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What’s Wrong With Your Heater?

November 30th, 2020

Ah, this is probably the question you were looking to avoid today. When homeowners are dealing with a heater problem, every day becomes “Let’s try not to talk about the heater—day.” Well, how would it feel to finally nip this one in the bud and deal with your heater problem once and for all?

We’re not saying that it’s something you can do with tools at home. In fact, you’re going to definitely need the help of a professional HVAC contractor in Des Moines, IA. What we are saying, though, is that heater repair is a combined effort of diligent work from a professional and attentive vigilance from a homeowner. Together, we can assess the problem with your heater, get to the bottom of it, repair it, and keep you comfortable.

Does that sound like a good plan? Great! Then follow along as we talk about what could be going wrong with your heater.

Why Do We Still Insist Homeowners Use Furnaces?

November 16th, 2020

That might be a bit of an overstatement. We don’t insist anyone use a particular type of system, all we do is reassure homeowners that furnaces are still great systems to use. Too many people fall into the trap of assuming that with the advent of heat pumps and other electrical technology that gas furnaces are on their way out. However, gas furnaces, and even electrical furnaces, are becoming more and more efficient with each new model on the market.

Don’t assume that a furnace isn’t right for you just because it sounds like an old-fashioned way of heating a home. Furnaces still are, and probably will be for the foreseeable future, the most common heating system in use. Let’s talk about some of the great reasons to invest in a furnace, including the easy access to furnace repair in Des Moines, IA.

Heat Your Home with a Ductless Mini Split

November 2nd, 2020

Ductless mini splits, at least in our neck of the woods, are the future of heating and cooling. They can affordably and efficiently keep homes comfortable throughout the year by using electricity and moving heat instead of creating it. For most homeowners that already own them, this is just obvious. For everyone else, keep reading.

We want to talk to all the prospective heat pump homeowners. From homeowners who are tired of their hiccupping furnace, to others who are looking to replace both their air conditioners and heaters with a one-size-fits-all system. Not only can a heat pump be the best decision for you, but getting your heat pump installed by our team can be the second best decision as well.

Let’s talk about heat pumps, one of the best reasons to call us for HVAC in Des Moines, IA.

Your Drain Clog Checklist

October 19th, 2020

If you’ve been quickly pacing through the kitchen, cursing under your breath, constantly hoping that your sink would finally let go of all that dirty water, then listen up. This is the blog post for you.

Drain clogs are an everyday occurrence for us. They don’t have to happen all the time, but when they do, it’s important that you’re prepared for them. We’ve got a few quick tips to mitigate the problem of a clogged drain for homeowners in our area, and we promise that by the end of this blog post you’ll have everything you need to remove a clog. From drain snakes to plungers and the other tools a plumber in Des Moines, IA might have, there are great solutions out there to take advantage of.

Keep reading and don’t lose this checklist. You’ll be referring to this in a couple of years when your drains clog again.

Victim of a Refrigerant Leak? Listen Up

October 5th, 2020

Refrigerant leaks are as common as they come. It doesn’t matter if your air conditioner has lost its ability to cool your home properly, causes your energy bills to skyrocket, or provokes some other issue that causes you discomfort—it could be from a refrigerant leak.

Before you grab the duct tape and get ready to patch the leak yourself, we’d like to steer you away from a DIY solution in this instance. DIY fixes for air conditioning in Des Moines, IA can be a bad idea for a number of reasons. You can void the warranty on your air conditioner, cause compounding problems inside your system, and refrigerant is a material that’s harmful to work with improperly.

Basically, the gist of this blog post is that you should call us for help with your refrigerant leak. We’ll get into the details about how you can tell if you’re suffering from a refrigerant leak and what that means for your home comfort.

Take Advantage of the Private Property Protection Program

October 5th, 2020

Are you a homeowner in Des Moines? Have you been waiting for a good opportunity to invest in a sump pump, plumbing backwater valve, or another type of weather protection system? Well, today is your lucky day!

Until June 30, 2023, homeowners in the Des Moines area can qualify for up to $1,500 towards an investment in sump pump technology. This subsidy can be used for the following type of work we offer:

The addition of a sump pit and pump.
Water treatment and sewer redirection system work.
Upgrading to a battery back-up sump pump.
The installation of a back water valve of any fixture below grade.

Do You Need a Water Softener?

September 21st, 2020

The answer to this question might be a surprise, but let us explain. Hard water and soft water are unique phenomena that we see in the plumbing industry. Hard water means water with natural minerals that have dissolved in it, while soft water is the kind of water you’re used to drinking. While they’re both perfectly fine for human consumption, one of them is much better for your plumbing than the other. Can you guess which one?

Many homes could use a water softener in Des Moines, IA. That’s why we want to talk about the benefits of having one installed. If you’ve never heard the term “hard water” before, or you’ve just stumbled on this post in the area, don’t worry. We’re going to discuss what all of these terms mean for you and your home.

So, let’s see if you need a water softener!

3 Things Not to Do to Your AC

September 7th, 2020

We talk all the time about what you should always be doing for your AC. After all, it’s always easy to be proactive than reactive, so being vigilant isn’t a hard thing to get in the habit of when you have our help. However, we never go into detail about the more sinister things that happen to an AC when a homeowner does something they shouldn’t. What are those things? Well, let’s dive right into it.

Unless you like having to call an HVAC contractor in Des Moines, IA over and over again, it’s important to treat your air conditioner the way it should be treated. Stay away from opening it up, putting your hands where you shouldn’t, and trying to diagnose things yourself.

If you’re looking for more specific directions when it comes to things you should never do to your AC, then keep reading. We’ll give you some good introspection towards the “do’s” and “don’ts” of air conditioning.

Is Your AC Struggling? Here’s Why

August 24th, 2020

Imagine two types of air conditioners. Air conditioner “A” works quietly throughout the night to keep a home cool. Day after day, a home is protected by the scorching temperatures outside, and eventually the energy bill comes in for the month. The family of this air conditioner is pleasantly surprised by the steady but low amount of energy the system consumes to keep them happy.

Air conditioner “B” on the other hand, keeps a family awake every night with obnoxious sounds. They’re constantly worried about repair bills and have trouble sleeping or getting work done because they’re nervous about the system’s condition. Eventually, they look at the energy bill and they’ll be forced to postpone their yearly vacation because there’s no way they’ll be able to afford it with this type of bill.

If you’re more like the family with air conditioner “B,” then it might be time to call for HVAC in Des Moines, IA to become more like the family with air conditioner “A!”

3 Best Plumbing Practices to Start Today!

August 10th, 2020

We get it. Homeowners can be disappointed when they’re scouring the internet for some kind of plumbing DIY tips, only to be confronted with a blog post that tells them to call their local plumber. While we are your local plumber and we do think you should call us for help, that might not be what you’re looking for today.

We’re going to talk about the three best plumbing practices that you don’t need a plumber for. Since these are preventative plumbing practices, they’re not very good at cleaning your drain or fixing a problem that’s already underway. In fact, these practices can help your plumbing last longer and avoid problems that would normally be expensive to repair.

What are these preventative practices? Keep reading as we go into specifics about ways to keep your plumbing in good shape. Don’t forget to call us, your local plumber in Des Moines, IA, if you run into any problems with your home plumbing system!

Schaal Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Blog