It is often overwhelming to return an apartment to its original state upon moving out. Making sure everything is back in order and clean is daunting. It may be particularly frustrating then, when you have finished cleaning the house and notice the lawn is dead. This begs the question, “Can a landlord charge me for dead grass?”

A common problem many homeowners deal with during the onset of winter is the prevalence of dry air. Similar to excessively humid air, dry air can cause significant discomfort and trigger certain health conditions. To combat the onset of dry air, homeowners have enlisted the help of whole house humidifiers.

Plumbing has completely changed the way we live in our homes and has brought about an element of sanitation and convenience all in one. Plumbing systems can vary between commercial and residential applications, but usually, cast iron or PVC pipe are the materials of choice for contractors worldwide. While each pipe has its advantages, one pipe is superior to the other.

A water heater is a lifeline when it comes to being comfortable in your home. If it involves water, then you need a reliable way to heat things when necessary. This is why it is so essential to make sure you take care of your water heater properly. 

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.

The continued boom of home security options has made it easier and easier to keep a home safe, and the owner informed. Smart technology allows you to see who is ringing your doorbell with a video on your cell phone.

No one loves to pay rent. Often many of life’s stresses stem from a monthly rent payment. When you gather the money and finally get the payment to your landlord out on time you may feel a rush of relief. That relief may be short-lived, however, once you see that your landlord has refused to accept your rent payment.

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.

Modern-day plumbing is a wonderful benefit that many people around the world have become accustomed to. Access to clean and reliable drinking water is a beautiful privilege, mainly due to backflow prevention systems. Using various valves, like a check valve or a backflow preventer, can keep potentially contaminated water away from potable drinking water, keeping you and your family safe.

Is there anything worse than discovering cockroaches in the property you’ve just moved into? If this is the situation you’re currently experiencing, you may be wondering what your best course of action is. You’re probably also curious about whether your landlord was obligated to tell you about the roaches before you signed the lease.

Very few industries have as much dedicated lingo as the world of real estate. If you’ve ever listened to real estate investors speak, then you’d agree. It almost sounds like its own language! One of the more confusing terms that you might run into is “active under contract,” and it’s a term used in the middle of the home sales process.

Your house seems a little chilly, so you go out to your garage to check on the furnace. You notice it has a blinking red light- what does this imply?

Living in your dream home can quickly turn into a nightmarish ordeal and it’s all because of annoying pests. To be more specific, pests like ants, bed bugs, and termites can be truly troublesome to deal with. If you let them stay in your home, they could end up inflicting long-term damage to your property’s value.

A sump pump is a wonderful way to help protect your home investment and keep your property safe and dry. In the event of heavy rains and potential flooding, a sump pump helps to pull water out of your home and direct it safely away from your home. Finding an area to channel the excess water can be a challenge for a new sump pump installation.

Your furnace has one job: blowing hot air. If your furnace is not doing that, what are you paying it for? To address this issue, we’ve come up with some common reasons your furnace may not be blowing hot air.

As the days get shorter and the nights long and cold, a reliable furnace becomes an essential fixture in the home. When the temperatures dip below freezing, your furnace is even a lifesaver. It helps keep you and your home warm, and with the assistance of your thermostat, you stay in a temperature-controlled environment throughout the winter months. So it might cause shock and alarm when you notice your furnace, instead of keeping your home warm, is blowing out cold air at night.

Owning a home can be a wonderful experience, but a costly one as well. When it comes to all the expenses in maintaining your home, it’s tempting to cut financial corners where you can. However, you should undoubtedly renew your termite warranty; it’s a smart investment in your home.

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.

Nothing is more annoying in the HVAC world than when your furnace won’t kick on. It can also be intimidating at first because we all know that furnace problems sometimes lead to expensive repairs. So, what should you do when the pilot light is lit, but the furnace won’t kick on?

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.

Whether you’re buying or selling your home, a home inspection is a valuable asset. An inspection report gives you a heads-up on potential issues with the property and allows you to plan for upcoming repairs or replacements. But before you make any final decisions based on the inspection, there are a few things your home inspector needs you to know.

Air conditioners will no doubt play an important role in your home. When you live in hotter climates especially, going without air conditioning means a very sweaty experience. But choosing the right unit is key as well.

If your toilet is leaking, it can quickly create a disaster in a bathroom. Not only can a leaky toilet create a problematic situation in your bathroom, leading to mold and mildew, but it can be costly to waste water, which can cause sky-high utility bills. Luckily, most toilet leaks are easy to identify and simple to repair, requiring just a few standard tools that most DIY homeowners have.

When you’re looking for a new home, you might come across a place you love that is part of a Homeowner Association (HOA). Maybe it features impressive amenities, like a fitness center or a pool. You know you can afford the mortgage, but don’t forget, if you buy the property, you have to pay HOA fees, too.

Most motors are designed to run only one way, clockwise or counterclockwise. They are not made to run both ways unless it is a multidirectional motor. Any kind of motor that runs the opposite way than what is intended will not produce the effects they are supposed to. In other words, your AC will not blow cold air.

Utilities are often quite expensive. Depending on where you live, certain bills can fluctuate from very small to astronomical in certain months. If you discover your landlord is using your utilities you will likely become upset. 

Your plumbing contractor tells you it is time to replace your old boiler. Now you face several decisions. The first decision that faces you is replacing your old boiler with a new high-efficiency condensing boiler or sticking with a more traditional non-condensing boiler. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

In my years as a young adult, I have seen some situations where renters proved to be serious pigs. As someone who is kind of a neat freak, it makes sense to me that a landlord should require a professional cleaning once a year. I’ve even seen this in rental agreements. But, is asking you to get professional cleaning legal?

Whether you’re buying or selling a home in Chicago (or the suburbs), you never want to move forward without getting a home inspection. These inspections let you know exactly what you’re getting into before you finalize the purchase – allowing you to ask the seller to make repairs and/or back of the deal, if necessary.

Having been in a trap house-like apartment before, my heart sinks when I see small bugs that look like cockroaches. I actually double-check them to make sure that I don’t have a family of cucaracha in my casa. It’s actually kind of crazy to see how many bugs look like cockroaches. Wondering what the most common ones are?

Certain home appliances need cold water in order to work properly. These often include refrigerators, freezers, and humidifiers. To ensure that those appliances are working as intended, a saddle valve may be used.

A water heater helps to heat the water in your house, so you can shower with warm water or use hot water to clean your dishes. Although a water heater is a major appliance, these units do not have a long lifespan, with many only lasting about ten years. Replacing a water heater is a simple job, but moving your new water heater is the hardest part of the entire water heater installation process.

If you have rented or leased a residence long enough, then you have likely encountered the question of tenant versus landlord responsibility. When does the landlord have the obligation to fix and repair items? These questions can include items, such as doors and windows to appliances and household fixtures. Another common area in question is the bathroom, and does the landlord have to replace the bathtub?

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.

If you own a house and have spent any amount of time in your yard, you’ve probably noticed some strange pipes sticking out of the ground. You’ve probably also asked yourself what in world is it for? It’s likely an obstacle and an eyesore that you’d rather do without and want to know if you can get rid of it.

Your home’s HVAC system is one of the most important systems when it comes to your safety, your comfort, as well as your home’s value. That’s why minor issues with your heating system still deserve a lot of attention, even if it’s something that is as simple as a furnace that’s blowing warm air rather than hot air. Speaking of, what does that even mean?

Apartment buildings have taken over much of the United States and currently house millions of people across the country. What many people don’t think about is that every single apartment has to get their plumbing and electricity from somewhere. So, how does the plumbing work in an apartment building, and where does it come from?

Heating makes up almost 30% of utility costs, so wanting to close vents that bring in cold air is normal. These vents are fresh air intakes for your furnace. Before you decide to block them, learn more about furnace fresh air intakes and how to fix common problems.

Nobody wants to live in a home with pests. So, we spend thousands of dollars trying to get rid of them with pest control services. But how do we prepare for services? And do we need to move the furniture for pest control or not? Here are your answers.

Your hot water heater is perhaps one of the most important things inside your home. Keeping warm water flowing, is essential, for living. If your hot water heater’s pressure relief valve keeps opening, we have some tips that will help you fix it.

If you’ve never been to Arizona before, you may be surprised to see air conditioning units on top of houses. This is a common practice in hotter climates, and you’ll also notice rooftop AC systems in New Mexico and Florida. But what’s the point in putting an air conditioning unit on the roof?

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.

Hot water is something that all homes and most businesses need access to these days, and this is the main reason why hot water heaters are indispensable fixtures to both home and business owners. Just think about how many appliances depend on hot water in a home: the dishwasher, the washing machine, the shower, the kitchen and the bathroom sinks.

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.

Staying on top of your rent is an important and often difficult responsibility. Being an adult can be hard and expensive. It will come as quite a frustrating shock then, if your landlord reaches out saying you have not paid your rent but you see the rent check has been cashed.

Many people live in a dry climate (hello, desert) or experience dry seasons (I’m looking at you, winter). To mitigate the effects of this dry air, many people often use humidifiers in their homes. Instead of having one for each room that requires daily refilling, what if you had one for the whole house?

Buying a new home is a big deal and an even bigger investment. If you are in the process of, or if you have recently purchased a new home, you are well aware. You were probably quite surprised at all that was involved too. Who would have guessed there were so many moving parts (pun intended) involved in buying a new home?

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?

The rights between landlords and tenants with regards to rental properties has been constantly evolving over time. The changing attitudes towards tenant and landlord responsibility make determining who pays for what particularly challenging.

Spiders are one of the most common fears on the planet. Day to day, spiders generally do not pose life or death danger, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be risky. Understanding how to identify different types of spiders, like wolf spiders vs. brown recluse, can ease stress and spider-related fear.

Problems with AC units can be understandably unnerving, especially when they hum without turning on. This is caused by several reasons such as a bad capacitor or broken motor. Whether it be replacing parts or replacing the entire unit, let’s explore what you should do when your AC hums but won’t turn on.

Your central heating system, when working properly, keeps your home nice and warm even during the most frigid of temperatures. When something goes wrong and that heater stops working, it can cause major inconveniences for you and your family.

Finding the perfect apartment can feel like a full-time job. You have a list of necessities you require in a living space and you likely are trying to stay within a reasonable budget. When you find the perfect place within your budget you are probably eager to submit the application and move in right away. But when a landlord asks you for sensitive information, including your driver’s license number it is normal to feel apprehensive.

Mice are some of the most invasive and annoying pests that homeowners have to deal with. They invade houses all across the country and begin to eat food that’s left out and repopulate. If you’re not careful, you can quickly get overrun by a mouse infestation. But why are mice drawn to houses in particular?

When the weather begins to cool off furnaces start to warm up. Most of the time, the sound of furnaces waking from hibernation reminds as above spending the cold nights of winter in the warmth and security of our homes. Sometimes, however, the sounds were here are a bit less comforting.

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?

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.

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?

Buying a new home is a huge investment, and for most people, it’s the largest purchase they’ll ever make. When you put an offer on a new house, it’s wise advice to get a home inspection to protect yourself from unexpected problems and costs. But when you’re buying a new construction property, is it necessary to get a home inspection?

With so many components in your furnace, it only makes sense that one may stop working from time to time. More often than not, a dirty or clogged filter will be the cause of a furnace that isn’t working properly.