Your plumbing isn’t something that you should take for granted, and when it breaks down, you need someone who can evaluate the problem quickly and fix it effectively. It can be hard to tell the quality plumbers from the fly-by-nighters sometimes, however, and with the sheer number of options you have in Cedar Falls, IA, finding the right service gets even more difficult. There are some easy ways to tell a quality plumber from a less reliable one. Here are 3 of them to help you filter out the right options when your pipes and faucets need some help:
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3 Things to Look for in a Quality Plumber
October 26th, 2015What are the Benefits of Hydro Jetting?
October 19th, 2015Hydro jetting is a safe, effective and environmentally friendly way of getting rid of stubborn clogs in your plumbing, drain and sewer system. It works through use of a specialized head fitted onto the end of a hose. The head sprays water at surprisingly high pressure in a 360-degree arc through your pipe system: self-propelled down the length of the pipe and scouring it clean as it goes. This removes build-up such as food, grease, hard water deposits and similar detritus, leaving the pipes clan and clog free through their entire length. What are the benefits of hydro jetting over other kinds of clog removal? We’ve provided a brief list below.
Get Your HVAC System Ready for Fall
October 5th, 2015Autumn is officially here in Cedar Falls, IA, and with it comes the need to ramp down your air conditioner and ramp up your heating system. Both halves of the equation are important, and both require a few steps to get your HVAC system ready for the fall. Now is the time to get on it, when temperatures are mild and you can probably get along for a day or so without your system. Here’s a short series of suggestions for properly winterizing your HVAC system.
Why is there Frost in My Air Conditioner?
September 21st, 2015One of the most common symptoms of a problematic air conditioner is the formation of frost on the evaporator coils. At first glance, that doesn’t sound like a big deal. Shouldn’t the air conditioner be cold? But in point of fact, frost on the air conditioning coils is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by a professional technician. With fall finally arriving here in Cedar Falls, IA, now is the time to treat the problem properly. But why is there frost on your air conditioner? The causes may vary, but the effects are unmistakable.
Is it Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?
September 14th, 2015Labor Day has come and gone in Cedar Falls, IA, and while summer may still have a few hot days left in store for us, the colors will be turning before you know it. With the arrival of fall comes cooler weather, and with your air conditioner having done its duty for another year, now makes a perfect time to assess whether it’s ready to be replaced or not. That can be a surprisingly tough question to answer, since each circumstance is unique. But you can answer a few basic details about your existing air conditioner that can help you decide.
Why Should I Schedule a Maintenance Session for my HVAC System?
September 7th, 2015We’re approaching the end of the summer here in Cedar Falls, IA, which means that prudent homeowners will begin turning off their air conditioners and turning on their heating systems. This makes an ideal opportunity to schedule a maintenance session for your heater, your air conditioner, or both. Maintenance sessions aren’t strictly repair sessions. They’re more like a tune-up, designed to help keep your system in fighting shape. Why should you schedule a maintenance session for your HVAC system? The answers can be found below.
What Are the Dangers of Backflow?
August 31st, 2015Responsible homeowners need to take whatever steps they can to prevent problems with their plumbing, heating and other vital household systems. That often includes problems with leaks and flooding in your plumbing system. Sometimes, trouble with your plumbing can emerge from expected problems such as leaks, frozen pipes or clogs in the piping. But other times, they can lie totally outside your control, such as when heavy rains produce backwater that floods your faucets and other appliances. Here in Cedar Falls, IA, we have a strong civic plumbing system, but Mother Nature always has the final word, and sometimes even the best system can’t prevent backwater. That’s why backflow testing is such a good idea, since it can help prepare you for the dangers of backflow.
3 Benefits of Water Softeners
August 24th, 2015Hard water is a recurring problem in most parts of the country, and that includes us here in Cedar Falls, IA. The term refers to water with a high mineral content: usually calcium or magnesium. It’s not directly harmful – you can still drink it – but it causes a number of problems, not the least of which is a distinct metallic taste. A water softening system installed in your home can remove the mineral content of hard water and improve your life in a number of subtle ways. Here are 3 benefits of water softeners that you should consider before making a purchase.
Having the Ideal Setting, Will Save You Money
June 19th, 2015Ideal Thermostat Settings for Every Season
Correctly setting your thermostat each season can help you to reduce your energy costs and help to preserve the natural resources of the planet too.
Even adjusting the thermostat a few degrees can result in you saving hundreds of dollars each season in your heating and cooling bills. Here are some recommendations for the ideal settings for your thermostat for any season.
Thermostat Settings for Winter
During the cold winter months, the tendency in the home is to raise the thermostat as high as possible to heat all the rooms in the house.
The first hiring that you need is to call a local plumbing repair company and have them install a programmable thermostat if you do not have one already.
They can help you with the setting and programming if you are not familiar with this process. Set the thermostat at 68 degrees during the day. That will keep the chill out of the air. During the night when you are under your blankets, the thermostat should be a few degrees cooler. If it feels too cold, add another blanket on the bed.
Thermostat Settings for Summer
The summer months bring extreme heat, and your cooling system will be working overtime to keep the house cool. Set the thermostat in the day to no lower than 78 degrees. To help reduce the strain on the cooling system, keep curtains and blinds closed during the day where direct sunlight can get in the home.
Turn on ceiling fans instead to circulate the air around the rooms and give the impression on the skin that the moving air is actually cooler than it is. During the night, when the humidity drops, you can raise the temperature a few degrees and turn on a fan instead to save energy.
Thermostat Settings for Spring/Fall
In the spring and fall, chances are your system will only run on extreme cold or hot days. Keep the thermostat on during these months, and adjust the settings accordingly.
If it is a unseasonably cold day, set the heat at 68 degrees. On warm and muggy days, raise the thermostat cool setting to 78 degrees.
The system will not be running for days on end during these seasons, so accompanied by a fan should keep the indoor temperature quite comfortable for you, especially when you are about to go to bed for the evening.
Trying to figure out the best thermostat setting for your Waterloo home? Call Dalton Plumbing, Heating & Cooling at (319) 266-3513, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
The Dawn of the Toilet
June 12th, 2015The History of the Toilet
In the modern world the toilet has become a major architectural element in many houses as the need for the most luxury and technology. Professional plumbers and designers asked to create luxurious toilets and bathroom spaces for their clients.
The toilet has evolved from a simple hole in the walls of a castle into the modern flush toilet that takes many different forms around the world.
The Garderobe Shaft
The toilet was once simply a hole in the ground until medieval times in Europe when people moved into large castles for protection and a solution needed to be found to get rid of the waste produced by the inhabitants of the castle.
The stepped garderobe was the solution an ingenious plumber came up with, which was basically a chute between the castle walls where the waste was dropped.
A number of options were also introduced to try and stop the bad smells and reinforce the walls, which included a twisted design that stopped invaders attacking the defenses and bad smells rising through the castle.
The Crapper Conundrum
Sometimes the man credited with inventing the toilet is named as John or Thomas Crapper. However, it is now believed Crapper was a professional plumber enlisted by Sir John Harrington to help create and install the first toilet for England’s Queen Elizabeth I.
Crapper is credited with the decision to allow a small amount of water to return to the toilet bowl and reduce the risks and problems of waste returning to the toilet from the sewer. The first known plumber in the world was already making improvements to the system created by Harrington.
Plumbers Make Sure Toilets are Ready to Use
The modern toilet is a sophisticated piece of equipment that should be cared for as well as any other form of technology.
A plumber can make sure a modern low level flush toilet is installed correctly and has the power to move waste through the system successfully.
Modern toilets are designed to be installed by a professional plumber who has the skills to install a toilet successfully to give a toilet its longest possible lifespan.
Modern systems are also created to be easily repaired by a plumber who can install broken parts with ease to provide a toilet that should last for many years and lower utility bills with less water use.
If you live in the Waterloo area, and are having toilet troubles, Call Dalton Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling at (319) 266-3513 and find out how you can get your toilet back!