Maintenance

How to maintain a water softener: keeping the salt level right, breaking salt bridges, cleaning the brine tank, caring for the resin and testing hardness.

How to maintain a septic system: how often to inspect and pump the tank, what never to flush, how to protect the drain field and the warning signs.

What a water heater anode rod does, how often to check it, how to tell it is used up, which type to buy and how the replacement is done.

How to maintain a Noritz tankless water heater: flushing, filters, venting, condensate, the neutralizer and the codes that warn you service is due.

How to maintain a Navien tankless water heater: flushing, the inlet water filter, the intake air filter, condensate, venting and related codes.

How to maintain a Rinnai tankless water heater: flushing, the inlet filter, venting, condensate and the SS and LC codes that tell you service is due.

How to keep a sump pump working in winter: protect the discharge line from freezing, test the pump, check the check valve and plan for power outages.

How freeze protection works on tankless water heaters, why a power outage is the real danger, and how to drain the unit when freezing weather threatens.

Safe ways to thaw a frozen pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad or warm towels, what never to use, and what to do if the pipe has already burst.

Which pipes freeze first, how to protect them before winter, and what to do on the coldest nights and when you travel, based on Red Cross guidance.

How to winterize an outdoor faucet so it does not freeze and burst: remove the hose, shut off and drain the line, and protect frost-free spigots.