Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Cedar Falls Blog’ Category

What Qualities Should You Look for in an HVAC Contractor?

Monday, July 19th, 2021
two-technicians-working-on-outdoor-ac-unit

When you live in a climate like ours, it goes without saying that your household needs an efficient and effective air conditioning system to improve comfort, and even your family’s health. And you need that AC system to work flawlessly, every day, every season, right?

Well, if you truly want all this, then it’s essential that you invest in professional air conditioning services with a team you can rely on. This kind of partnership isn’t one you just want to rush into–doing so could leave you with an AC system that’s not properly sized for your home, or could be incorrectly installed, preventing it from working as powerfully and efficiently as it’s meant to.

Whether you’re having a new cooling system installed, or maintaining or repairing an older system, you can count on our team. But how do you know that for sure? What should (or shouldn’t) you look for when shopping around for a quality HVAC contractor? Read on to find out!

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Can AC Maintenance Be Too Late?

Monday, July 5th, 2021
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There is only one scenario where it would be too late for you to schedule air conditioning maintenance and that is if the air conditioner has completely broken down, to the point that it is beyond repair.

Maybe your 15+-year-old system had a compressor failure. Or maybe you let a refrigerant leak go on too long and the system has died as a result.

Chances are, this actually isn’t the case for you. But if you skip maintenance consecutively each year, this could be your story. And consecutively is the magic word, here. Consistency with maintenance is much more important than the time of year you actually have maintenance done. Yes, we do generally recommend this service in the spring, before temperatures rise and you actually need the system on an hourly basis. This lets you get your tune-up on our schedule right away and lowers your risk of facing AC trouble when you need your system the most.

However, if you at the very least commit to getting air conditioner maintenance done once a year, it’s never too late. Here’s why this is so important:

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Unique Ductless Needs to Be Aware Of

Monday, June 21st, 2021
woman-sitting-on-couch-using-remote-to-turn-on-ductless-air-handler

When it comes time for you to replace your outdated air conditioner, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the options available to you. After all, there are many! You might find it easier to go with the same cooling system you’ve always had–but what if this isn’t the most efficient way to go about it? In other words, what if it’s cheaper for you to go with another option?

It might very well be time for you to consider going ductless for your cooling (and heating) needs. Ductless HVAC systems are made up of a single outdoor unit, which is connected to up to four indoor air handlers. Each air handler can be controlled independently, making for a highly efficient and powerful option for homeowners looking for year-round comfort.

If not properly installed or serviced, however, you might run into a few repair needs that are unique to ductless systems.

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What Can Go Wrong with your Air Conditioner’s Capacitors?

Monday, June 7th, 2021
two-technicians-working-on-air-conditioner

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a magic wand for your air conditioner–if no matter what was wrong you could wave that wand and have the issue immediately fixed? Unfortunately, this isn’t reality. Your air conditioner is a complex electronic appliance with various wires, switches, capacitors, and more. And when something goes wrong, it requires a qualified and experienced team to get the system back up and running.

Fortunately, that’s what we are here for! Whatever the issue is, our team can resolve it. In most cases, air conditioning system problems can be attributed to one of two things–lack of maintenance or natural wear and tear. Either one of these can lead to problems with your air conditioner’s capacitors, which are vital to the performance of your AC. Never heard of them? Read on to learn more!

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Nominate Dalton for The Courier’s 2021 Best of the Best Award!

Monday, May 31st, 2021
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From May 31st through June 13th, The Courier will be collecting nominations of everyone’s favorite places for each category. We will then take the top 5 nominations from each category and place them into the voting period that will run June 21st – July 8th. The top 3 will be announced in the 2021 Courier Best of the Best publication in September.

NOMINATION PERIOD: May 31 – June 13
VOTING PERIOD: June 21 – July 8
WINNERS ANNOUNCED: September 5, 2021

You can nominate your favorite businesses in various categories here. Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc. would be honored to be considered one of your nominations!

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The Truth about Your AC Compressor

Monday, May 24th, 2021

compressorThere are a number of different problems that can afflict your air conditioner as the years go by. This is especially true if you don’t keep up on your annual maintenance appointments—or biannual if you have a heat pump system. Given how hard and how long your air conditioner has to work, you could find yourself facing issues such as a refrigerant leak, failed capacitors, and damaged ductwork. Fortunately, most of these repairs are relatively simple fixes for our HVAC professionals.

There’s one air conditioner problem, however, that’s especially unpleasant to face—and that is a broken down or damaged compressor. The compressor is considered the “heart” of your air conditioner, and when it breaks down you aren’t just faced with a repair need—the truth is, you may need to replace your air conditioner altogether. Why is this? Read on!

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Heed These Signs That You Need AC Repairs

Monday, May 10th, 2021

white-question-mark-on-blue-circleLet’s say it’s a hot summer day, and you’ve just come back inside after a hours spent enjoying the outdoors. You’re probably looking forward to relaxing, with your air conditioner bringing in powerful chilled air and keeping you and your family cool.

Imagine your surprise if, instead of coming home to a cool and comfortable home, you return to a living space that’s only a little bit cooler than it is outdoors if it’s cooler at all! Clearly, something has gone wrong with your air conditioner, right?

Of course, not all signs of an AC in disrepair are as obvious as this. Sometimes it takes a bit more intuition to know when to call us for professional air conditioning repair. Here are some signs you should watch out for:

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Signs That It’s Time for an Air Purifier Installation

Monday, April 26th, 2021

two-women-looking-comfortable-on-couchOftentimes when we get calls for HVAC repairs, the homeowners’ complaint isn’t specific, only that their indoor air quality seems “off.” It may be that the air feels too dry or every time they run their air conditioner, their allergies kick up. While your air conditioner might be partly to blame, what you really want to look at is what type of indoor air quality system you may want to have installed to truly address the problem.

One of these systems is the whole-house air purifier. We like these indoor air quality systems because they’re so effective—tackling the indoor air quality needs in your entire home. If you’re interested in this kind of installation, keep reading! And for more information, please reach out to our team.

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Why Store-Bought Drain Cleaning Solutions Are No Solution

Monday, April 12th, 2021

sink-drain-with-water-rushing-downWhen you have a clog in a sink within your home, your first instinct is very likely to reach for a plunger… or that bottle of store-bought drain cleaning solution you keep on hand.

A plunger is always a good start. If the clog is superficial enough, you may very well be able to relieve your drain pipe with the plunger and a little bit of “elbow grease. The latter option though—the store-bought drain cleaning solution, is no solution at all.

We’ll dive into the “why” behind this a bit more below, but for now, we’ll just say that store-bought drain cleaners have a lot of caustic chemicals in them, meaning they eat through the clog, then keep on going to eat through the lining of your plumbing pipes over time. Read on as we uncover some more reasons this is no solution.

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4 Signs That You Need an Electrical Panel Replacement

Monday, March 29th, 2021

hand-holding-sparking-plugThe electrical panel of your home, also known as the circuit breaker panel, is tasked with keeping your household’s entire electrical system running as safely and smoothly as possible. Chances are, you don’t think about your electrical panel that much, unless you have a serious electrical problem like a blackout or electrical fire—we sincerely hope this isn’t the case for you.

The fact of the matter is, however, is that today’s homes have far more electrical demands made of them than homes of the past, and yesterday’s electrical panels aren’t cut out for that much demand. Aging panels require care and attention to ensure that they’re operating as they should, but also so they aren’t threatening home safety. How do you know if your electrical panel is ready to call it quits and your home is asking for an upgrade? Here are 4 signs!

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