Boden Plumbing | Service in Sonoma, Napa, Petaluma, Santa Rosa

The key to maintaining a dry basement is, well, taking every preventive step you can to keep water out.  But nature and your indoor plumbing each has a way of sneaking up on you and greeting you one day with a watery mess. So, and for starters, if your home or neighborhood is prone to basement flooding, you’ll want to install a main sump pump as your first line of… read more

As technology evolves, you have more and more green living options essentially handed to you on a silver platter.  And we’re all better off for it. Let’s say, for example, you’re ready to replace an older toilet, the kind that uses between three and five gallons of water per flush.  You might be surprised to learn you can no longer purchase such a water guzzler, and that low-flush toilets that… read more

When it comes to bracing for cold winter temperatures, especially how it gets during the late evening and overnight hours, do you feel more like that of a super hero or a 90-lb. weakling?  There’s plenty of both to go around here in the Napa-Sonoma area, and far be it from us to pick sides. But here’s what we do know:  love or hate the winter chill, you can save… read more

We all use bottled water at one time or another to satisfy our need for “clean and fresh”. But legions of people across the land overdo it, thus creating an ecological menace.  Consider these very real and alarming statistics: For those occasions where bottled water is your only clean water solution, please recycle.  But for just about every other clean water need, a home water filtration system is the answer. … read more

Knowing that your electric water heater is not going to last forever, you can do yourself a world of good by keeping an eye on it, especially once it starts getting up there in years. Just to put some numbers to it, your water heater has a projected lifespan of 10-12 years (up to years if you have a tankless system).  Once it hits 6 or 7 years old, it’s… read more

Even if you have the world’s greatest heating system, here’s one thing it wasn’t designed to accomplish:  heat up the space outside your home.  And yet it can’t help but attempt the impossible when heat is permitted to escape outdoors. To prevent that and take a big bite out of your monthly heating costs, simply follow these steps energy conservation steps: Attic insulation – Pardon us for repeating the obvious,… read more

Even though you already know your garbage disposal won’t last forever, what’s wrong with it lasting “longer than expected”? Absolutely nothing! And Boden Plumbing Heating & Air is here to explain how you can accomplish that money-saving goal: Feed your disposal a little at a time. While you’re at it, take care to keep utensils and your hands out of the drain. Keep all fibrous foods out of the disposal… read more

When it comes to toilet troubles, the dreaded clogged and overflowing toilet bowl is one that can send most homeowners into a temporary state of panic. But things can wrong with your toilet tank, too, but usually they’re a lot easier and less stressful to resolve. Let’s have a look. Toilet won’t stop running. A continuously running toilet is more than annoying – it can be quite wasteful and costly… read more

When all your plumbing is in tip-top shape, you’re going to have to find something else to complain about.  We’re not egging you on, mind you – at least not about looking for reasons to complain.  But we are offering a gentle reminder on how to KEEP your plumbing as problem-free as possible.  And that’s with an annual whole-house plumbing inspection performed by Boden Plumbing Heating & Air. While our… read more

Winter’s knocking on the door. Here in northern California, it’s smart to heed that knock, especially if you want to skate through the season without any heating system shutdowns. So that begs the question:  does your system have what it takes to keep you nice and warm and without a breakdown or interruption?  It may not if your system is prone to any of these symptoms, each of which indicates… read more

Every AC season, people from all over the country rush off to their primary care physician or the nearest walk-in medical facility complaining that their AC system is making them sick. Even if they're right, they're wrong. You see, by itself, your AC system literally does nothing more than remove hot air from your home, thus providing the cooling relief we all crave. But unless it's well taken care of,… read more

A stressful day can always be improved by finding time to take a warm, relaxing bath. A luxury you don’t have time for?  You’ll think differently once you consider the several associated health benefits, including the following: Humidity/heat: Keeping the water temperature comfortable, but warm enough to start sweating clears the lymph system of toxins, decreases bacteria that cause illness and body odor, and improves your immunity. Skin: Soaking in… read more

Not to get technical on you, but if a water leak really is “hidden,” doesn’t that mean it can be difficult at best to locate it?  Yes, and no.  The trick is to know what to look for, and where. Take a leaky kitchen faucet, for example.  There’s one you don’t have to hunt down.  It’s staring at you boldly in the face, saying “stop me if you can.”  But… read more

Okay, so maybe the entire universe is NOT already clued in on the whole life hack thing, and what exactly that means.  So, straight from the top of page 1 of Google, let’s call a life hack “a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one's time and daily activities in a more efficient way.” The dog days of summer are officially in full swing, and everyone is looking… read more

Clothes dryers pretty just much go about their business, semi-quietly drying your clothes one load at a time. Or so we would like you to think. Because clothes dryers, you see, can be major energy guzzlers, sometimes consuming as much energy as new energy efficient refrigerators, washers, and dishwashers combined. In fact, Americans spend about $9 billion and 60 billion kilowatt hours per year to dry our clothes.  But those… read more

There’s nothing like coming in from the summer heat to a cool, comfortable home. Until the electricity bill comes, that is. Then maybe, despite the indoor cool, you find yourself getting a little hot under the collar and wondering what on earth you can do to air condition your home without having to sacrifice an arm, leg, or anything else that matters. Well, don’t get mad, get busy saving energy… read more

When it comes to certain home repairs or maintenance tasks, going the DIY route can often save you a pretty penny. But if you don’t have the requisite skill, tools, time, and/or patience, sooner or later you’re going to need the services of a professional plumber or plumbing company.  But if that day were today, would you know the right questions to ask to help ensure your chosen plumber proved… read more

How many times has the following exchange occurred in your home? “You remember that we’re having company this weekend, right?” “Yeah, so…” “So, like I’ve been asking you for the past 3 months, you need to either fill up the propane tank or, even better, get us a fully filled back-up.” “And when exactly did that become my job?!” Sound familiar?  Then you’re a perfect candidate to give up on… read more

Do you go through cycles where you spend money one day like it didn’t matter and, not too much further down the long, you start wondering how and where you can cut corners?  Most people have a lifetime pass on that particular merry-go-round. Of course, the less time you spend riding it the less you’ll have to wonder where the money meant.  And while there are a million and one… read more

Whether it’s a small extension of your home, or more like a sprawling oasis, a deck is a wonderful addition to any home. And yet just like all the rooms and mechanicals, it requires routine maintenance to ensure that it remains a safe and enjoyable place to just be. Simply follow these Do’s and Don’ts for deck maintenance and you’re sure to get more years of enjoyment and greater pleasure… read more

Spring has officially sprung and that means it’s time to throw open those windows, let in some fresh air, and jump right into spring cleaning to awaken your home from months of hibernation. Still, do you really want to spend a beautiful spring weekend knee deep in dusting and laundry?  Exactly. So to help ensure that you get your home sparkling clean in as little time as possible, here are… read more

If you’ve noticed some unattractive spots appearing and spreading on your bathroom ceiling or grout, you have a problem that is more than just aesthetic in nature. More importantly, the sooner you take steps to remove and prevent mold in your bathroom, the better. As you may know, mold grows quickly and can be very destructive to your home and harmful to your health.  Mold, for example, can cause severe… read more

You know when folks complain the absolute most about the heat? When it’s gone. Which is why we most of us prefer summer over winter, and why we hate it when something goes wrong with our home heating system. How can you tell if your furnace might need professional attention? Here are four of the most common symptoms of a furnace that’s seen better days: “What’s all that racket?” –… read more

When water flows to the wrong place at the wrong time – as it would from a cracked or leaking pipe – it can cause extensive damage to your home and personal belongings. Even a slow drip behind a bathroom or kitchen cabinet can cause sheetrock and wood floors to rot while eventually making its way to the level below. And since damaged water pipes come in all shapes and… read more

Lou Holtz, the former head coach of the University of Notre Dame Football team, once said commented that even the person who graduates last from his or her medical school class gets called “doctor.” His point: just because you have a designation doesn’t mean you’re at the top of your game. Well, the same goes for plumbers and drain cleaning companies. Here at Boden Plumbing, Heating & Air, are we… read more

Have you ever seen the movie Cabaret featuring Liza Minelli in her prime? There’s a line in the title song that includes: “What good is sitting alone in your room”, and so on. Well, whatever room that might be, that song lyric describes what most of us do a whole lot more of during the winter months, i.e., sit around, just waiting for warmer weather to return. Instead, how about… read more

Like a lot of things mechanical, your home heating system can be your best friend or your worst enemy. As in, when it’s working like a charm, you love it to pieces. When it isn’t, you want to smash it to pieces. Your classic love-hate relationship. Well, if you and your heating system are currently on the outs, and you find yourself wondering what’s wrong with it, there’s a very… read more

From improving indoor air quality to bringing outdoor beauty into your home on even the dreariest of days, there are countless benefits to adorning your home with bright and lively plants. And while keeping them blooming and beautiful can sometimes be a struggle, you won’t have that problem with any of these 6 hardy, natural air-cleaning varieties: Bromeliad – Rich in color and texture, bromeliads require very little maintenance, needing… read more

Traditions play a crucial role in our lives. They strengthen bonds, give us a sense of belonging, and connect one generation to another. Unfortunately, as relatives move away, start their own families, and generations get older, it’s easy for some time-honored traditions to fall by the wayside. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still create and uphold meaningful traditions with your own family this Thanksgiving, and create memories that will… read more

Your plumbing is capable of such a variety of sounds and from all kinds of sources and for all kinds of reasons, it’s enough to drive a grown home owner crazy. Those most likely to be driven crazy by the cacophonous symphony, however, are those who ignore the sounds hoping they’ll just go away. We are here to tell you that, under most circumstances, when your plumbing starts making noises,… read more