Dangers of Ice and Snow Accumulation

There is little you can do to prevent snowfall. But you can certainly do what is needed to stay safe during cold and slippery winters. If your area is one that experiences heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures, then you should be prepared and do what is necessary for snow removal. Accumulation of ice and snow around and on your house not only makes winters unbearable, but also poses several dangers to the people in the house and anyone around it.

Snow can collapse roofs

A snowflake may be light as feathers, but when it accumulates, snow can be strong enough to collapse the roof of a home. Neglecting accumulated snow on your roof can put your life and your loved ones lives in danger. As far as possible, prevent accumulation of snow n the roof by using deicers or anti-icers that prevent formation and accumulation of snow on a specific surface.

Long term accumulation of snow can also lead to corrosion, that can eventually weaken the structure for the building and make it vulnerable to heavy storms and tornadoes.

Slip and fall

Icy driveways and walkways in and around your home also pose a danger to people. Slippery paths can be very dangerous to walk on and a fall on an icy path can even be fatal, depending on several factors like the intensity of the fall, the location of the injury etc. As far as possible, avoid walking on such icy paths. If you have to, make sure the snow or ice formed on it is removed first.

Pipeline and plumbing damage

Severe winters can even freeze the water in the pipeline. Protect the water pipes to prevent water problems. Also ensure that the drains in the basement and on the roof are clear of any debris, so that when the snow melts, the water can easily drain down. Clogged drains will only lead to stagnation of water, which again results in excessive moisture that can damage the walls.

Plumbing Care During the Monsoons

Monsoons mean more water, which is good to an extent. But too much water due to heavy downpour is not something homeowners are happy about, for it means stagnation, leakage and drain overflow problems. The good news is that monsoons do not necessarily mean plumbing issues as long as you take necessary precautions and have your plumbing kit handy. Here are a few tips that will be useful.
Check filters and drains before monsoon
Monsoons that often bring heavy rains and storms also bring in debris which is often accumulated in your drains and filters. Make sure that any debris from the previous seasons is removed to prevent water logging. Clogged drains can push the water back inside and create a flood inside the house, which is the last thing you would want during the monsoons.
Trim trees and bushes
Rains with heavy winds can topple even the biggest and tallest of trees, which can not only damage your home, but also cause fatal injuries to people around them. So make sure to cut or trim the trees, branches and even bushes to prevent major damages before the monsoon. Also, trimming the leaves will prevent clogging of drains around your building.
Extended branches and bushes can grow around, and sometimes choke the drain lines. This should be checked and cleared to prevent flooding around the house when the rains come.
Check your waste disposal system
Most people relax during summers, leaving all plumbing system inspections till the end. One of the things they miss is to check the waste disposal system. In addition to that, any kind of blockages in the drain pipes that are connected to the disposal system should also be checked to prevent any possible clogs in the waste disposal system, which will eventually create a mess inside your home.

Carpets and Allergies – A Close Connection

Allergies can be very painful - only those who suffer from them know about it. There are many things that can cause an allergic reaction in a person, of which dust is the most common. Whether in a home or an office, heavy furnishings like carpets and curtains tend to attract a lot of dust and should be cleaned regularly to prevent allergies. If neglected, dust allergies can lead to severe respiratory issues that can be fatal.

1. When the carpet cannot be removed
When you want a carpet to adorn your home, but don't want it to be the cause of allergies to the residents, it is important to get it cleaned every other day or even week. Carpets are made of thick material, sometimes of wool, which easily attract mites and a lot of dust. The only way to clean carpets without having to wash them, which is a mighty task, is to vacuum them. Use the vacuum up and down in one particular direction the carpet slowly. Do it slowly enough to give the vacuum enough time to pull in the dust particles completely.

2. Professional cleaning for best results
While regular vacuuming can help prevent over accumulation of dust and dirt, it doesn't come anywhere close to professional cleaning. Professional carpet cleaning services not only get rid of dust particles, but also eliminate any stains and hard to remove bacteria or fungi that can cause allergies in some. Professional carpet cleaners use highly powerful cleaning agents to get rid of the mites in the carpet. Some also use organic cleaning agents that are safe for both pets as well as kids. If you have kids or pets at home, make sure you tell the carpet cleaning company to use only organic cleaners or only vacuum to clean the carpet.
If your carpet is made of cotton, you can even wash it using safe detergents if needed.

Choosing the Right HVAC Contractor

The question of hiring an HVAC contractor arises when your heating, venting or air conditioning system needs to be repaired, or even replaced. In most cases, people prefer to hire an HVAC contractor who has a specialization and license to work with the type of equipment you have installed in your home or workplace. Here are a few things you need to know about hiring an HVAC contractor to repair or replace your HVAC system.

Check whether the HVAC contractor has proper licenses and certifications

You can contact a government official or a representative living in your area or locality to know about the type of license and certifications you need to check. You can visit the licensing website to verify the validity of license for a particular contractor. You may also want to make sure that the contractor is insured with worker's compensation insurance, in case of any injury during the process.

Ask people for referrals

Asking your friends, neighbors and relatives about the situation that needed them to call for an HVAC contractor will make sure that you choose the contractor that suits your needs in the best possible ways. Searching for local directories and going through online reviews is another way to decide which is the best HVAC system company in your locality.

Look for contractors who are ready to inspect your system before providing cost estimates

Doing it will make sure that your contractor looks for leakages and other faults before providing you a cost estimate or even before making a repair job appointment with you. The contractor should also make sure that the components and specifications meet the HVAC standard guidelines.

Dry vs. Steam Carpet Cleaning Methods

Despite all your efforts to keep your carpet clean, dirt-free and away from the grime, you may still have stains on your carpet. Now is the time, to decide whether you want to clean your carpets or get the help of a professional carpet cleaning service. How will you decide which cleaning method will be the best for you? Especially when both dry and steam methods are popular for cleaning carpets, which one has an advantage over the other? Let's find out.
Method of cleaning
In the dry vs steam cleaning debate, it is crucial to understand that actually, just steam does not clean the carpets while using steam cleaning method. Instead, commercial machines are used for boiling water that give off steam, which is then used with detergent (acidic for woolen or natural carpets and alkaline for synthetic carpets) to activate cleaning action on the stains. Later, a wet-vac is often used to suck up water from the floor.
The other method, that is dry cleaning, makes use of some dry chemicals to fight the stains in order to break down any soil they find. The method is still called dry cleaning, even when cleaning experts use some amount of moisture as an application solution to go along with the dry compounds put-upon in the process. Dry cleaning saves a lot of your time and floors can be ready to walk over in almost no time after the cleaning.
Steam or dry?
If steam cleaning is your pick, you will need some hot water, a machine probably rented) and detergent to start with the cleaning. Remember, you will still have to wait more than 10-15 hours to start walking on the carpet again. Also, some stains that were grounded deep inside will reappear after a few days, since some difficult stains like chemical and pet stains require multiple cleaning treatments or just cannot be dealt with.
Dry cleaning, on the other hand, comes with the benefit of no waiting time and impressive cleaning with the use of chemical solutions and cleansing agents. However, sometimes these chemicals can be harsh on your carpet and may have strong odors.

7 Things You Must Know While Hiring A Snow Removal Service

Are you completely torn between the choice of hiring a snow removal service or picking up the shovel by yourself and remove that pleasant looking but highly dangerous layer of snow around your house? Do you know the basics about hiring a service for this task? If you’re doing it for the first time or just need advice, read on. 

While there’s nothing wrong with doing this by yourself, there are certain circumstances under which you must not do it. Hiring is better than shoveling especially when you have some health problems. 

Following are the things you must know while hiring a snow removal service. 

1. Look for services during off season: If you’re waiting for the snow to pile up before you start looking for someone to hire, you’re highly mistaken. Almost all the landscaping companies offer services in off season and thus, have a long list of customers already. Stop delaying your research and start looking before winter sets in.

2. How to begin searching for such companies?: start by asking your neighbours and other people around your area for whom they recommend. Read reviews. Search on internet for snow removal service providers in your area and do a thorough research on them. 

3. What you need to ask while hiring the company?: We often forget to ask the most important questions while hiring such services. Here are some questions which you must ask and consider. 

• Ask for how much snow will trigger their service. 
• Also, tell the company if you’ve some special needs for example if you want to give priority to plowing. Most of the companies consider plowing at the end. So, asking them about their working style and telling them about your own needs is a good idea. 
• And then ask the obvious question about how much they charge. 

4. Look for the license: It is advisable that you hire a company that has appropriate license for the task. Also, ask if they’re sufficiently insured and bonded. A licensed service provider may seem to be costly to hire in the beginning but they can save you from a lot of hassles and damage. So, it is a better idea in the long run to hire a licensed snow removal service. 

5. Inquire about the additional charges: Besides the quoted price, additional charges are applicable during extreme weather. Some services charge extra (by inch) after snow reaches a certain depth. Here you also need to inquire about how the company calculates the size of snowfall and also details about additional charges. 

6. Find out what services are you getting: Try to find out what exactly is included in the estimate provided to you. Are the steps and sidewalks included? Who will cover the cost of salt? Will the company work during snowfall or only after the storm is cleared? 

7. About settling the agreement: the most important part is get a written agreement signed. This is a very safe option and consider it a mandatory step for your own benefit. Also, don’t discuss the agreement on telephone. A face to face conversation should be preferred. 

Now that you know these things, make sure you keep these things in mind while hiring a snow removal service.

6 Ways to reduce air conditioning repair costs

Do you know that air conditioning uses up to 16% of total electricity used in a normal household? In places with warmer climate, 60—70% of summer electricity bill is because of the air conditioning system. That’s a lot of money but what if you had to shed some more money for air conditioning repair? Stop stressing over it. Here are some tips on how you can reduce air conditioning repair costs.

1. Get routine service: Of course, you expect several years of flawless service from your air conditioner but that comes at a price. Routine service of the air conditioner would ensure that it doesn’t face a major malfunction. It is time to keep aside the “set it and forget it” mentality and to be on time for routine service of the unit. 

2. Get a check-up done before summer: You would now be making heavy use of this equipment which was in dormant stage for a long winter. It is important to ensure that all the parts of the unit are working properly before you start dreaming about spending a comfortable day in your fully air conditioned apartment. Call a professional and ask him to check the unit. This would ensure that the unit works with maximum efficiency and would, therefore, reduce the electricity bills. Also, the chances of a major malfunction reduce manifolds. 

3. Keep the unit clean: One of the best tip for reducing the cost of air conditioning repair is to avoid it. With routine service, a large part of your job is done. But here’s something you must do on regular basis to assure your hard earned money stays with you. Clean the unit often. Clean the coils, change the filter and remove debris from drain channels. Keep the unit covered in winters. This also reduces the negative impact of moisture on the air conditioning system.

4. Hire a certified professional: sometimes completely avoiding the air conditioning repair cost isn’t possible. What you can do under such situations is to try and reduce it. Hiring a certified professional is one of the best decisions you can take for the cause. A professional A.C. repair technician can do the job in much better way and can also save you from needless expenditures. Of course, hiring a professional service seems to be costlier than hiring a local technician but this will surely help you in many other ways. You would be saved from major expending which can occur if the unit isn’t properly serviced. 

5. Compare quotes: Before you go for a professional, make sure you compare the costs for different professionals available in the city. Ask them about costs associated with repairing the unit instead of simply asking for a quote. That would help you decide in a better way and ultimately, save money on the repair work.

6. Repair vs Replace: This is the most fearsome situation. Sometimes your unit gets a major jam and even after consulting tons of professional technicians, you find out that it is going to cost a huge sum of money to get the unit fixed. At that time, it is always better to consider both the options – repair and replace. If the issue is in small electrical parts like contactors and capacitors, go for repair. If the issue is in parts like compressor, replacing is a better option. 

To reduce air conditioning repair costs, you need to take measured steps and follow a strict service routine for your air conditioning system. Keep these tips in mind.  They would help.