Entries by Boston Standard

Allergies and Your Air Conditioner

July 26, 2016 in /by

For many people suffering with allergies, their air conditioning units may be the culprit for those hazy sinus’. Often times, homeowners believe that the air filters in our furnaces and air conditioners remove dust and allergens from the air we breath. When in reality, HVAC filters were not designed with that in mind. HVAC filters […]

Lead in the water has Boston residents on edge

May 3, 2016 in , /by

Lead has virtually no redeeming value, but if the current disaster in Flint, MI has an upside, it’s the renewed focus on removing lead from our homes. In most cases, old lead paint poses more danger than lead in the plumbing, but removing lead (properly) is never a bad idea. Recent reports show that lead […]

Converting from oil to natural gas for Earth Day

April 20, 2016 in , /by

If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate Earth Day, consider converting your heating oil furnace or boiler to natural gas. Not only will you save money, but you’ll reduce your carbon footprint by nearly 40%. Aside from coal, no other fuel releases more carbon into the atmosphere. In fact, heating oil releases more […]

Sewer lateral repair options

April 11, 2016 in , /by

In the last post, we looked at sewer laterals and why they fail. Few home repairs strike fear into the hearts of homeowners like a sewer lateral repair. They’re expensive and they destroy the outward appearance of your property. Except as a way to avoid having sewage in your house, a sewer lateral repair has […]

Choosing home improvement contractors carefully

March 24, 2016 in /by

Last week, Next Step Living (NSL), a former MassSave contractor was forced to close its doors amid a cash crisis and mounting questions about its business practices. Some of the company’s former customers have flooded the Massachusetts State Attorney General’s Office with complaints about the company’s work and resulting damages to private homes. At one […]

5 Top Water Stories on World Water Day

March 22, 2016 in , /by

As we celebrate World Water Day, we’re taking a look at the 5 top water stories that have broken in the past year. While World Water Day is meant to highlight the fact that many of the world’s people don’t have clean, fresh drinking water, these stories also remind us that we can’t take our […]

Beverly Hills Shines Light On Urban Water Consumption

March 15, 2016 in , /by

California has been devastated by a prolonged drought, causing Governor Jerry Brown to declare a statewide water emergency. That action, taken last June, implemented a mandatory 25% reduction in urban water consumption. Some of the state’s A-listers apparently missed the memo on the new water regulations, and that put the City of Beverly Hills in […]