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What Will Happen if You Forget to Clean Your Air Filters?

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A good rule of thumb is that you should clean the air filter of your HVAC system every three months, if not even more frequently. But these types of household tasks—the ones you can’t see—are difficult to remember.

Here’s what can happen if you forget to clean your air filters:

You or your family could develop respiratory issues.

With a dirty air filter, you might notice that you and your family are coughing and sneezing more often than you used to. Or maybe you find yourself unable to climb out of the common cold cycle.

These types of symptoms could be thanks to a dirty air filter—more specifically the dust, dirt, and debris collecting in the filter and the air throughout your home.

You may find existing respiratory conditions getting worse.

If you or your family members already have asthma or allergies, a dirty air filter only encourages the symptoms. But if you change your air filters frequently, you may notice that symptoms show less often.

Your immune system could be damaged.

When you’re breathing contaminated oxygen for most (or all) of the day, it can contribute to a weakened immune system. This could lead to you feeling run down in your own home, which is no way to live. Having a clean air filter will help you feel ready to take on each day.

You may find your home getting dirtier.

Dust, dirt, and debris can and will make their way around your home. You may notice them coating surfaces like shelves and hardwood floors, which makes more cleaning work for you.

It could lower your energy efficiency.

One of the main contributing factors to high energy bills is dirty air filters. Because your system has to work so hard to pump air, it uses more energy and costs you more money.

You could damage your HVAC system.

Putting strain on its parts for an extended amount of time is not good for your HVAC system, and it could cause a breakdown. This makes for expensive repairs—not to mention the inconvenience of a broken system.

Cleaning Your Air Filter

It’s important to make clean air a priority. To avoid the consequences of having a dirty air filter, clean your filter out regularly or call one of us at One Man & A Toolbox to take care of it for you.

Why Your Company Can’t Afford to Hire an Unlicensed Contractor

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If your company is tempted to save a few bucks by hiring an unlicensed contractor, reconsider. What you think is saving you money could end up costing you more than you bargained for.

Here’s why you should never hire an unlicensed contractor.

Liability

When a contractor is licensed, they have insurance for themselves and their employees. This insurance also covers any potential damage that your company may suffer, along with injuries sustained by the contractor or their staff. They also carry workers’ compensation insurance.

An unlicensed contractor does not carry these types of insurances, which means that the business owner is responsible for all related costs if an accident should occur.

Permits

Unlicensed contractors can’t pull building permits, which means if you hire them to make additions to your business, they won’t be able to secure the permits to do so.

A permit requires an inspection at the end of the project, and without an inspection, you may find faults in the future that put you in a bad position. You also may have trouble selling your business with unpermitted additions.

Contractor’s Bond

Only licensed contractors can produce a contractor’s bond, which is a document between the contractor, business owner, and surety that ensures the contractor will fulfill their agreement. You should never begin a project without this document.

Shady Business

If a contractor is unlicensed, they also might be involved with scams and other illegal activities related to construction. A license brings along with it a sense of security for both you and the contractor—it lets you know that you can trust them.

Licensing Know-How

If you realize that you’ve accidentally hired an unlicensed contractor, you aren’t stuck in the situation. What you can do is file a complaint to your state license board to get out of the agreement.

Never be shy to ask a contractor to see their license. If a contractor has a license, they will have no problem showing it to you—in fact, they’ll probably be glad to show it off. And you can check the validity too—every state has a public record that you can search for a contractor by name, company, and license number, to make sure the license is active.


At One Man & A Toolbox, we employ only the highest-quality licensed contractors. Get in touch with us to start your project today.

Four Important Reasons to Get Rid of the Brush on Your Property Today

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When you own a home, maintenance is inevitable—both inside and out. Part of outdoor maintenance is removing brush from your property, not only to increase the aesthetics, but also to keep yourself and other occupants safe.

Here are four reasons why you should get rid of the brush on your property.

It prevents infestations.

Rodents, ticks, and other pests love thick brush—it’s one of their favorite places to make a home. By keeping brush in your yard, you are basically inviting such pests to move in with you—and that won’t bode well for you in the long run.

Thick brush could also mean disease growing in your yard, so it’s better to remove it entirely or keep it to a very low minimum.

It makes your home more accessible.

Having a large amount of brush in your yard could impede movement—either on foot or by car. It could also reduce the amount of usable property that you have. When you clear the brush from your yard, you open up the opportunity to use all of the land to your name.

It keeps you safe from fires.

After dry winters, wildfires are a risk during the warm months, and thick brush only encourages such events. Brush that has spent months on the ground could act as fire fuel if sparked by any small factor. If you have a lot of brush, it could catch on fire more quickly than you expect and cause great harm to your property, your home, and your loved ones.

It encourages pride in your home.

Everyone wants to be proud of where they live. That’s hard to do if your property is overrun by brush and looks unkempt. Having your brush cleared can make a world of difference for how your home looks, and you will also be doing the right thing when it comes to keeping your property safe.

Brush Clearing Services


We understand that clearing brush from your yard can be an arduous task, and it’s anything but glamorous. That’s why our team at One Man & A Toolbox is here to help. We can handle this job for you, so you can reap the benefits while trusting us with the heavy lifting. Give us a call today to talk about clearing the brush from your property.

Why Hiring a Handyman Can Actually Save You Money Down the Road

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A handyman can do it all. They are who you hire by the hour to complete small repairs and home improvement chores, and typically customers are charged per hour and for the materials used. Many people will create a list of things they need done around the house and hire a handyman to check them all off.

There’s no one set definition for the term “handyman.” Some handymen have extensive training in a multitude of home repair and construction categories, and others have trained themselves. Some handymen specialize in a few key tasks, while others tackle anything and everything related to home repair.

Handymen are the people to call if you have home improvement chores that exceed your range of abilities. Whether the task is related to cleaning gutters, installing light fixtures, painting, or anything in between, a handyman can take care of it—and save you money along the way.

Saving Money with a Handyman

Going out and hiring an electrician, plumber, painter, or another type of contractor is an option that’s always on the table. But you’ve got to consider the cost of those experts and their lack of availability.

A handyman will come to your home and tackle all of your needs at once, allowing you to minimize the cost. You don’t need to hire multiple contractors for jobs that one person can take care of on their own. Just the service charge for a plumber or an electrician is likely to surpass what a handyman will charge for the few hours they spend at your house fixing things up.

When you hire a handyman, you don’t have to worry about getting overcharged, as they’ll only charge for the hours that they work. Since most handymen work alone, they don’t have to worry about paying their staff, meaning their rates are typically lower. There’s no such thing as wasted time or wasted money when it comes to hiring a handyman!

One Man & A Toolbox

Hiring a handyman is many homeowners’ first choice when they have a long list of home repairs. We can perform any number of chores around your home and your property so you don’t have to worry about tackling them on your own.

We get the job done right every time, as we’re experienced in all things related to home improvement. With One Man & A Toolbox on your side, you can check off items on your to-do list and save money at the same time.

How a Handyman Can Help a Drafty Window

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There’s almost nothing worse than a drafty window. In the winter, freezing air from outdoors can leak inside, make you uncomfortable, and drain your heating bill.

Drafty windows can be fixed in a number of ways. These methods can be carried out in DIY fashion by homeowners themselves, but they can also be taken care of, foolproof style, by handymen.

We recommend having your drafty windows fixed by a handyman to make sure that the job gets done correctly the first time. That way, you can start saving money (and keeping warm) right away.

Fixing the Draft

If you’re not ready to replace your windows, there are a few repairs that handymen can make to stop the drafts:

Inspecting and Repairing

A handyman will assess the condition of your windows and look for faults like loose joints, warping, or cracked glass. They’ll also keep an eye on the weatherstripping to see if it’s damaged or worn, or if there is any faulty hardware. They’ll also check to see if the window closes properly. All of these details can contribute to a draft.

Window Caulking

There are three places that a handyman can apply window caulk: around the trim, at mitered joints of the trim, and between the trim and the frame.

In order to fill in the gaps between the wall and the frame with fiberglass insulation, a handyman might have to remove the window trim. After they’ve done that and replaced the trim, they will caulk any gaps between the window and wall.

Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping creates a tight seal to block drafts, and it’s made of foam. It usually attaches right to the closing edge of a window or door, and it can be found at almost any hardware store for a low price.

Curtains, Shades, and Snakes

Homeowners can block drafts with cellular shades, layered curtains, or draft snakes. A handyman can easily help you install shades and curtains if you’ve got them ready to go.

Storm Windows

If the drafts on your windows are very bad, you might consider having a handyman install storm windows for the winter months. These types of windows act as an extra layer of insulation and attach right to the window frame.

One Man & A Toolbox


If you’re experiencing drafty windows, get in touch with One Man & A Toolbox. We would love to stop by and see how we can help insulate your home.

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