Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Cedar Falls’

Signs Your Water Heater May Be Failing

Monday, April 18th, 2016

Your home’s water heater may possibly be the most expensive component of your plumbing system. Keeping this in mind, you want to take care of problems right away if you suspect something is wrong. But how do you know if something’s amiss? Fortunately, many common water heater issues are relatively simple to figure out.

You will, however, want to contact a professional to take care of any repairs you need right away. But what if repairs just aren’t enough? If you have an aging water heater, and it’s experiencing any of the following troubling signs, it may be time to retire your system and replace it with a new one.

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How to Detect a Slab Leak

Monday, February 22nd, 2016

A slab leak is one of the most serious problems your home will face here in Cedar Falls, IA, though it’s not through anything unusual about the pipes themselves. Rather, it’s the location that causes all of the trouble: a leak buried under (or sometimes inside) the concrete foundation of your house or porch. That means is can go for months or even years undetected and wreak all kinds of havoc in the meantime. Over time, leaking water can crack your foundation in two. A good plumber can usually correct the problem, either by digging into the concrete or (more efficiently in many cases) reroute the pipe so that the water runs through a more accessible path. But before that happens, you have to detect the slab leak in the first place, which can be tricky to do. Here’s a few signs to help you out.

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Time to Get Your Air Conditioner Ready For Spring

Monday, February 15th, 2016

It’s still winter here in Cedar Falls, IA and that means our heaters are currently keeping our homes warm and cozy. But the thaw will be here before you know it and soon enough, temperatures will be high enough to demand your air conditioner. Now is the time to prep your air conditioner for regular service. It gives you plenty of flexibility to adjust things according to your schedule, and in case there are any surprises, you have plenty of time to deal with them before you have need of your system. Here’s a few tips to help you out.

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Causes of Boiler Leaks

Monday, February 8th, 2016

Many homes in the Cedar Falls, IA area rely on boilers to do the job in the winter, and while they are eminently reliable systems, they suffer from problems from time to time. Timely maintenance can help with that, but sooner or later a repair call will be necessary. Among the most common repairs we receive is a leak in the system, which not only creates puddles and other problems, but can severely affect your system’s ability to do its job. There are several possible causes of boiler leaks, which need to be addressed by a trained technician over and above simply sealing the leak. Otherwise, the problem will recur elsewhere in your system. Here are some possible causes of boiler leaks for you to watch out for.

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Be Careful What Your Pour Down the Drain This Winter

Monday, February 1st, 2016

Your kitchen sink is the sight of a lot of food activity, and with the Super Bowl on its way, you might be using it a lot to prepare food for your guests. Whatever your food-based plans are, however, they would benefit from a little care and foresight as far as what you pour down your drain. The wrong foods or liquids can damage your garbage disposal or clog up your pipes, forcing you to call a plumber when you should be enjoying the game. If you watch what you pour down the drain this winter, you can avoid an awful lot of hassle. Here’s a quick list of some foods you should dispose of in other ways.

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Lower the Amount of Dust in Your Home

Monday, January 25th, 2016

Here in Cedar Falls, IA, we pay a great deal of attention to keeping our homes warm in the winter, as is only proper in a town as cold as ours can get. But it’s not the only factor in determining your household comfort levels. High amounts of dust can circulate through the air, leading to irritation of the nose and throat as well as increased chances of illnesses and increased effort to keep your house clean. Dust becomes an even bigger issue in the winter because we close our homes up tight to keep the heat in, which means the dust just keeps circling in your home until it’s removed. And if you have an infant in your home or someone suffering from asthma, the health issues can be serious indeed. Luckily, you can lower the amount of dust in your home with help from a qualified technician.

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How Can Ductless Heating Benefit Me?

Monday, January 18th, 2016

Ductless heating systems stand as a viable alternative to more traditional heaters, which typically use a centralized unit to generate heat for the entire household. Ductless systems, on the other hand, set up a series of smaller heaters throughout your home, each designed to warm a single room or section. Each heater can be operated individually through its own thermostat and control panel. The system doesn’t work for every Cedar Falls, IA home – smaller houses, for instance, can probably do with the centralized unit just fine – but for larger homes or those without the ability to support a centralized duct system, they can offer a number of benefits. “How can ductless heating benefit me?” you ask. Here’s a quick breakdown of some answers.

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Signs of Heating Problems You Should Watch Out for

Monday, January 11th, 2016

Winter is here in full force in Cedar Falls, IA, which means you’re going to use your heating system now more than ever. Problems, when they arise, tend to come as a great shock to homeowners, which is a pity because most issues with a faulty heating system leave signs of trouble long before they break down. If you can spot these signs, you can summon a qualified repair service and treat the problem before it leaves your home without heat (and possibly saving money on a less expensive repair in the bargain).

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Consider These Upgrades to Your Heater

Monday, January 4th, 2016

Winter is in full force here in Cedar Falls, IA, and that means your heater is going to see use every day. You might not be able to replace your heater for a few more months – and if there’s nothing wrong with it, then obviously there’s no reason to – but you can still take steps to improve its functioning with the addition of one or more upgrades for your heater. They cost much less than replacing it, and the results can make you feel like yours is brand new. We’ve laid out a few options below for you.

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Consider a Humidifier this Winter

Monday, December 28th, 2015

Winter is officially here and with 2016 on its way, now is the time for fresh starts. If you’re troubled by low humidity during the colder months here in Cedar Falls, IA – with its litany of discomforts – you should consider a whole-house humidifier for your home. The installation takes little time, provided you use the right service, and the advantages can be considerable. Here’s some information on how the system works and what it can do for you.

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