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

How Does a Plumber Detect a Water Leak?

Monday, September 23rd, 2024

Moisture can infiltrate your home in many different ways, and we’d argue that it’s one of the most insidious problems you can have. Long-term exposure to moisture can cause severe damage to practically every material that constructs your home, and it can also cause mold to grow. All of these problems are not only safety risks for you and your family, but they’re extremely expensive to fix when the damage is done.

That’s why water leak detection in Cedar Rapids, IA is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. If you can detect a water leak before it deals damage to your home, then you can mitigate the worst effects and affordably fix the problem. Especially when you have a master plumber on hand like the ones on our team, we can address the problem right the and there.

So, how does professional water leak detection work, and why is it worth the money? That’s what we’re here to find out!

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The Last AC Blog of the Season: Reminder to Get Annual AC Maintenance!

Monday, September 16th, 2024

When was the last time you scheduled an AC tune-up in Cedar Rapids? If you can’t remember, it’s time to think about annual maintenance. Air conditioning systems work hard during the summer season, and regular service keeps them running smoothly. At Dalton, we believe in providing dependable, high-quality service at reasonable prices. Here’s why it’s never too late to schedule your end-of-season maintenance visit before the cold strikes.

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HVAC Scams to Steer Clear From: A Guide

Monday, September 2nd, 2024

HVAC work can seem complicated. There are many expensive components of an air conditioning system, and depending on how large or intricate the system is, even a slight repair could be a hundred dollars when performed by a talented HVAC technician.

But this should never be a good reason to go with something that sounds too good to be true. Scams are all over the place in the 21st-century HVAC industry, from unlicensed and uninsured technicians to pricing structures that make no real-world sense. Without a PSA from your local HVAC team, it could be hard to differentiate what’s a legitimate purchase and what’s more likely a scam.

Well, we’re here to provide tips on differentiating between scams and good AC repair in Cedar Rapids, IA. Just make sure you keep this information handy and schedule repairs with a team you can trust.

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Flushing Your Water Heater: A Great Idea for Professional Maintenance

Monday, August 26th, 2024

Our water heaters work very hard. Think about it, when was the last day you can remember that you didn’t need hot water from that system? It was probably the last time you were on vacation or even out of the house for a day, and it still probably kept water hot just in case you came back home.

These systems work tirelessly, and whether you’ve got a gas water heater or an electric one, you owe it to this reliable unit to get it maintained every once in a while. And yes, maintenance usually also involves the flushing of the system.

But why is water heater maintenance so important? For details we’ll get into down below, maintenance helps to reduce water heater repairs in Cedar Rapids such as leaks, sediment build-up, and corrosion. Let’s talk about scheduling this powerful service and avoiding some worst-case scenarios.

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Plumbing Emergencies 101: Do You Need Immediate Help?

Monday, August 19th, 2024

Any plumbing issue can feel like an emergency in the moment, and we’d argue that no matter what you should call for help. Our team has expert plumbers on call who can provide relief whenever you need it, even if the situation is not an emergency.

But we get it, if you’ve got plans or a busy day, you don’t necessarily want to ruin everything just because of a pesky leak or a drain clog. In that case, we’ve decided to give you some tips on how to determine if your plumbing issue is an emergency or not.

Keep in mind–plumbing problems still should be repaired, even when they’re not emergencies. But we’ll describe why certain issues are emergencies and why others aren’t. Just make sure you schedule plumbing in Cedar Rapids with our team of master and journeyman plumbers.

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The Long-Term Care of a Maintenance Visit

Monday, August 12th, 2024

We talk a lot about air conditioning maintenance on this blog–and for good reason! It’s a vital service that we provide for customers who are interested in extending the lifespans of their air conditioning technology. But maintenance is not just a simple service that does one thing.

The effects of AC maintenance in Cedar Rapids, IA extend broadly through multiple areas in your home, from air quality to your budget.

Simply put, a well-maintained air conditioner can make your life easier in a whole host of ways. This is considered long-term care for your AC unit, and you’ll feel the benefits for years (sometimes even decades) to come.

Let’s talk about some of the best ways that a maintenance appointment can impact your home comfort, and why AC maintenance is considered a powerful long-term solution.

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Covert Vs. Overt Problems in Air Conditioners

Monday, August 5th, 2024

There are many synonyms for these words, covert and overt. For overt, you can think of words like obvious, simple, and clear. And for covert, you probably assume this means something like hidden or indirect. This is true about air conditioner problems and how they can be split into categories like these.

The tricky thing with AC repair in Cedar Rapids, IA is that many customers think the overt problems they detect initially are all of the problems they’re dealing with. But in reality, that’s far from the case. Overt problems just constitute what you can easily see, smell, or hear. Covert problems can still have a huge impact on the condition of your air conditioner and your home comfort, but they can be hidden in plain sight.

So, let’s talk about a few examples of covert and overt AC problems, and how you can be more prepared for them.

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Efficiency Ratings: The Science and Statistics Behind Them

Monday, July 29th, 2024

SEER2 is a term that is being widely used throughout the industry. Every single air conditioner purchased has a SEER2 rating, and even heat pumps have an HSPF2 rating. But what does this mean? And if you’re a homeowner, is there any way you can know what these numbers signify?

Firstly, you can follow the most basic rules and be okay. The higher the SEER2 or HSPF2 rating, the more efficient the system is. But what if customers want to learn more about how these numbers get developed? What then?

If you’re keen on learning about an AC installation in Cedar Rapids and you want to know specifically what the SEER2 rating means, then keep reading. We’ll break it down in layman’s terms.

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A Reminder: Remove That Knob and Tube Wiring!

Monday, July 22nd, 2024

Knob and tube wiring is a serious concern that we’ve discussed on our blog before. Many homes in our area are older (which is one good reason why we love them so much) and older homes can be the victims of subpar wiring and fire hazards.

Luckily, our team has an electrician in Cedar Rapids on standby to help homeowners address their knob and tube wiring issues, as well as to support them upgrading their home electric grids into the 21st century.

Today, we’d like to focus on the issue of knob and tube wiring specifically. We want to talk about what it is, why we advise customers to get it removed, and what can be so dangerous about it. Then, when you’ve got an idea that your knob and tube wiring needs to be replaced, you can call us!

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The Infamous Dripping Noise: A Guide

Monday, July 15th, 2024

You’re probably used to hearing dripping sounds and pinpointing the issue to a part of your home plumbing, right? Perhaps it’s a dripping faucet or a leaky pipe. But what if you’ve walked through your entire house and you’ve come to realize that the dripping sound is not coming from your plumbing system, but instead from your AC?

What do you do? What does this mean? And how can you be sure that nothing catastrophically bad is happening?

We understand the urgent concern. Stagnant water can often lead to mold growth, and we don’t want any of our customers getting comfortable with water dripping in their homes. However, the issue might be easily resolved with AC repair in Cedar Rapids.

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