The New York Times says Houston has an “unsinkable housing market” despite Hurricane Harvey. Recently, a house hunter said a home in Harris County smelled funky during its open house. “They swore they hadn’t had water damage, but the entire place smelled like a wet dog. A dirty, wet dog.” Even the cooler temperatures of [...]
North Houston is in Zone 2 of the IECC/IRC Climate Zones map. That means we live in a hot, moist climate, which is no news to any of us! Here in this part of the country, we use attic ventilation to keep our homes cooler. Our homes “expel solar-heated hot air to lessen the building [...]
You should check out Energy.gov’s infographic, How an Air Conditioner Works for the best visual of components that make the A/C magic happen. And make no mistake; it’s like magic, turning humid, warm air into clean, cool air that is safe for your home and family. Common A/C Problems We can’t live without air conditioning. [...]
You’ve seen our blogs mention “whole-house wellness” because we offer HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) service and we also offer plumbing services. Clean air, clean water . . . a wellness lifestyle for your home and family is our family’s goal! Evaporator coils are one of two major components of an A/C system. HVAC systems [...]
Smart Thermostats Offer Varied Features Using Technological Upgrades Some smart thermostat features include: Automatic programming knows when you normally depart, return, and if you returned home at an unusual time. Complex temperature scheduling. Detailed power consumption reports and money-saving suggestions. Email alerts. Humidity sensors. Integration with other smart home systems (lighting, security, etc.). Smart app that [...]
Grandpa and cousins and kids, oh my! When you opened your North Houston home to shelter friends and family impacted by Hurricane Harvey, you knew it would strain your food budget and living space. But there was never any doubt you would immediately open your heart and home to those in need. We’re Texans. We [...]
As your local plumbers, Bradbury Brothers Services offers septic tank repair when your property’s septic system causes drainage issues. But if you take advantage of our commercial and residential maintenance services, you may not ever need expensive septic system repairs. Septic Systems for ‘Dummies’ “A septic system is relatively maintenance-free,” says Home Maintenance for Dummies. [...]
The day before Hurricane Harvey visited, a neighbor was cleaning the leaves out of the gutters, anticipating heavy rains. He was right; in addition to damaging winds, 24 hours later Southeast Texas traffic was paralyzed by flooding roadways and streets. You should clean your home’s gutters twice a year; more if you have heavier foliage. [...]
Southeast Texas water is rich in minerals, and cities add fluoride, chlorine or chloramines (chloride and ammonia) to disinfect our raw water supply. It seems most, if not all, of us are using some kind of home water filtration system to remove chemicals and additional impurities in our drinking water. Some people use filters [...]
At Bradbury Brothers Services, we get a lot of FAQs (frequently asked questions), and one of them is, “Why does it take so long for the water to drain from my kitchen sink?” Drain clogs are the usual culprits in any slow-draining sink or tub. Drain Clogs Revisited We always tell our friends and neighbors [...]
Pros & Cons of Soft Water & Hard Water Utah State University released water quality information that cited the value of hard water – and contrary to what many of us believe, hard water can be beneficial to our bodies! “Hard water” has high levels of calcium, magnesium, and other metals as part of its [...]
Your kitchen sink and faucet is probably the hardest working of all the plumbing fixtures in your home. If you’re building new or renovating your kitchen this year, you need to focus on several aspects of plumbing fixtures, including faucets. Of course you want aesthetics; even a hard-working faucet can be an attention-grabber or even [...]
“Remember when you dinged your 1960s/‘70s car that was made out of enough steel to double as a Leopard tank?” asks Ray Sparvell. They just don’t make ‘em like they used to! That includes many cars and most equipment and appliances we use today. Sometimes it’s more cost-effective to replace rather than repair! However, the [...]
Don’t be embarrassed if you believed the Facebook hoax about “Jayden K Smith.” A lot of us fell for that one! Most myths or hoaxes have some basis in reality – enough that they make sense. Believe it or not, there are even myths about garbage disposal maintenance. Here’s what you can’t put in your [...]
Cleaning plumbing fixtures is something we’ve all done at one time or another. Most of us clean or have them scrubbed at least once a week. Plumbing fixtures include: Drain opening attachments Faucets, faucet handles Showers, shower heads Sinks Spigots Toilets What You Can’t See Might Hurt You You know that kitchen and bathroom sinks [...]
A small pipe leak could be a precursor to a burst water pipe, and you should take action immediately. That is if you see the leak. If broken pipes and clogged drains gave you a warning, you wouldn’t need emergency plumbing services! Temporary Fixes Gather the hamster and the other family pets and put [...]
Many people think burst pipes happen only in the winter, but they can occur in any season! If one or more of your home’s pipes burst, dealing with the aftermath can be a messy affair. At Bradbury Brothers Services, we’ve helped homeowners throughout The Woodlands area take immediate care of a burst pipe before [...]
From showers to toilet lines, sewers, plumbing parts and more, Bradbury Brothers Services has you covered. We know that plumbing problems are never really fun – but we think you’ll find these plumbing facts pretty entertaining! Weird But True Plumbing Facts The word plumbing comes from the Latin word for lead, plumbum. It’s also the [...]
You know that every 3,000 miles, it’s time to get your car’s oil changed. Your home’s water heater works the same way. Angie’s List recommends you schedule an appointment to flush your water heater annually. Energy Conservation Saving energy is not just about saving money; it’s also about preserving our environment. When minerals build up [...]
Is Insulating Your Water Pipes a Good Idea? Insulating the hot water pipes in your home reduces heat loss and can increase the water temperature by up to 4º F. Water pipe insulation is a cost-effective maintenance procedure that takes very little time to complete, yet represents a nice cost savings by letting you lower [...]
