Tag Archives: home maintenance

Most garage door problems trace back to one of a handful of common causes: a broken spring, misaligned safety sensors, worn rollers, a dead remote battery, a bent track, or an opener malfunction. Some of these, like a dirty or misaligned sensor or a dead remote battery, are safe and simple to check yourself. Others, particularly anything involving the spring …

Quick Answer: A roof generally needs replacement rather than repair when damage is systemic instead of isolated: recurring leaks in multiple rooms, widespread shingle failure across large sections, a sagging roofline, or a roof approaching or exceeding its material’s expected lifespan, commonly 15 to 25 years for asphalt shingles. A single displaced shingle, an isolated leak around a specific vent …

Quick Answer: The most effective approach to improving indoor air quality follows a simple order: first reduce what’s generating pollutants indoors, such as VOCs from certain cleaning products and dust from clutter, then increase ventilation by regularly bringing in fresh outdoor air, and finally add filtration through HVAC filters or a HEPA air purifier to capture what’s left. Many of …

Quick Answer: The clearest signs it’s time to replace rather than repair an air conditioner include a system that’s 10 to 15 years old or more, a repair quote that costs more than about half the price of a new unit, frequent breakdowns within the same cooling season, steadily rising energy bills without a change in usage, uneven cooling throughout …

Quick Answer: Most central air conditioner filters should be cleaned or replaced every one to three months, more often during heavy summer use or in dusty environments. Window units and ductless mini split systems typically need their filters cleaned every two weeks during regular use. Beyond the filter, coils and ductwork need much less frequent attention, generally once a year …