We are pleased to offer you our best tips on hiring a service professional

Ask to see the contractor's state-issued license and write down the number. Then call 850.487.1395 or visit www.myfloridalicense.com to verify that the license is current and active. If you live outside of the state of Florida, check with your local building official about certification guidelines. Ask for references. Licensed contractors should be happy to provide you with names and contact information for recent customers. Get written estimates from several contactors that include all costs and a completion date. Beware of contractors that promise to be the fastest and the cheapest, this may result in poor … more

  I would like to start off today discussing the impact of hard water on you plumbing fixtures.  First off what is hard water? Hard water is water that has high mineral content (in contrast with soft water). Hard water minerals primarily consist of calcium, and magnesium, metal cations, and sometimes other dissolved compounds such as bicarbonates and sulfates.   Hard water is not harmful to your health in most cases; actually, if you look on store shelves you will find several varieties of “mineral” water. It is common knowledge that your body needs calcium and magnesium.  While these things are good for you, they are extremely bad for all the items in … more

There are some basic things that every homeowner should know and be aware of.  The first and most important question is do you know where the water shut off valve is for your whole house?  If you don’t know you need to find out now!!

    Things happen, valves start to leak, lines fail, pipes break and faucets leak.  Knowing where the shut off valve in your home is can save you thousands of dollars in damages.  It is even more important to know where that valve is if you live in a condo.  Think about what it is going to cost you if you flood the seven floors below you.  As simple as it sounds, knowing how to shut the water off in your home … more

We all know that the summers here in sunny South Florida can be brutal. Average median temperatures in the summer months runs in the low nineties, factor in the humidity and most summer days feel like it is over 100 degrees. We get calls almost every day that the AC system in my home is not keeping the house cool. Sometimes there is a problem with the system, but often times we find the system to be fully functional. So why is my AC not keeping up?? There are several reasons that can cause your house not to be at the comfort level you desire. Let’s start with a basic AC lesson, an air conditioning system installed correctly and working properly can only cool the home 25 degrees below … more

In a word YES!!!

Insulation is the most effective way to improve the energy efficiency of a home. Insulation of the building envelope helps keep heat in during the winter, and releases heat out during summer to improve comfort and save energy.

Insulating a home can save 45–55% of heating and cooling energy.

The term ‘insulation’ refers to materials which provide substantial resistance to heat flow. When these materials are installed in the ceiling, walls, and floors of a building, heat flow into and out of the building is reduced, and the need for heating and cooling is minimized.

Insulation should always be coupled with … more

Here are a few tips that can prolong the life of your garbage disposal, and a few things to avoid.  First and foremost remember that not everything can go down the disposal.  Fibrous foods such as celery, onion skins, shellfish, and corn husks are things to typically avoid.  The disposal will not grind these items up enough to allow them to wash down the drains.  If you try to put these types of items down the disposal you are going to have long term problems with the drainage of the kitchen lines and this can lead to back-ups.  You should also avoid large amounts of fat and grease.  You should run cold water before, during and after you put any items down the … more

The air conditioning system in your home is a completely sealed unit. The only way that your system could be low on Freon is due to tampering or a leak in the system. If you have a leak, you must address the situation, they will not go away on there own. Leaks in the system can cause your unit to operate less efficiently by using much more electricity, even if the system is only a couple of ounces low on Freon. Leaks in the system will shorten the life of your compressor as well. The motor operates at higher temperatures, causing it to run harder. Let’s not forget that service calls can be expensive, and if you opt to only recharge a system without making the needed repairs, you are … more

As with everything in your home you must do regular maintenance on your drains.  Lack of maintenance is the leading cause of those annoying clogs and back-ups. Grease is the leading cause of clogs, and if you stop and think about it every soap product in the world is oil based.  Over time, the grease sticks to the sides of the pipes and acts like glue.  The longer this continues the worse the condition of your pipes gets.

     DO NOT use an over the counter drain cleaner such as Drano or Liquid Plumber.  The caustic nature of these products will make your pipes deteriorate quicker than they should, especially in older homes with cast iron … more

What the heck are Manuel J Load calculations anyway?  A simple answer is it is a series of calculations to determine the correct size cooling system for your home.  There are many factors that come into play when conducting these calculations.  You must take into consideration number of people in the home, number of windows and doors, roof type and materials, as well as the direction each side of the house faces. When sizing a heating and cooling system for a home, rule of thumb measurements can yield an improperly sized system. Yes, you've probably heard it all before, but a poorly sized HVAC system can lead to an uncomfortable living environment and higher bills for the … more

     Every fixture in your home that has water going to should have an emergency shut off valve in the event of a leak or the need to replace the fixture.  Typically, each water closet (toilet), faucet, water heater, ice maker, bidet or any other water fixture will be equipped with one of these valves. There are multiple types of these valves, so the ones in your home may not look exactly as depicted.  In my ongoing crusade to promote home maintenance, these valves also need to be inspected annually.  To close the valve you should turn it to the right, and excessive force should not be required.

      After you have closed the … more

A blower door is a diagnostic tool designed to measure the air tightness of buildings to help locate air leakage areas. A blower door consists of a calibrated fan for measuring an airflow rate, and a pressure-sensing device to measure the air pressure created by the fan. The combination of pressure and fan-flow measurements is used to determine the building’s air tightness. The air tightness of a building is useful knowledge when trying to increase energy conservation, decrease indoor air pollution, or control building pressures.

     A basic blower-door system includes three components: a calibrated fan, a door-panel system, and a device to measure fan flow and … more

Everyone thinks that the hot water heater in your home is a simple piece of equipment, often ignoring the hidden dangers that they can pose.  An improperly installed water heater is literally a bomb waiting to cause an explosion in your home.  At the top or on the side of the heater there is a pressure relief valve (see picture below).  This valve is designed to open in the event that the thermostat or control valve in the heater malfunctions.  If either of these fails, the elements many continue to heater the water past the usual 125-130 degree range.  As the temperature of the water increases, so does the volume.  The water pressure in a typical home system is … more

  Is a programmable thermostat really worth the extra expense? In a word, yes.  The average household in America spends over $2000.00 a year on the internal comfort of the home.  Installing a programmable thermostat can save you $100-$200 dollars a year.  It makes the thermostat an investment that pays for itself in 2-3 years.

     The first tip to ensure the maximum savings on your new thermostat is to make sure that it is installed on an interior wall, away from any windows or doors that would allow the thermostat to be exposed to direct sunlight.  Also make sure that the thermostat is not getting direct air blown on it from the ductwork. As … more