Consumers should not service their own appliances, but have a qualified plumber, heating contractor or gas company technician perform an inspection every year. -CPSC Chair Ann Brown The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent agency of the United States government. Much of its research centers on preventing injury and death caused [...]
If you’re a Southeast Texas commercial property owner or building manager, you know that maintaining the proper air flow and air temperature is important to business. Properties in other states may want “comfort” from their commercial HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems, but in the Houston area, inside air temperature can impact health. It’s that [...]
All of us are in such a hurry to live life! That’s okay and it may explain part of the popularity of demand water heaters. No more tap-dancing in the corner of the shower, waiting for warm water: Tankless water heaters deliver hot water sooner, rather than later. But it’s a myth that they deliver [...]
Spring was a little slow to show itself in Southeast Texas this year. You may have spent spring break huddled in front of your fireplace, but summer will return! Eventually. Have You Checked Your HVAC? Perhaps you haven’t turned on your air conditioning (A/C) unit in a few months, but it’s possibly the most important [...]
There’s a rumor circulating that tankless water heaters don’t need maintenance. Many homeowners think mineral deposits and scaling won’t damage a tankless water heater. Scaling and mineral deposits can affect all heat exchangers. Your tankless connectors and pipes can suffer damage from hard water, too. For some water heaters, “annual maintenance is absolutely vital for [...]
Bradbury Brothers Cooling, Heating & Plumbing recommends an annual or bi-annual maintenance plumbing check. All of us hear about the energy and money savings a tankless water heater installation can have. If it’s true (and it is), can we then cut down on plumbing maintenance and service calls? Tankless Water Heaters and Maintenance/Service No matter [...]
In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. -Mark Twain He may have been in Texas when Mark Twain counted 136 different kinds of weather within 24 hours! Now that spring has arrived, we will anticipate two kinds of weather just around the corner: hot and hotter. Reasons [...]
When you hire a plumber because no hot water is coming out of the kitchen sink faucet, you need to go to the water heater, not the faucet.-Joe The Plumber Two in-house elements that can impact your family’s health are air and water. For that reason alone, you should keep your plumbing and HVAC (heating, [...]
We all agree on the benefits of tankless water heaters, often called “on-demand” water heaters. They are smaller and they practically eliminate lost energy due to standby (when the hot water cools or is sitting, useless, in the pipes or tank). Tankless water heaters: Have longer lifespan – 20 years vs. 10-15 years for standard [...]
“They don’t make ‘em like they used to!” is a valid complaint about large household appliances. They really don’t make ‘em like they used to! In the ‘70s, large appliances were built to last almost as long as your home. Back then, people thought the purchase of a washing machine, for example, was “one and [...]
With some of the flooding situations we experienced in 2017 (Hurricane Harvey tops the list), most Southeast Texas residents don’t need to be told, “Plan for the worst; hope for the best.” We thought we were prepared. Plumbing Problems Have Clues If plumbing disasters could be prevented, you’d think property-owners and homeowners would do whatever [...]
There are many ways to make hard water soft and pure. Water softeners do a great job of removing harsh minerals that can damage large appliances, but they usually don’t purify drinking water. Thanks to technology, ways to whole-house purify water include: Dual ionization and oxygen electrodes to remove chemicals Electrical impulses to break [...]
The Stone-Age did not end because we ran out of stones; we transitioned to better solutions. The same opportunity lies before us with energy efficiency . . . -Steven Chu, former U.S. Secretary of Energy Energy efficiency is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Most of us care about the planet and our legacy, but [...]
What’s the most popular drink in Texas? In the country? Well, it isn’t Dr. Pepper®, even though Southwest Airlines won’t fly without Dr. Pepper and Fritos®. Bottled water is the leading drink sold in the U.S.; we averaged 39.3 gallons of bottled water per person in 2016! It’s no longer enough to buy purified bottled [...]
Tankless, on-demand water heaters’ maintenance requirements are based on the same differentials as conventional, storage tanks. Maintenance depends on your water heater’s age, water hardness, and use. We’ve reviewed the many benefits of electric tankless water heaters vs. gas, but what are some common problems of tankless units? Before you buy, you need to know. [...]
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says: “An ideal refrigerant would be nontoxic, nonflammable, completely stable...environmentally benign...and abundantly available or easy to manufacture.” And goes on to say, “The likelihood of developing an ‘ideal’ refrigerant is low.” If You’re Losing Freon . . . “The first leak you find is usually not the only leak,” continues [...]
There are differences between a furnace and a heat pump, but only a furnace uses some kind of heat exchanger. A heat pump offers an alternative source of heat to areas of the country that don’t really need the full power of a furnace; heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space [...]
A broken sewer line can lead to serious problems in your The Woodlands-area home. Sewer lines carry wastewater from your kitchen and bathroom sinks, your shower and tub, and dishwasher and washing machine. If left unattended, a broken sewer line can cause unexpected flooding. Because the main sewer line is buried deep in the front [...]
How You Can Be Sure About HVAC Load Calculations Load calculations are used by HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) professionals to determine what size heating/cooling unit will efficiently serve your home. If it’s too big, you’re wasting energy; if it’s too small, you’re uncomfortably hot or cold. So, your HVAC contractor crunches the numbers to [...]
How old is your property? Well, without getting into Jurassic numbers, how old is your house? Whatever its age, chances are your sewer system is just as old. If you razed an older structure to build new, some of the previous sewer system’s plumbing may still be in play. And if you have lovely, stately [...]
