How to Tell Your Furnace’s Condition

September 25th, 2023

Furnaces can be in all different kinds of shape, from great to bad. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to diagnose your unique furnace online, since it takes a full inspection or a maintenance appointment to understand all of the ins and outs of your particular system. What we can do, is provide you with a list of factors that might point you toward one direction over the other.

For instance, if your furnace is shaking, booming, and smelling foul every time it operates, then we’re pretty sure you need furnace repair in Des Moines, IA since your system is in very rough shape. However, if your unit is brand-new and works silently and effectively throughout the night to the point where you forget it’s there, then your system is probably fine.

This is the art of diagnosing a problem, and we’re going to go through some signs you can use to figure out whether your furnace needs help or if it’s good to go for another winter.

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5 Reasons Not to Ignore Winter AC Repairs

September 25th, 2023

The terms “winter” and “AC” don’t look like they belong in a sentence together, right? Who wants their air conditioner blasting cool air during the coldest months of the year? Certainly not us.

But that’s not really what we’re talking about today. As much as we don’t want to think about air conditioning during the wintertime, it’s still in your home and it’s practically a member of the family. For how much we use AC on a regular yearly basis, it’s essential to keep it in good shape even in the months you’re not using it.

So, if your air conditioner encountered a serious issue during the summer, it’s likely that you’ll still need AC repairs in Cedar Rapids, IA. And the good news is that these repairs can be done during the wintertime when schedules are open and air conditioning techs can take their time.

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3 Money-Saving HVAC Tips

September 25th, 2023

You can never have enough money in your bank account, right? Sure, people come from all walks of life, but we’d be hard-pressed to find a reader of our blog who wouldn’t smile at the thought of an extra zero or two at the end of their bank statement.

Well, we can’t help you with your stock investments or your savings account, but we can help your HVAC equipment last longer and run more efficiently so you spend less on your energy bill every month. And contrary to popular opinion, some of these tips are completely free and can be done right at home on your own.

Interested? Then keep reading! We’re going to cover the top 3 money-saving HVAC tips that can keep you with plenty of savings to spare. And don’t forget to use some of that savings to call for heat pump service in Cedar Falls, IA if you run into trouble!

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Maintenance Season PSA

September 18th, 2023

It’s hard to believe that fall is already here. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday that we entered the summer months, but with September here in full swing, we need to start talking about fall.

From an HVAC perspective, fall is an interesting season. Temperatures are milder, which means that we can finally take a break from running the air conditioner or heating system all day. But this also means that we’ve got a window of time to get our technology repaired and maintained by professionals.

Yep, it’s the season of maintenance! AC maintenance in Cedar Rapids, IA is a great idea for homeowners who otherwise have functioning air conditioners but would like to remain proactive. Maintenance can keep things efficient, extend the lifespan of your air conditioner, and do more to make you feel much better about the future.

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What’s Going on With Your Leaky Pipes?

September 11th, 2023
two hands of plumber with pliers and radiator

Leaky pipes are synonymous with being a homeowner. Seriously, if customers weren’t constantly getting leaks in their homes, then we wouldn’t be in business for this long. It’s just a natural part of homeownership, and it’s also something that can get a bit tricky when you try to fix a leaking pipe on your own.

Sure, a valve or PVC pipe might be loose and you can twist it to ensure the leak stops, but that’s a rare type of leak. Most leaks come from corroded pipes, frozen and thawed pipes, or even pipes that have been broken or moved due to issues like settling. In these cases, you’re going to have some trouble if you try to do this work on your own.

Instead, trust a professional for your plumbing services in Des Moines, IA. Our team can replace your old pipes, fix existing leaks, and ensure that no ill effects come from the leaking water.

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When Not to Use Flexible Pipes

September 11th, 2023

We’ve all seen the aisle at the hardware store, full of different plumbing materials. There are rigid copper pipes, PVC pipes, PEX pipes, and the list continues–but there’s one thing to be mentioned that is not like the others, and that’s flexible plumbing lines. These are the wire mesh pipes that can bend and form different shapes in your Cedar Rapids plumbing.

Flexible plumbing lines are usually what you’ll see under your sink or connecting your toilet to the water line. They’re perfect for these situations because they can bend into the exact configuration that might fit your bathroom toilet or kitchen sink, without needing to break apart your wall, floor, or other more sensitive and expensive parts of your house.

But don’t be fooled by the convenience and affordability of flexible plumbing lines, they’re not intended to be used for everything.

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Why Your New Lights Require Professional Installation

September 11th, 2023

Lights don’t necessarily sound like the most intense electrical project you could take on, right? They’re just a matter of having an electrical connection that switches on and off, and it’s not like there haven’t been homeowners that have installed their own lighting. But with most other electrical cases, lighting installations are deceptively complicated.

They might seem simple from the get-go, but as you try to install your own lighting, you’ll quickly realize that you’ve set yourself up for a nightmare. Not only can this be dangerous for your personal health (electrocutions really hurt), but you could also end up with holes in your wall and wires going to nowhere that make any future electrical services in Cedar Falls, IA even worse.

When you go with a professional, as we’ll describe below, things can often be cleaner, simpler, faster, and overall just better in almost every way.

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Why Go With Copper Plumbing?

September 4th, 2023

There are all sorts of different plumbing materials available today, from PVC to copper. But in the history of plumbing appliances, they’ve been constructed of hundreds of different types of materials. Human history is a bit of a “trial and error” experience, with people using different materials for their plumbing systems, only to find out later that they’re not very good at the job.

For instance, lead is a perfect example of what should not be used as a plumbing material. Water that flows through lead pipes can pick up some of the runoff and cause lead poisoning in anyone who drinks from that water source. Many other plumbing materials like galvanized steel and copper don’t have this problem, but there are still some preferences today towards materials like copper.

So, let’s talk about plumbing in Cedar Rapids, IA and why copper is the gold-standard material to use.

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A Guide to Knob and Tube Wiring

August 28th, 2023

If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely one of our many customers who have discovered knob and tube wiring in their homes. Not only is this ancient technology something that is too old to reliably use, but it’s also a safety hazard. Even insurance companies can hike up their premiums when they discover you’ve got knob and tube wiring in your old home.

So, what is it about this kind of wiring that makes people so nervous? And why is it such a big deal to get it replaced? Well, in order to understand the answers to these questions, we’ve got to do a deep dive on what knob and tube wiring is and how it’s still in homes across the country. And then, when you feel confident that you need the problem addressed, you can call our team for an electrician in Des Moines, IA.

Only a licensed electrician should handle the removal and replacement of knob and tube wiring when it’s found in homes.

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Which Water Heater Should I Purchase?

August 28th, 2023

Water heaters come in all shapes and sizes, which is primarily why it’s in your best interest to know the difference! We’re used to seeing pictures of water heater tanks, but would it surprise you to learn that nearly half of all the water heaters in existence today don’t even use tanks? These are called on-demand water heaters and they’re extremely popular.

But these kinds of water heater upgrades aren’t for every customer or every home. This blog post is going to talk about several distinct types of water heaters and how water heater service in Cedar Rapids, IA might differ depending on which on you choose. The more informed you are about the technology and the services we offer, the more likely you’ll be to make a smart choice when your financial future depends on it.

So, let’s get into it. Keep reading to learn about the water heater system that might be absolutely perfect for your home!

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