Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Cedar Rapids Blog’ Category

Making the Choice Between Central Air Conditioning and Going Ductless

Monday, April 25th, 2022
hand-holding-remote-for-ductless-air-handler

As temperatures start warming up, air conditioning talk is happening more and more. If you are in the market for a new cooling system, now is a great time to make that investment. It’s never wise to rush into a purchase of this nature, since doing so could leave you with an inefficient or improperly matched AC system for your home.

There are many factors to consider when replacing an old air conditioner. Do you also need to replace your furnace or boiler? Are you looking for ways to increase efficiency throughout the year rather than just in the summertime? Then a ductless system may be a great choice. If your heating needs aren’t urgent though, and you’ve always had a central air conditioner, you might want to stay the route.

Read on to learn the benefits of each and to get our viewpoint on which type of AC is best!

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5 Mobile Home Cooling Hacks

Monday, April 18th, 2022

When you have a mobile home, you may think your only option to cool off is a few box fans strategically placed around the property–especially if you live in an HOA that doesn’t allow the installation of a central AC outdoor unit. The good news is, this isn’t the case! There are cooling options out there for you, you just need to know who to talk to!

For you, it’s the team here at Dalton. We provide professional and reliable mobile home cooling services in Cedar Rapids and beyond. The installation of one of these systems will increase your home comfort, improve your indoor air quality, and, if you’re currently relying on fans or a window AC unit, can even lower your utility bills.

We’ll talk about this and more below, as we discuss some ideas of how to stay cool this summer in your mobile home.

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“When Should I Replace My AC Unit?”

Monday, April 11th, 2022
air-conditioner-with-flowers-resting-on-it

This is one of the most common questions we receive as HVAC professionals–when is it time to replace your AC unit? You may think that as long as it’s running and blowing out some cold air then it’s still good for a while. Maybe you’ll wait until it simply can’t function anymore.

But, this is not a great plan. The thing is, an AC system that is nearing the end of its life won’t work efficiently, and may not even be operating as safely as it could be. Read on to learn more!

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What’s Included in a Maintenance Club?

Monday, April 4th, 2022
white-question-mark-on-blue-background

For many homeowners, maintenance may seem like “just an extra service to pay for,” until you join a membership club like ours. Professional maintenance pays you back over the years, by improving efficiency, reducing repair needs, and extending the lifespan of your home comfort systems overall. And joining a membership club will provide you with even more benefits (especially if you join ours!)

The Dalton Complete Home Comfort Membership Plan is just one monthly fee and covers all your home’s systems; HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fireplace, and indoor air quality. Plus membership affords you a number of advantages. Read on to learn more!

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Should I Consider Ductless Air Conditioning?

Monday, March 28th, 2022
hand-holding-remote-for-ductless-system

With temperatures dipping back down after seemingly warming up, it can seem a little early to talk about air conditioning installation. But if you’re in need of a new cooling system, there’s no denying that springtime is here, and soon enough those warmer temps will be here to stay until next fall.

Plus, the great thing about a ductless air conditioning system is that it functions as both an air conditioner and a heater, which we’ll get into more below. Ductless systems are great for climates that have winters that are relatively “mild” and summers that are hot. This makes them a great option for many homeowners in our service areas. Read on to learn more!

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“How Can I Lower My Electricity Bill?”

Monday, March 21st, 2022

One of the most common questions our professional electricians get is, “How can I pay less for electricity?” Let’s face it, powering our homes is one of the expensive parts of homeownership. This is especially true in the last decade or so, with the addition of devices and entertainment systems. If your home is anything like the average American home, this is true for you too.

The good news is, there are many ways to improve energy efficiency in your home, and therefore lower your electricity bills.

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Dalton’s Ductwork 101 Guide

Monday, March 14th, 2022
technician-working-on-ductwork

If you’re like many other homeowners in our area, there’s a good chance you don’t give your ductwork very much thought. We get it, but we also don’t want you to take your ductwork for granted. Your HVAC air ducts are responsible for safely and efficiently delivering air into your home from your furnace and air conditioner, and if your ducts are dirty, have pinhole leaks, or have loose joints, it can have a serious impact on your comfort as well as HVAC efficiency.

Ductwork does, in fact, sustain damage and accumulate dirt over time. This can happen with age, or it can happen because of poor initial design and installation. Whatever the cause, it can have a huge impact on how well your HVAC system actually performs, resulting in hot or cold spots, strange noises, and higher than average utility bills.

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What Do I Do If My Pipe Bursts?

Monday, March 7th, 2022
burst-pipe

If you’ve lived in the Cedar Rapids area for even just a year, then you might already know that burst pipes are a definite risk with our winters. When temperatures dip to below freezing, the threat level of burst pipes rises.

Fortunately, our team has seen a lot of burst pipe issues, and not only can we tell you what causes it and what to do about it, but how to prevent the problem from occurring at all, if possible. Read on to learn more!

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How Often Should I Have My HVAC System Tuned-Up?

Monday, February 28th, 2022
hand-writing-in-calendar

An HVAC “tune-up” or maintenance ensures that your heating and cooling systems perform as efficiently and effectively as possible, for as long as possible. During maintenance, our technicians thoroughly clean, inspect, and adjust any components that need it–making sure everything is working as flawlessly as possible.

This increases the lifespan of the system, helps it perform more efficiently, and reduces repair needs by up to 85%!

Just like any other big piece of electrical equipment, including your car, even your heating and cooling systems will suffer from natural wear and tear throughout the years. You might have a minor issue, like a worn-down motor bearing, that our techs can locate and fix during your tune-up… but if you had skipped that tune-up and that problem was missed, it could lead to the motor overheating and your system completely breaking down.

If you have a standard furnace or central air conditioning system, you should have your unit tuned up annually. For your cooling system, it’s best to get this done in the spring, and for your heating system, it’s best to do it in the fall. And if you have a year-round heat pump, you should have professional maintenance done twice a year.

Read on to learn the answers to some of our most common HVAC maintenance questions.

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Can I Do My Own Drain Cleaning?

Monday, February 21st, 2022
drain

When it comes to making home improvements, there are many, many things that you can do on your own, or at least with minimal help from a handyman.

Perhaps you think that drain cleaning is one of those things. After all, you can just grab a bottle of chemical drain cleaning solution from the store and call it a day, right?

Well, not quite–and we’ll talk about that more below.

But the truth is, if you want to not only relieve your clogged drain but prevent your plumbing system from having the same problem again soon, then you want to have professional plumbing done. Read on as we uncover signs of a clogged drain, the common things that cause it, and why you shouldn’t use chemicals to unclog your drain.

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