Design Comfort Blog

What You Can Do to Prevent Frozen Pipes

October 28th, 2019

icicles-hanging-from-pipeIf you’ve lived in the Holladay area through even just one winter, then you know we’re notorious for our cool and dry temperatures during the winter. You also, of course, know that colder weather comes with snow, and ice!

The development of ice means you need to move fast to protect and prepare your home before winter arrives in earnest. Do you have drafty doors allowing warm air to escape from your living space? Is your indoor air quality in good shape, or could you use a whole-house humidifier this season? Last but certainly not least, is your plumbing system prepared for the season? Just a couple of consecutive days of below 30°F temperatures can result in frozen pipes, which create a huge problem. We’re going to discuss below how you can prevent this, but first, why is it such an issue?

Read full article

How to Determine If You Need a Water Softener

October 14th, 2019

tapwater-flowing-into-sinkToday, most municipal water supplies have a heavy level of filtration and conditioning before they get to your home plumbing. And if you’re using ground water through a private well, then you may have your own water treatment system on-site to filter out contaminants. Something most homeowners don’t realize, however, is they may be missing protection from hard water.

What’s hard water, you ask? It’s water with a high level of minerals in it—namely, calcium, magnesium, and iron. They’re all harmless to ingest, but can do a whole lot of damage to your plumbing system over time. Hard water should be taken care of with a whole-house water softener right when the water enters the home, before it has a chance to put your pipes out of commission. Keep reading to learn some signs that you may be suffering from hard water, and therefore would benefit from a water softener!

Read full article

End-of-Season AC Care Tips

September 30th, 2019

top-view-of-an-outdoor-ac-uitCan you tell when you’re in need of air conditioning repairs? The symptoms aren’t always clear, so we don’t blame you if you can’t.

Air conditioning repair is one of those services that you don’t want to wait on—delaying repairs can leave you without a functioning cooling system when you need it the most. That said, we understand if you don’t want to call in a professional unless you know your air conditioner is malfunctioning. So, we’ve provided some insight below on how to look for suspicious AC scenarios.

Read full article

Can Improving AC Efficiency Prevent Repair Needs?

September 16th, 2019

white-question-mark-on-blue-circlePerhaps not directly, but by helping your air conditioner work more efficiently, you definitely lower the risks of needing emergency repairs. Bear with us and we’ll elaborate.

Let’s face it, if you’ve lived in the Salt Lake City area for even just one summer, you know how much of a workout air conditioners get. Fortunately, today’s air conditioners are very durable and designed to handle that heat—so long as they are cared for properly.

Caring for your air conditioner includes doing all that you can to make sure it’s able to perform as efficiently as possible. And lucky for you, there are a number of methods out there to not only boost system efficiency and lower your cooling costs, but also prevent repair needs, as well. Read on to learn more!

Read full article

“What’s That Funny Noise My AC Is Making?”

September 2nd, 2019

outdoor-ac-unitWhile it may seem like summer only just began, soon enough the official start of fall will be here and we’ll stop using our air conditioners on a daily basis as we have been. With how much work your air conditioner went through this summer we hope you scheduled Salt Lake City HVAC maintenance before the season began. After all, our air conditioners go through a lot, accumulating wear and tear faster than AC systems in cooler regions.

During your air conditioner maintenance appointment, our pros will fully inspect, clean, and adjust your cooling system to make sure it’s performing as efficiently as possible. However, regardless of whether a system has received this service or not, if it’s making a sound you don’t recognize, it’s probably time to call in a pro. What noises, exactly, should you be aware of? Read on!

Read full article

“How Do I Choose the Right AC Repair Technician?”

August 19th, 2019

ac-technician-with-tools-in-pocketsIf you’re like most homeowners, you aren’t just going to let anyone into your home. You don’t know the background of a stranger, nor even what their intentions are. So, why would you hire an AC repair technician without looking into their company, their credentials, and their credibility?

Read on to learn what kind of qualities you should look for when choosing an AC repair technician. Whether it’s a small repair need or your system has completely broken down, you want a contractor you can trust to give you the information you need to make an educated decision about what to do next.

Read full article

Prevent a Midsummer AC Breakdown with This One Tip

August 5th, 2019

gauge-with-too-cold-just-right-too-hot-ratingsDon’t turn your thermostat down!

Yes, that’s right—our one tip to prevent a midsummer AC breakdown is to not turn your thermostat down.

“But wait,” you might be wondering, “what do you mean? Isn’t that the whole point of a cooling system, to cool my home?”

Please bear with us and allow us to explain, below…

Read full article

Is It Too Late for AC Maintenance?

July 22nd, 2019

technician-working-on-air-conditionerTemperatures are steadily increasing as summer progresses, and you just realized that you forgot to schedule your preventive AC maintenance in Salt Lake City, UT. Maybe you can skip it though, just this once? It’s probably too late to have it done now anyway, right?

Well, no.

Unless your system totally broke down and you need to replace it altogether, it’s actually never too late to have your air conditioner tuned-up. This is truly a scenario of “it’s better late than never.” Besides, there are a number of benefits to joining our maintenance plan, which we’ll get to below.

Read full article

Is Your Air Conditioner Hissing At You?

July 8th, 2019

woman-covering-her-ears-from-hearingFirst off—no, there is probably not an angry cat, or a snake, somewhere in your air conditioner. The latter could technically happen, but it’s extremely rare—and if it does happen it’s likely to be a small, harmless critter.

Anyway now that’s out of the way—what is causing that hissing noise coming from the direction of your air conditioner? Also described as a bubbling sound by some homeowners, it seems to resemble the sound a tire makes when air is escaping it.

This, dear homeowner, is likely refrigerant escaping your air conditioner. But what does that mean?

Read full article

These are the Biggest Threats to Your Plumbing System

June 24th, 2019

plumber-using-wrench-to-fix-plumbingNo matter what time of the year it is, there is one system in our homes we use to stay comfortable—our plumbing system. Between your water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, and toilets, could you even imagine going without your plumbing system for a day?

This is why we stress how important it is for homeowners to take good care of their plumbing systems. It’s easy to forget. After all most of your pipes are hidden behind walls, beneath flooring, and in cabinets under sinks. But yearly maintenance from a trusted and reputable plumber will help ensure the entire system performs well and doesn’t suddenly fail on you throughout the years.

Of course, it’s up to you, as well, to avoid some of the biggest threats to your plumbing system. These include:

Read full article