Category: Archive
10 Common Plumbing Problems & Helpful Tips
It’s hard to imagine life before indoor plumbing, when water for cooking and bathing was hauled into the house by the bucketful, people took sponge baths in little tin tubs, and chamber pots and outhouses were the norm. We’ve grown so accustomed to modern plumbing innovations that we often don’t give much thought to our
How to Handle a Holiday HVAC Emergency
There’s no good time to have an HVAC, plumbing, or electrical emergency, but perhaps the worst time is on a holiday. An emergency interrupts your festivities, and it’s not easy to find an HVAC repair company willing to send someone out on a national holiday (at least not for an exorbitant holiday rate). As a
How to Prevent Holiday Plumbing Problems
Plumbing problems are…. not exactly festive. But unfortunately, our houses are extra prone to plumbing problems this time of year. All that cooking, feasting, and hosting places additional strain on your home plumbing system that can result in untimely breakdowns. The good news is that it takes just a little extra precaution to prevent the
The Surprising Facts About Thanksgiving Energy Use
With all the cooking and baking that happens on Turkey Day – not to mention the football watching – you would expect Thanksgiving energy use to be higher than normal and might go looking for tips to help you use less energy on Thanksgiving. In fact, the opposite is true. Across America, energy usage actually drops
HVAC Guide to Hosting Over the Holidays
It’s that time of year: We’ve had our first (and second) snowfall, malls around the Twin Cities are putting up red and green decorations, and our social calendars are quickly filling up for every weekend between now and mid-January. The holidays are just around the corner. Hosting family and friends over the holidays is a
Save Energy With Nest Learning Thermostat
Did you know that your thermostat is responsible for over half of your monthly energy bill? If you’re trying to save energy in your home, you need a thermostat that not only works with you, but works for you. Saving money on energy use is not as easy as simply installing a programmable thermostat. You
Top 10 Energy Wasting Habits
October is National Energy Awareness Month. Throughout the month, the goal is to raise consciousness about the impact of excessive energy consumption and to empower people to make a difference by minimizing home energy use. Many people start the process of becoming more energy-conscious by installing energy efficient appliances in their home. It’s a big investment and
What Happens During a Furnace Tune-Up?
Regular maintenance, including furnace tune-up inspections, are essential for your home systems to continue operating safely and efficiently. Having your furnace serviced before winter will ensure you experience consistent, optimal comfort throughout the season. Why is a furnace tune-up so important? Technicians often equate getting a system tune-up to getting the oil changed in your car. Your furnace is
Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
With each passing day of sweltering afternoons and sweaty evenings, you’re probably feeling more and more mentally prepared for fall. But is your home ready for the onset of cold weather? Use this fall home maintenance checklist of six essential maintenance tasks to ensure your house is as ready as you are for the temperatures to cool off. Bonfe’s
HVAC Upgrades That Increase Your Home Value
When you’re putting your home on your market, you have to make many decisions about the relative cost/benefit of making certain upgrades throughout the house. For example, will a renovated master bath result in an offer high enough to offset to investment? The same analysis has to be done for your HVAC system. HVAC can
