Spring is the perfect time to remodel parts of your home. The cold of winter has gone away, and the heat and humidity of summer aren't yet on you. Even in an air-conditioned home, those factors can make a big difference. When you look at your bathroom remodel, familiarize yourself with all your options. If it's been a while since the last time you had to remodel a bathroom, a few things have changed for the better.

Everyone's been there at some point or other. It's cold and you turn on the hot water for a relaxing shower or bath. Naturally, you stay near so you can test the water every 10 seconds. Then it's every 30 seconds. Then it's once a minute. This isn't what you had in mind. The water's taking forever to get hot! Instead of a relaxing shower or bath, you're just spending time - and money - running frigid water down the drain. Why isn't your water getting hot?

There are a few potential reasons, and you'll need to check each one. They're all straightforward to troubleshoot.

You must keep your plumbing in good condition over the winter. Frozen water can break a pipe, causing massive damage to your home. Yet even if you avoid a catastrophe like this, an inefficient or un-insulated plumbing system can mean a lot of wasted cost in water heating. Thankfully, the steps to avoid both wasted costs and major accidents are fairly simple and straightforward.

When the weather outside is frightful… your water pipes are vulnerable to freezing and creating a big, throbbing headache. Burst pipes are a common cause of property damage during cold snaps, and they can result in thousands of dollars of damage. 

In the last few years, thousands of families have dealt with the effects of frozen pipes. It’s not just a lack of water when you need it, but the potential for catastrophic plumbing failure that should send shivers up your spine when you think about your pipes freezing. 

As with most areas of life, the best cure is prevention! So how do you keep your pipes from freezing?

In our previous post, we described how your home should be your refuge, but often, indoor air quality is worse than outdoor air. It can be up to ten times more polluted because contaminants are essentially trapped inside. How can you ensure your home won’t trigger an attack? Here is part two, four more steps that will help you breathe easier:

6. It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity. Humidity provides perfect conditions for mold and mildew growth. If levels are high in your home, invest in a dehumidifier. Those of us in the south know that they are worth the relatively small initial cost!