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PODCAST · education

The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners

by Garth Haslem

Helping you keep your money in your wallet and your family out of the hospital

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Episodes

  1. The HomeMedic #168 Winter prep - swamp coolers & central air

    Winter prep also includes battening down the hatches for the stuff you use in the summer. In this case, the swamp cooler or central air units. What should you do for those systems? Glad you asked. Here's how to protect your home and family.

  2. The HomeMedic #168 Winterizing - furnace

    So even your furnace needs to be prepped for winter? Sure does, but only if you want it to work well. Here's what you need to know to protect your family and keep your bills down.

  3. The HomeMedic #167 Winterizing - the hose bib

    The lowly hose bib - that valve on the outside of the house? Chances are you'd like to avoid having that thing freeze up in the winter and flood your home in the spring. Here's how to protect your home and family.

  4. The HomeMedic #166 Winterizing - doors and windows

    Nothing is more soothing in January than having a nice cold draft oozing from around your doors and windows, right? Or perhaps not. Here's what you need to do in September to avoid the ugh in January.

  5. The HomeMedic #165 Winterizing - ice dams & gutters

    If winter happens where you live, then fall is the time to prepare. Are your gutters ready to carry the water safely away? Will you have ice dams? Here's what you need to know to protect your family.

  6. The HomeMedic #164 windows

    Your windows are the eyes of the home. Without them, darkness, gloom and despair, right? But the windows are also security and protection against the ravages of mama nature. Here's what you need to know about your windows in a nutshell.

  7. The HomeMedic #163 Water purification - water treatment

    Want to treat your water? Many of us do, but it's good to know before you go. There are bacteria you can treat for, coliform, metals, solids, and a laundry list. Here's what you need to know

  8. The HomeMedic #162 Water purification - water softeners

    So you'd like a water softener system. It's got lots of benefits, right? But did you know it just trades calcium and magnesium (water hardness, but it's good for you if you drink it) to sodium? Yeah. Sodium is salt, and it's not that great for you. Here's what you need to know about softeners...

  9. The HomeMedic #161 Water purification - filters

    So you'd like your water to be filtered. That's great, but from what? Metals? Dissolved solids? Germs? There a number of different kinds of filters. Here's what you need to know to protect your family.

  10. The HomeMedic #160 Water heaters - maintenance

    So you look at the water heater, and it pretty much just looks like a chunk of steel. What are you supposed to do with it? Does it last forever? How do you know when it's going bad? Here are the answers you need.

  11. The HomeMedic #159 Water heaters - solar

    Solar water heaters are a thing too. After all, if you're camping, who needs a cold shower? That's definitely not glamping. Here's what you need to know about solar water heaters

  12. The HomeMedic #158 Water heaters - types & sizes

    So just like everything else in life, there are way more choices than there should be. At least water heater varieties aren't as dizzying as carpet choices. Here's a description of different water heater types, any why each might be the right choice for your family

  13. The HomeMedic #157 Water heaters - safety part 2

    There's enough safety issues that we couldn't do all water heater issues in one segment. Here's part 2

  14. The HomeMedic #156 Water heaters - safety part 1

    Your water heater is one of those systems we'd all like to forget about. But if you forget about them too long, or don't know what to do, they get dangerous. Here's what you should know so you can protect your family.

  15. The HomeMedic #155 Unwelcome bugs - wasps

    Wasps are the bane of the picnic, as well as the back yard. Little Johnny gets stung, and the party is over. Now as the mom, you just went from happy to ER mode. What should you be doing to protect your family from wasps? Here you go.

  16. The HomeMedic #154 Unwelcome bugs - snails & slugs

    Of all the gross and slimy whatevers, snails and slugs are right at the top of the list! They slime and they ooze, and did we mention that they're gross? Here's what you can do about them

  17. The HomeMedic #153 Unwelcome bugs - roaches

    Roaches! They're gross, they're dirty, they're embarrassing and they survive nuclear holocausts. And they come by the thousands. Is there a lower creature on the planet? Here's how to mitigate roach issues and protect your family.

  18. The HomeMedic #152 Unwelcome bugs - bedbugs

    Bedbugs. They're gross. They're stealthy, they bite. They eat your flesh. They might as well be zombies. But where do they hide? How much of a problem are they? Here's how to protect your family.

  19. The HomeMedic #151 Tubs - tub fails

    Got a jetted tub, would you like to avoid all of the fails that are happening to your neighbors? How do you avoid the black corn flakes and the leaks? Here's how to protect yourself and your family.

  20. The HomeMedic #150 Tubs - cleaning

    Got a specialty tub? One of the jetted tubs maybe? You can't just clean it with Clorox - it can damage the tub. So what do you do? Here's how to clean it without putting your family at risk.

  21. The HomeMedic #149 Tubs - jetted tubs

    Got a jetted tub? They're awesome - until that black nasty stuff comes out. Does yours do that? How much of a problem is it? How do you get rid of it? Here's what you need to know to protect your family

  22. The HomeMedic #148 Trees - tree risks

    So trees are generally awesome. But in the wrong place, trees can cause a lot of grief. Fires, roof damage, structural damage, clogging, even flooding and molds. What do you need to know so you can protect your home and family? Here you go.

  23. The HomeMedic #147 Trees - quakies (quaking aspen)

    Gotta love a quakie. Their leaves shimmer in the wind, and they turn a summer day into pure bliss. Everyone should have a quakie, and they should be everywhere, right? Well, perhaps not. Here's what you need to know about quakies so they can be placed properly in your yard.

  24. The HomeMedic #146 Trees - pines and poplars

    Trees are beautiful. They make oxygen. They're green. They never poop. What can go wrong? Well - lots of things. Here's what you need to know about pines and poplars so you can protect your home and family.

  25. The HomeMedic #145 Termites - war stories

    Don't you wish that someone who has been there and seen the termites would just speak up? Tell the stories about what happened and why they got in? How did they get them out? Well, here you go. This is what you need to know to protect your family.

  26. The HomeMedic #144 Termites - mitigation

    So you think you might have termites, or you just want to keep them out of your home. What do you need to know? Where should you look? If you poison them, will they just be back tomorrow? Here's what you need to know to protect your family.

  27. The Home Medic #143 Termites - termite types

    You mean there's more than one type of termite? One is gross enough! Yes, there's a variety, and some of them do better in different climates. Here's what you need to know to protect your family.

  28. The HomeMedic #142 Termites - introduction

    Termites are here on earth for one good reason: to turn wood into soil. That may be great, but when they turn your home into soil, that's very much a problem. Here's what you should know about termites so you can protect your family

  29. The HomeMedic #141 Swamps & central air - war stories

    What are the differences between swamp coolers and central air? How do they affect your family and your home? Which is better? Here's how to protect your family.

  30. The HomeMedic #140 swamps & central air - swamp coolers

    Swamp coolers do work in some parts of the country, but there are costs that don't show up on your power bill. Here's what you need to know about swampers

  31. The HomeMedic #139 swamp coolers & central air - AC unit

    Swamp coolers and central air: One is less expensive to run and to buy, the other causes fewer allergens. Which is right for your family? Here's a background for you in central air

  32. The HomeMedic #138 Summer prep - drainage

    Few things are more ignored and more important than your home's drainage system. If it's not doing what it should, rot, mold, termites, spiders and structural settlement may be in your future. Here's how to protect your family from drainage issues in the springtime.

  33. The HomeMedic #137 Summer prep - sprinklers

    How to prepare your sprinkler system for summer

  34. The HomeMedic #136 Summer prep - roof part 2

    Here's part 2 about prepping your home (specifically the roof) for summer

  35. The HomeMedic #135 Summer prep - the attic

    As you prepare for summer, few things will affect your power bills and comfort level more than the attic. But what should you know about it? You know you can't get up there safely if you don't know what you're doing, that's true, but what should you look for from a head-in inspection? Here's how…

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  36. The HomeMedic #134 Summer prep - the roof part 1

    Preparing for summer. It's a good time of the year, but the sun is about to come out in earnest, and your home is going to get baked. How do you know what to do about the roof? How long will it last? What should you look for? Here's how to protect your family.

  37. The HomeMedic #133 Sprinklers - timers & sizing

    Most of us look at the sprinkler timer box like we'd look at a martian ship controller. What are these buttons and bells all about? And when you're designing a new sprinkler zone, how big should you go and what materials should you use? Here are the answers.

  38. The HomeMedic #132 Sprinklers - sprinkler heads

    Most of us have a love/hate relationship with our sprinkler system. We have to have it, but maintenance is a pain in the hiney. How do you know which of the sprinkler head types is best for your home? Where should you place them? How far apart should they be? Here you go.

  39. The HomeMedic #131 Spiders - other spiders

    So what if that spider in your home isn't a black widow, a brown recluse or a funnel web. Is it still dangerous? What does the presence of spiders in your home tell you? How do you keep your family safe? Here you go.

  40. The HomeMedic #130 Spiders - brown recluse

    Most of us have heard of the brown recluse - their bite can certainly send you to the hospital. But where do they live? How do you avoid them? And how do you keep them out of your home? Here's how to protect your family.

  41. The HomeMedic #129 Spiders - funnel web

    The funnel web spider doesn't have the name recognition as the black widow, but its bite still packs a big punch. What does a funnel web spider look like? Where do you find it? How can you keep little Johnny away from them and how do you keep them out of the house? Here's how to protect your family.

  42. The HomeMedic #128 Spiders - black widow

    We all know what the black widow is, and the spider looks scary enough. But where do you expect a black widow to live? How do you avoid them? How do you prevent them? What should you do if you've been bitten? Here's how to protect your family.

  43. The HomeMedic #127 Snakes - snake bite prevention

    What's better than knowing what to do when you get bit? Well, how about never getting bit at all? Would you like to know what to do to avoid snake bites? Here's how to protect your family

  44. The HomeMedic #126 Snakes - medical treatment

    So you're not a doctor. And you don't often pretend to be one. Still, what if you're hiking and you or someone near you gets bit? What is the first aid? Here's how to protect yourself and your family.

  45. The HomeMedic #125 Snakes - venomous snakes

    There are a lot more snakes out there than venomous ones. But how do you know the difference? And what do you do if you or little Johnny is bitten by one? What if you're well away from home? Here's how to protect your family

  46. The HomeMedic #124 Snakes - snake bites

    Did little Johnny come in with a snake? A snake bite? Are you concerned about him getting a bite? How poisonous is it going to be? What do you need to know? Here's how to protect your family.

  47. The HomeMedic #123 Snakes - a snake point of view

    Let's be honest: most of us don't want to cross paths with a snake. They're - slithery. But if you stop and look at things from a snake's point of view then things can be more reassuring. Here's what you need to know about keeping your family safe.

  48. The HomeMedic #122 Smoke & fire protection - alarms

    You would think there's just one kind of smoke alarm. Not so. There are different kinds, and they vary depending on your needs and conditions. Here's a review of the types of alarms available, and why they might be a better choice for you.

  49. The HomeMedic #121 Smoke & fire protection - prevention

    Most of us prefer our home to be there tomorrow. Burned to ashes? Preferably not. So what do you need to know to prevent fire problems? Glad you asked. Here's how to protect your family

  50. The HomeMedic #120 Septic systems - do's and don'ts

    So you're starting to be a little bit up on the learning curve. You know you've got a septic system to take care of before it bites you. Do you want to know what to do - and not do - to take care of the thing? Here's what you need to know.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Helping you keep your money in your wallet and your family out of the hospital

HOSTED BY

Garth Haslem

CATEGORIES

education

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners have?

The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners currently has 170 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners about?

Helping you keep your money in your wallet and your family out of the hospital

How often does The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners release new episodes?

The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners publishes regularly with 170 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

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Who hosts The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners?

The HomeMedic - Help for Homeowners is created and hosted by Garth Haslem.
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