If we could, Experts In Your Home would affix a big, yellow “WARNING” sign on this article. But since we can't, we hope you do your best to shade these words in yellow: Do not – repeat, do not – attempt to climb up on and inspect your roof. Call Experts In Your Home instead.

The only possible exceptions? If you've climbed up on and inspected your roof before, feel confident that you know what you're doing and have taken the proper steps to ensure your safety.

Many homeowners have never been up on their roof, which is a good thing because many roofs are rather unsafe and are nothing like walking around a home's perimeter on the ground. So for this – the eighth article in our home maintenance tips series on how to protect your home from water damage – we ask that you keep your feet planted firmly on the ground.

It's often referred to as “buyer's remorse” or “buyer's regret.” For many people, it's a car. For others, it's a recreational “toy” such as a boat or a sleek speed bike. In the worst cases, it's a vacation property or even a house. Most of us have made one major purchase in our lives that, if we could rewind the past, we would almost certainly not make again.

A central air conditioning system is a major expense – and one that most people don't plan for, even if the telltale signs of a faltering system are all there. Delay and postponement are easy tactics to understand, but at some point, it becomes clear that it makes little sense to continue spending hard-earned money to repair, say, a 22-year-old system that has already outlasted its projected lifespan by at least two years.

If you've ever had local electricians do repair work at your home, then you might recall getting a shock of a different variety: a shock to your system as you realize that electricians really do have a language all their own.

Northern California is classified as being in a "severe" drought and had its driest year on record in 2013.Cal Water has advised residents to start conserving water. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) says that drought conditions will persist in many areas of the country for the winter and quite possibly for longer than that.

Knowing this area is in a severe drought all homeowners need to do what they can to conserve water and lower their water bill. Small changes to your plumbing in Chico can make big differences in water savings, helping your water bill and the environment.