clogged bathroom drain

Saving Money on Heating and Cooling in Belleville, Illinois

March 15, 2022 by Dan Horsch

The average US household spends as much as $1,500 per year on electricity, but averages have a way of masking true expenses. For instance, a family household in Belleville, Illinois is likely to have a higher winter electric bill than an apartment in someplace with mild weather. Since heating and cooling often represent half of a household’s electric bill, finding ways to cut these expenses is the best way to save overall.

Improve Your Insulation

The energy that you spend on air conditioning gradually leaks away through the walls of your home, and this is unavoidable. However, you lose much more energy from gaps around doors, windows, and cracks. Going to the extent of replacing your home’s insulation is generally less cost-efficient than tackling these sorts of high-loss points. Physically sealing these gaps and covering windows with heavy curtains can cost-effectively reduce energy loss.

Install Thermal Windows

One of the best ways to cut down on heating and cooling energy loss is reducing air exchange between windows and your interior. However, this approach is inherently limited in the results it can get. The optimal way to resolve lost warm and cool air via the windows is to replace your old windows with thermal models.

Thermal windows have a special composition that drastically improves their insulating qualities, which goes a long way to reduce heating and cooling expenses. Depending on factors like the size of your home and the severity of the temperature, thermal windows may be able to quickly pay for themselves.

Schedule Routine AC Maintenance

The next way to reduce your heating and cooling expenses involves boosting the efficiency of your AC unit. Extended use can degrade efficiency and cause your unit to expend more energy to achieve the same results, and a lack of maintenance compounds this effect. Scheduling routine maintenance for your air conditioning unit and our team at Morrison Plumbing can help keep it at peak efficiency for the duration of its lifespan.

New AC Installation

If you use an older air conditioner, then you might be able to save considerably by upgrading to a newer system. Modern models are considerably more efficient, particularly those with Energy Star accreditation. Installing a natural gas heating system can also pay for itself in the long run, as this is a highly cost efficient way to heat your home. If you’re wondering what’s right for you, reach out to Morrison Plumbing for a consultation on how to cut your heating and cooling bills.

Call Morrison Plumbing

Morrison Plumbing is an experienced HVAC company with some of the best plumbers in Belleville, IL. We’re a one-stop solution for any plumbing, heating, and cooling services you need, such as:

AC repair
AC maintenance
AC installation
Video drain inspection for clogged drains, cleaning services
Services for clogged kitchen drains and clogged bathroom drains

As a trusted local business, we’re dedicated to providing the best service to our Belleville, IL neighbors. If you need HVAC services, get in touch with us today at (618) 703-5700.

Is a Burning Smell Normal When I Turn on the Heat?

February 21, 2022 by Dan Horsch

If you’ve just turned on the heat for the first time this season and noticed a burning smell, you might be concerned that something is wrong with your furnace. Before you call a furnace repair service, such as Morrison Plumbing in Belleville, IL, you should note that there are several types of burning smells that can occur when you turn on the heat, and that not all of them are harmful.

Burning Dust

It is normal for heaters to smell like burning dust when you turn them on for the first time in several months. While the system is not in use, dust builds up on the vents and on other parts, leading to a bad smell when it burns off when you turn on the heat in winter.

This kind of smell should quickly dissipate. It is usually only present the first time you turn on the heat after a long period of not using your furnace. If the smell persists or gets stronger, you should seek advice from a furnace maintenance service.

You can reduce the strength of the early season dust-burning smell by cleaning your HVAC system before you turn on the heat for the first time. Clean vents, furnace, and any other accessible parts of the system, or contact a furnace maintenance service for a clean and tune-up before winter begins.

Other Burning Smells

Other types of burning smells, such as a smell of burning plastic or an electrical burning smell, should be investigated by a furnace repair company. Furnaces that are in regular use should not produce bad smells of any kind. In particular, electrical burning smells need to be investigated right away to prevent any risk of a fire breaking out in your home.

Troubleshooting Burning Smells

One troubleshooting tip that you can follow to investigate burning smells is to check the ducts to see if there are any objects stuck inside them. Small plastic objects, such as toys, can get stuck in vents and go unnoticed until you turn on the heat and they start to melt. If you find the object that is causing the problem, you can turn off the heat, wait for it to cool down, and then remove it.

If you cannot find the source of the burning smell that your heating system is producing, then it is time to contact a furnace repair service. Morrison Plumbing provides timely and reliable furnace repair all year around to ensure that you can heat your Belleville, IL home safely and efficiently.

Get in touch with Morrison Plumbing on (618) 703-5700 to get help with burning smells. We take calls seven days a week, so don’t delay – give us a call today!

Top 10 Furnace Safety Tips for Your Home This Winter

February 15, 2022 by Dan Horsch

As a Belleville, IL homeowner, our team at Morrison Plumbing knows the importance of practicing furnace safety during the winter. Here are 10 tips to help you and your home stay safe when getting your furnace ready for cold weather.

1. Keep Snow Away

Snow isn’t uncommon in Belleville, IL, so make sure you’re keeping snow away from your furnace. Ice or snow blocking the intake or exhaust of your furnace can be dangerous and lead to expensive furnace repairs.

2. Clean Around Your Furnace

Airflow is important when it comes to heating your home, so make sure the area around your furnace is clean by sweeping any dust or debris away from the bottom of the unit. We recommend sweeping and inspecting your furnace at least once or twice a month.

3. Keep Kids Away

If you’ve got kids at home during the winter, the last thing you want is for them to explore the furnace. Your heating system can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing, so make sure to keep the door of your furnace latched, and any small hands out of sight!

4. Change Your Filter

Air filters are the most important part of furnace maintenance, so change your air filter at least once every three months to lower the risk of winter HVAC problems and maintain good indoor air quality.

5. Schedule a Tuneup

Just like your plumbing system needs maintenance due to clogged drains, your HVAC system needs regular maintenance to stay clean. Before winter arrives, have your furnace and ducts cleaned.

6. Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can lead to serious health problems when people are exposed to it. An improperly vented or malfunctioning furnace can lead to carbon monoxide exposure, so make sure your carbon monoxide detector is working!

7. Test Smoke Alarms

Fires are another potential risk when you have a furnace in your home, so it’s important to make sure your smoke alarm is working in addition to your carbon monoxide detector. You can even install a combo unit during furnace installation that checks for smoke and carbon monoxide.

8. Watch for Problems

It’s smart to keep an eye on your furnace to make sure you catch problems early. If your furnace isn’t providing enough heat, is making a loud noise, or is tripping your carbon monoxide detector, you should call a technician.

9. Take Care of Repairs Early

Nobody likes spending money on HVAC repairs, but it’s a necessary evil if you want to reduce the risk of dangerous furnace problems. If the furnace in your Belleville, IL, home is having any problems, get them fixed before winter arrives and you need your furnace.

10. Use Your Furnace Right

Proper operation is key to taking care of your furnace, so don’t blast the heat and try using a programmable thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature.

If you need furnace maintenance and repairs in the Belleville, IL, area, Morrison Plumbing has you covered. Contact us today or call us at [hls_phone_number]

How to Know When Your Drains Need to Be Cleaned

November 15, 2021 by Dan Horsch

Drains that need to be cleaned provide several warning signs before they become completely blocked. If you notice any of the following signs of clogged drains, contact a local plumbing service, such as Morrison Plumbing in Belleville, IL, to schedule a drain cleaning service.

A dirty kitchen sink that is draining slowly due to a clogged drain in Belleville, IL.

Slow Draining

Drains that need to be cleaned gradually start to take longer and longer to clear water from your basin, tub, or shower. If you notice that you have a clogged kitchen drain or clogged bathroom drain that is functioning much more slowly than usual, then you need to contact a plumbing service right away, before the drain becomes so badly blocked that water cannot flow down it at all. Morrison Plumbing offers a drain cleaning service that can get your drains back up to full speed.

Bad Smells From Your Drain

Clogged drains can often smell terrible due to the organic material that collects inside them and starts to rot. In the case of kitchen drains, the bad smell usually comes from scraps of food that have been washed into the drain and are sitting there decaying. Bathroom drains can smell bad due to old clumps of hair or even sewage backflow. Any time you notice a bad smell coming from your drains, it’s best to call in the plumbers to deal with it. Trying to deal with a bad drain smell on your own can be an extremely disgusting job and you might not be able to fully solve the problem without professional help.

A plumber inspecting a kitchen sink drain for a clog and providing reliable drain cleaning services in Belleville, IL.

Frequent Blockages

Are you constantly having to use a plunger on your toilet, shower drain, or clogged floor drains? Drains that block frequently are a sign that there is a major obstruction somewhere in your plumbing system, which you need to deal with sooner rather than later. Get in touch with Morrison Plumbing in Belleville, IL so we can solve the problem for you before it becomes an emergency.

Gurgling Noises From Your Drain

Clogged drains can be very noisy. If you notice your drains or toilet making a gurgling noise, then you should take that as a warning sign of a major blockage to come. Often the noise arises when water flows down another drain in your home, signaling a clog lower down in the plumbing system. Gurgling drains are annoying at best and a sign of an impending major blockage at worst, so it’s best to act now rather than trying to ignore them.

Whenever you suspect your drains might need cleaning, you can contact Morrison Plumbing to schedule a drain cleaning. We also offer a clog removal service for drains that have gone too long without cleaning and are now completely blocked. Get in touch with us any day of the week at [hls_phone_number] to find out how we can make your drains cleaner and more functional.