Plumber

Same clog, same 30 minutes, different price because of your zip code. How to spot the nice-house tax, what’s fair to charge more for, and New York’s credit card surcharge rules.

A plumber who walks onto your rug in the same boots he wore to unclog someone else’s toilet is telling you something. Here’s the Clean Boots Checklist.

Going away this winter? Leave the heat on. How to keep pipes from freezing on Long Island, where to shut off the water if one bursts, and cheap gadgets that buy you time.