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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?” – Furnaces weren’t built to be noisy, but through continued wear and tear and plain ol’ neglect, they can be downright raucous. Popping, wheezing, rattling, and banging – if you hear that or any other loud noise right away so we can quiet it down again and help prevent any further damage.

• Hot over here, cold over there. – Hot and cold spots are another sign of a problem with your heating system, though not necessarily with the furnace. Let’s say, for example, that you have a two-zone system and temperatures are just fine in one zone but not so fine in the other. In that case, the problem is most likely confined to one of the thermostats.

• Mega high heating bills. – The surest sign that something’s wrong with your heating system is when you start paying way more than usual to heat your home. Old age (the system’s) can cause that, as can a dirty or clogged filter. If, for example, your furnace is between 12 and 15 years old, your best bet might just be to replace it; because then, it could take as little as few years to pay for the new system in energy savings alone.

• Lots more dust to contend with. – If you have a forced air heating system and all of sudden you find dusty furniture practically right after you’ve just dusted it, then you either have an excess of dust and other debris inside your ducts, a clogged filter, or dirt elsewhere in your heating system. It’s not good for your furniture, and it’s even worse for your health.

If you’re noticing any of these symptoms now, call us sooner than later and we’ll do our best to repair whatever’s gone wrong to spare you the expense of having to replace it. Or, better yet, contact us now BEFORE furnace problems crop up and we’ll do our best to make sure they don’t. How? With our multi-step furnace cleaning and inspection service. It’s designed to eliminate the need or at least the severity of repairs, lower your heating-related utility costs, and extend the effective lifespan of your furnace. Contact Boden Plumbing, Heating & Air for service now, and allow us to worry about the care and condition of your furnace. So you won’t have to.

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 sizes, it’s important to understand what can cause a pipe to crack or burst and what measures you, as a homeowner, can take to prevent that from happening.

1. Frozen Pipes
   An un-insulated pipe that is exposed to below freezing temperatures can freeze, burst, and instantly start gushing water. That can happen in your garage, a crawl space, or in any other unheated space. To prevent pipes from freezing, disconnect outdoor hoses and drain the faucets. Shut off and drain your irrigation system for the winter. And make sure all pipes located in unheated spaces are insulated.

2. Leaky Pipes
   Minor pinholes in your water pipes can’t fix themselves, but they can grow and become even more problematic. It’s okay to tape it up as a short-term measure, but don’t way too long before implementing a more permanent solution, even if all or a portion of water pipe needs to be replaced.

3. Unattended Drain Clogs
   If a clogged drain is left to sit, it can cause water pressure to increase in that same pipe. Over time, the added pressure can cause the pipe to crack.

4. Corroded Pipes
   The older a home and it’s plumbing, the more prone metal pipes become to internal corrosion. Constant exposure to soil, water, and temperature fluctuations can do a number on them, so you’ll want to baby them as much as possible for added years of service. Start by switching from chemical to green drain cleaning liquids.

At Boden Plumbing, Heating, & Air, we offer professional pipe repair and replacement services. Same goes for water pipe insulation, sewer and drain cleaning, and any other home plumbing need you might have. We do the job right the first time, and we guarantee your 100% satisfaction. Contact us today for service, and put our experience to work for you.

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 at the top of our game? That’s not for us to decide. That’s for you to decide. But we can tell you this much: we’re well trained, all of our employees take part in continuing training and development, and we offer our customers a 100% satisfaction guarantee which is a constant reminder to ourselves that being the best we can be matters. Just like being honest, fair, and reasonably priced.

And yet, when it comes to something as potentially messy, tricky, and inconvenient (for you) as a clogged sewer or drain, being highly trained and skilled isn’t enough. Lots of local plumbers are. But very of us have certain advanced tools that enable us to tackle even the most difficult jobs from start to finish. How does that benefit you? Because when you hire a drain cleaning company that can do it all, then you’re not going to have to pay two or more companies to do the same job.

So before you hire someone to clear, repair, or replace your problem sewer or drain, make sure they are fully capable AND equipped to get the job done with these advanced drain cleaning tools:

• In-line video drain inspection camera. Yes, we have these amazing tools as part of our drain cleaning arsenal. With them, we can pinpoint the exact location, extent, and cause of the problem. If, for example, we discover an underground sewer pipe crushed by a tree root, we know instantly that no amount of drain cleaning will solve the problem. That pipe will have to be repaired or replaced as needed, and the tree roots near or inside the sewer pipe removed. Plus, our drain video cameras come with playback units that allow us to record video and take snapshots for ongoing reference and to share with you so you can see what’s causing the problem firsthand.

• High-pressure water jetter. Here’s another invaluable drain cleaning tool, one that can go far deeper into a sewer or drain line than any snake or auger. Our water jetters also have removable cutting blades that can be attached at the front of the spray nozzle to cut through any in-pipe tree or shrub roots. The high pressure flow of water right behind that blade then pushes everything through the drain line. At the same time, a second stream of water is sprayed backwards to help propel the hose through the line.

Not all drain jobs require the use of a video inspection camera or a high pressure water jetter. But what if it does? So before you pick up the phone to call for professional drain cleaning assistance, check out each company’s experience, licensing, and their resources. Or, you can save yourself all that trouble and just call Boden now – the company that has and does it all.

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 mixing in some home project work – not just for the sake of it, but to make you feel about your home by accomplishing some real live tasks that need to get done sooner or later anyway? What kinds of projects? Well, that depends on you, your lifestyle, and your home, but here are a few helpful suggestions:

Get a jump start on your home remodeling project. Major or minor, let’s say you’re planning to upgrade your kitchen in the spring, and hiring one or more contractors to do the work for you. These are the very same people, for the most part, who just itching for the phone to ring so they can start filling in their spring calendars. That means that if you wait too long, you could wind up either with your second, third, or fourth choice, etc., or having to wait longer for your first choice to become available. So plan now, and remodel later.

Schedule a home energy audit. Even with fuel prices way down during this winter of 2015 – 2016, there are no doubt areas inside your home where energy is being wasted. A professionally done energy audit can pinpoint those areas, and then it’s up to you how to prioritize making the necessary improvements for your more energy efficient home.

Lose the clutter. From old magazines and piled up mail to shirts you haven’t worn in years and paint cans you haven’t been able to part with, what better time than the winter to tackle one room or area at a time, and get rid of all that stuff you no longer need, want, or could possibly ever find a use for.

Refresh dirty, dingy tile. If your eye is longer drawn to your kitchen or bathroom floor tiles because the dirty grout is all you can see, then why not make the time to scrub it clean. It won’t take much or effort or time before it looks like you just installed brand new flooring.

Catalog your old photos. If you’re at least 35 years old, then chances are not all of your photos are on a flash drive or inside your cell phone. Some people still have prints, and in many cases more than they know what to do with. Now’s the time to go through them and decide on a better way to organize and store your photos. That way, you can enjoy them any time you feel the urge.

As you scout your home looking for projects not yet completed, don’t forget to consider your home heating system. As in, did you neglect to have it professionally cleaned and inspected this past fall? If so, why not contact Boden Plumbing, Heating & Air today to schedule service. When the job is done, you’ll benefit from improved performance, greater comfort, lower heating costs, and a reduced likelihood of repairs. What’s not to like about that?!

The kitchen drain is capable of handling a lot, everything from soapy dishwater to spoiled milk and even dinner scraps. Its appetite can be so voracious, in fact, that it can occasionally fool you into thinking it’s impervious to foreign not-ready-for-kitchen-drain objects. Trust us, it’s not.

Here, in fact, are 5 substances that should never be put down your drain or garbage disposal, and for more than one reason:

1. Toxic Substances – Paint, paint thinners, solvent-based cleaners, and even nail polish remover should never be poured down the drain. Instead, check with your town government on how best to dispose of these substances. Many hold “community clean up” days throughout the year where they will accept such substances for proper disposal.

2. Medications – When your medication expires, don’t throw it down the drain or flush it down the toilet. Instead, mix it with used coffee grounds or kitty litter and throw it in the trash or check with your local pharmacy to see if they offer “take-back” days.

3. Cooking Oil and Grease – Whether it’s butter, vegetable oil, or bacon fat, pouring oil and greasy substances down the drain can clog your pipes and result in costly repairs. To dispose of cooking fats, pour them into an empty glass jar or metal can, let it harden, and dispose of it in the trash.

4. Kitchen Waste – Even if you have a garbage disposal, there are certain things you should avoid putting down the drain. Fibrous fruit or vegetables and starchy foods like pasta and potato skins can gum up the inside of the drain, often too far down to easily break up the logjam. Instead, dump your kitchen scraps into the compost bin.

5. Automotive Products – The biggest no-no of the bunch is used motor oil. According to the EPA, one quart of motor oil can contaminate 2 million gallons of drinking water. Take all automotive products, such as motor oil, antifreeze, and brake fluid to a recycling center or service station for proper disposal.

If we truly are what we eat and drink, then we also are what carelessness or the simple lack of information forces us to eat and drink, however harmful it might be. If you know of someone who you think could benefit from this blog, we urge you to share it with them.

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 good chance that one of the following is the cause:

• Clogged filter. To perform at its best, your heating system needs to be professionally cleaned and inspected once a year. In between professional cleanings, you need to inspect your filter at least every 60 days and clean or replace it as necessary. Once a filter gets clogged with dust, dirt, and other airborne particles, it forces your heating system to work harder to get you all the warm air you desire.

• Cracked or leaking ductwork. If you have a forced air heating system, your ductwork should be inspected for cracks and leaks right along with the rest of the system. If any are found, they can be sealed immediately to prevent heat from escaping into your attic or other unheated spaces, thus making your system work harder while driving up your heating utility costs.

• A problem with your system’s fan. Once the fan stops working properly, you’re going to have air circulation problems on your hands, such as too much heat in one room, and hardly any in another.

• Faulty ignition system. Today, most gas furnaces are fired by an electronic ignition system. These have an average lifespan of 3-5 years, and need to be cleaned and checked along with the rest of your heating system once a year. Otherwise parts can fail, or dust and dirt can accumulate causing intermittent or no heat at all.

What’s a careful, conscientious home owner to do? Well, for one thing, if it’s been a year or more since your furnace was last professionally serviced, now is the perfect time to contact Boden for service, even if you’re not experiencing any home heating problems. If you are, we’re here to troubleshoot it, accurately diagnose it, and perform the necessary repair work, and always with a guaranteed upfront price quote. Contact us today or anytime at all for all your home heating, cooling, and plumbing needs.

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:

1. Bromeliad – Rich in color and texture, bromeliads require very little maintenance, needing minimal watering and medium to direct sunlight. They have very intricate details that give them an exotic appearance. Although a bromeliad dies back once it flowers, its pups can be removed and replanted, so you can continue to enjoy this fun floral over and over again.

2. Kalanchoe – A native of Madagascar, Kalanchoe is actually a succulent and requires little water and low humidity to thrive – perfect for the cold, dry-air months ahead. Its cheerful flower clusters last several months, and come in a variety of colors such as pink, red, yellow, and orange.

3. Amaryllis – Amaryllis blooms in winter, making it a very popular holiday gift. Its bulbs are nearly foolproof so you can pretty much guarantee that with a little light and regular watering, this festive flower will continue to brighten your home with colorful blooms.

4. Hibiscus – While it needs a bit more upkeep during the summer, its winter care is quite simple. Just water when the soil feels dry to the touch. If you wish, you can also pinch the flowering stems back so that they will produce more flowers.

5. Orchid – The elegant Orchid is a very popular houseplant that is surprisingly easy to care for. It requires watering only once a week to reward its owner with delightful blooms. However, some varieties are more difficult to grow than others, so do your homework before picking one.

6. Christmas Cactus – Unassuming in appearance throughout most of the year, the Christmas cactus springs to life in December when it reveals its brilliant pink, red, white, orange, and purple blooms. It requires minimal watering and bright, indirect sunlight. As a bonus, its cuttings can be transferred and replanted, allowing you to share the holiday cheer with family and friends.

Now, how exactly do these and other types of houseplants help remove pollutants from your indoor air? They actually feed on the very airborne bacteria that can and often does cause people so much trouble, especially during the winter months when we spend more time indoors with windows and doors shut.

For more far-reaching improved indoor air quality solutions, contact Plumbing Plumbing, Heating & Air today. One of our experienced indoor air quality specialists will be happy to tell you 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 last a lifetime.

Here are five simple ideas for starting new Thanksgiving traditions with your family that you are sure to cherish for years to come.

1. Write it down. Display a journal in your home and as guests start to trickle in for Thanksgiving dinner, ask each one to take jot down what they are thankful for this year. You can then read each entry during or after dinner. You’ll have a treasured family keepsake that you can look back at year after year.

2. Smile for the camera. Once everyone has arrived, gather together for a family photo. Imagine looking through the pictures 5, 10, or 20 years from now and seeing how your family has grown and changed over the years.

3. Bring your game face. Take a break from watching the football game and play a holiday themed game instead, like Pictionary or Pin the Feathers on the Turkey.

4. Pay it forward. This year, why not share what you have with those in need. Share your time by volunteering at a local homeless shelter, or collect non-perishable food items and drop them off as a family to a food pantry. You might even consider sponsoring a family and supplying them with everything they need to have a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

5. Get cooking. It’s no secret that food brings families together. And what better way to preserve those tried and true recipes than by creating a family cookbook? Imagine passing down Aunt Ann’s crab dip recipe or grandma’s cheesecake recipe from generation to generation.

Here’s another Thanksgiving tradition, not quite as much fun or rewarding as those already mentioned: clogged kitchen sink or garbage disposal drains. The problem, in fact, is so widespread that the day after Thanksgiving is now known as “Black Friday” by plumbers both near and far. So if too much turkey fat and other “no no” foods end up down your drain or inside the garbage disposal, contact Boden Plumbing for fast and effective relief from what could be a rather messy problem.

Remember or ever read Murphy’s Law? Murphy’s Law, simply stated, goes like this: when something can go wrong, it probably will.

While the book, first published in 1977, was written about corporate America, it applies equally well to any drain or sewer line on the planet. And while you may not be overly concerned about a drain line halfway around the world, you most certainly are concerned about those in and under your home.

When a problem occurs, very often you can fix it yourself. A quick trip to the hardware store, a few aggressive plunges or snakings, a little boiling hot water for good measure and, just like that, life can go on as usual. But not always. Sometimes, you really do need professional help, and here are five such examples.

Slow Drains

If a bathroom sink is draining slowly, it’s easy to assume that hair and soap build-up is the cause. And often you’d be right. If the problem is in your kitchen sink, it’s equally reasonable to assume that congealed grease has built up to the point where water and food particles can no longer zip right past it. And again, you very well could be right. And yet there’s an even greater chance that you’re wrong, and that the slow moving drain has an entirely different cause, such as root invasion in underground drains, improper grading, a bad drain pipe connection, and so on. Go ahead and give it a shot, but if the problem persists, call in a professional before things get any worse.

Recurring Clogs

Speaking of hair, there’s nothing quite like it to cause a recurring clog, the kind you’re most likely to bump into in your tub, shower, or bathroom sink. If, after removing the hair, you find the drain clogging up again a little too quickly for your liking, it’s clear that you didn’t get rid of all of it. To save yourself the recurring hassle, contact a pro.

More than One Clogged Drain at the Same Time

If multiple drains clog up at the same time, that indicates a clog in your main drainage system rather than in one or more individual fixtures. Once again, that would be a clog that only a skilled drain technician can get rid of – for good.

Icky Odors

Most home owners don’t need much prodding to call in a plumber when their house starts smelling like a Port O’ Potty. What can cause such unpleasantness? Pollutants trapped inside a drain line or perhaps even a broken sewer pipe. The latter is probably the case if the odors are coming from more than one drain at a time.

Water Flooding

Let’s say you have a toilet or sink that’s overflowing right now. Before you do anything else – including calling us! – do your best to shut off the fixture’s water valve or your home’s main water valve. That will stop the flow of water and allow cooler heads and more rational judgment to prevail.

Once again, we’re not trying to discourage you from attempting to break up the clog on your own. But if you do need help, Boden Plumbing is here to provide it. And that you can count on, every single day of the week, for any clogged drain problem at all.

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, it most assuredly is trying to tell you something, and usually that something is “Fix me!” Which means ignoring the noises is exactly the wrong thing to do if you truly want them to cease and desist.

One unpleasant plumbing-related sound can best be described as a loud banging noise coming from your pipes. This is known to the plumbing community as “water hammer” and, if you’ve ever heard it, you know exactly why.

The most common form of water hammer comes from a faucet being turned on or shut off, although the sharp banging noise can come from any of your pipes. Water hammer also produces a ticking sound that frequently can be heard all over your house.

The point is, if you ever hear any odd noises that you suspect or know are coming from your plumbing, contact Boden Plumbing right away. Ignoring it could lead to one or more burst pipes and water damage to your home. Water hammer also can damage appliances, including your fridge, dishwasher, and water heater.

Instead, we’ll come out to your house, diagnose the symptoms, locate the cause of the problem, and then give you a guaranteed upfront price to get it fixed. And all with our 100% satisfaction guaranteed. We also can offer you solutions for avoiding water hammer in the future.