It's good to be king. Or at least it's good to have an honorary spot in the Plumbers Hall of Fame.

DIY work is perfectly fine for some jobs that you face around the house, but chances are you'll one day need a professional plumber. We live in an era where homeowners are empowered through detailed project books, online repair videos and project episodes on home-improvement television shows. And that's a great thing. But some projects fall more into the advanced category.

Whether you call them ductless systems or mini splits, this newer air conditioning technology is packed with advantages that make many homeowners glad they made the switch. At their heart, ductless systems are heat pumps. But don't let that worry you. Even in Massachusetts, they're both efficient and more effective than you'd ever imagine.

Spring is here and summer is never far behind. Soon it will be time to switch on the air conditioning for the season. But is yours ready? And do you need a new one?

Certain times of year are just right for HVAC maintenance, and we're in the middle of one now. You might have already switched to heat for taking the edge off some of the cooler nights. But the full-swing season is still ahead. It's better to find a problem early than to wait for cold weather.

Have you ever noticed the impressive quiet that descends during a power outage? People are inundated with noise to varying degrees all day long, every day. And a big part of that noise comes from heating and cooling systems.

It's so common that silence can be a bit jarring at first. With a ductless AC, you'll find a significant reduction in ambient noise. That's the stuff you live with every day, but rarely pay attention to unless it stops. A ductless system replaces that noise with sounds so slight you'll be pleasantly surprised. Here's why.

It's officially air conditioning season, and your system might not shut down completely for a few months. During that time, it will cycle through again and again in an effort to keep you and your home cool and comfortable. While you can switch on the unit and leave it to handle itself, a little proactive care helps it work better and save energy at the same time.

Is your AC system starting to fail? A Carrier air conditioner is a great choice, and there are plenty of different models from which you can choose. Carrier has three different price-point categories, and each one works efficiently. Some units are Energy-Star rated and others aren't. If that's important to you, be sure to check the label.

Maybe you've convinced yourself that there's nothing wrong with your trusty old air conditioner. Sure it has its quirks, but it still operates, at least most of the time. Problem is, air conditioners shouldn't have quirks. They either perform like they should, or there's something wrong.

The weather is a little warmer every day, and that means air conditioning season is practically here. Before it gets in full swing, do yourself and your AC system a favor and get your home ready.