HVAC & Plumbing Blog by DC Cheek Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

What You Should Know About Your Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger

January 24th, 2022

If you’re like many homeowners in the Dunwoody area, you likely have a gas-powered furnace in your home to keep yourself and your family warm. Furnaces are a great heating choice, as they are powerful and very cost-effective.

Today’s furnaces even have a higher efficiency rating than just a short decade ago. In fact, the highest AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating for a gas furnace is 98%. Trust us, that’s efficient!

In addition to high efficiency, you want to know you can rely on safety when it comes to your heating system, right? Gas furnaces certainly are not dangerous by nature. However, if you don’t take care of your furnace as you should, then it can certainly become dangerous.

The most common culprit of a dangerous furnace, especially an older one, is a cracked heat exchanger. Even if you don’t have an obvious problem with your furnace’s heat exchanger right now, if your system is 15+ years old, it’s time to start considering an upgrade.

Read on to learn more!

Here’s How to Detect a Plumbing Leak

January 10th, 2022

We’ve probably all seen those movies or TV shows that show a character discovering a terrible leak when a rainstorm hits, or when they really need to get their home ready for a gathering. These scenes are dramatized and typically involve an aggressive jet of water spewing out a cabinet.

In reality, plumbing leaks are generally not that dramatic. This can be a good thing and a bad thing.

The good news is, you’re probably not going to come home to a completely flooded home with thousands of dollars worth of property damage if you have a leak. The not-so-good news is, the damage you do have from a leak can be hidden–underneath your slab, floorboards, or even behind your drywall.

Some more good news is that there are signs you can watch out for that indicate a leak. If you keep an eye out for those signs and then call our team right away, you may be able to mitigate most of the damage. Read on to learn what these signs are!

Tips for Boosting Heating Efficiency

December 27th, 2021

Heating in Woodstock, GA is a necessity for winter. Especially when the temperature drops to an average of 35°F during the month of January. This doesn’t mean you want to pay an arm and a leg to keep your home cozy.

There are some simple tips you can do to boost the efficiency of your heating system. This will help keep your bills lower through the chilly months.

Signs That It Could Be Time for Repiping

December 13th, 2021

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There’s a component of your home that you rely on each and every day, but probably don’t give a whole lot of thought to–your plumbing system! You rely on it for hot water to bathe with, cook with, clean with, and water to nourish your yard and houseplants.

But what if your pipes are old? Could this cause problems? Yup, it certainly can! Aging pipes are prone to pinhole leaks and corrosion. Sometimes, whole-house repiping is necessary to get this system back in good shape. Read on to find out if it might be time for repiping in your home!

Signs that You Have a Furnace in Need of Repair

November 15th, 2021

When you live in a climate like ours, there’s no denying that air conditioners are pretty important. In fact, you might not even think about your heater very much at all, until a chilly night when it breaks down.

Of course, a furnace breakdown is a lot less likely if you invest in routine furnace maintenance, and schedule repairs as soon as you know you need them. But how do you know you need them? True, we’ll tell you during your maintenance appointment. But also, there may be times between tune-ups that you need a small repair or two. Knowing the signs will help you avoid bigger, emergency repairs. Read on as we uncover what these signs are!

How to Avoid a Kitchen Plumbing Mishap this Holiday Season

November 1st, 2021

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us, but here we are! Soon enough you’ll be making plans to have family over for Thanksgiving and whatever other holiday festivities you decide to have this year.

There’s one thing you should know–the holiday season is actually when we receive the most calls for plumbing services, usually dealing with clogged drains, jammed up garbage disposal systems, overwhelmed water heaters, and clogged bathroom plumbing.

For the purpose of this blog post, we’re going to talk about your kitchen plumbing in particular. Please be sure to read this before proceeding with cooking your next big meal!

How to Avoid Plumbing Emergencies

October 18th, 2021

One of the worst things that can happen in your home is a plumbing emergency. This is because plumbing emergencies are often completely unexpected, intense, and they can have quite the disastrous domino effect. Knowing how to handle a plumbing emergency is vital, but knowing how to prevent the emergency altogether is even better. If you’d like to avoid plumbing emergencies in the future, then you’ve come to the right place.

Of course our plumbers in Duluth, GA care about quality repair service. It’s something that’s integral to our business. Another thing that is important to us is education. We want you to have the resources you need to have a healthy home. Here are some tips you can try going forward…

Voting Open for Best of Forsyth 2022

October 6th, 2021

How would you like to help DC Cheek win Best of Forsyth for the 8th year in a row? You can! Voting is now open for the 2022 Best of Forsyth. Each business category is divided into sub-categories, and voters can participate once a day through the month of October.

Vote Here!

For more information please visit the Forsyth County News’ Frequently Asked Questions Page, or email Forsyth County News at at marketing@forsythnews.com.

We couldn’t possibly be where we’re at without our valued customers. Thank you for your business! Contact DC Cheek Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today for your HVAC and plumbing needs.

Tips for Keeping an Even Home Temperature

October 4th, 2021

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Did you discover this past summer that you had a hot spot or two in your home, particularly upstairs? Or maybe now that nighttime temperatures are cooling down, you’re noticing cool spots in the morning. There are a couple of different possible explanations for this. One could be that you have damaged ductwork which is allowing conditioned air to escape before reaching the rooms where it’s needed. Another explanation is that you don’t have proper insulation!

To determine the true cause of uneven cooling and heating, it’s important to start with a professional home energy audit, which allows our professionals to assess your home’s specific energy loss opportunities. Reach on to learn more about this and other tips to improve your home’s comfort and efficiency!

Slab Leak 101: What You Need to Know

September 20th, 2021

For anyone who’s ever had a slab leak in their home, the term itself can send anxiety coursing through them as they remember the experience of managing it. Slab leaks are among the most insidious of plumbing problems after all, as they are hidden and often don’t show symptoms until a great deal of damage has already been done.

We don’t say this to scare you, but to urge the importance of contacting a professional, and experienced, professional the moment you suspect that your home is experiencing this problem. Read on to learn more!