No one wants to discover pests in the home, let alone an infestation. What began as one or two flying bugs can quickly turn into a giant colony of unwanted guests. Flea infestations can be particularly terrible, as flea bites can be painful and long lasting. But what should you do what you bomb your house for fleas but you notice the fleas are still there?

It’s hard to miss the smell of sulfur; the scent is quite distinct and unpleasant. The smell is even more unpleasant when it’s in your neighborhood and even your home. So, why does my neighborhood smell like sulfur?

Having a second level in your home is a bonus for most people who want more room and privacy. But what about heating and cooling your upstairs? Heating seems to be no problem since heat rises. The problem is, during the summer, how do you increase airflow to the second floor?

Mice can be troublemakers and can prove to be a real headache if they are in your home. In dealing with them, you can find they are destructive, and no one likes them in their house. They constantly chew furniture, books, clothing, and electrical wiring, along with other household items. 

There will always be questions concerning the responsibility of various repairs and obligations regarding the tenant-landlord relationship. In many situations, where those obligations and responsibilities lie is clearly defined by tenant-landlord law.

True story: I’ve dealt with bed bugs at my apartment once. They were a nightmare, especially since I am allergic to them. Obviously, treatment was a major focal point of my life at that period of time. Bed bug infestations are brutal, but so is having to live without your stuff. How long does a treatment take before you can “move” back in?

When the temperatures start to drop in the winter months, your furnace may struggle to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. While that may sometimes mean that you need a new furnace, it most often means that one of your furnace parts could benefit from a little maintenance. Understanding all of the various parts of a furnace can help you to make an informed decision about what is best for your home.

Buying a new home is a monumental decision that involves many moving parts. The good news is that once all is said and done, you will have the keys to your future dreams placed in your hand. But there are many boxes to check between the day you close on your home and the day you move into it. One important step between these two moments is getting in touch with all your utility companies and making sure everything is set up when you move in.

Relationships between landlords and tenants can often be complicated. Over time it is not uncommon for issues to arise and for disagreements to commence. When you and your landlord have a disagreement it is always a good idea to collect evidence. You should also keep track of all official correspondences. 

There is nothing more unnerving than standing in front of the bathroom only to notice a roach crawling from the drain. It can seem like something out of a horror movie, especially since roaches can spread diseased germs and bacteria. However, what comes up must go down, and there are some things to pour down the drain to kill roaches instantly.

Back when I lived in a different apartment (erm, warehouse), there was a short period of time when my water ran yellow. A call to my landlord fixed it. Afterward, I heard about the Flint water crisis and realized that contaminated water isn’t always an easy fix. Who should tenants blame when water is unfit to drink?

You’ve probably come across the names SpacePak and Unico in your search for heating and cooling solutions. They are the leaders in high-velocity HVAC systems. These systems have a lower profile and require less space than your average air conditioning unit. Their supply tubing is more compact than traditional ducts, and they are often used in older homes that have space limitations.

Many people who hire professional movers say the cost is worth it for the convenience alone. It’s worth hiring professional movers if you have certain circumstances that make moving hard, such as:

Whether you’re moving into your first home or you own an apartment complex, you’ll need a working water heater. Until it comes time to install one, you may not even realize how often you use it.

Rodent control can be expensive, and it can also take a lot of time. But there may be a quick and natural remedy to your house mouse infestation. And best of all, you likely have the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard already.

Heavy rain and storms can cause several problems for your home, and many homeowners dread a flood in their basement. Not only can heavy rains damage your plumbing and foundation, but heavy rains can also cause a sewer backup to occur, creating a whole slew of additional problems.

Maybe your sofa is old and tattered or maybe you just don’t like the color anymore. Whatever the reason, if you’re wondering how to get rid of a couch, there are plenty of ways to do it.

A blower motor that works in A/C mode and not heat mode is a perplexing problem. Diagnosing these kinds of problems can be a challenge for a homeowner. Before you call an expensive repair technician, there are some things you should check yourself.

When you discover that you have termites, you naturally are eager to get rid of them. There are several ways to get rid of termites, including drilling, but you want to ensure that you choose the best way. How do you decide when drilling is necessary for termite treatment?

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.

Heat pumps offer an alternative to central heating or furnaces. They basically take the warm area from one area and move it over to another. They are more efficient than furnaces, which burn fuel to create that heat source.

A great heat pump can boost your home’s HVAC system. However, some brands such as Nordyne and Rheem are worth avoiding. Whether it be Ameristar or Lennox International, let’s take a look at the 6 worst heat pump brands.

When you move into a new rental property the most important exchange between your landlord is not the keys, but the lease. Although your keys are needed to get into your new home it is the lease that makes it legal for you to enter.

Your air conditioner, whether it is a small window unit or a large central unit, is a complicated piece of equipment. There are many components within it that, should they stop working, can derail the entire unit from working properly.

Dog doors don’t dramatically affect home value. However, a dog door can decrease home value if the house is already inexpensive and has other red flags. If someone can already afford an expensive home, they won’t likely mind the cost of covering up a dog door.

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.

Most tenants are required to put the water bill in their name and pay it on a regular basis. But what if the water bill you received was astronomical, even though you haven’t been using more water than usual? Could it be because of a leak, and are you required to pay, even if it was beyond your control?

A lease between tenant and landlord can be a precarious one. The landlord sees the relationship as an investment, a means for making income from their property. For the tenant, it is a place to live and possibly a bridge to a better place in the future.

Depending on where you live, a functioning air conditioner can either be a convenient feature or an absolute necessity. Whatever the case, it’s important to know what to look for when buying one for your home.

Don’t ignore your instincts if you suspect your gas furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. Not repairing a damaged heat exchanger in a timely manner can cause serious health issues for your family. Among the toxic gases released into the air is carbon monoxide. It’s important to check to see if it’s cracked and then stop all use. But, how do you tell if it’s broken?

There is nothing more annoying than a leaky fill valve in a toilet. Leaking fill valves are also water waters that can run up your water bill significantly if ignored. When the time comes to replace a leaky fill valve in your toilet, which fill valve should you chose, the Korky or the Fluidmaster?

Modern plumbing is as advanced as it has ever been, and that makes it hard to wrap your head around. The color of a particular pipe may simply seem cosmetic, but it signifies its purpose and certain properties. So, what is the difference between green and white sewer pipes?

When your York furnace’s red light starts blinking, it’s time for a proper POA. The problem may be as easy to fix as a blown fuse or something more complex that requires professional help.

Having someone spy on you is not only creepy, but it also interferes with the quiet enjoyment of your home. Spying is an invasion of your privacy, and you do have rights, even if that person happens to be your landlord.

Plumbers grease is used in lubricating and protecting plumbing fixtures. Also referred to as faucet grease, since this is its most common application, it helps to lubricate O-rings and swivel points.

With the cold winter months coming up, it can be frustrating to find that your heater is not working. Whether you are alerted by unusual noise or abnormal cold, having your furnace fail to ignite your burners is not a great experience. So what causes this issue, and what do you do about it?

A common question homeowners have before they start a home improvement project is: “Can I put insulation on hot water pipes?” The answer depends on the type of insulation you use.

Very few people volunteer to take cold showers. So when the water goes cold AND your power goes, that’s a double whammy. You reset your circuit breaker, but it goes out again, and you’re not sure what to do about it.

Nothing can make a home feel comfortable quite like a reliable HVAC system. Sometimes, that means that you need to upgrade to a new thermostat or add one. Can you have two thermostats and one AC unit?

Most people are familiar with heat pumps when it comes to using them as air conditioners. A unique feature about a heat pump is that it can be used during the winter to heat your home and not just during the summer to cool it. But how can a split system like a heat pump perform both of these functions?

With the winter months coming fast, ensuring that your furnace motor stays in good condition is paramount. Because of this, it is good to be aware of what causes a furnace blower motor to go bad. Having this knowledge will prepare you for quick action should a repair be required.

Buying a house is one of the biggest decisions you can make in your adult life. There are various reasons why a married couple would buy a home under one name. Maybe one spouse has better credit, or perhaps it’s an investment property; either way, you need to understand the terms.

With the new trend of DIY campers, many truck owners are starting to convert their truck beds into a bed. While blankets and a mat usually suffice for a few days, you may want to look into something longer term, like a mattress. But, what size of mattress should you get?

Your furnace is a complicated piece of equipment. There are various components working in unison at all times and when one of them goes bad, it is imperative to identify the problem in short order. The last thing that you want is for your furnace to continue failing, leading to bigger and more expensive repairs.

If your water pipes are making a humming noise, this could be due to several reasons. In some cases, homeowners describe this strange humming noise sounding like a foghorn, as it usually reverberates.

Garbage is a part of life. Even the most environmentally-conscious individuals produce garbage! It’s how one disposes of their garbage that’s important.

There are few appliances that are as central to your lifestyle and comfort as a water heater. Everything from your daily chores, to your hygiene, to your level of comfort, is affected by how well (or not well) your water heater supplies hot water to your home.

If you have ants coming out of your bathroom sink, you’re obviously going to want to get rid of them right away. Even the highest-quality sinks can leak, which not only will waste water and cost you money over time but will also bring about a whole bunch of other issues. This includes unwanted visits from pests like ants, which is what we’re talking about here.

A heat pump can be an efficient way of delivering hot or cool air into your home depending on the time of year and the temperature outside. When the temperatures soar in the summer, a heat pump that blows hot air is doing you no favors.

Insect infestations can happen in numerous locations in a home, and one space where insects mass is the crawl space. Crawl spaces are often cramped and hard to reach, which means addressing an insect infestation in this location can be a difficult task.

The only thing worse than coming across a bug in your apartment is finding a mouse. When mice get into your apartment they bring with them harmful diseases and can, and will, chew through boxes to consume your food. Of course, the ideal outcome is to keep them out of your apartment in the first place, but one has already gotten in, you may be wondering: “How do mice get in upstairs apartments?”

During certain times of the year, relying on your furnace is a must if you want to remain comfortable. If your old furnace breaks down, replacing it is a priority. While looking for a replacement, you may eventually stumble upon 2-stage furnaces.

Modern plumbing is a wonderful convenience that allows us to live safe and sanitary lives. Many people rely on municipal sewer systems to help remove wastewater cleanly and efficiently from your home. Sewage usually safely travels through the sewer pipe connecting your home to the municipal waste plant. However, sometimes a leak can occur within your sewer pipe, leading to major plumbing complications.

You come home after a hard day only to find some strange device hanging on your door. After a few minutes, you realize that it’s a lock box. Can your landlord put a lock box on your door for showings?

Resetting a Carrier Infinity Thermostat to its factory settings is easy, and can be done through the Service menu.

When you install a furnace in your home, you expect it to run for long periods of time. This is especially true when you’re still working on making your home warm. This includes the furnace blower as well. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.

Roaches can be pesky little creatures that invite themselves over and then never leave. They will come out at night to steal your food and don’t give back anything in return except extra germs. Most homes have a cabinet that is full of cleaning supplies and various insecticides. So, if we have a bed bug spray on hand, will this spray also kill roaches?

Mice are a common household pet but can also be wild in your house as well as outside. The house mouse is the most commonly encountered and economically significant of all the rodents. It has, for some years now, also become a very popular household pet.

Random unwanted sounds can really take away from an otherwise relaxing afternoon at home. Sometimes these unwanted sounds can even come from our houses themselves. Water pipes can make a variety of unwanted sounds when they are not operating properly. These pipes can even make noise when the water is not running.

It can leave you feeling uneasy when you hear unusual sounds coming from your furnace. Some furnace sounds are normal, but they can also point to serious problems. So, you may ask, why is my furnace rattling?