Friday, January 24, 2014

What are YOU breathing?

Indoor air quality is a hot topic these days whether it’s discussing musty old basements or dusty vents, but the thing you should really be concerned about breathing in is carbon monoxide. Not only does this gas make you sick, it is also potentially deadly. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are so similar to so many other illnesses that doctors have difficulty diagnosing it. Many people simply feel they are coming down with the flu when all the while their own home is poisoning them. Feeling concerned yet? Well, the good news is there are things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. It is imperative to have your home’s heating system serviced every year by a professional technician and ensure that it is properly vented. It is also a good idea to install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home for added protection.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Oh, the Complaining that we can do...

Frustrations are a part of life, unfortunately. And as homeowners, it’s easy to complain about all the work we have to do (and sometimes money we have to spend) to keep things running smoothly.

It seems there’s never enough time in the day to tend to everything that pops up on our to-do list. And yet, while some things do happen that are beyond our control, there are other things that we can do now to prevent future frustrations.

In this season, one important prevention involves preparing our home for winter. This is just a basic philosophy that proves true year after year. If we take a little bit of time now to make sure our furnaces are working properly, then we’ve taken the best step we can take to avoid a break- down on a very cold day in the near future.

Think of it this way. Your furnace needs a little TLC so it can provide the same to you. It’s a piece of equipment, after all. It can’t take care of itself. But if you put a little bit of maintenance into it, you’re helping your furnace function at optimal levels. Then it will take care of you. And nobody’s going to complain about that.

So avoid your future frustration right now. Read “Walking the Walk” to learn more about comfort system maintenance. Links to R-5