Why is an Earthquake Gas Shutoff Valve Important for San Francisco Area Homeowners?
Why is an Earthquake Gas Shutoff Valve Important for San Francisco Area Homeowners? There is a lot to love about living in the San Francisco area, so we all take the threat of earthquakes as something of a trade-off. In order to minimize the damage that a large earthquake could have on our homes, we [...]
How to Unclog a Shower Drain on Your Own
How to Unclog a Shower Drain on Your Own Have you been noticing a lot of water building up at your feet while you’re taking a shower? If so, you’re probably dealing with a clogged shower drain. The good news for San Francisco area homeowners is that if your clog isn’t too severe, there are [...]
Why Should Bay Area Homeowners Consider Whole House Water Filters?
Why Should Bay Area Homeowners Consider Whole House Water Filters? If you’re looking to get clean and great tasting water at home, a water filtration system is an essential addition to your water supply. Sure, you could drink bottled water every day as an alternative to your tap water, but that gets expensive very quickly [...]
How Can a Tankless Water Heater Help Save Energy at Home?
How Can a Tankless Water Heater Help Save Energy at Home? Homeowners in San Francisco–or nearby cities like San Mateo, Palo Alto, Orinda, Lafayette or Walnut Creek–have a number of different options when it comes to heating the water in their homes. One option that has been growing in popularity over the past few years [...]
Why Your Home Should have Water Saving Fixtures
Why Your Home Should have Water Saving Fixtures Many people think of energy conservation as someone else’s problem — let other families worry about saving the Earth. Regardless of your beliefs about global warming, greenhouse emissions, and the world running out of fossil fuels, just about everybody’s ears perk up when the possibility of saving money [...]
Dual Flush Toilets Conserve Water for Bay Area Homes
Dual Flush Toilets Conserve Water for Bay Area Homes If you’re concerned about saving our natural resources (and if you aren’t, you should be), you may want to consider having a dual flush toilet installed in your Bay Area home. What exactly is a dual flush model? It’s a toilet that allows you to decide [...]
Identify and Fix Water Leaks Before They Do Major Damage
Identify and Fix Water Leaks Before They Do Major Damage Water leaking inside your home is not something to be taken lightly. If not addressed immediately, plumbing leaks could end up costing you thousands in repairs and you could be dealing with mold and permanent damage to your home. Does your wood floor have significant [...]
When Do You Need an Inspector?
When Do You Need an Inspector? If you’re having work done in your home by a plumbing or HVAC contractor, should you have the job looked at by a city or county inspector? The answer can vary, but in most cases it comes down to the contractor doing the work and the type of project [...]
Going, Going, Almost Gone: The Federal Energy Tax Credits
Going, Going, Almost Gone: The Federal Energy Tax Credits If you haven’t taken advantage of any of the federal government’s energy tax credits, you have a little bit of time left, but not much — they run out on December 31, 2011. If you’re one of the many people hoping they’ll be extended just as they [...]
Water Pressure Problems?
Water Pressure Problems? If you’re taking a shower one morning and suddenly come to the realization that your water pressure isn’t what it once was, it may not be your imagination — older houses can gradually lose their water supply capacity over time. If you move into a new or pre-owned home, it’s not unusual [...]
Ready for a New Garbage Disposal?
Ready for a New Garbage Disposal? A garbage disposal is one of those kitchen conveniences that once you start using it– you wonder how you ever did without. Dishes that you had to scrape off into a trash receptacle can now be simply rinsed in the sink and with one flick of a switch — all [...]
Bring Your Shower Fixtures into the 21st Century
Bring Your Shower Fixtures into the 21st Century If you’re like many Bay Area homeowners, the shower fixtures in your master bath may have been installed back when even having a shower was considered a luxury. In those days taking a shower was often just a quick way to get clean without having to take time to [...]
How About some Outside Hose Bibs?
How About some Outside Hose Bibs? Whether you call them outside water hydrants or hose bibs, if you spend a lot of time working on your yard or keeping your vehicles clean, you know how handy they can be. If you’re constantly connecting hoses together and stretching them out around your yard, you probably also [...]
Have You Considered Adding Instant Hot Water?
Have You Considered Adding Instant Hot Water? How often do you have to heat water in your kitchen? While most homeowners now use a microwave rather than the old reliable teapot, you probably still need to heat water for tea, soup, instant coffee, instant oatmeal and many other products on a regular basis and if [...]
Is It Time to Add a Wet Bar?
Is It Time to Add a Wet Bar? Football season’s finally here and before long you may be entertaining friends and family on Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday evenings. If you want to make your hosting chores a little easier this year and avoid missing any of the big game, why not install a wet bar in [...]
Plumbing Leaks: Mold and Mildew’s Best Friend
Plumbing Leaks: Mold and Mildew’s Best Friend If you’ve ever seen a house where mold and mildew have been allowed to flourish, it’s a sight you probably won’t soon forget and it may be hard to believe that it can often start with a small plumbing leak. All mold needs to multiply is oxygen and [...]
A Licensed Plumber can Help with that Old House Purchase
A Licensed Plumber can Help with that Old House Purchase It’s difficult not to be tempted with all the great purchase deals available on older homes in the Bay Area — that 19th century townhome you’ve admired while headed to work for the past several years may now have a for sale sign in the front yard [...]
Clogged Toilet: When a Plunger isn’t Enough
Clogged Toilet: When a Plunger isn’t Enough Why does it always seem to happen that you discover a clogged toilet when guests are in town visiting or expected to arrive any moment? Fortunately many blocked toilets can be fixed with your well-used plunger, but what do you do if this is one of those times when [...]
Having a Problem with your Shower Plumbing?
Having a Problem with your Shower Plumbing? Many homeowners assume that problems with the tile in their shower enclosures are due to grout or caulking issues, but in some cases they may be caused by leaks in their shower plumbing. If the wall board behind the tile at the front of your enclosure seems to [...]
What Do You Know about Sewer Line Repair?
What Do You Know about Sewer Line Repair? If you suspect the problem with your home’s slow drains is beyond the confines of the house, who would you call for a sewer line repair? Many Bay Area homeowners might be under the assumption that their plumbing lines end at the exterior walls of their home and [...]
