Tag: cleaning!

A Homeowner's Guide to Duct Cleaning

What Homeowners Should Know About Air Duct Cleaning Services 

A majority of the homes in the US are equipped with ductwork as a part of the central heating and cooling system installed in the home. HVAC technicians do such a good job installing ductwork that most homeowners never even think about it. While the craftsmanship is appreciated, it can lead to neglect that can have negative consequences around the home. 

One of the things that most homeowners don't even realize is an important part of maintaining the air conditioning system in the home is air duct cleaning. All the air in the home passes through air ducts multiple times daily. When air ducts are dirty, they can distribute the grime that has clung to the inside of ductwork into the home's air. Air duct cleaning can help remove this grime and keep the home healthy. Here is a professional's guide to air duct cleaning for homeowners. 

Why Is Duct Cleaning Necessary?

air quality It's no secret that the home can get dirty quickly. With people coming in and out constantly, plus the dirt accompanying daily life, it can be easy to let things get out of hand. As air circulates the home, it picks up the dust and grime that gets tracked into the home and the things that get vaporized while cooking or performing beauty routines. Air vents in the floor accumulate trash as stuff falls into them. 

These things will eventually find their way into the entire air duct system, where they will encourage the growth of mold and bacteria and harbor allergens. Duct cleaning helps to give the ductwork a much-needed reset. The process uses powerful vacuums and brushes that scrub the inside of the ducts to remove all of the build-up that occurs over the years. 

Signs That Duct Cleaning Services Could Help

Duct cleaning is a service that is recommended for every home. Cleaner air can help support good health and give people in the home peace of mind that they are maximizing their wellness. Ductwork cleaning is recommended every three to five years, but there are simple signs that can be noticed that tip the owners off that it is time to schedule service. Those signs include:

  • Musty, stubborn odors 
  • Visible grime on or in air vents
  • Mold problems
  • Humidity problems 
  • Inefficient operation of the AC system
  • Poor health of those in the home 

Tips to Keep the Air Ducts Clean 

filterA professional ductwork cleaning crew can quickly set things right when these signs are noticed. But how can homeowners stretch their ductwork service so they need it less often and enjoy better health between visits? The simple answer is to keep the home cleaner. Changing some housekeeping habits can make air duct cleaning service last and support better health in the home. Some habits to adopt to clean up the air inside the home are: 

  • Change air filters on time
  • Dust weekly
  • Vacuum weekly
  • Sweep daily
  • Keep pets and plants outside or keep them clean
  • Reduce clutter to make housekeeping easier
  • Launder clothing and linens more often 

About B&L Plumbing and Heating

B&L Plumbing and Heating handles plumbing services and a full slate of HVAC services. Their crews excel at keeping the air in the home safe and clean with AC repairs and a membership package. Call today for HVAC service in Colorado Springs, CO. 

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Reasons to Hire a Professional Drain Cleaning Service

Put Drain Cleaning at the Top of the To-Do List

Having seasonal maintenance tasks is a great practice to ensure that all those little things that must be done periodically are remembered. Drain cleaning, for example, is a great habit to get into once a year, and there is no better time than now to stop drain clogs before they wreak havoc in a home. 

When a drain starts to clog, it will start by making gurgling noises and draining slowly. Before long, the drain will stop draining, and homeowners will face the prospect of cleaning up a nasty mess. Instead of dealing with this situation or even having problems with more severe consequences, why not look into professional drain cleaning? Here are some of the benefits of drain cleaning before problems become noticeable. 

Stop Clogs and Buildup 

clogsDrains are expected to handle some of the nastiest messes a collection of humans can make. Whether that includes balls of hair and soap scum in a bathtub drain or a grease-caked drain line in a restaurant sewer main, drains must handle anything. When drains are neglected for too long, they can build up a greasy scale on the pipe walls. This greasy mess slows down the wastewater flow and begins to build faster. Eventually, the flow in the pipe will stop altogether in the form of a nasty clog. 

Routine drain cleaning and hydro jetting are the best ways to prevent this buildup from closing off the pipe and leading to a clog. During routine drain cleaning and hydro jetting, the buildup is removed from pipe walls, restoring flow and drastically reducing the likelihood of a clog. 

Reduce the Chance of Flooding 

fixWhile a clogged drain is a pain to deal with, it is trivial compared to the damage a clogged drain can do. When drains are completely clogged, wastewater has nowhere to go. If basins keep filling up with water, the water will eventually spill out and cause a flood. Floods from clogged drains often take the form of a toilet spilling waste onto a bathroom floor or a sewage backup into bathtubs. The resulting flood can cost far more to clean up, and repair than routine drain cleaning would have cost to prevent the problem in the first place. 

Save on Repair Bills and Cleanup 

How can a service that costs money save money instead? Easy. Hiring a plumbing service for preventative drain cleaning comes at a fixed cost dictated by the local market. When comparing this cost to the cost of hiring an emergency plumber and paying for repairs and cleanup for the resulting flood, it's easy to see why hiring a professional before things go bad is the cheaper option. Why not prevent a clogged drain's surprise costs and hassle and schedule drain cleaning this spring? 

About B&L Plumbing and Heating

B&L Plumbing and Heating is a veteran-owned, full-service plumber serving residential and commercial customers. With complete drain cleaning options and tailored plumbing solutions, they are always ready to help. Call today for a plumbing service in Colorado Springs, CO. 

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Spring Is the Best Time for Drain Cleaning!

No Spring Cleaning Checklist Is Complete Without Drain Cleaning!

Springtime is the perfect season for cleaning. With the longer days and nicer weather, homeowners can open up the windows to let in some sunshine and a nice breeze while they tackle those long-neglected cleaning chores. There’s one area of a home that seldom gets added to the list, however: drains. The kitchen and bathrooms may even get cleaned every week, but many homeowners let their drains go years without a thorough cleaning - and they usually pay the price in clogs, nasty odors, or expensive repairs. Fortunately, this is one spring cleaning task that can (and should) be outsourced to a pro.

Why Routine Drain Cleaning Is So Importantdrain cleaning

Anyone with a clogged drain knows that it’s no fun. Whether it’s a stopped-up sink or a shower that drains too slowly, it makes for a messy and unpleasant experience. And in drains that don’t get cleaned often enough, it’s just a matter of time before a clog forms. Even before the obstruction becomes large enough to affect water flow, it can produce offensive odors as it decays inside the drain. Dirty drains are also more likely to harbor mold and mildew.

Many homeowners turn to store-bought chemical drain cleaners or other DIY methods to battle clogs and odors, but these solutions can damage the plumbing system if used improperly or too often. By hiring a professional, homeowners can be sure their drains are cleaned safely and thoroughly.

Drain Cleaning Methods Used By Professionals

Plumbers and drain cleaning specialists have a few tools and methods at their disposal for clearing clogs and removing nasty buildup from pipes. Flexible metal coils called drain snakes are often used to drill through obstructions and pull them up out of the pipe. However, drain snakes are not very effective when removing mildew or other grime from the pipe walls.

Hydro-jetting is a better method for all-around cleaning and clog removal. With hydro-jetting, the plumber sprays the inside of the pipe with a high-pressure water hose. When using hot water, this is highly effective at clearing blockages and washing nasty residue off the pipe wall - even as far down as the sewer lines.

Keep Drains Clean Between Professional Cleaning Visits

drain visit
Annual spring drain cleanings are the best way to prevent drainage issues and foul smells, but that doesn’t mean the drains should be neglected the rest of the year. There are perfectly safe and easy ways for homeowners to reduce the likelihood of clogs and keep nasty buildup at bay.

Pouring boiling water down the drains will help kill odor-producing germs and flush out oils and other gunk. But it’s even more effective to do this after pouring a generous helping of baking soda followed by vinegar into the drain and letting it sit for several minutes. The fizzy reaction will help break up minor obstructions as well as neutralize odors, so it’s a good idea to do this once a month, at least.

About B&L Plumbing and Heating

The veteran-owned B&L Plumbing and Heating has served Colorado Springs, CO with pride since 1999. Their clean, courteous professionals arrive promptly in full-stocked trucks, ready to answer any question and solve any problem. B&L provides up-front, competitive pricing, tailored options, and 24/7 emergency service with no after-hours fee. Call now for expert drain cleaning services!

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