Residential Air-Conditioning System Inspection

by Nick Gromicko, CMI® from InterNACHI A building’s central air-conditioning system must be periodically inspected and maintained in order to function properly. While an annual inspection performed by a trained professional is recommended, homeowners can do a lot of the work themselves by following the tips offered in this guide. Clean the Exterior Condenser Unit and […]

Clothes Washer Filling Slowly

Your washer has always worked well. In fact, it still does, but the cycle time seems to drag on longer and longer. Hard to tell what’s wrong, but you notice the water doesn’t seem to spray into the laundry tub like it used to, and it seems to take longer to fill the tub. Why? […]

Flood from the Washer Hose!

Flood From the Washer Hose What is the number one source of water damage inside a home? It’s not tornadoes, rainstorms or hurricanes. It’s a broken washing machine hoses. Left undetected, a broken washer supply hose can quickly flood a home. Check your washer’s hoses periodically. If there are any signs of bulging or leakage, […]

Tune Your Refrigerator for High Performance

Tune Your Refrigerator for High Performance The refrigerator is among the most neglected of household appliances because usually, it runs forever with little repair. However, it often consumes the most electricity in your home’s appliances. You can improve the performance and extend the life of your refrigerator with simple maintenance. The condenser coil of a […]

Fix That Wobbling Ceiling Fan

Fix That Wobbling Ceiling Fan Wobbling ceiling fans are not safe to use. If a ceiling fan in your home shows excessive wobble, stop using it until you can get it fixed. Fans are dangerous if not installed and operated correctly. Many fans wobble because they have loose parts or need to be balanced. Find […]

Water Heater Drip Needs Attention

One fine day, you walk past the water heater, and your foot gets wet. Hmm, that’s strange. You take a look and notice a very slow drip – drip – drip from the tube on the side of the water heater. That can’t be too bad. Just put a bucket under the tube to catch […]

Clothes Dryer Venting – A Hidden Danger

Each year many home fires are caused by improperly maintained clothes dryers. The dryer and vent pipes can overheat and cause a fire. Vents plugged with lint will compound the problem. Don’t let your home become the next casualty. First, always follow the manufacturer’s requirements for cleaning the dryer lint screen. On most dryers, the […]

Power Out? How To Free Your Car from the Garage

An automatic garage door operator is great. But when the power goes out, and the overhead door is down, your car is trapped inside. How do you get it out? Take a look at the garage door operator on the ceiling. It connects to the top of the garage door via a metal bar. On […]

No Heat? Try This Before Calling for Service

As autumn settles in, there’s no heat in your house, and it’s getting cold. The furnace worked fine in the spring. Why is it stubborn now when you need it? You don’t want to spend money on a service call if you don’t have to, so check these things first. All heating appliances have an […]

Turn That Gas Off

If your home has natural gas or propane appliances, you should know where the gas valves are located and how to turn them off. All gas appliances are required to have a special valve located on the pipe near the appliance. Look at your gas cooking range – you should see a valve just behind […]