Design Comfort Blog

Be a Hero to Your Drains: Toss That Chemical Solution

December 10th, 2018

Plumber unclogging a tub drain with an electric auger.First, let’s get one thing straight. A professional plumber is going to clear your drains more successfully than you can. We understand that clogs happen and that they’re annoying when they do. However, when homeowners try to handle clogs in their homes, they reach for a store-bought drain cleaner, which is not going to do them any favors.

In fact, they can end up causing more trouble! It is always better to contact a professional plumber for blockages. Design Comfort offers Salt Lake City drain cleaning, so you’ll never have to use a store-bought cleaner.

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Defeating Water Heater Obstacles: Hard Water

November 26th, 2018

hot-water-faucetYou may have heard the term hard water at some point or another, but maybe don’t know what it actually is. Hard water is water that has a high presence of minerals in it—namely, calcium and magnesium. These minerals are harmless to your health, but the same cannot be said for your plumbing system. Your pipes and your quality of life can suffer in a number of ways due to hard water. Here are some of them:

  • Hard water makes it hard for soap to lather, turning cleaning and showering into nuisance chores.
  • It leaves buildup on the inside of your pipes, which can lead to clogs and subsequent drop in water pressure.
  • It stains your laundry and leads to the quicker breakdown of your clothing and other washables.

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Tap-tap-tap: Where is That Plumbing Leak Coming From?

November 12th, 2018

Pouring water in the kitchenWhether it’s a “tap-tap-tap” you hear, a slow drip, or a quiet rush of water even though no plumbing appliances are running, you know it means you probably have a leak—one of the most annoying problems for homeowners to face. After all, even a “minor” leak such as a dripping faucet can waste gallons of water over time. Small leaks trick you into thinking they really aren’t a big deal—until the costs on your water bill start to add up.

Bigger leaks waste even more water, of course, but can also do extensive damage to your property. Leaks that start behind walls or beneath floors and above ceilings, can develop without you even noticing them right away. Since so much of your plumbing system is hidden from sight, and since leaks really can form anywhere within your plumbing system, it’s essential that you learn how to spot them. And once you do, the next step will be to call a professional Salt Lake City plumber. In the meantime, we’ve given you some pertinent signs to watch out for, below, which indicate it’s time for you to go ahead and call that pro.

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You Probably Aren’t Imagining Those Ominous Heater Sounds

October 29th, 2018

beautiful surprised young woman in glasses standing in front of wonderful blue backgroundThe gentle hum of your heating system as you start it up is, of course, nothing to be alarmed about. After all, you know the normal noises of your heating system, which means that you can typically tell when something is “off.” A strange noise doesn’t automatically mean you have a heating emergency on your hands, but it is definitely something to pay attention to, and call for Salt Lake City heating repair from a trained professional ASAP.

In the meantime, want to know what these ominous heater sounds actually mean? Keep reading to learn about the most common noises we get calls for and what they might indicate, then, give us a call so we can stop those noises once and for all!

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How to Choose a Heater Worth Your Investment

October 15th, 2018

green-home-see-saw-moneyWith temperatures already taking a nosedive, now is not the time to be facing a broken down heater. Nevertheless, it might happen. Particularly if you had an aging heater and/or if you skipped maintenance for said heater. Of course, the first option is to schedule a Salt Lake City heating repair service, but what if that isn’t enough? What if you find that you need a new heating system altogether?

Your first instinct might be to rush out and buy the very first heater you can find within your budget, and the same model as the one you have now, to spare any extra time the installation could take otherwise. We understand this urgency, but also think it’s very important to consider your purchase and make sure that not only are you thinking about your initial budget, but how you might cut back on monthly expenses moving forward. So how can you choose the best heater? And what are your options?

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Your Heater Deserves a Tune-Up, Today!

October 1st, 2018

technician-inspecting-furnaceOctober is here! We’ve been enjoying the cooler temps, and being able to be outside during the day without feeling like we’re melting. Soon enough, though, those temperatures will drop even lower, and when they do you want to make sure you have a safe and effective heating system in place to keep you warm this fall and winter.

The “safety” part of the equation is even more important if you have a gas-powered furnace in place. Be sure to contact a professional HVAC contractor in Salt Lake City to ensure that your furnace is in good, stable condition and is prepared to provide you with not only optimal comfort this coming winter, but also optimal safety.

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“What AC Repair Needs Can I Expect End-of-Season?”

September 17th, 2018

technician-working-on-air-conditioning-unitHopefully, the answer to this can be “none,” if you had professional maintenance done before summer began, and took care of any repair needs you had at that time. But even with a tune-up (and especially without), there are some Salt Lake City HVAC repair needs you should watch out for as we inch closer to fall and prepare to turn off our cooling systems until next year.

There are a few repair needs in particular that HVAC technicians see more than others. This is especially true near the end of summer, when your cooling system has been putting in work day in and day out.

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Why Do Tankless Water Heaters Need Maintenance?

September 3rd, 2018

tankless-water-heaterTank Water Heaters: They’re big, noticeable, often noisy, and seen in the majority of homes throughout the country.

With such a large presence, most people understand that these Salt Lake City water heaters need maintenance from time to time, particularly because these are often subject to scaling, which is the mineral buildup that you may hear evidence of (you’ll hear a clanging noise). Scaling causes issues with pressure, temperature, and even corrosion, leading tank water heaters to often need flushing to offset the problem.

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When Is It Too Late for AC Maintenance?

August 20th, 2018

When-Is-It-Too-Late-for-AC-MaintenanceIf you’ve never had maintenance done for your air conditioner, and/or it’s broken down to the point that no repair will get it back up in running, then it is too late for AC maintenance. This is literally the only case in which it would be “too late” for a Salt Lake City air conditioning tune-up. Otherwise, while we do recommend getting that tune-up done before the heating season begins, there really is no wrong time of the year to have it done—so long as it’s scheduled once a year (twice a year for heat pumps).

“Okay, but I can skip it this year, right? My AC is working fine after all.”

The fact of the matter is, AC maintenance is one of the most important, if not the most important, services you can have done for your cooling system. It keeps your air conditioner clean, adjusted, and it grants you the peace of mind that it has been thoroughly checked over by a pro. Maintenance tune-ups are not a luxury service—they should be done on a regular basis.

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Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Getting to the Bottom of Your AC Noises

August 6th, 2018

woman-covering-her-earsIf your air conditioner is playing a 1950’s rock song, well… we probably can’t help you. But what we can help you with is literal shaking, rattling, clanging, hissing, and the like. These are all sounds that you never want to hear coming from your air conditioner.

It probably goes without saying that you will know better than anyone the various noises your air conditioner makes on a daily basis. When something sounds “off,” it’s best not to ignore it. Chances are that even if it’s minor, a strange noise indicates the need for AC repair in Salt Lake City. What exactly should you be listening for, though?

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