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6 Tips to Help Prevent a Home or Building Fire

in Electrical, Fire Protection/by Lisa Zollinger

It’s close to dinner time and you’re in a cheerful mood. You’re cooking the main course using a frying pan that has vegetables coated in oil. As light music plays through the air, the oven’s timer goes off. You turn around to attend to the dessert. It’s only been a few minutes since you’ve turned your back away from the pan. Suddenly, the main course on the stove erupts into flames. What began as a light-hearted, spirited dinner has turned into a dreadful fire. Read more

4 Common Causes of Mold in Buildings or Homes

in Community, HVAC, Plumbing/by Bill Ivey

Have you ever smelled a musty odor inside a commercial building or home? Usually that means mold is present. Mold is a fungus and is always present indoors and outdoors in small amounts. According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), mold can be toxic to both humans and animals, depending on the type and amount of mold present. Read more

6 Most Common Causes of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

in HVAC, Plumbing/by Lisa Zollinger

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is often referred to as a silent killer. It is generated by incomplete combustion of fuel in an engine, heater, appliance or from an open flame.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CO poisoning claims the lives of more than 400 people each year. More than 20,000 people visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 are hospitalized from CO poisoning. Read more

5 Plumbing Repairs You Should Leave to a Professional

in Construction, Plumbing/by Lisa Zollinger

Is this scenario a familiar one? You squeeze between the under part of a kitchen sink and the wall, squirming around trying to find where to screw in the hose of the new faucet. After a few minutes of rearranging the overly long hose so that the end would face the way you want, you were able to successfully finish installing the new kitchen faucet. Read more

4 Most Common Fire Sprinkler Systems: Pros and Cons

in Fire & Life Safety, Plumbing/by Lisa Zollinger

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments respond to a fire once every 24 seconds. Meanwhile, nearly 4,000 Americans die per year in house fires. This means the likelihood someone will be affected by a building fire in his or her lifetime is far greater than most people expect. Read more

Two men discussing a building project at the site

6 Tips to Hiring a Building Contractor for a Commercial Project

in Construction/by Lisa Zollinger

The next time you shuffle into your favorite restaurant, exhausted after a long day of work, stop for a second. Notice the curvature of the entryway and the texture of the paint on the walls. Each feature was a choice made by a commercial contractor, piecing together various aspects to not only engineer an establishment, but also immerse each customer in a unique atmosphere. Read more

white air conditioning vent in an office building

7 Ways to Reduce Cooling Costs in Commercial Buildings

in HVAC/by Matt Lee

Keeping employees, customers and guests comfortable when the weather outside is stifling is a primary concern for companies looking to maximize foot traffic at their location.

Unfortunately, the costs of cooling an industrial building can be steep, with company profits being significantly undermined in buildings that have not made energy efficiency a priority. Read more

a person's fingers touching control panel of tankless water heater

Tankless (On Demand) Water Heaters: 4 Pros and 4 Cons

in Plumbing/by Bill Ivey

In 2018 alone, just over 8.7 million residential water heaters were shipped into the United States, which amounts to roughly one water heater for every 37 people. This high demand is not surprising, as everybody needs heated water for numerous tasks, such as taking showers and washing dishes. Read more

man suffering from allergies and wiping nose

5 Ways to Reduce Allergens in the Home

in Community, HVAC/by Matt Lee

Allergies and asthma can wreak havoc on a family. Whether you’re in the doctor’s office for a flare-up or just miserable in your home, you may feel that there’s nothing you can do. However, there’s hope out there. There are several steps you can take to reduce the flare-ups and issues you deal with daily due to pollen, pet dander, mold or dust particles. Read more

6 Ways to Make a Building (or Home) More Energy Efficient

in Construction, HVAC/by Lisa Zollinger

Many buildings constructed prior to 1973 were not energy efficient and relied on non-renewable energy sources, such as petroleum, natural gas and coal. However, a group of 12 oil-rich countries created the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which enacted a limit on the quantity of petroleum that other non-producing countries could purchase. Read more