Oftentimes, what causes do-it-yourself bed bug treatments to fail is that people neglect to treat more than just their mattress. In fact, bed bugs don’t just hang out in your mattress, they can also hide in your carpeting, bedding, clothing, personal belongings, and even your shoes.  Adopting an attitude that bed bugs can infiltrate pretty much anything can help maximize your chances of getting rid of them. Shockingly enough, bed bugs can get into your shoes and there’s nothing more infuriating (and disgusting).

No hub couplings and flexible couplings may look a lot alike. However, the surface similarities mask the real differences between these two types of plumbing couplings. Flexible couplings and no hub couplings are different, with different applications and meeting different standards.

Central air conditioning is a modern commodity and it’s hard to get comfortable when it isn’t working properly. HVAC system problems can be overwhelming and even expensive, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. So, why is your central air conditioning line freezing up?

When I lived in a warehouse in Newark, we had a very serious mouse problem. As bad as it is to say, I actually got used to living with them because my “landlord” did nothing to solve the problem. Eventually, I found one dead on my bedroom floor and decided it was time to leave. Looking back, it’s pretty horrific. Was it even safe to sleep there?

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.

When you receive a letter from your landlord certified mail you may automatically think the worst. Certified mail can mean the start of the eviction process, sure. However, there are a variety of reasons a landlord may want to use this USPS service to send you information.

Working on sewage lines can be tricky. That’s why most homeowners hire professional plumbers. But can you put a 90 in a sewer line, or should you figure out something else? Here’s everything you need to know.

As you prepare to move into a new apartment there are many details you need to iron out. There are the fun details of course, like decorating and apartment shopping. Then there are the more tiresome aspects, like the logistics of moving and the financial costs associated with it all. As you start adding up the costs for your new apartment you should also factor in any and all utilities. Believe it or not, this may even include water and sewer charges.

If you’re purchasing a new home or planning to refinance, then you’ll need to get a home appraisal. Your lender requires a home appraisal to ensure they aren’t lending you more money than the house is worth. You want the number to be accurate and not too low, so how do you prepare for a home appraisal?

As a homeowner, you’re already used to dealing with repairs and maintenance projects throughout your home. That said, it should come as no surprise that issues can arise with your furnace, too. A furnace can be a life saver during the cold winter months, which is why it’s important to ensure it is working properly. That means you can count on it to blow hot air through your home when you need it and to shut off when you don’t. So, what should you do if the furnace won’t turn off at all?

If the flame sensor on your furnace is broken or faulty, you may be looking for a temporary solution. Those who live in especially cold areas of the country rely on their furnace to keep them warm during winter months. Since your flame sensor is a safety device, when it’s not working properly, your furnace will not operate.

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?

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.

Furnaces are one of the most important parts of any home you go into. Without them, you won’t have heat during the winter and there’s also a good chance your hot water could also be linked to it. (If you have a steam furnace, anyway.) Running them is vital, and so is replacing the filter…or is it? Do you always need to use a filter when running a furnace?

Thermostats act as the heart of every home’s AC system, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get glitchy. A common issue that you might have with a digital thermostat happens when your thermostat’s face suddenly goes blank, then turns back on. It’s almost like a reboot…except it’s not supposed to happen. If this happens to you, you might be wondering what this means for your HVAC system.

The internet is a wealth of knowledge. It is not uncommon to find yourself going down a blackhole of internet searching. There is no secret that online privacy is often a thing of the past. Spyware and web browsers often hold on to information without you even knowing. 

Like it or not, your heat pump is going to run into common issues from time to time. They can be easy to fix depending on the issue or they can be a precursor to larger issues. Being able to identify those issues is of the utmost importance.

Termites are a common affliction that many homeowners face. Despite being commonplace pests, termites are more than a mere nuisance as the damage they impose can be irreparable and expensive. Fortunately, you can safeguard against the devastation and high cost of termite destruction, often making termite protection plans worth it.

When your A/C drain line becomes clogged, a plumber’s snake may be the most cost-effective option. With the right type of snake, snaking a drain line is a straightforward task.

You try to pay your rent every month, right on time. One month, though, didn’t quite make much sense. You dropped off the check at your landlord’s mailbox, but the check never got cashed. You waited and waited. It’s been three days without a check cashed. What gives?

Termite fumigation uses chemicals that penetrate walls to kill unreachable termites, so will termite fumigation kill rats in the walls too? The fumigation process is an effective option, but it can be disruptive to your everyday life as it is lethal for mammals. It requires you to make preparations inside your home and stay out of it for a certain amount of time.

Leaking fittings and pipes not only lead to the wastage of an essential natural resource, but they can also result in elevated utility bills and presents a hazard in the home.

It wasn’t until I owned my own home that I realized how coveted storage space is. Having an entire closet dedicated to a furnace seems like a giant waste of storage space. So, what about the attic? Could that be a practical place to install a furnace to save storage space on living floors?

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?

There are many reasons that people rent trucks from Menards. Sometimes, a truck is just what you need to haul a new purchase back home. At least, if you want to haul it home yourself at your own convenience.

Your sump pump plays a valuable role in your home’s upkeep, helping prevent unwanted water from entering your house. Typically, depending on your location, a sump pump in good operating condition might kick on once or twice a day. You might hear a low humming noise when this happens, which is normal.

Central air is one of the most essential components of a clean and comfortable home. While it’s still viewed as a commodity, installing a central air conditioning system in new homes is pretty standard. However, if you have an older home and want to install one, this can prove to be difficult on your own.

Cat ownership is something that I really, truly enjoy. Eventually, I’ll probably get a cat of my own in my apartment. So far, I haven’t. This isn’t just because it’s a studio apartment, either. It’s because I worry about my landlords finding out and penalizing me for it. This brings us to the question today. Can a landlord tell if you have a cat?

You’ve paid your rent on time every month, and you assumed that your landlord was paying the mortgage in turn. That is, until you received a notice from the bank that the house was being foreclosed! What are your rights in this situation, and can you sue your landlord for not paying the mortgage?

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.

It’s no secret that moving is a stressful experience. Moving can be a long and expensive process, and figuring out how to manage your time can be frustrating. Many people understandably struggle with what to get rid of when moving.

There are many hurdles you must jump over on the road to purchasing or building a home. One of these hurdles is a home inspection. A home inspector will need to enter the home, survey and visualize the property, and report on his or her findings. But when it comes to home inspectors you should know that they are not a one-stop-shop. In fact there are lots of things home inspectors are not allowed to do.

If you’ve heard much talk about furnaces and their specific components, you’ve likely come across the term “blower.” The blower, or blower motor, is one of the most essential components of your furnace.

Painting your apartment can instantly freshen the space. But you have to be careful not to break your rental lease. In some cases, a landlord will let you paint. In other cases, they won’t. So, can you paint apartment walls or not?

You may have a drain worm problem if you find small black worms in your bathroom, kitchen sink, or toilet. “Drain fly worms” or “drain fly larvae” are other names for these little black or brown worms. But what exactly are they?

Are you considering upgrading your air conditioner? A variable-speed air handler can make a huge difference in the comfort of your home. But before you choose a model with a variable-speed air handler, let’s go over all of its pros and cons.

Many homes use gas, such as natural gas, for stoves, water heaters, and more. If your home uses gas, you may wonder how to tee off an existing gas line. This guide will show you exactly how to do that!

Watching dirty washing machine water back up into your bathtub can be a confounding experience for some. It can be difficult to pinpoint the source of the problem if you are not experienced with drainage systems. As a result, it is common for people to think that the problem is more serious than it really is.

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.

Moths are among the most unique and fascinating insects, but it’s not fun when you find them in your home. They fly around erratically and often look like colorless butterflies to the uninitiated, and that can frighten any homeowner. There are over 160,000 species of moths, but 10 of them are specifically none to live around households.

Home inspections are serious business which makes it such an important event for people to attend. However, there are only a few parties who are expected to show. That being said, should the seller attend the home inspection?

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?

Not only can mice be a nuisance when found in the home, but they also present a significant health hazard. Their eating habits can quickly result in the spread of disease, contaminating your food. Some individuals may also develop harmful allergic reactions to mice infestations. Identifying the best repellent method is crucial to achieving a mice-free home.

Your new HVAC system is installed and running smoothly. However, you notice when the AC runs, there is a trickle of water from a pipe into a floor drain in the HVAC closet. Your HVAC technician explained the drain collects the condensate from the coils when the AC runs. Shouldn’t the drain have a vent like the other drains in the house?

Periodically, your furnace will turn on to reach a desired temperature before shutting off. This is called cycling, and the frequency in which it occurs depends on a few factors.

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. 

Asbestos is the last thing that a new homeowner wants to have to worry about. The word alone evokes the fear of health risks, limiting home value, and expensive removal. So, can you get a mortgage on a house with asbestos siding?

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.

The reset button on your furnace is a quick method to solve any short-term issues. But if your furnace keeps shutting off and requiring resets, this is a sign of deeper problems. Given that this is a fairly common problem in oil furnaces, we will be focusing primarily on solutions for those.

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?

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.

Did you know that taking showers and baths can be beneficial to your health? Enhanced blood flow, joint pain relief, and adequate sleep are just a few of the benefits. (Not to mention that they’re soothing!) It’s no surprise that many people enjoy a long, hot shower when they’re finishing up the day.

Proper planning is critical when installing appliances. If you rush the initial planning, you risk creating more problems in the future. Especially when it comes to propane furnaces, your initial blueprint is essential. There are many reasons to chooses a propane furnace. Some people don’t live close enough to town for natural gas. Others might be looking to replace an old propane furnace. Regardless, if you wonder which areas of the house are appropriate for installation, you’ve come to the right place.

Talking about plumbing and drains, in particular, involves a host of letter designations. Figuring out what these letter designations mean and how to use them in drain and water plumbing can get confusing? Exactly what are J-Traps and P-Traps?

Heating and cooling are two of the most vital aspects of a home. While it may seem like the obvious answer is to go with central, ductless heating and cooling, that isn’t necessarily an option for everyone.

Water heaters can make all kinds of noises when something is damaged or not running properly. However, if you suddenly start hearing a hissing noise coming from your water heater, you may want to take care of it soon. A hissing sound may not be dangerous to you and your family, but it can eventually damage the water heater. 

For the uninitiated, knowing the difference between propane and natural gas may be confusing. There are different units that can use different types of gas and mixing the two needs to be understood before implementation.

You may notice that the AC in your home is not cooling as well as you think it should. The filters are new, the evaporator coil is clean, and the blower fan is working as well as ever. Inspecting the condensing unit outside leads you to a question. Which way should the fan on the condensing unit spin?

The sight of ants in your yard or home can understandably be discomforting. Not only are ant hills ugly, but they can indicate that you have an upcoming ant problem on your hands. Many homeowners have asked themselves the question: why are there so many ant hills in my yard?

Running toilets are toilets that continuously cycle through water, and they’re a pest. A typical running toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons of water per day. When you hear that running noise echoing from your bathroom, you might be wondering if it can cause a flood. You might be surprised at the answer.