What Causes Toilet Leaks?

February 9, 2019

When you own a home, some things are just inevitable. For instance, at some point, you will probably have to deal with a leaky toilet. If that happens, you cannot leave it unattended since it will cause water damage. However, finding the reason for a leak is often easier said than done. The following are a few common causes of toilet leaks. Broken Tank If a toilet tank experiences an accidental impact, then a crack may form and result in continuous leaking. In this case, the toilet’s fill valve will continue to perform its job of replenishing the tank’s water despite the broken tank, and this causes the leak. Sometimes, these cracks are so slight that it’s hard to see them with the naked eye. If your toilet is leaking, check carefully for a crack. You may be able to seal it with silicone sealant or plumbers’ putty if the crack is small. If it’s large, however, you’ll probably just want to replace the tank, which a professional can do for you. A Stuck Flapper When the flapper becomes stuck, it can cause a big loss of water. Most of the time, this happens when the flush handle sticks. In...

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Can You Save Money By Closing Vents in Unused Rooms?

January 18, 2019

With the rising cost of heating fuel and electricity, you might be thinking of ways to lower your monthly bills. If you have a forced hot air heating system in your Dayton, OH, home, closing one of the vents in a storage space or unused guest room might be at the top of the list. Let’s find out if that is actually an effective means of saving money. The Short Answer Is No Your forced air heating and air conditioning system is installed, balanced and tested with all the vents open. When you close a vent in a room, it will either cause the blower in the basement to circulate less air because it detects added pressure in the line or it tries to push through more air to overcome the blockage it senses in the ducts. One way results in less heat circulating through the house, which means your furnace works harder to keep you comfortable. The other way uses more electricity and damages equipment, resulting in higher utility bills and repairs. Closed Vents Can Cause Damage If your blower increases pressure to push past the closed vent, it can rupture ducting. Constantly calling for heat or cooling can...

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Butler Can Help You Achieve Your 2019 New Year’s Resolutions

January 10, 2019

It’s the start of 2019, and just about everyone has New Year’s resolution. No matter what your resolution is, we wish you luck! And if your resolution include making yourself or your family healthier, or your goal is to save money, can help you achieve your goals through your HVAC systems! We even have some solutions that don’t cost a lot of money so you don’t have to worry about making a big investment to make a positive impact. Read our tips below or watch the video version made by our very own Nick Lamb, owner of : Health Benefits Solutions to make your home healthie by improving your home’s indoor air quality, and your health as a result! These range from a simple filtration upgrade project or duct cleaning to a whole house humidifier and air purification system. Whole Home Humidifiers Health benefits of installing a whole home humidifier: Helps prevent the spread of airborne viruses, especially influenza Airborne particles become heavier and drop, instead of spreading Helps relieve allergy & sinus symptoms Helps prevent sore throats Helps prevent snoring for a better sleep Helps prevent irritation of the throat tissues associated with snoring The whole home humidifier solutions...

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How to Know When My Water Heater Needs Replacing

December 17, 2018

Hot water is a necessity in most homes. It is provided by a water heater. Hot water heaters come in a variety of styles and well as a variety of fuel options. No matter what type you have, you want it to work and it is important to understand what some of the warning signs are that you may need to replace the water heater that you have. Water is on the Floor Any water on the floor under or near your water heater is not a good sign. It can be caused by several different issues but it is best to contact your plumber or HVAC technician to have it diagnosed. No Hot Water When you turn on the tap and the hot water is not hot, that is not something that anyone wants to have happened. A cold shower is never a good way to start the day. Murky or Foul Smelling water This is a serious issue and may be the result of mineral deposits that have eroded the interior of the tank and should be addressed immediately. Noises Coming From Tank If you are hearing sounds that are not normal coming from your water heater it...

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How Do Furnaces Work?

November 15, 2018

Older heating systems are mostly furnaces. During the earlier years, people used to fuel their furnaces with coal and wood. In the modern day, residential furnaces are run by electricity, gas or even propane and operate at high-efficiency rates. But how exactly do they work? The Principle of Forced Air Heating All furnaces, despite the fuel they use, operate on the forced air heating mechanism. You see, the furnace heats air, then blower fans circulate the warmed air throughout the duct system and air vents of a house. In most cases, furnaces use the same duct system as the air conditioner, therefore there is no need to look for extra space for your cooling system. Electric Furnace Instead of using a pilot light like a gas furnace, an electric furnace uses an electrical ignition to start the heating process. The electrical ignition ignites heating elements with conductive coils. Current passes through these coils, and they start to heat the air, which is then circulated by the blowers. The heating is regulated by the thermostat. Gas Furnace In a gas furnace, a pilot light is used to ignite several burners found in the combustion chamber. The burners produce heat which goes...

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Energy Efficiency Tips

October 20, 2018

What if you could save the environment and money at the same time? Most of us would love to do that, which is where energy efficient tips come in. Today Butler Heating & Air Conditioning presents three energy efficient tips for homeowners in Dayton, OH. Reduce all of the costs of powering your home by going more efficient with actions you can take today. Use a Programmable Thermostat All too often we see homeowners who have a programmable thermostat installed but they never use it. What a shame because this is one of the best ways to make your house energy efficient. Start by programming your thermostat when you are at work or away for a length of time. For winter months, set the thermostat for the heating system lower. In the summer and on warm days raise the temperature on your air conditioning. According to the US Department of Energy, this will cut your energy costs by 10 percent. Schedule Professional HVAC Maintenance When is the last time you had HVAC maintenance conducted? Typically, homeowners wait until their heating and air conditioning system is broken before they call for service. However, by getting routine maintenance for your HVAC system,...

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What is a SEER Rating?

September 30, 2018

One of the best ways to judge your air conditioning unit for efficiency is through its SEER rating. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It is a standard that has helped to regulate the AC industry since 2008 and is backed by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. Why should you pay attention to the rating of your air conditioning unit? Here are just a few of the most important reasons. Energy Efficiency The higher that a SEER rating is on an air conditioning system, the more efficient it is, generally. The minimum SEER rating for most new systems is around 14. You should not purchase any new system with a SEER rating below this, because you will have energy bills that are more expensive than you should receive. Older systems may have a SEER rating of around 8 or 9. Ratings of 13 or 14 can be many times more efficient depending on other factors in the home. System Durability The durability of your heating and air conditioning system depends directly on the amount of daily pressure that you put on its infrastructure. The less efficient than a system is, the more work it has to do...

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How to Improve Indoor Air Quality With Plants

August 28, 2018

Plants are a source of great joy and beauty for a lot of people. But they can also help improve health in some cases. Eating certain plants has benefits, but so does putting them in your home. That’s because plants take carbon dioxide from the air and put out oxygen, making it easier for humans and animals to breathe. When you want to improve the indoor air quality in your home, plants are part of the way you can do that. Do Plants Really Make a Difference? If you only have a couple of small plants in your home, they probably aren’t going to make a lot of difference in the overall quality of the air you’re breathing. But if you have many larger plants, you could really improve your air quality. Plants filter out so much that we shouldn’t be breathing, and they work to put more oxygen into the air, too. It’s a great way to enjoy the beauty of nature in your home and also breathe better. People who have allergies, asthma, COPD, and other types of breathing problems may want to consider having more plants in their home, so their air can be as good as...

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Should I Turn My AC Off While On Vacation?

July 11, 2018

Turning off your AC while you are away may seem like the economic thing to do but that is not always the case. Cooling your home to the comfortable temperature is wasteful and unnecessary. If you are going on vacation, you should set the AC to a higher temperature than you usually do. You can use a programmable thermostat to set the desired temperatures at different times. Another way to increase efficiency and reduce the strain on your air conditioner is by keeping all curtains closed. Factors That Determine Whether to Switch Off Your AC While on Vacation Weather Check the forecast for the weather during the period you will be away. If the temperatures are expected to be moderate, it is wise to turn the AC completely off. If, however, temperatures are expected to be very high, then you need to leave it on. Air conditioners facilitate the circulation of air and removal of humidity in your home. If you switch off your AC and the humidity gets too high, it may lead to structural damages to your home including the growth of mold, swelling doors, peeling paint, cracking plaster, and buckling of wooden floors. If the temperatures get...

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What is Preventative Maintenance?

June 12, 2018

Preventative maintenance is a check on your AC system, once a year or twice a year, in order to ensure that it’s in top working order. Checks are usually done in the fall for heating and in the spring for air conditioning. Preventative maintenance on your HVAC system will help make sure it lasts longer, provide cost savings and will keep you comfortable year round. What Will a Technician Do? With preventative maintenance, a professional will come in and look at your system and check controls and connections. They will take a look at the area and the ductwork and help ensure proper airflow. If they notice any issue, they will go ahead and fix it or schedule a repair. Many times with preventative maintenance checks, an issue is caught early before it turns into a larger repair need. Technicians will look at the thermostat settings and help you get optimal heating and cooling, as well as improvements on your energy bills. When you have a preventative maintenance contract with a company, many times, they will offer you a discount on parts needed in order to repair your system and you will also get priority service for these repairs. What...

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