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

When It’s Time for AC Replacement, Consider a Heat Pump

Monday, July 18th, 2022

Floor-mounted heat pump unit installed in a cozy room with wicker furniture and a laundry basket.

We’re in the midst of summer, and if you’re reading this blog post now, then chances are that you’re in a bit of a hurry to get a new air conditioner! This isn’t, however, a purchase you want to rush into. Doing so could leave you with an inefficient system, or an air conditioner that isn’t correctly matched for your specific home and needs. It may not even be sized correctly, which causes a whole host of other problems.

Plus, you may find that you would benefit from a whole different type of air conditioner altogether–the heat pump system! This is actually a 2-in-1 HVAC system that not only cools your home but also efficiently heats your home. When you’re ready to learn more about air conditioning in Cedar Falls, IA, don’t look any further than our team. Read on to learn more about these highly efficient and effective HVAC systems. If you’re on the fence, it may help to explore why now is a good time to consider a heat pump for AC replacement—especially if you want year-round comfort from a single system.

Tags: Air Conditioning, Cedar Falls, Heat Pump Benefits, Iowa
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Is a Water Softener Really Worth It?

Monday, July 4th, 2022

Water softeners are a type of water treatment system that aren’t needed for every home, but they are beneficial for many! Hard water is an issue that’s pretty common throughout neighborhoods in our area. There’s nothing particularly unhealthy about hard water when it comes to you and your family ingesting it. It can, however, definitely impact your quality of life in subtle but annoying and possibly even expensive ways.

For homes with this problem, a water softener is absolutely worth it, so long as it’s a whole-house water softener, professionally installed by an experienced team such as ours. Read on to learn more about these systems!

Tags: Cedar Falls, Water Filtration, Water Softener
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The Best (and Worst) Ways to Treat Your Plumbing System

Monday, June 20th, 2022

lady-getting-glass-of-water-in-kitchen-sink-for-child-sitting-on-counter

We don’t mean to say that the most underappreciated system in your home is the plumbing, but let’s face it, it probably is.

It’s one of those modern conveniences we rely on each and every day without ever really thinking about it. But in not thinking about it, we could be making big mistakes that have dastardly consequences later on. Read on as we uncover some of the best and some of the worst ways to treat your plumbing system. And don’t hesitate to reach out when your system needs some professional help!

Tags: Cedar Falls, Plumber, Plumbing Service, Waterloo
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Why Is My Air Conditioner Freezing Up?

Monday, June 6th, 2022

Air conditioners cool down indoor environments. This is an irrefutable fact. What’s less well known, however, is how an air conditioner actually does this. It will depend on the type of system–for example, an evaporative cooler uses a much different process than a central air conditioner–but for the sake of this blog post, we’re going to make the assumption that you have a refrigerant-based air conditioner like a central air conditioner or heat pump system.

This being the case, you might, at some point, notice ice development on your air conditioner. We hope this is never the case because it’s actually bad news for the system. That’s right, an air conditioner cools, but ice is never part of the process. So then, if you do see ice forming on your air conditioner, why is it a problem? And, what causes the problem? These are questions we’re going to answer below. Read on!

Tags: AC Repair, Cedar Falls
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Common AC Repairs to Be Aware Of as the Weather Warms

Monday, May 23rd, 2022

woman-trying-to-cool-off-in-home-sitting-in-front-of-fan

Do you know if your air conditioner is in good enough shape to handle the warmer temperatures coming our way? Before you say “mine is fine,” let us ask you a follow-up question… have you scheduled spring maintenance for your system yet?

Maintenance allows our technicians to fully inspect, clean, and adjust the components that need it, helping your system operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, for as long as possible. So, if you answered “no” to our follow-up question, now is the time!

Maintenance has a ton of benefits, not the least of which is helping you avoid up to 85% of the repairs your air conditioner might ever need! But regardless of whether you’ve had maintenance done recently or not, it’s still wise to be aware of the signs that you need AC repair. Read on as we cover some of those signs.

Tags: AC Repair, Cedar Falls
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Signs That Your Home Has Hard Water

Monday, May 9th, 2022

If you’ve never heard the term “hard water” before, then you may wonder why it even matters if your home has it. The thing is, it’s not necessarily harmful to you or your household. But, it is potentially harmful to your plumbing system and your quality of life as result.

Hard water is water that has a high level of minerals in it–namely magnesium, calcium, and sometimes iron too. These minerals are harmless to ingest, but cause sediment buildup that can be bad for your drains. But how do you know if your home has hard water? Read on for some telltale signs.

Tags: Cedar Falls, Hard Water Signs, Water Softener, Water Treatment
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The Benefits of Whole-House Generator Installation

Monday, April 25th, 2022

Many homeowners are familiar with portable generators–and at their core, there is nothing wrong with these systems, when used as they should be. Portable generator systems are a great solution for many scenarios. For example, if your family is going on a campout and you want to power up an electric grill, or hey let’s say you’re “glamping” and you want to hook up a TV… whatever the case, a portable generator is a great system.

However, the thing you need to know about portable generators is while they’re good in many cases, the one scenario where a portable system is not a good option is to power your entire home during a widespread power outage. For this, you’ll definitely want a whole-house automatic standby generator.

A whole-home system enables you to power up all the important components of your home, from the water heater and refrigerator to the air conditioner, and even your electronic devices and, if you need it, medical equipment. Read on as we uncover some of the leading benefits of having a whole-home generator installed.

Tags: Cedar Falls, Electrical Services
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Plumbing Considerations for Your Bathroom Remodel

Monday, March 14th, 2022

Springtime is just around the corner, and with temperatures warming up, many homeowners are considering remodeling projects in their living spaces. Chances are that if you’ve come across this blog post, you’re one of these homeowners! Remodeling your bathroom is very popular, and can be a very fun, project. But a mistake that homeowners make far too often is trying to do this project completely on their own, with no help from a professionally trained plumber.

Trying to tackle a bathroom remodel on your own could possibly damage your plumbing system, or you could accidentally do part of the installation wrong because of improper measurements. But when a qualified professional, you’ll have a team who is happy to share with you some of the most important considerations to make when planning a bathroom remodel.

Reach out to our team when you’re ready, and in the meantime, consider these factors before jumping in.

Tags: Cedar Falls, Plumbing Service, Waterloo
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Is an Electric Ignition Better Than a Pilot Light in a Gas Furnace?

Monday, February 28th, 2022

Have you had the same furnace in your home for many years? If so, then you’re probably used to furnaces having pilot lights. If you’re planning on having a new furnace installed soon, however, it probably isn’t going to use a pilot light at all! Instead, it’s likely going to have an electronic ignition system that ignites the burners. In fact, it’s pretty rare today that manufacturers still make furnaces with pilot lights at all.

Why? We explore this below… read on!

Tags: Cedar Falls, Heating
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How to Ensure Your Furnace Lasts Through the Rest of Winter

Monday, February 14th, 2022

Woman relaxing with a warm drink in a cozy room, enjoying heat from recent furnace installation.

Winter is definitely still plugging along, and we will all need our furnaces for several weeks still. So, what kind of shape is yours in? Is it ready to get you through the rest of winter? If you had it professionally maintained this past fall, and took care of any pending repair needs at this time, then you can probably say with confidence that yes, your furnace is going to make it through just fine. But if you’re unsure about its condition, check how AFUE ratings impact efficiency and what that means for your heating system.

But what if you skipped maintenance, have an aging furnace, or simply don’t know the signs that you might need repairs on your furnace? Use our guide to furnace issues to better understand the red flags and get ahead of potential breakdowns.

What steps should you take when planning furnace installation or replacement service?

When planning furnace installation or replacement service, choose a properly sized, high-efficiency unit that matches your home’s layout and ductwork. Schedule the service before peak season, ensure old equipment is safely removed, and follow up with regular maintenance to extend the life of your new system.

Well, that’s what we are here for! We want to help you ensure that your furnace will, indeed, last through the rest of the heating season. One of the best ways to do this is by staying on top of repair needs, even though you might stop using your furnace as much in a few weeks. Read on as we uncover the signs that it’s time for you to call for this service.

Furnace Repair vs. Replacement: What’s Best Mid-Winter?

If your furnace is over 15‑20 years old and technology improvements mean newer models are much more efficient.
When repair costs exceed about half the cost of a new unit.
If you frequently need repairs for major components (heat exchanger, blower motor, etc.).
When your utility bills are rising sharply despite regular maintenance.
If your existing furnace can’t maintain comfortable temperatures even after tune‑ups and repairs.

Tags: Cedar Falls, heating repairs
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