Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc. Blog: Archive for January, 2015

If It's an Emergency, Call the Plumbers Today!

Friday, January 30th, 2015

Emergency Plumber 101

 

Cedar Falls PlumberWhy Use an Emergency Plumber

Chances are you have never needed to use an emergency plumber. If this is the case than that is good.

However, should you find yourself in an emergency, than knowing who you can call and having this option is necessary as it is going to save you thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in potential repairs later on down the road.

Of course, not all problems constitute an emergency, so if you are able to wait a day without your home sustaining damage, than chances are you cain wait for the traditional plumbing service.

However, if your home is sustaining damage or if there is a potentially life threatening problem at hand, you need to bring in the emergency plumber.

What are the Advantages of Emergency Plumbing Services?

Naturally, the main one is to help you save thousands of dollars by avoiding costly repairs. In the event of a burst pipe or similar situation, it can cause hundreds of gallons of water to fill up in a basement or other room.

This may force you to remove the flooring, walls, insulation and even later remove other elements of the room due to the development of mold. This all becomes extremely expensive and is why you need to use an emergency plumbing service should you find yourself in such a situation.

How Can I Prevent an Emergency Plumbing Incident?

There are a few ways you can do this. If you are leaving on vacation during the winter months, make sure the heat for your home is not turned off but left in the low 50s range.

Cedar Falls Emergency Plumbing 1This is going to prevent your pipes from freezing. Freezing makes the water expand, which can potentially burst a pipe. It is also a good idea to have someone stop by occasionally and have them run the water for a bit.

This keeps the water from settling too long, which can also help prevent the water from freezing. Beyond this, you need to have a regular inspection of your plumbing.

This way, you can avoid costly problems and repairs later on down the line. It also can help you identify problems you have now, so you can take care of the issues before it develops into a major situation and you need to contact the emergency plumbers.

For an Emergency Plumbing job in the Cedar Falls area, Dalton Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling Inc. is the company for you! Call (319) 266-3513 and get the experts on it.

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Get the Purified Air You Deserve

Friday, January 23rd, 2015

How Does an Air Purifier Work?

 

 

Health Benefits of Air Purifiers

Without air purifiers, tons of dust, mold, and other debris would build up in the air and vents of a family’s home. This in turn can cause a wide range of health problems such as asthma, bronchitis, lung infection, and all sorts of other illnesses.

This is why having a good working air purifier is vital to the health of all inhabitants inside a house. Immediate benefits of a good working air filter include better breathing, less dust accumulations, and cleaner air. Air purifiers use very effective methods of cleaning air, such as using activated charcoal.

How Air Purifiers Work

There are many different types of air purifiers such as air cleaners, HEPA cleaners, ionizing purifiers, ozone generators, and absorbent air purifiers. However, they all use the same principle to purify air by running air through some sort of filter. For instance, air cleaners runs air through a fabric that filters and strains out all debris and dust particles, leaving fresh, clean air.

These type of air purifiers are in almost every heater/cooler system inside a house. On the other hand, there are air filters that use activated charcoal to filter air. More advanced air purifier systems use ionized electric charges to purify air.

Are All Air Purifiers the Same?

All air purifiers are definitely not the same. They may all clean air, but some do a much better job than others do. An activated charcoal based air purifier will clean air far better than a simple air cleaner, due to activated charcoal’s large surface area. An ionized filter may perform even better than an activated charcoal filter. However, it’s important to keep in mind that with better quality comes greater price.

The filters in air purifiers to need to be changed every so often. Some of the better ones can last longer before changing is needed, hence, the price. In other words, what type of air purifier a person wants will depend on their budget and needs. Although the better purifiers may cost more, they may pay off in the long run.

Want the fresh purified air in your Cedar Falls home? Call Dalton Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling Inc. at (319) 266-3513 and breathe in the purified air you deserve.

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Heating Your Home Properly Requires the Right Size Furnace

Friday, January 16th, 2015

What is the Importance of a Properly Sized Furnace System? 

 
Everyone needs a furnace in their home or office. However, people often make a big mistake when it comes to actually purchasing it. A common assumption among many people is that bigger is always better.

On the other side, many people feel that a smaller and less expensive option is always the right choice. In reality, one of the most important aspects of a new furnace is how well it fits certain size specifications.

Associated Costs

The most practical reason for buying a furnace that’s properly sized is related to cost. The general costs for a furnace vary heavily through a number of different factors. However, it’s important to remember that the initial differences with any furnace are minor compared to a larger associated cost.

Actually operating the furnace is where the expenses really begin to build up. And a furnace which isn’t properly sized to what the building requires will come with much higher operating costs. It will either use far more power than is needed, or it will end up struggling to provide for a building’s needs.

A Refreshing Silence

Many people assume that a furnace will always be loud. This is just based on their personal experience. And they are, of course, correct in assuming that a furnace will always make noise. However, much of what people assume is normal for a heating system is actually due to a improperly sized furnace. Both one that’s too small and one that’s too large can contribute to general noise pollution within a building.

It’s either going to be struggling to keep up with the building’s requirements, or it will be blasting out a level of power which is overwhelming. What’s needed is a nice middle ground which will allow for a much quieter level of operation.

Cedar Falls Furnace SizeAn Appropriate Amount of Space

Of course another element of the size of a furnace is the space it takes up. People often forget that a furnace can take up a rather sizable portion of an area.

And because the furnace’s size will scale to the area it needs to heat, this often means that a larger home isn’t much protection from lost space. Space is always a precious and scarce commodity. One needs to ensure that his home is as efficiently run as possible if he wants to maximize it’s value.

Are you looking for the right furnace size for your Cedar Falls home? Dalton Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling Inc. can help, just Call (319) 266-3513, to get reliable service from the professionals.

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Water is Off, and Still Hear Water Running? Common Issue of the Slab Leak

Friday, January 9th, 2015

Slab Leaks: What Are the Causes of Slab Leaks? 

 

Cedar Falls PlumberSome of the most frequent questions from our customers deal with the unfortunate intrusion of a slab leak within the home. A slab leak is a water leak below the concrete foundation of a home or property.

These leaks are breaks in the pipeline that lead to a small or large amounts of water spilling out somewhere near the foundation.

What Causes Slab Leaks?

There are many reasons why slab leaks occur. The four most common reasons are: corrosion of the pipe, pressure placed on the pipe, abrasion or vibration within the pipe, and improper construction. We will break down each of these four reasons for slab leaks to give you a better idea of the root cause of the leak.

While many home and property owners associate fear slab leaks due to the inevitable expense of repair, there are also severe health risks that can develop from leaks.

Leaking water will inevitably lead to mold and mildew. Breathing mold-saturated air can lead to long-term respiratory issues. Leaks left untreated can also lead to the rotting of supporting structures in your home, hurting your property value.

How to Tell if you Have a Slab leak

Some of the most common signs of a slab leak are: the sound of water when all faucets are off, excessive mold or mildew, an abnormally high water bill, consistent low water pressure or a hot spot on the floor. If you notice any of these issues, it’s advisable to call your plumber immediately to confirm the location of the leak and repair it before further damage is done.

Repairing a Slab Leak

Repairing a slab leak is not as trying of a process as you may think. Most repairs can be done within three days. During the first day, your plumber use electronic equipment to detect the actual source of the leak, as well as any outside factoring contributing to the occurrence of the leak.

Cedar Falls Slab LeaksOn the following day(s), your plumber will repair the actual leak. In rare cases the leak may not be able to be repaired quickly. In that instance, your plumber will install a temporary water line so that your water being shut off doesn’t affect your day-to-day routine.

A slab leak is an unfortunate occurrence. However, when working with a capable plumber you can repair the leak in a timely, cost-effective manner that will prevent future damage.

Are you seeing signs of a slab leak in your Cedar Falls home? No time to waste here, Call Dalton Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling Inc.  at (319) 266-3513 to see what is causing that slab leak.

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