Feel Northern Air

When the temperature outside is brutal and your furnace refuses to cooperate, panic sets in fast. 

In this episode of the Feel Northern Air Podcast, Joe Bates breaks down where to start when your heat won't kick on — and it might be simpler than you think. But what happens when the easy fixes don't work? And is your home ready if your only heat source goes down on the coldest night of the year? Plus, Joe and Melissa share a local gem worth putting on your dinner rotation.

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Hosts Melissa and Joe Bates kick off a new segment of the podcast spotlighting local businesses that go above and beyond for their community. In this episode, they open up about the heartbreaking and sudden loss of their beloved yellow lab, Libby, and the emotional toll it took on their family — especially their youngest son. 

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In this episode, Joe and Melissa dive into the unsettling sounds coming from your utility room. From "popping" and "crackling" to the "oatmeal-like" sediment found in aging units, they explain what causes these noises and why ignoring them can lead to a shorter lifespan for your appliance. You'll learn the difference between normal mechanical sounds and signs of internal corrosion, the importance of annual flushing, and why a twenty-year-old water heater might be hiding some unappetizing secrets.

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High water bills typically result from increased household water usage, leaks in plumbing fixtures or filtration systems, or running toilets and dripping faucets that can be detected through smart monitoring or municipal alerts.

Today, Master Plumber Joe Bates explains the “what” and the “how” of detecting, repairing and fixing these problems.

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In this episode of the Feel Northern Air Podcast, hosts Melissa and Joe address a common plumbing question: the safety of using chemical drain cleaners. Joe  shares a personal experience where exposure to the toxic fumes from a chemical drain cleaner resulted in serious respiratory issues. 

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In this episode of the Feel Northern Air Podcast, master plumber Joe shares why annual professional plumbing inspections are essential for every home, detailing what technicians examine—from valves and fixtures to water heaters, sump pumps, and sewage systems. He explains how these routine checks catch small issues before they cause costly emergencies like leaks or backups, while emphasizing the value of educating homeowners on emergency shutoffs and system basics. Joe recounts his own teenage discovery of plumbing's hidden complexity, underscoring that consistent maintenance keeps water flowing reliably without the magic disappearing.

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Most homeowners treat their plumbing like magic—water appears, waste disappears—until a Christmas dinner backs up the kitchen sink. Master plumber Joe walks through what actually happens during an annual plumbing inspection, from valve functionality and water heater safety checks to the emergency shut-off location most people can't identify. The conversation illuminates the hidden infrastructure we ignore daily and why catching small problems early prevents catastrophic failures.

BIG IDEA

One of the most admirable traits is the ability to figure things out, but when it comes to your home's plumbing system, annual professional inspection prevents the kind of expensive emergencies that no amount of DIY courage can fix.

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BIG IDEA
Whenever you hear your pipes banging or clanging in your house, that's a sign to investigate it, see what's going on, get the pipe secured, make sure there's not water hammer going on.

DESCRIPTION
In this episode, hosts Melissa and Joe tackle two persistent household plumbing frustrations: toilets that run endlessly due to warped flappers from poor water quality or chlorine damage, and the startling banging noises in pipes triggered by sudden water stops known as water hammer. They explain practical causes like faulty fill valves, unsecured pipes, missing arrestors, and even sump pump check valves, while sharing why these issues deserve attention before they weaken joints or cause leaks. Listeners gain straightforward steps to diagnose and resolve them, drawn from years of real-world experience in a plumber's own home.

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Joe and Melissa tackle the critical question of how to best protect pipes from freezing. They explain why keeping pipes in heated spaces is ideal, how to properly apply foam insulation and heat tape, and why crawl spaces account for most frozen pipe emergencies. Homeowners learn practical steps to avoid costly water damage when temperatures plummet.

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In this episode of the Feel Northern Air Podcast, hosts Melissa and Joe discuss how to tackle slow drains in the kitchen sink. They provide practical tips such as checking for obstructions, using a garbage disposal properly, and cleaning out the trap under the sink. The episode also highlights preventive measures like using a drain additive to keep pipes clear. 

00:00 Introduction to the Feel Northern Air Podcast
00:29 Addressing Slow Kitchen Sink Drains
01:55 Using a Garbage Disposal Effectively
03:22 Clearing the Drain Manually
03:57 Handling the Trap and Pipes
08:26 Using Additives to Maintain Clear Drains
09:52 Conclusion and Final Tips

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