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

Having the Ideal Setting, Will Save You Money

Friday, June 19th, 2015

Ideal Thermostat Settings for Every Season

Waterloo AirCorrectly 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.

Waterloo Thermostat-SettingsThermostat 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.

 

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The Dawn of the Toilet

Friday, June 12th, 2015

The History of the Toilet

Waterloo PlumberIn 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.

Waterloo Toilet-HistoryPlumbers 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!

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Feel the Fresh Clean Air

Friday, June 5th, 2015

Signs Your Air Duct Needs Maintenance

Waterloo Air-Quality5 Signs Your Air Duct Needs Cleaning or Repair

Anyone who is a homeowner knows that home utilities can fall into disarray as time goes on. When it comes to air conditioning and ventilation, there are some signs that should tell one that the air ducts need some cleaning.

Mold and Dust Buildup

A major sign that the air duct in the household needs a cleaning is because of the presence of mold and mildew.

Over time lots of mold, mildew, fungus and other unhealthy substances can start to build up in the air ducts.

None of this is healthy for any home at all, so the problem to this would be to start spraying around and cleaning them. This will cut down on repair costs.

Mold is not the only problem, as dust buildup can also be problematic. If dust is blowing out of the air ducts on a constant basis, then it is also time to clean or repair it. Needless to say, some simple household products and cleaning can correct this problem with little cost.

Problems with People Breathing

In relation to mold and bust buildup, this problem can occur when occupants or visitors to the home find themselves having trouble breathing, or worsening any present respiratory problems.

Mold and dust buildup in the air ducts mean that someone will inevitably end up breathing that in, with or without being fully aware of it. This here would be even more reason to start cleaning up the ducts or getting them repaired altogether.

Reduction in Air Flow

Waterloo Air-Duct-CleaningA change in the quality and quantity of air blowing out of the air ducts should be another cause for concern when it comes to ventilation.

This can also relate to mold and dust, in that these substances can start to block airways and reduce the amount of air flow that blows out of the ducts.

As with the other problems some cleaning products and a scrub down could solve this mess quickly.

Pests can even be a serious problem and be a cause of bad air flow. Insects or rodents like mice or even rats can get caught up in the vents and nest there, which can also constrict air flow.

With this problem a simple cleaning may not be enough but resorting to hiring an exterminator or a professional duct cleaner to fix the problem may be necessary.

Not feeling the fresh, clean air in your Waterloo home? Call Dalton Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling at (319) 266-3513, and feel good again in your home.

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