What Homeowners Need to Know About Electrical Work

March 25th, 2024

Electrical systems are the heart of any home, powering everything from your morning coffee routine to your late-night Netflix binges. That’s why it’s crucial to get it right, especially when considering wiring installation in Janesville. We understand the importance of safe and efficient electrical work. Let’s dive into what every homeowner should know.

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It’s Maintenance Season in Cedar Rapids

March 18th, 2024

Don’t you just love how we get to experience all four seasons fully in Cedar Rapids? It’s easy to get used to, but there are many places in this country (let alone internationally) that only experience two or three seasons throughout the year. We get four amazing seasons that bring us snow, sunshine, rain, growth, and more.

But those seasonal changes mean we need to be even more prepared for the temperature swings we can expect from them. AC maintenance in Cedar Rapids, IA is your first line of defense against temperature changes and storms that might come sooner rather than later.

The following guide is going to give you the best benefits of scheduling maintenance this spring. And if done correctly, you can be proud that your AC system is in the best shape possible to keep you cool this summer when things finally get hot.

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Plumbing Emergencies 101: What to Do in Case of an Emergency

March 11th, 2024
burst-pipe

Plumbing emergencies can strike at any moment, often without warning, and they require immediate action to prevent significant damage to your home. Access to reliable 24-hour emergency plumbing in Urbandale service in case of an emergency is essential. Also, knowing the appropriate steps to take during these emergencies can save valuable time, money, and stress. The following guide provides clear instructions on handling common plumbing emergencies.

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When It’s Time to Choose Replacement: Our Comprehensive Guide

March 11th, 2024

Air conditioners and heating systems don’t last forever. If they did, we’d live in a much different world. But machines break down over long periods of time, from cars to HVAC systems, and this is just a physical reality of the world we live in. We don’t want to lie to our customers and tell them that their air conditioner will be fine going into its 16th year of service, but we also don’t want to be too pessimistic and force anyone into a replacement.

In truth, there’s a middle ground between repair and replacement, and customers need to find that for themselves. But there’s no reason why we can’t guide you!

Today, we’d like to focus on air conditioning replacement in Cedar Rapids, and more specifically, when it’s time to finally call it quits. A replacement could not only be the most cost-effective choice for you currently, but it could relieve a lot of stress and make your life easier going forward.

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Savings with a High-Efficiency Furnace

March 11th, 2024

As spring makes its grand entrance in Evansdale, adorned with vibrant flowers and longer, sunlit days, it’s tempting to think the winter has said its final goodbye. Yet, those unexpectedly cool evenings persist, gently reminding us of the importance of a comfortable and reliably warm home throughout the seasons. Enter Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc, your premier partner in achieving the perfect home climate with an efficient heating system. With a dedication to superior service, we are poised to ensure your living space remains perfectly tempered, blending seamlessly into the beauty of spring.

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A Heat Pump Owner’s Guide to Spring

March 4th, 2024

Spring has come quite early this year, which means that we’re on borrowed time when it comes to preparation. Before you know it, the sun is going to be out and the temperature is going to rise above 70 degrees. Time really flies, and that wonderful weather is going to be an opportunity to make sure your heat pump is in good shape for the summer and fall.

So, next you might be asking, what should I be doing to help prepare my heat pump for the spring, summer, or fall? And this is a great question, one that we’d like to walk you through. The most important thing would be scheduling heat pump maintenance in Cedar Rapids, IA. But that’s not all, and there are a few important tips and tricks that could save you money and time in the coming months.

Let’s get into a practical guide to owning a heat pump in spring.

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Everything You Need to Know About Pinhole Leaks

February 26th, 2024
Common-Plumbing-Leaks

Pinhole leaks might seem insignificant at first, but these tiny perforations in your plumbing can lead to serious damage if not addressed promptly. Here’s everything you need to know about pinhole leaks and how to handle them, especially if you’re looking for leak detection in Ankeny.

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Mindset Matters: Changing Your Perspective on HVAC

February 26th, 2024

Air conditioning, heating, air quality… There are just so many aspects to home comfort that it can get overwhelming. Especially when you’re trying to balance these high-tech systems with your own personal or professional life–there’s only so much time in the day and brainpower you have before it can feel defeating.

Well, we understand you. Things in the world are pretty tough, and many people are busier than they want to be. But we’d like to help with a nifty tip that can make things a lot easier for our customers, a perspective shift that could help you deal with an upcoming repair or replacement that would otherwise stress you out.

What if we told you that your heating, air conditioning, and air quality were all connected? What if there were strategies and mindsets that could help you reduce the amount of heating repairs in Cedar Rapids that you’d otherwise need to pay for? This is all true, and we’ll get into it down below.

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Panel Vs. Fuse Box: What’s the Difference?

February 26th, 2024

An electrician would easily know the answer (or answers) to this question, but it’s not exactly obvious to every homeowner. Some homes have fuse boxes, and others have electrical panels, and understanding the differences between these two systems can seem like a nightmare without a trustworthy source of information.

Well, we’re happy to be your electrical authority for questions like these, and we’ll simply answer your questions down below or over the phone if you’d prefer. Yes, there are some significant differences between a fuse box and an electrical panel, and your home is more likely to function better if you have one of these systems over the other.

Which system is better? Why are we even comparing these types of systems? The answers will be clear down below. Just make sure you call our electricians in Cedar Falls for help with your electrical panel or fuse box.

The Electrical Core of Your House

The fuse box or electrical circuit breaker of your house is the “core.” What we mean by that is every electrical appliance in your home must draw its power from this place which comes from outside of your home. Unless you have solar panels or some other kind of generator creating an inflow of electricity, the panel or fuse box likely receives electricity from your municipality or the power plant.

You just won’t find a home without this kind of thing. Even garages and sheds can have their own circuit breaker boxes or fuse boxes to direct the electrical flow somewhere in the building. They’re a requirement for modern-day living and you need to have one of these in your home. So what’s the difference?

The Invention of the Fuse Box

When electrical appliances were first invented, houses needed a way to limit the amount of electricity that came through the wires and into your devices. Too much electricity could start a fire or short circuit appliances, which was not a good idea. So, fuse boxes were invented to direct the flow of electricity from one central place in your home through a fuse.

If there was too much electricity going through the fuse, it would melt down or blow, which is where the term blown fuse comes from. This was a simple and smart way to monitor your home electricity. But these soon become outdated.

Electrical Panels

Electrical panels, or circuit breakers, do everything that a fuse box does without the need for a blown fuse to stop electricity from flowing. It has its own electrical switch which detects an overloaded circuit and automatically disconnects the power, stopping the chance of a broken device or fire hazard. These units can be easily reset without the need for additional fuses like an old fuse box would.

Additionally, you can just flip the circuit back manually on your panel to get power back on to wherever it was shut down. Electrical panels are just a safer, more modernized version of the fuse box which uses less materials and can monitor a much greater flow of electricity.

After this blog post, we hope we made it clear that your old fuse box could use a major upgrade to a circuit breaker panel.

At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment in the Cedar Falls area, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online.

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Why Is My Furnace Dripping?

February 19th, 2024

In colder climates, furnaces are some of the most reliable and common heating systems we use. They’re affordable, safe, efficient, and use natural gas which is plentiful in our local communities. However, they’re very different when compared to a heat pump or an electric furnace. Electric furnaces function more like space heaters where a gas furnace runs more like a stove or fireplace.

With all that said, we’re here to address an important issue that customers can get concerned about–a dripping furnace. How does water come out of your furnace? And why is it showing up now when it didn’t last year?

These are excellent questions and ones that we’ll get to in the blog post below. But don’t hesitate to call our team for expert furnace repairs in Cedar Rapids if you notice your furnace dripping. This is a problem that requires professional support.

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