This is that time of year when keeping your home warm is vital. But it’s not just keeping your home warm – it’s keeping it efficient. We all know what happens when winter heating is not done efficiently: At the end of the month, a big bill arrives. Depending on the size of your home,…
Some people like the winter cold, and others can’t wait for spring. But there’s one thing we can all agree on: Having an efficient heating system is important. Heating bills can have a huge impact on monthly finances when the weather gets cold, and it’s especially frustrating when heat loss accounts for a significant portion…
One of the joys of being a homeowner (and also one of the frustrations, according to many people) is having to learn about various aspects of home maintenance. In some cases, these are things you never thought you’d learn about – such as the lining of a chimney. Most people don’t really know what this…
The arrival of spring has made it much easier to be in a good mood. During the late winter in a cold-winter state, it often seems as if the end of winter will solve all of our problems. Then springtime comes, and allergies kick in. You start to realize all the things you have to…
“Dusting off the cobwebs” is a common expression, and it’s even more relevant when spring rolls around. The snow and cold temperatures may have kept you inside these past several months, but it’s a different story now. The birds are calling, the warm breezes are blowing, and the flowers are starting to bloom. Whether or…
Have you thought about having your chimney repaired lately? A lot of homeowners tend to overlook this area of the home, either because they think it was recently serviced or because they don’t realize what the maintenance requirements are. Some people just don’t realize how expensive it can be to replace a chimney, or have…
Unless you’ve lived in a house with a chimney and made an effort to understand how all the parts of the structure fit together, you probably haven’t given it much thought. Chimneys are one of those things that people tend not to notice or think about until it becomes necessary. For instance – if you’re…
In today’s world of DIY instructional videos, people are trying to complete more and more projects around the house without professional help. This goes for everything from bathroom renovations to siding installations to advanced lawn care. It’s not just that people are trying to save cash — although that’s a big part of it —…
With winter comes a whole list of things to do. You’ve got make sure your furnace is operating at peak performance, first of all. Heating is a major expense in the winter, especially in states like New Jersey. You might need to make modifications to your windows, doorways, or even upgrade your installation to make…
Fireplaces provide millions of American homes with a source of coziness and warmth each year. Even though many homeowners with chimneys don’t give much thought to the chimney, it’s a vital feature that require maintenance and annual checks in order to ensure safety and function. Chimneys are more complex than they seem — but understanding…