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How Often You Actually Need a Chimney Sweep, According to the Data
An eighth of an inch. That’s the exact thickness of sooty creosote buildup that tells a professional sweep it’s time to clean a masonry fireplace, according to the Chimney Safety […]
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$350 Is the National Average to Close a Pool Professionally, and Here’s Where That Money Goes
Professional pool closing runs $200 to $500 nationally, with most homeowners landing around $350, according to cost data compiled by Angi. Doing it yourself drops that to roughly $70 to […]
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30 Days Is All It Takes for Gas to Start Wrecking a Mower Engine Over Winter
Gasoline left sitting in a lawn mower’s tank starts degrading within 30 days, according to both Briggs & Stratton and Toro, two engine manufacturers that rarely agree on marketing copy […]
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Skipping This $150 Inspection Is Behind Thousands of Chimney Fires Each Year
An estimated 38,881 home heating fires occur across the U.S. every year on average, based on 2019-2023 data, causing 432 deaths, 1,352 injuries, and $1.1 billion in property damage annually, […]
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1-to-300 Ventilation Ratio That Keeps Ice Dams Off Your Roof
A ratio of 1 square foot of net free attic ventilation for every 300 square feet of insulated ceiling area is the benchmark most building codes use, according to Building […]
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1 in 15 U.S. Homes Tests Above the EPA’s Radon Action Level Before Winter Sets In
Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States has a radon level the EPA considers elevated, according to National Radon Program Services, the EPA-funded radon education program […]
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5-Minute Bucket Test Could Save You $4,300 This Fall
Water damage and freezing claims made up nearly 24% of all homeowners insurance claims in 2021, the third-most common category behind wind and fire, according to an analysis of industry […]
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$30,000 Average Claim Is Why Sprinkler Blowouts Matter Before the First Freeze
Frozen pipe and water-damage claims filed with State Farm between 2024 and mid-2025 paid out an average of more than $30,000 per claim, according to the insurer’s own newsroom data. […]
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The Everyday Appliances a Fire Department Says Are Starting House Fires — And How to Maintain Them
Grand Junction, Colorado’s fire department is telling residents that the appliances they lean on all summer, swamp coolers, bathroom exhaust fans, ceiling fans, and clothes dryers, are also the ones […]
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You Can Still Get Up to $14,000 for Home Efficiency Upgrades — If Your State Opted In
Households can currently apply for as much as $8,000 toward a whole-home energy retrofit and up to $14,000 toward efficient electric equipment, now that the Department of Energy has released […]