Space Heater Safety: What To Consider
Dear Burton, When it gets below freezing, some of the rooms in my home just won’t warm up. We’re freezing over here! How can I safely use a space heater to help my furnace keep these back rooms comfortable? Are space heaters safe to use while the furnace is running? - Chilly and Chattering Dear Chilly, The short answer: Yes, you can use a space heater to supplement your furnace, if you’re careful. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, as many as 1,700 home fires are started by space heaters every year. But is it the heater’s fault, or [...]
Heating Services in Omaha You Can Get at Burton
When is the best time to find your new go-to furnace and heating services company? When your furnace still works! Because nothing takes your day from bad to worse than coming home to a chillingly cold house, and having no clue who to call. To save you furnace frustration when the winter blues strike, we’ve put together a quick list of the most common reasons Omaha homeowners give us a call: 1. For furnace inspections, cleaning, and tune-ups Our annual furnace preventative maintenance service is hands-down one of the best services we offer because it keeps your furnace running at [...]
Heat Your Home for Less with These 5 Ways to Save
As energy costs rise, it’s becoming increasingly expensive to keep your home comfortable year-round. And here in Omaha, where chilly weather can push the temperature down into the single digits—or worse—you may feel like you’ve only got two options: Spend or shiver! The weather may be crisp and cold this month, but with these 5 energy-saving tips, your family doesn’t have to be! Fresh filters improve your furnace’s performance You’ve heard us share this tip a hundred times— always, always keep clean filters in your home’s comfort systems! There are dozens of reasons why a clean filter improves the performance [...]
3 Serious Signs Your Main Sewer Line is Clogged
Dear Burton, I’ve noticed some strange plumbing symptoms lately—our downstairs toilets are gurgling when the dishwasher runs, and our bathtubs are taking a long time to drain. I’m nervous this could be a big issue. What should I do? Gurgling in Gretna Dear Gurgling, One noisy toilet or slow-draining tub typically isn’t a cause for immediate concern, but you’ll want to have a plumbing service out as soon as you can. Your home plumber should perform a drain opening before the pressure damages your pipes and connection points. While a single slow drainer may not be a significant concern, multiple [...]
The 3 Faulty Furnace Problems We Solve Every Day
When your furnace is on the fritz, it can feel like the only solution is a completely new system! But when you work with the expert service technicians here at Burton, you may have other options. Here are three common furnace issues that seem like the end of your unit, but may actually be easily repaired: 1. Your unit won’t produce heat We know what you’re thinking— a furnace that won’t heat is a lost cause! But there may be a simple solution. When you call Burton to request a furnace inspection and repair, we’ll check: Your thermostat [...]
5 All-Too-Common Water Pressure Issues — and How We Fix Them!
At Burton, we know water pressure problems can be frustrating. That’s why our local plumbers are highly trained on the most effective ways to diagnose and repair the water pressure issues that disrupt your home. Because your shower is your sanctuary, your kitchen is your common ground, and your home appliances keep your household running smoothly— and caring for your plumbing is our top priority. In the course of assessing, repairing, and restoring the water pressure in thousands of homes across the Greater Omaha area, we’ve come across five causes that are almost always the source of a slow or [...]
Drain Opening or Drain Cleaning: Which is Right for You?
Dear Burton, I’ve seen ads for your $93 or FREE drain opening special. Is drain opening the same as drain cleaning? - Drained and Confused Dear Drained, A lot of homeowners assume a drain cleaning and a drain opening are the same. And they do serve the same purpose— to rid your pipes of damaging debris and cantankerous clogs, thereby restoring your free-flowing plumbing. But the process and outcome of drain opening and drain cleaning are very different. Drain opening is the quickest way to open the floodgates Drain opening is a simple process that involves [...]
Do These 5 Things Before You Turn Your Furnace On for Winter
Fall is the perfect time of year to give your furnace a quick tune-up before the cold weather really sets in. A cleaning and testing in early fall gives you plenty of time to schedule a home furnace repair, if needed, and gets your home ready for that first freeze of the season. Prepare your furnace for the real Omaha cold with these 5 prep-steps: 1. Put in a new filter Not only is a clogged furnace filter inefficient, it can cause your unit to overheat. Put in the new filter and set a reminder on your phone [...]
Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality is More Important Than You Think
No matter how clean your home is, there’s one area we guarantee you’ve missed. And all the dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing, and polishing in the world just can’t get it clean. The air inside your home is some of the dirtiest, most pollutant-filled air you breathe every day. In fact, you can have as much as 2x-5x more pollutants in your indoor air than outside. Considering we spend an average of 90% of our time inside, there’s no question indoor air quality is a health factor worth fighting for. While outdoor air may be full of natural allergens, indoor air contains [...]
7 Tips to Protect Your Plumbing From Freezing This Winter
Ahh Omaha winters… The perfect time of year for cozy fireplaces, warm scarves, hot chocolate, and taking extra precautions to protect your plumbing! If you’ve spent a winter in a snowy town, you already know just how dangerous cold weather can be for your pipes. The lower the temperature drops, the higher your risk of frozen plumbing, burst pipes, and a flooded basement, attic, or garage. But with a bit of foresight, an eye on the forecast, and these 7 handy tips, you can stop this emergency plumbing repair before it starts. Follow these 7 simple tips to keep your [...]
Omaha Area Homeowner Hacks: How to Find Your Home’s Water Shut Off Valve
If you own a home here in the Omaha metro, you don’t have to be Handy Andy, capable of fixing every leak, creak, and clog that disrupts your household. But there are a handful of homeowner hacks you absolutely need to know about to protect your home from a serious emergency situation. Today, we’ll teach you one of the most important homeowner hacks everyone should know: How to shut off the main water supply to your home! Why should every homeowner (and renters, too!) know how to shut off their home’s water supply? To stop a serious [...]
Hunger Action Month: It’s Time for Happy Homes and Fed Families
September is Hunger Action Month— our opportunity to unite in the fight against hunger. Hunger Action Month is an initiative launched by Feeding America, the largest hunger-relief organization in the nation. Every September, Feeding America partners with hundreds of food banks and thousands of Americans to restock pantries nationwide, just in time for winter. At Burton, we take every opportunity we can get to serve and support this local community. And Hunger Action Month is no different. That’s why we’re bringing back our annual hunger-fighting special for the 4th year in a row: This September, a $55 Furnace Inspection and [...]