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Winterizing your home in Houston

Many Houston houses receive their electric power by way of overhead wires running from the electric pole to the house. Homes with this above ground entry for their power have a weatherhead which is mounted on the roof or side of the house. The weatherhead allows the power lines to be protected from the weather. The weatherhead is usually mounted on the top of a piece of pipe or conduit and the wires then run down the piping into the service panel mounted on the house. Weatherheads are ...

Houston power outage means have your Air Conditioning System checked out.

Tankless Water Heaters a Hot Topic

Have you ever noticed a white substance that has built up around the area where water comes out of your faucets or showerhead and is restricting the water flow? What are some things you can do to clear this up? Before you go and just replace the faucets or their aerators, or replace a shower head, try to remove these mineral deposits yourself. Take off (usually unscrew) the aerators from your faucets and soak them in vinegar overnight. This should help dissolve the deposits and open up your ...

There is an odor coming from your garbage disposal and it becomes bothersome. Usually this odor is caused by a buildup of miscellaneous food debris that gets lodged in the disposal. What are some things you can do? One thing you can do is place some ice cubes and orange or lemon peels in the disposal and run for about 30 seconds along with some cold water. After that, squirt a little bit of laundry detergent into the disposal while it is still running. Then turn off the disposal and run some ...

Ready for a nice long shower and you are out of hot water?

My water heater sometimes sounds like it has a bad case of indigestion, often rumbling or making a popping noise. Why does this occur? Typically when you water heater has sediment build up in the bottom of the tank this will cause the rumbling clatter. Water gets trapped in the sediment, starts to boil and then pops out thus making noise. When you hear the rumbling noise this indicates that your heater is not operating as efficiently as it should be. You or your plumber can attempt to drain ...

You need or want to replace one or more of your toilets in your home. You may have heard from a neighbor, friend or even in read in the newspaper that the ‘newer toilets’ do not flush properly or don’t flush the same as what you are used to. You may have even heard that you have to flush them multiple times and keep a plunger close by. What’s up with this you say? What is recommended? When the federal government first issued their directive that all new toilets must not use more than 1.6 ...

Toilets are part of the essential bathroom layout and every so often they cause us annoyance. Sometimes we hear a high pitched noise or maybe a faint whistling noise that seems to be connected to our plumbing system. The noise comes and goes at various times but is hard to pin point as to source. What is the cause of this noise? Our good old toilet may be the reason. This noise is often caused by a leaking fill valve or ball cock in the toilet. You can locate the leaking valve by going to ...

No one likes to open their water bill and do a double take at the higher than usual amount. It does happen and then we wonder how can that be? Common culprits are leaking faucets and leaking sprinkler systems. But what if these offenders are not the cause? Don’t overlook the toilets. First check the water level in the tank and make sure that it is not higher than the overflow tube. The overflow tube is commonly in or around the middle of the tank and is about ¾” in diameter. Most overflow ...

If you hear noise when you turn the water off at your faucet and it makes a hammering noise, this is commonly called a 'water hammer'. Water pipes contain air chambers that hold 'air' to cushion the shock when the pressurized flowing water is shut off. If these chambers get filled with water, they will loose their effectiveness. Here are some steps that you can try on your own to mitigate the noise issues. Try turning off your water at the main shut off valve; open all the faucets to drain the ...

Most homeowners have experienced a clogged drain and remarkably this clog occurs right before a big dinner party or when family has come to visit. This is very commom but also frustrating. The reason kitchen sinks clog up the most is because of grease that builds up like Cholesterol, so do not pour grease in the sink. Pour your grease into an empty can and stick it in the refrigerator until it hardens and then throw it away. Also, do not put carrot peelings and potato peelings in the ...

What is a dust mite? They are microscopic creatures that love to grow in dark and humid environments such as blankets, bedding, carpets, stuffed animals, draperies. Keep dust mites under control? Install clean air filter systems with your air conditioning system to trap particles. Use air conditioning or humidifiers to keep humidity below 50% Wash your bed linens in HOT water at least every two weeks The ...

A family of four, that each shower for 5 minutes a day, use 700 gallons of water a week This equates to a 3 year supply of drinking water for one person. Reduce that amount in half by using low pressure flow showerheads and faucets.

City Code on Water Heaters installed in garages require that the heater be placed on a platform. Why? To prevent pilot lights from igniting gasoline fumes.

An inspection can head off problems before they become major issues. Loose connections at the breaker panel box can cause wires to overheat which can cause the breaker to trip or worse. Often there are three wire plugs on a two wire system, causing a grounding problem or safety concern. Loose connections at plug receptacles or light switches can overheat. If you have lights that dim or power fluctuations, there is a reason that ...

A dirty filter will not stop all allergens and dust but tends to allow them to blow around your house Saves you time in dusting furniture all the time Loaded air filters will force your air handler to work harder and shorten its life Save time and money by changing your filters at least once every month

If you turn on the TV it can usually end up being a distraction. Turn on loud music and get your body moving!! Have your clothes picked out the night before so you don't waste time trying to make a decision while groggy. Have easy to fix or easy to heat up breakfast items staged the night before so you don't put off eating something. Be sure your car or truck has plenty of gas in the evening. Getting gas in the morning is too ...

Slice a cork horizontally and attach to the foot of a wobbly chair or table to steady it Place several whole corks in the bottom of plant pots to help with drainage Use corks to hold safety pins, thumb tacks or sewing needles