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

How to Prevent Pipe Freeze This Winter

Monday, October 1st, 2018

Icicles hanging from a brown pipe. Frozen water and metal surface, winter time concept. selective focus shallow depth of field photoWe still have about a month to go before our temperature lows dip below freezing, but as anyone who has lived here for even just a year knows, our weather is unpredictable. So if you’re thinking of waiting on any winter preparation this year for your home, we urge you to reconsider. Especially when it comes to your plumbing in Hudson, IA!

Plumbing systems and subsequent frozen pipes aren’t something many homeowners give a lot of thought to as winter approaches, particularly if they’ve never had to deal with it. But it certainly happens to enough homeowners to warrant some preparation on your part. Remember, even just a few days in a row of below 30° weather can result in frozen and burst pipes in your home. But you can prevent it!

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Water Heater Repairs: Are You Having Tankless Troubles?

Monday, August 6th, 2018

tankless water heater being repairedWhen our customers are looking to have a new water heater installed, we often recommend considering the tankless water heater. There are a number of advantages to using this style of water heater, like lower energy bills, longer equipment life, and an unlimited supply of hot water.

Another benefit of a tankless water heater is that it typically encounters fewer repairs on average that the conventional storage tank water heater. This is because they don’t deal with the stress of continual energy usage to keep the water inside the tank heated. It does less work, and therefore a tankless water heater doesn’t wear out as quickly.

However, that doesn’t mean that they are completely immune to problems. And when a problem does occur, you will want someone who specializes in professional plumbing in Hudson, IA. That’s what we’re here for! In the meantime, though, ready on to learn more about these systems.

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3 Causes of Clogged Toilets

Monday, April 11th, 2016

Toilets are the single most important plumbing appliance in your home, for obvious reasons. When they get clogged up, they can bring your household screeching to a halt, and while the simplest issues (i.e., clogs caused by human waste and toilet paper) can usually be covered by the use of a plunger and some good old-fashioned elbow grease, other causes require a professional plumber’s attention. Here in Waverly, IA, you have a reliable service on call to help, but we’ve found you can avoid a clogged toilet simply by monitoring what you flush down it during the day. Here are 3 causes of clogged toilets that should watch out for.

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How Does UV Water Disinfection Work?

Monday, April 4th, 2016

If you think back to high school science class, you can likely recall the basics of UV (or ultraviolet light), which lies beyond our ability to see, but which can affect us nonetheless. In sunlight, it causes our skin to tan or burn. In smaller amounts, such as those present in a UV light bulb, it can interact with the detergent in our laundry to make white clothes glow in the dark. (It’s how you get that effect at amusement parks or rock concerts). But UV light can serve a far more important role than momentary amusement. When applied properly, it can help make the water in your Hudson, IA home a whole lot cleaner and safer. All you need is a UV water disinfection system in your home.

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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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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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Never Attempt Plumbing Repairs Yourself

Monday, December 7th, 2015

Here in Cedar Falls, IA, we pride ourselves as being pretty self-sufficient, and homeowners may be accustomed to handling little repairs around the house themselves. With plumbing, however, this can be a big mistake. No matter how small or seeming inconsequential the issue, it always pays to have a professional take care of them problem instead of attempting plumbing repairs yourself. Why? We’ve laid out a few very good reasons below.

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Watch Out for Garbage Disposal Problems This Holiday Season

Monday, November 30th, 2015

The holidays have arrived here in Cedar Fall, IA, and that means your kitchen sink is going to be seeing a lot more use. Holiday meals for visiting family members, cookies and other delicious treats from the oven, even the odd turkey sandwich put together from leftovers: Christmas and the holidays mean food, and with that food comes increased use of your kitchen sink and garbage disposal. You don’t want yours experiencing any kind of a problem during the holidays, which is why we strongly recommend  you keep an eye on your garbage disposal for problems this holiday season. It lets you get a jump on the issue before interfering with a big meal or a visit from your gusts. Here’s a quick rundown of common signs of garbage disposal problems.

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How Does a Sump Pump Help My Home?

Monday, November 16th, 2015

Sump pumps are designed to help protect your home against the dangers of flood waters, which can be quite severe here in Cedar Falls, IA. It’s not 100% necessary, at least not the same way a water heater might be, and homeowners would be perfectly justified in asking whether or not they really need one installed in their homes. Like any form of insurance, it’s optional, though you are definitely taking a chance if you choose not to have one installed. It might help to understand exactly how a sump pump helps your home, and what benefits it brings that justifies the cost of installation.

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How to Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter

Monday, November 9th, 2015

Winters are as cold as they come in Cedar Falls, IA, and among the most common calls we take involve frozen pipes. When the water inside your pipes freezes, it expands, putting huge pressure on the pipes themselves and often causing them to burst. When that happens, you have a huge mess on your hands: cleaning up water damage in your home as well as having to replace the burst length of pipe. You can call on us when your pipes burst to fix the problem promptly, but we believe that an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure. Here’s a few tips on how to prevent frozen pipes this winter.

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