Filed under: Drain Repairs
If all the sinks or toilets in your house in Fort Collins have water backing up then you can be sure that your main drain is blocked. In such cases an expert’s professional advice is required to understand the actual problem and carry out necessary repairs. You call in professionals from Allen Service in case you experience such problems. You can also try to carry out clogged drain repairs using a plunger or chemical drain cleaner, but if the pipe is broken in some areas, it has to be repaired after locating the exact spot.
Cracked pipes
Old drainage pipes tend to rust and crack due to natural wear and tear or due to continuous use of chemical drain cleaners. Under these circumstances, the drain gets clogged by surrounding mud and debris and can be repaired only by digging up the ground around that section and replacing that section of the pipe.
Paper, debris and tree roots
If you are living in Fort Collins, which is surrounded with trees, then debris like leaves, small branches and tree roots can lead to clogged drains over a period of time if not cleared on a regular basis. People sometimes even try to flush off face tissue paper which solidifies in pipes causing elaborate clogged drain repairs. In case of such issues in your home, a number of service providers in Fort Collins can help you in getting your drains unclogged.
Filed under: Bathroom Repair
If you plan to replace your bathroom plumbing or are in the process of remodeling your bathrooms in your Fort Collins home, it is vital that the bathroom install saves you energy and money. It is important not only to improve the comfort and aesthetic factors of your bathroom, but also its efficiency and save energy. You can hire experts, like the professionals at Allen Service to undertake your bathroom plumbing work in Fort Collins.
Water conservation
From shower installation to toilets and faucets, with any bathroom install in your house, it is essential that you maintain an optimum water flow. This has become increasingly important since water wastage is an important environmental concern. Installing low-flow technology in toilets, shower heads and faucets, increases the water pressure and helps conserve water. If you think replacing all the old faucets is an expensive affair, a much cheaper option is to simply install a faucet aerator to save water. Aerators reduce the water flow while adding air when you turn on the faucet. Low flow toilet may be an expensive investment, but you’ll be surprised at the amount you’ll save in the long run.
Energy conservation
If your existing bathroom is poorly insulated, it means higher heating and cooling expenses. Make sure you include insulating the hot-water pipes during your bathroom installation. You can also replace your old and inefficient water heaters with newer energy saving models. Try to install a tankless water heater in bathrooms that don’t get used much. Energy efficient lighting, when combined with natural lighting, will help cut down your energy costs.
Filed under: Fort Collins Plumber, Plumbing Repair
While remodeling your kitchen can be very exciting, it can also lead to frustration and stress if things don’t work out as smoothly as you had planned. Small glitches and minor setbacks at the time of remodeling can lead to delay and also cost you extra funds. Below are some very common kitchen plumbing mistakes made by Fort Collins homeowners that can be avoided during the process of remodeling:
Install sink before cabinets:
Usually, when customers ask the plumber to install a mounted sink under the counter, the piping in the wall ends up being extremely high which leads to the sink getting installed deeper inside. As a result, the backside of the new cabinet has to be trimmed or cut in order to lessen the height of the piping. You might also need to get the new cabinets pulled out completely to fix the piping.
New flooring for dishwasher and cabinet:
Many a times, when plumbers come to install a new dishwasher, it is difficult to get the old one out as no new flooring was put under it. In order to cut down on cost, it was simply put around the new cabinets or the old existing ones. Fix the problem by pulling out the dishwasher and cabinets and installing new flooring under them.
Leveling:
While installing a sink on their own, many people forget the simple concept of leveling which can actually save you a lot of repair expenditure in the future.
Filed under: Air Conditioner Maintenance, Air Conditioning
Maintenance service vs service call
With 300 days of warm sunshine a year, A/C maintenance is important in the city of Fort Collins. Maintenance service helps the A/C unit to last longer as well as save on expensive repairs. It will help a technician catch minor problems and inexpensive repairs. If maintenance service is not done, the minor problem can develop into a full-blown A/C breakdown which will mean a service call and shelling out big bucks.
Timing and frequency
Even though your A/C unit may be working just fine, it is a good idea to get your unit inspected by a licensed technician from time to time. A/C maintenance service should ideally be done once a year if it’s a fairly new unit and is under warranty. At least two service maintenance schedules are recommended if it’s an old unit. Timing the maintenance service before the hot months approach is a good idea. Doing this will save you from repairs and will cost you less energy to cool your house.
What to include in an A/C Maintenance Inspection
Your experienced technician should ideally check the unit for refrigerant leaks. If a leak is found it should be repaired immediately and refrigerant that’s leaked out should be removed. The inspection should ideally capture and repair leaks in the ducts. Measuring the airflow through the evaporator coil, checking the A/C capacitor and verifying the accuracy of the thermostat is also important. Moving parts need to be lubricated and electric controls and terminals should be inspected thoroughly.
Filed under: Bathroom Repair, Fort Collins Plumber
Plan well before remodelling your bathroom
A bathroom remodelling job is quite complicated. It involves a variety of construction areas, including plumbing, flooring, work on countertops as well as fixture install. In case of a new construction, there is a certain degree of freedom, which isn’t there in case of a remodelling job. So that needs to be taken into consideration as well.
Update bathroom fixtures but not indiscriminately
Before you update any bathroom fixtures, decide which ones will stay and which one you want to get rid of. Also to keep your budget within limits and reuse as much as possible. For example, if you want to update the tub or the sink, you can retain the commode as it is unlikely to have gone out of style. If the bathroom is small, you can think of ways to increase the space with innovative use of fixtures. If it is a master bathroom, the only limit to your imagination is your budget.
Professional help is important
On paper, a bathroom remodel might seem a simple job, but once you start the complications keep multiplying. Hiring a professional to get the job done in your Fort Collins home is ideal. Take for instance the tub; if you updated to a new tub then it needs to be fitted first before the drywall construction is carried out. Similarly, if you decide to retain the old toilet a lot of work needs to be done before you can start using it. New bathroom fixtures would mean that the old toilet would have to be moved, even if by a couple changes. To accomplish this, a major plumbing job would be required.
Filed under: Efficiency Tips, Fort Collins Plumber, Plumber Tip
Before leaving Fort Collins for a vacation, you need to perform several tasks to ensure that your home is safe and secure. It is also important to take care of the HVAC and plumbing system in your home to prevent an expensive plumbing system repair after getting back from the holiday. It is important to keep the plumbing system protected if you are on a long vacation away from Fort Collins, especially if you want to avoid stepping into a flooded home. Here is what you should do to prevent unnecessary plumbing system repair.
Shut down toilet valves and heaters
It is important to turn off the water heater and other valves in your home if you are away for more than a week. Turning off the toilet valves and heaters will help you reduce energy wastage and other accidents. When you are away from Fort Collins, there is no need for your plumbing system to be active especially if you want to prevent emergencies after getting back. Once you are home, you can always turn on the heater and wait a few hours for it to work again.
Check main water pipes
Water overflowing in your main water supply is a fairly common occurrence and can be prevented as well as controlled easily. When you are going on a vacation, it is important to turn off the main water supply completely. Allowing your pipes to dry over time can also prevent them from bursting in case of water freezing or clogging. Before you opt for plumbing system repair in the holidays, it is important to hire plumbing professional for a thorough inspection to prevent accidents.
Filed under: Furnace, Furnance, Heating
Be safe
You can increase the life of your furnace and keep it running at optimum levels by conducting regular inspections. Many people in Fort Collins decide to take up inspection and repair work furnaces on their own but these tasks are best left to professionals. However, before you attempt any furnace maintenance work, make sure everything is safe. Switch off all power supplies to the heating system and don’t attempt to tackle anything if you smell gas. Call the fire department immediately.
Furnaces should be cleaned
The most effective furnace maintenance tip is to clean the furnace periodically. Replace the filters regularly as they can get clogged with debris and dirt. Also clean out the belts, blower assembly and pulleys. Clean these parts of a furnace with a damp cloth and you don’t need to use too much force.
Air filters must be replaced
This is the easiest furnace maintenance task that you can do all by yourself. Filters get clogged with lint, debris and dust, which can reduce the efficiency of furnaces and cause them to malfunction. A furnace filter is located between the air duct and the blower or in the door of the blower and must be replaced twice a year.
Inspect regularly
The best furnace maintenance tip is to get your furnace inspected periodically by professionals. Regular inspection prevents expensive problems and repair work later on and keeps the heating system as efficient as possible. Make sure to get your furnace inspected thoroughly during the end of heating seasons.
Filed under: Plumber Tip, Plumbing Repair
Frozen pipe prevention is perhaps the number one priority in all Fort Collins home this winter. This is a process that should begin well in advance. On an average, a Fort Collins home experiences frozen pipes at least once in its lifetime. But, with little care and precaution, frozen pipes are something that can be completely avoided. Here are some simple useful tips that can help you with frozen pipe prevention for your Fort Collins home.
Insulation
The first thing you need to do for frozen pipe prevention in the Fort Collins area is to make sure that your pipes are well insulated. You can start early by fixing any leaks, damages and replacing any worn out plumbing fixtures in your home. If you have already experienced a frozen pipe, it would be a good idea to replace this portion of the pipe as it would be quite stressed and is highly prone to burst. Simple things such as covering your pipes in vulnerable areas with insulation material can help in frozen pipe prevention.
Checking drafts
Drafts are not only responsible to take heat from your home but it can also cause frozen pipes in many cases. This generally occurs in the basement. As a result, it is always a good idea to check the pipes in the basement at least once every week during winter for any frost build-up. Always make sure that you conduct an energy audit to identify and control the draft right before the onset of winter.
Filed under: Efficiency Tips, Fort Collins Furnace, Fort Collins Heating
Reducing heating bills in your Fort Collins home is perhaps is a priority for any homeowner. However, many homes end up spending more than they should, without obtaining a significant change in terms of reduced heating bills. There are plenty of simple and easy things you can implement to make sure that your heating bills are cut by a significant amount for your Fort Collins home.
Smart use of the thermostat
The thermostat is something that you may not want to mess around with in the winter. In many cases, your thermostat may be set to heat your home more than you require. As a result, getting it down will not only help in reducing your heating bills, but will make sure that your furnace (if you have one) works in a more efficient manner while staying warm at the same time.
Drafts
Drafts are another major contributors that work against reducing heating bills for your Fort Collins home. Drafts not only carry fresh cold air into your home but also make sure that warm air leaks into the atmosphere. This can make every effort that you have put in place go waste as all the heating and energy is simply lost to the atmosphere. A simple energy audit right before the onset of winter can help you resolve this issue quickly and make sure that your home stays warm without spending a fortune.
Filed under: Heating
A heating system replacement is an important decision to take, so Fort Collins homeowners must find the correct one for their specific requirements. Most furnaces last for 20 to 25 years, meaning you will have to exercise extra care when purchasing one. Choosing the best heating system to meet your requirements can be a bit confusing. You will have to determine whether you need one that operates on oil or gas, the right efficiency rating, the type of forced air furnace that will best suit your needs.
Reasons to replace your heating system
A furnace begins to lose its efficiency after a certain point. Older units will remain in working condition, but will not have the same energy efficiency as some of the newer models. They can make your electricity bill shoot up like clockwork. The heating systems available today come with efficiency ratings of 97 per cent while the old units run at 65 per cent or less.
Replacement due to safety concerns
The safety of your furnace is crucial regardless of whether you’re using a propane or gas heating system. The unit will have to be replaced in case there are signs of corrosion or carbon monoxide in the heat exchanger. While older furnaces may be safer in this case, they do not provide the same energy efficiency offered by some of the newer models. Models older than 15 years have the potential to cause serious damage to life and property if not well-maintained, making energy efficiency furnaces a great option for homeowners.
Posted on July 21st, 2014 by admin
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