grounds keep mice away?

Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, a broken refrigerator can be a source of confusion and frustration in many cases. For tenants and landlords alike, it can be quite difficult to know when the landlord should replace a refrigerator when the need arises.

Selling a house is a big deal, literally and figuratively, which is why there are so many inspections and walkthroughs. It gives both parties the chance to check the house once more before the final sale. But can a seller back out of a final walkthrough?

Home security is a huge issue and the market for security cameras reflects that interest. Many homeowners have turned to trail cams as security cameras. In many instances, these game cameras work as well as much more expensive security cameras. One challenge is how to hide a trail cam for home security.

One easy way to reduce the likelihood of spider and other insect infestations is to reduce the amount of clutter in your home. For one, clutter can attract small insects that spiders eat. 

Getting new furniture is fun and exciting, as is moving (depending on the circumstances). But, what if you have a sofa that’s 40-inches wide? The standard clearance for a door is 36 inches wide, so would the sofa even fit through that small of an opening? If you don’t have an alternative way to get the couch in or out, like through a sliding glass door, will this be a problem?

The most important question to consider before selling is why you want to do it. Do you have good reasons, or are you just eager for a change? Are you running out of space, or do you just need to declutter?

Utilities are often quite expensive. Depending on where you live, certain bills can fluctuate from very small to astronomical in certain months. If you discover your landlord is using your utilities you will likely become upset. 

Discovering mold and then have your landlord to blame you for it is the ultimate case of adding “insult to injury”. That’s especially true if you know that you’ve done nothing to contribute to mold growth in your house or apartment. So, you may ask, can my landlord blame me for mold?

As the days get shorter and the nights long and cold, a reliable furnace becomes an essential fixture in the home. When the temperatures dip below freezing, your furnace is even a lifesaver. It helps keep you and your home warm, and with the assistance of your thermostat, you stay in a temperature-controlled environment throughout the winter months. So it might cause shock and alarm when you notice your furnace, instead of keeping your home warm, is blowing out cold air at night.

For renters, the relation between tenant and landlord is one that is based on trust, equity, and security. Everyone needs to feel safe in their homes, regardless of property ownership. One common concern among tenants is whether or not a landlord can take photos of the renters and their belongings.

A dirty AC condenser cannot properly transfer heat as it’s supposed to. Once this happens, the condenser will stay hot, and cold air won’t circulate throughout your home. Not only does this render the system ineffective, but it can also cause long-term damage.

Having a washer and drier in your rental unit can be a real game changer. When you are busy or have a large family, taking your clothes to the laundromat can feel like a full-time job. It may be very shocking and frustrating when your landlord asks you to remove your washer and drier or face eviction. In addition to the shock, you may wonder if your landlord could evict you for having a washing machine in the first place.

Although swallow bugs are not as prevalent, particularly in urban and suburban areas, they are commonly mistaken for bed bugs. Both pests are small and similar in appearance, and many assume that they are dealing with a bed bug infestation when they may have just found a swallow bug. For this reason, it’s important to understand the differences between them.

Your home’s HVAC system is one of the most important systems when it comes to your safety, your comfort, as well as your home’s value. That’s why minor issues with your heating system still deserve a lot of attention, even if it’s something that is as simple as a furnace that’s blowing warm air rather than hot air. Speaking of, what does that even mean?

Anytime we move into a new rental property, development, or complex, there are certain things we must figure out. These are the everyday and routine aspects of life. That includes taking out the trash and knowing what day and how trash pickup works. It is the daily routine of checking mail and learning when mail runs and how the mailbox system works. That can include questions such as does the landlord have to provide a mailbox key, or is that the tenant’s responsibility?

Nobody wants to deal with bugs in their house, and that’s why so many people call pest control services. However, people have become increasingly aware of the side effects associated with pesticides and insecticides. So, should I spray my house for bugs?

If you’ve never been to Arizona before, you may be surprised to see air conditioning units on top of houses. This is a common practice in hotter climates, and you’ll also notice rooftop AC systems in New Mexico and Florida. But what’s the point in putting an air conditioning unit on the roof?

Your home is comprised of many different components, all of which play an essential role in how it functions. One of the most critical parts of your home that often goes unnoticed is the plumbing system. The pipes that make up a plumbing system go bad and need to be repiped from time to time.

Many people don’t think about their air filters until it’s time to change them. However, it can be confusing when you notice that your filter is dirtier than it should be. So, why does my AC filter get dirty so fast?

Do you want to own a home, but are you frustrated by high real estate prices? Maybe you’ve considered buying a mobile home. These economical houses are quick to make but take a little longer to get set up before they’re move-in ready.

With all of our devices, power lines are essential in our electricity-driven world. This is apparent every time there’s a power outage, and we can’t use our microwave, cell phones, and TVs. But you may not have considered what it’s like to live near, or even under, power lines.

If you live somewhere cold, you are used to your utility bills increasing as temperatures drop. Unless you heat your home exclusively with a wood fire, you can expect to pay a high price to keep your home warm and cozy in the winter. While a higher utility bill is common in the winter, it shouldn’t shock you when you read your monthly bill. 

No one loves to pay rent. Often many of life’s stresses stem from a monthly rent payment. When you gather the money and finally get the payment to your landlord out on time you may feel a rush of relief. That relief may be short-lived, however, once you see that your landlord has refused to accept your rent payment.

Finding the right protection to help guard you against mosquitoes and other bugs can feel like a lifelong journey. There are all sorts of methods out there. There are bug zappers, sprays, candles, torches, essential oils, and even machines that use sound waves. It can all feel overwhelming, and lead you to want to choose the most natural and organic method, like citronella, to keep these biting pests away. But does citronella really work at helping to keep bugs away?

Apartment buildings have taken over much of the United States and currently house millions of people across the country. What many people don’t think about is that every single apartment has to get their plumbing and electricity from somewhere. So, how does the plumbing work in an apartment building, and where does it come from?

For many homeowners, there’s no worse indication of an unkept or filthy home than an infestation of pests – like ants. If you find ants inside your house, it’s highly likely that you also have them outside. Depending on the type of ant that you have, you may have to tackle nests or mounds to prevent them from getting inside. Though, for the majority of ant infestations, this isn’t a problem.

With so many components in your furnace, it only makes sense that one may stop working from time to time. More often than not, a dirty or clogged filter will be the cause of a furnace that isn’t working properly.

When you live in a cold-weather climate, your furnace becomes one of the most important tools at your disposal during those cold months. Your insulation can only keep so much of that cold out before your furnace needs to intervene and warm things up.

Plumbing connections inside the home can be secured in a variety of ways. If the connections inside your home are relatively new, you may find that various kinds of PEX fittings have been used. That’s due to PEX emerging as a popular alternative in recent years.

We have all heard about people who have paid rent just one day too late and gotten evicted. Other times, we’ve heard about people who have also tried to pay in part. Once in a blue moon, you might hear about a landlord who says no to a rent check. Is that actually legally possible? Moreover, why would they do that?

The cleanliness of most parts of your house has nothing to do with the results of your home inspection. However, it does affect how easy it is for an inspector to move through your house, which affects how long it takes. You can also set a good tone and make a great impression on the inspector if your home is clean.

A utility sink can make for a very useful addition to a washroom, basement, or garage. It offers an additional drainage capability, cleaning space so as to not ruin higher-end sinks, and a world of other possibilities.

When you face replacing the major components of your HVAC system, new technologies can offer some interesting options. Heat pumps have been around for years. With the introduction of the residential geothermal system, a lot of confusion has resulted. Many homeowners wonder about the differences between a geothermal and an air-to-air heat pump.

Water heaters can be vented in a variety of ways, but some systems require specific ventilation configurations. In this article, direct vent water heaters will be compared with standard atmospheric vent water heaters, as this way the reader will be able to select the best water heater for their home.

Your shower is one of the most important parts of your home. You wouldn’t be able to keep yourself clean without one. That’s why it’s important to prioritize the maintenance of your shower.

Whether you are building a home or remodeling an older home, you should understand drain configurations when deciding on plumbing. A licensed plumber is involved with the contractor or builder, but you should know what is up to code. Understanding the main differences between a P-trap and S-trap will help to ensure your home is a safe environment.

There are few things more frustrating in the world than bed bugs and roach infestations. If not addressed properly, a cockroach problem can lead to serious health concerns, hygiene issues, and even the spread of diseases. Whereas, neglecting a bed bug infestation can result in major allergies, skin infections, costly remediation, and even a negative impact on your mental health.

Utility bills are a fact of life for most adults. They vary in price and frequency but it can sometimes feel like bills roll in nonstop. It may come as a shock then, when your landlord does not send you any utility bills. 

When you’re reading about gas meter issues, chances are that you’ve heard mention of a gas meter lock. However, you might not have actually seen a lock on your meter. If you’re like many people who are new to HVAC work, you’re probably wondering what the meter lock is, and how you should remove it. The scoop on this part of your meter reading might surprise you.

Ticks are easily the scariest arachnids besides spiders, and they can be quite harmful to humans and animals alike. The sight of a tick on your body is enough to make you think twice about going outside during spring and summer. Most homeowners would do anything to keep ticks off their property. So, does mowing the lawn kill ticks?

Wells are a convenience and a staple in American homes for centuries now. The difference between the wells of days past and wells of today is the sophisticated simplicity of great well pumps. If you have a working well, you need a well pump, but what will it cost you?

Owning a home is a big responsibility, and it’s also a big investment. Many people know that they’ll sell their homes one day, but figuring out the perfect timing is easier said than done. So, how long should you live in a house before selling?

Bed bugs can be a pain. Once you have them, it can be very hard to get rid of them. Luckily there are pest management professionals who can help you clear the bed bugs out of your home. After the exterminators have treated the affected area, is it safe to sleep in your bed?

When I first started doing home improvement work, I was shocked to find out how many seemingly universal household parts don’t work with mobile homes. I mean, they’re supposed to be universal, right?! We all know that most heaters and toilet systems may need to have modifications in mobile homes. When it comes to matters like hot water heaters, things can get dicey.