While owning a home can be very rewarding, it can also be overwhelming and expensive if maintenance is neglected. Performing regularly scheduled home maintenance can greatly reduce the chance of unexpected repair expenses and components failing. 

Although maintenance may vary by region and age of the home, try following this easy monthly schedule to keep your home shipshape and avoid major mishaps.

Repair any interior wall damage. Touch-up or repaint as needed.

Check for leaks or moisture seepage on ceilings, exterior walls and around the foundation. Have a plumber inspect and repair any leaks if you see seepage.

Check tile in bathroom and kitchen areas. Re-grout and cover with silicone sealer as needed.

Repair and seal damaged or loose counter-tops, if necessary.

Add copper sulfate to basement f loor drain and downspout drains to control tree roots in the main sewer line. If you think there is damage, contact a plumber.

At winter’s end, re-open any interior valves supplying outdoor water pipes.

Trim trees, bushes and shrubs. (Wait until spring-flowering shrubs have finished blooming.)

Inspect roof for damaged or missing shingles.

Schedule an air conditioning tune-up to ensure your unit is running at peak performance and as energy efficient as possible.

Check and replace caulking around windows, doors and siding joints.

Clean windows and their frames when installing screens.

Check house and garage for rotting wood, and repair as needed.

Clean or pressure wash exterior of the house.

Scrape, prime and paint any areas on house or garage as needed.

Clean carpets and seal hardwood floors. Repair or replace as necessary.

Look for visible signs of carpenter ants, termites and other destructive insects. Treat accordingly.

Check concrete drive, sidewalks, patios, and landings for condition and level. Repair as needed.

Check porch flooring and repair as needed.

Clean and reseal decks, fences or other structures made of pressure-treated wood.

Re-nail any loose siding or trim boards as necessary.

Add copper sulfate to basement floor drain and downspout drains to control tree roots in main sewer. If you think there is damage, contact a plumber.

Check weather-stripping on all doors and windows.

Have your furnace tuned-up in preparation for winter.

Check damper in fireplace for obstructions such as birds' nests.

Make sure all garage floor or driveway drains are flowing properly.

Inspect roof for loose or missing shingles and check flashing seals.

Inspect outdoor water fixtures and shut off interior valves supplying outdoor water to prevent them from freezing.

Prune bushes, trees and shrubs (except spring-flowering shrubs.) Clean and cover flower beds if necessary.

Schedule a water heater tune-up to drain off sediment and make sure your water heater is running as efficiently as possible.

Clean pipes. Plumbers suggest a routine cleaning every 12-18 months.

Thoroughly inspect home and plan for next year’s improvements.

Plumbing, and heating and air conditioning systems receive more wear and tear than other features of your home because they are in constant use. To keep your equipment running at peak performance and as energy efficient as possible it is necessary to perform monthly maintenance on these items. Following this checklist should help. But if you run into problems Hawthorne Plumbing, Heating & Cooling  is here to help.

Don't let your home fall into disrepair - check out our list of home repairs related articles below for more information on how to keep your home in top condition!

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While owning a home can be very rewarding, it can also be overwhelming and expensive if maintenance is neglected.

Keep Your Home in Top Shape by Following an Annual Maintenance Schedule

Autumn is the prelude for falling temperatures and wet weather. Even in warmer climates, increased moisture can wreak havoc on homes, especially plumbing, air conditioning and heating (HVAC) units. 

High winds and winter storms can bring damage and debris. Winterizing your outside utility components can reduce hassle for homeowners and prolong the life of various mechanisms operating inside the home.

Remove debris, such as leaves, twigs, and grass clippings from around the unit. Use a hose to wash off dead bugs, bird droppings and accumulated dirt. 

Let the unit dry completely before using it. Performing an annual cleaning helps prevent rust and dirty buildup that can shorten the life of your AC or heating unit

Install foam pipe covers on exterior pipes

Cut the pipe insulation to fit the length and diameter of the pipe and wrap duct tape around the insulation to hold it in place. 

Pipe covers and/or foam insulation can be found at any hardware or home improvement store, and prevents pipes from freezing in cold weather.

Check exterior doors, windows and entry points around pipes

Seal cracks, crevices and pipe entry points to prevent air and moisture from leaking into the home. To keep the cold weather out it’s also a good idea to replace weather stripping around doors and windows.  

Regardless of climate, homes should be checked and repaired yearly to prevent rust or mold from getting inside.

Clean gutters and spray down the downspouts to dislodge leaves and debris. Consider installing leaf shields or extensions on downspouts to direct water away from the home. 

Inspect and repair flashing and shingles. This will keep your roof and gutter system operating properly, and prevent an excess of water and leaves from building up around your newly cleaned and sealed HVAC unit, windows and doors.

Trim trees and branches that hang too close to the roof, windows, HVAC unit, or any exterior electrical wires to prevent damage and possible power outages. 

While you are getting ready for winter it’s also a good time to seal driveways, foundations and wooden decks to prevent moisture seepage.

These tips will help you extend the life of your air conditioning and HVAC units, keep you warm this winter and help reduce your power bill. For more information please Contact your local Hawthorne Plumbing Heating and Cooling Company.

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Autumn is the prelude for falling temperatures and wet weather. Even in warmer climates, increased moisture can wreak havoc on homes, especially plumbing, air conditioning and heating (HVAC) units.

5 Easy Tips for Winterizing the Outside of Your Home

Autumn is the prelude for falling temperatures and wet weather. Even in warmer climates, increased moisture can wreak havoc on homes

Autumn is the prelude for falling temperatures and wet weather.

Homeownership can be very rewarding. It can also come with a variety of time and financial burdens. Not only do home owners have their mortgage, insurance, taxes and utility bills – they must also deal with the cost of annual maintenance and other required repairs.

A number of homeowners attempt to reduce expenses by tackling their own home repairs. For a majority of home projects, this practice is a good idea. However, there are some home repairs that should only be handled by professionals.

While changing an electrical outlet can be simple enough to do by watching a video on YouTube, new electricity, re-wire or an electrical box upgrade all require the skills and experience of a professional. 

Handling wires without the knowledge required could risk a fire or serious injury. It is best to find an electrician in your area capable of handling the job to ensure it is completed correctly.

There are some plumbing jobs such as a faucet replacement or a dishwasher installation that can easily be handled by the ambitious homeowner. 

When it comes to running new pipes or dealing with multiple piping systems at once, however, a professional is your best option to avoid water leaks. Should a leak go unnoticed, it can create mildew or mold buildup – leading to even worse and more expensive issues.

Your heating and air conditioning are a lot more complicated than you may be aware. Improper repair and maintenance could lead to a larger system problem. To avoid loss of air or heat right when you need it most, it is best to hire a local expert for regular service.

Taking care of your home is an essential part of being a homeowner. While you may enjoy the occasional do-it-yourself project, there are some things you should definitely leave to the professionals at Hawthorne Plumbing, Heating & Cooling.

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Homeownership can be very rewarding. It can also come with a variety of time and financial burdens. 

Home Repairs You Shouldn’t Tackle Yourself

Homeownership can be very rewarding. It can also come with a variety of time and financial burdens.

Hawthorne Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is dedicated to helping residents and businesses of the Greater Las Vegas and Henderson, NV areas maintain high standards of plumbing, sewer and water convenience.

With summer here and hitting hard, problems with plumbing can be all the worse...especially when they interrupt showers, create backed up drains or create toilet problems. 

Here are a few of the most common plumbing problems for summer and basic maintenance ideas to help prevent them.

Clogged sinks are a common plumbing problem

In many facilities, especially restaurants. Sink drains can become backed up by washing items such as large pieces of food, paper waste and toothpicks. 

Add in soda, coffee and grease, which can all build up along the side of the piping, and you create a gunky mess that prevents water flow. 

Be sure to place a trash can near the sink to discard unwanted items before they make it into the drain. It is also a good idea to install a strainer or screen to stop waste from entering your drains.

Especially in large facility buildings and warehouses where there is a lot of potential debris. 

Between dirt and other garbage that gets swept into the drain, floor drains can back up quickly if not taken care of properly. It is important to install a basket to stop trash before it enters pipes as well as general education on proper procedures for clean-up.

Plumbing leaks are caused by all kinds of things

Rapid changes in temperature can cause pipes to expand and contract. Storing items near pipes, such as under a kitchen sink, can lead to constant bumps and shifts that can create leaks. 

Rust, corrosion and broken seals are also common. The best way to remove the risk of leaky plumbing is to have a proper preventative maintenance plan. This is especially important during summer months, when water usage generally tends to increase.

- and significantly affect home comfort. Most often, toilets become clogged when individuals’ flush items that should be thrown away. 

To reduce the possibility of unwanted flushes, have trash receptacles plainly visible for use and use water filtration systems filter sand and debris from incoming water. Businesses should try installing air dryers instead of using paper towels.

The most common problems with water heaters are thermostats

- thermal-expansion tanks, shut-off valves and pipe leaks. To prevent issues with your system, a strong preventative maintenance plan is important. 

Every six months (for businesses) to a year (residential homes) flush out the water heater to remove sediment, which can burn out the heater elements. This is especially helpful if you are in an area with hard water.

For professional plumbing advice and assistance, contact your local plumbers at Hawthorne Plumbing, Heating & Cooling!

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People in enclosed spaces are more prone to allergies and other airborne diseases than in an open atmosphere. Air purifying equipment is widely used worldwide to mitigate these situations, and air scrubber is the most popular among them. 

Let's explore the ins and outs of this air-purifying tool in this article!

Our residential buildings, homes, and workplaces are all enclosed places, full of large numbers of potentially harmful airborne contaminants pass such as pollen, dust, chemical particles, microorganism, etc. 

Air scrubber is a filtration system that acts as a negative fan to draw in all the contaminated air and remove contaminants. 

Unlike other air purifiers, air scrubber kills all the microbes like bacteria, viruses, mold spores, etc. Many scrubber manufacturing companies claim this tool decontaminates more than 99% of the indoor atmosphere. 

It is an effective solution to combat air pollution in closed spaces and create a healthy indoor environment.

Now you have an idea what is an air scrubber! We'll see its technology and functioning. Different components of an air scrubber include a pre-filter, blower, primary filter, and other optional filters. 

In the first step, the poor-quality room air is sucked into the device by the blower. This air is then passed through and cleaned in different filtration processes. Different air filters present in the air scrubbers, along with their functions, are described below:

·         Pre-Filter: The filtration process initiates with pre-filtration. This filter catches larger particulate matter like pollen, dust, and macroparticles.

·         Molecular Filter: Next step integrated air scrubbers is molecular filtration. Air scrubbers have special molecular filtration media designed to capture and remove virus-containing particles from the air.

·         PuraWard Filter: Some high-end scrubbers, especially those present in hospitals, are equipped with an Anti-Microbial HVAC Filter. This filter uses silver and copper ions to kill microbial contaminants like bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

·         HEPA Filter: This is a carbon filter used in the final filtration stage to decontaminate the indoor air. HVAC filter can trap 0.3 to 2.5 PM of all allergens and microbes.

Following all the filtration processes, the blower carries the clean gas and vapor molecules of air out of the scrubber.

Different Kinds of Air Scrubbers in the Market

Pollution-free indoor air is essential for healthy lungs and the overall health of human beings. Different air cleaning machines purify air at various levels; the best are air scrubbers. There are three main types of this: wet air scrubbers and cleaner. 

DRY SCRUBBER is more commonly used in residential buildings. They include HEPA filters to remove microscopic contaminants and other particulate matter. A dry air scrubber has many properties in common with air purifiers.

The second type is WET SCRUBBER, more frequently used in large manufacturing plants. This portable air scrubber comprises mist eliminators, pumps, collection vessels, fans, etc. The principle of this wet air scrubber is the adherence of dust particles and other airborne particles with a mist. 

The last type is INTEGRATED SCRUBBER; these are fixed with the building's HVAC systems. Its purpose is to offer an additional degree of high-performance air filtration when the air enters a building and flows through the ductwork.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a renewed focus on the importance of air quality and its impact on public health. As we all know, COVID-19 is an airborne viral disease that spreads through virus particles suspended in the air. 

The novel coronavirus became a pandemic in no time and caused thousands of deaths, and worsened the world's economy. 

At that time, air-cleaning machines were the highest in demand. People spent thousands protecting themselves from the deadly virus and purifying their indoor spaces. Air scrubbers were mainly used in hospitals, schools, and offices, where many congregated indoors.

Advantages of Using a Good Quality Air Scrubber

Air pollution is increasing daily, and integrated and portable air scrubbers are a great source to avoid its potential risks. Here are some benefits of using an air scrubber:

Portable air scrubbers remove deadly microbes like bacteria, viruses, etc., and save us from life-threatening diseases. This device is a must-have for immunocompromised people who are more prone to infection. 

Moreover, this portable negative air scrubber purifier traps all the allergens like pollens and dust to clean indoor air.

Air scrubber removes minute air contaminants and enhances improve indoor air quality further. They actively clean volatile organic compounds, molds, dust, and toxic pollutants. Hence, maintaining a healthy atmosphere in indoor surroundings.

Installing good quality air purifiers like air scrubbers increases your HVAC air conditioning system's life span. This equipment captures larger air particles and prevents their entry into Air filtration systems. 

As a result, the HVAC coils and filters get protected from potential harm. A portable air scrubber saves you money in repairing these filtration systems.

Some of these devices have ozone technology to make negative air pressure reduce the unpleasant lingering smell. A clean and fresh atmosphere imparts pleasant effects on your mind and increases your cognitive efficiency.

Considering Factors While Purchasing a New Air Scrubber

Following are some factors to consider before selecting your air scrubber:

Look for an air scrubber with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or a similar filter designed to capture small particles like dust, pollen, and mold spores.

Air purifiers like scrubbers cost hundreds (low quality) to thousands (high quality) of dollars. Depending on your budget, select the appropriate one for you.

The airflow capacity of an all air purification system or scrubber is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). Check the mentioned CFM capacity on the product and purchase according to the area of the setting in which you are about to install that portable air purifier.

Taking care of your air scrubber is crucial to maintaining healthy air quality and improved surroundings. It would be best if you took measures to support your air-cleaning device and increase its shelf life. 

Filters that trap airborne contaminants should be inspected and replaced regularly. Moreover, it would be best if you kept an eye on the wiring and cables of the air scrubber installed, to avoid any electrical mishap. 

Another component that must be maintained is the fan blades. Look for any bend or dirt on the fans of the scrubber in your routine check-ups and replace the blade where needed. 

The measure of your indoor air quality largely depends upon your air scrubber. Keep this machine in good condition to get the optimum results.

At this point, you must understand what an air scrubber is and how it saves you from indoor air pollution and related airborne diseases. Buy a good quality air scrubber to breathe in a healthy indoor environment!

What Is The Function Of An Air Scrubber HVAC?

It is attached to the ductwork of your building's existing HVAC system, and removes sizeable particulate matter like dust, pollens, pet dander, VOC, and surface contaminants. This device helps to reduce the maintenance cost of your air filtration system.

Which Air Scrubber Is The Best To Remove Allergens?

The portable air scrubber that is equipped with a HEPA filter is potentially the best to remove allergy-causing airborne contaminants like pollens, microbes, dust, etc. It purifies the atmosphere and increases indoor and outdoor air quality.

What Is The Average Cost Of An Air Scrubber?

On average, smaller portable air scrubbers can cost between $500 to $2,000, while larger commercial-grade air scrubbers can cost up to $10,000 or more.

portable air scrubber

cubic feet per minute

Wondering what an air scrubber is and how it works? Learn about the technology, its benefits, and how it can help improve your indoor air quality.

What Is An Air Scrubber? A Detailed Guide

Indoor Air Quality FAQ Articles Description

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Keep Your Home in Top Shape by Following an Annual Maintenance Schedule

5 Easy Tips for Winterizing the Outside of Your Home

Home Repairs You Shouldn’t Tackle Yourself

Summer Solutions to Common Home & Business Plumbing Problems

What Is An Air Scrubber? A Detailed Guide

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