Few things disrupt your home life faster than a plumbing issue. Whether it’s a dripping faucet, a clogged drain, or a significant leak, plumbing problems can make your home a headache. But don’t worry, Topeka residents! With this knowledge, you can tackle common plumbing woes and navigate the world of Topeka plumbing repair.
For some fundamental issues, tackling the problem yourself might be feasible. Here’s when DIY solutions might work:
And if these DIY solutions give you stress, don’t hesitate to call your local reliable plumber.
However, when faced with more complex issues, contacting a professional Topeka plumber is recommended:
Knowing how to choose a qualified plumber is as important as knowing when to call one. Here are some tips:
Taking proactive steps can help prevent plumbing problems before they arise. Here are some tips:
By understanding common plumbing issues, knowing when to call a professional, and taking preventative measures, you can keep your Topeka home’s plumbing system flowing smoothly. Remember, a little knowledge and proactive care can save you from that sinking feeling when you have a plumbing issue!
Furnace service should be done regularly to ensure proper operation. The frequency of maintenance depends on the age and type of furnace, but it is generally recommended that an annual tune-up be performed in the fall before cold weather sets in. Additionally, it may be necessary to call for furnace service if you notice any strange noises coming from your unit or if your energy bills seem abnormally high.
It is best to call a licensed and certified HVAC technician for service. A qualified professional can properly diagnose any issues with your unit and make the necessary repairs or replacements. They will also be able to ensure that your furnace is operating efficiently and safely. Lower Plumbing, Heating, and Air techs are licensed and certified to repair and service any furnace in and around The Topeka service area.
Yes, it is very important to have your furnace serviced regularly. Regular maintenance can help prevent major repairs and breakdowns and improve your unit’s efficiency. Additionally, a tune-up will help ensure that all safety features are working correctly and that any potential hazards are identified and addressed before they become an issue.
Furnace service may lead to furnace repairs, depending on the issue. A qualified technician will inspect your unit and diagnose any problems. If repairs are necessary, they will estimate the cost of parts and labor before proceeding with the repair.
Your HVAC is an essential system in your home. Taking care of it will extend the life of your units, ensuring you get the maximum life from your investment. If your system is old, chances are it is less efficient than the units manufactured today.
If the furnace has been serviced/maintained for a long time, we suggest you start there! Contact the Furnace experts at Lower Heating to schedule your furnace service today.
Congratulations! You’ve decided to build a new home. New home construction is an exciting time. It can also be overwhelming for all the systems that go into a home. When you take the plunge into new home construction, you want to do it right. Building a home means you can choose the layout and options that fit your lifestyle. It’s a big time and money commitment. You want the people and companies working on your new home to provide quality workmanship.
After a new home’s foundation is poured and framing installed, everything that goes inside the walls is next. That includes plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. Developing and installing an HVAC system properly in a new home is of the utmost importance. Ductwork throughout the home distributes heated or cooled air. Systems that are ill-planned can cause cold or hot spots and rooms that are never comfortable, making that space useless. Strategically planning indoor and outdoor unit locations and properly placing ductwork and vents is unique to every new home. Lower Plumbing, Heating, and Air in Topeka, KS, can do it all. They have the knowledge and experience to create an ideal HVAC system for your new home. They will create a computer layout of your home and plan the entire system. They have a complete in-house shop, fully stocked with supplies to design and build custom ductwork. Their sheet metal fabricators have years of experience. Your new home construction HVAC system will be completed and installed in the time frame promised. They will work with the other construction vendors to ensure all systems work together.
Additional systems may also be needed in your new construction. Water lines, gas lines, and interior plumbing are essential. Just like HVAC installation, Lower can provide complete plumbing services. From pipes to fixtures, they can do it all. Outfit your home correctly with quality installation, workmanship, and equipment. Your forever home needs great water pressure, consistent hot water, and fabulous fixtures. Rely on Lower, a one-stop-shop for HVAC and plumbing, two majorly important systems in a newly constructed home.
Building your dream home may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Get it done right the first time so you won’t have to deal with constant repairs and issues. Lower has served the Topeka, KS, area for over 45 years in residential and commercial HVAC and plumbing. They have the experience to help with your new home construction. Are you remodeling your home? Adding on? No matter what the situation, call Lower at (785) 357-5123 or contact them online to discuss your needs and get a quote. You’ll be glad you partnered with the experts at Lower.
This article was originally published in September 2018 and has been recently updated.
Finding an honest mechanic is like hitting the lottery and cars need maintenance to last longer and run more efficiently. They have many moving parts that work together and can wear out. The same can be said for HVAC equipment and technicians. Regular maintenance is needed for all HVAC systems and finding a knowledgeable and honest technician is essential. Knowing who to call when heating and air conditioning service is required gives you peace of mind.
Annual heating and air conditioning service can help your entire HVAC system run more efficiently. Much like a car engine and its transmission, the furnace and AC units work together for whole house comfort. When colder months come around, service on your furnace is a good idea. Avoiding heat issues before they crop up can save you from waking up to a cold house in the dead of winter. During a furnace maintenance visit, the coils and blower are cleaned, all moving parts are lubricated and checked, and the filter is replaced. All connections are ensured and proper ventilation established or maintained. The entire furnace is looked over for any issues or worn parts.
After the winter cold begins to move on, and warmer temperatures are on the horizon, having your AC serviced is a wise choice. Similar to a furnace service visit, when maintaining an AC unit, all parts are checked. Testing, cleaning, filter replacing, lubricating and checking is all done in one visit. Extending the potential life of your unit is the primary goal by increasing efficiency. The harder your AC unit has to work due to problems or worm out parts, the shorter its potential lifespan.
Many of us often take our heating and AC for granted. But just like any large equipment or significant investment, your HVAC system needs maintenance. Waiting until you have a problem can be much more expensive in the long run. Not only can heating and air conditioning service increase efficiency and extend the life of your system, but it can save on monthly energy bills. Service to your system can also alert you to potentially fatal issues coming in the future. This is important should your system need replacement. Knowing your furnace may not make it through the next season can help you budget for replacement or extensive repairs. When you call on Lower Plumbing, Heating & Air, Inc., they can provide honest evaluations, letting you know at what point that replacement may be better than repairs. They will send out an experienced and knowledgeable technician that you can trust. Lower is interested in having you as a customer for life. Learn more about Lower the company and why they’ve been in business since 1971. Then call (785) 357-5123 or contact Lower online to get your heating and air conditioning service calls scheduled.
Scott Emperley has worked at Lower since 1993. He started as an apprentice and worked his way to management. In 2014, Scott and Rory Brees were approached by the owner Chuck, to consider purchasing the business. In 2016 the business was purchased by Scott and Rory. Lower started in sheet metal and HVAC service and installation. Commercial plumbing and HVAC services were added. Scott and Rory implemented plumbing service in the business in 2001.
The team members at Lower have always been nonunion. From Scott’s perspective they wanted to have a more personable work team. They wanted to have a family-oriented atmosphere in their business.
Scott enthusiastically believes that what sets their business apart from other similar companies in the area is the people. Scott believes Lowers has the best people in Topeka.
Our relationship with the people who work with us have has always been excellent.
As a company in business for 50 years, we can honestly say we’ve been through thick and thin. And we always go back to the employees that work for Lower. They are the ones that keep things going. Looking ahead, we plan to continue to grow. I admit that it’s a bit of a challenge to find the kind of team members we have. But we’re not in a hurry. So finding the right team members is the most important aspect of our business growth.
Scott also believes it’s essential to reach out to local schools to educate and reinforce the idea that the trades are a good option for many high school students looking for long-term employment opportunities. There is a significant need for young people to become interested in HVAC, plumbing and electrical.
One of Scott’s challenges is that not as many homeowners in Topeka are aware that Lower offers plumbing services. Plumbing services were added to the company in 2001.
Scott and his daughter.
Scott is proud of Lower’s full-service sheet metal shop. The sheet metal shop makes custom duck work for residential homes. They also create specialized projects for customers. A few weeks ago, the Lower Sheet Metal Shop made pans for rabbit cages for a customer that raises the animals. They also make metal guttering and soffit trim for several roofing companies here in Topeka and ductwork for other companies. It’s a niche market, Scott remarks.
Scott and Rory knew purchasing Lower was an excellent business opportunity. Scott says he doesn’t know many people who don’t dream of owning their own business. Scott knows with 40 employees and their families to take care of, he and Rory have a lot of responsibility and they take that responsibility very personally. Scott never wants to see anyone leave, and he is focused on taking care of the people they do have. He feels like they have a big family at Lower. “As owners, we see how our business affects everyone in it,” Scott says.
They’ve never let a team member go for lack of work, and they’ve had four people retire. Recently, one of their retired team members came back to work part-time. “When we find good people, we do our very best to keep them.”
Scott says the bottom line is this: Lower has a large customer base, and they have the best team members. After 50 years in business, Scott knows that any success they have is largely due to taking care of their employees and the employees taking care of the customers.
“That’s the way we want to run our business.”
After 50 years in business this seems to be working.
Serving Topeka and the surrounding area for over 47 years, Lower Plumbing, Heating and Air can handle all types of commercial HVAC needs. From a small mom and pop storefront to a large corporate store or factory, Lower is ready to help.
Are you building your dream business? Have you worked hard all your life to get to the point where you can finally be your own boss? With all that effort put into this dream, of course, you want it done right. Lower is your go-to HVAC partner to create an HVAC plan and build it in your new business. Whether your business is brand new construction from the ground up or retrofitting an existing building, Lower can provide expert advice, planning, ductwork and installation of all your HVAC needs. Experience and knowledge count when it comes to commercial HVAC. Lower has both. They can recommend proper HVAC equipment sizing, optimal location planning and efficiency levels for any type of commercial building.
There are many options these days when it comes to commercial HVAC equipment. Lower can help any business owner through the process of finding the right fit for their particular business and budget. HVAC options range from central air to older boiler units. Lower can help business owners weigh the option to repair or replacement and existing system and what that means for the long term. They can also install more modern and efficient options such as ductless, variable refrigerant flow and geothermal systems helping to save business owners money in the long run. These options allow companies to heat or cool individual rooms with or without ductwork and to be more environmentally conscious. Commercial HVAC needs are very different than residential. Lower can guide new business owners in the right direction for their specific needs.
Lower has worked in conjunction with many large companies such as Home Depot, for installing and maintaining commercial HVAC systems. Large trucks, cranes and even helicopters have been used in these installation projects. In addition, local government has partnered with Lower to construct new HVAC and plumbing systems in their buildings. Farley Elementary School was a big project that Lower worked on from the very beginning all the way to the finished product. There is no job too big or too small. Call (785) 357-5123 to speak with the commercial HVAC experts at Lower today. They know how important your business is and how crucial it is to keep your doors open. Rely on Lower for all you need to know when it comes to commercial HVAC.
Spring has officially sprung, and with it, the promise of warmer summer weather is not far away. Pretty soon your HVAC system will shift from pumping out warm air to blowing a cool breeze in your home. That makes now the perfect time to take a peek at your AC unit to ensure it is working properly. The good news is that there are things you can do yourself to help your AC unit. These DIY AC maintenance tips are easy and important for proper function of your air conditioner.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve even looked at your AC unit, don’t feel bad, you’re not alone. Like all HVAC equipment, you don’t really think about it until it stops working. The bad news is that this strategy, or lack thereof, can be more expensive in the long run. Sure, your AC can power through, but years of neglect or lack of maintenance can lead to much lower efficiency and can cut short its lifespan. With proper maintenance, just like a car, your AC can last a very long time. Here are three DIY AC maintenance tips you can do today to help extend the life of your unit and help it run more efficiently.
Room to Breath – Your outdoor AC unit needs room to breathe, or free space around it so it can efficiently draw in air. If branches from close planted bushes have grown up around your AC, inhibiting its ability to pull in air, that makes it have to work extra hard to do its job. Taking some time to trim back bushes and shrubs is an easy way to let your AC breathe. 
Bath Time – If your AC unit seems dusty on the outside vents or on the interior fan blades, a bath is in order. Be sure to turn off power to your system and then simply hose down those surfaces. Removing built up dust can reduce friction on the fan, allowing it to spin more freely.
Filter, Filter, Filter – Yep, it’s time to change your HVAC filter. The air that flows through your system in both warm and cold months travels through a filter. This filter is located in your furnace. Changing this filter out on a regular basis helps the whole system, including your AC unit, to work more efficiently. Grab a box of filters on your next trip to the store and put a reoccurring reminder on your phone so you won’t forget again.
Located in Topeka, KS, Lower Plumbing, Heating & Air is here to help with AC maintenance and so much more. If your unit was not performing well last year, now is a great time to have a Lower technician take a look. Providing honest estimates and quality repairs or maintenance is their specialty. The DIY AC maintenance tips above are important, but proper maintenance on the inside is essential. With many moving parts that need lubrication and electrical connections that need adjusting, having your AC checked is a great idea. Call Lower at (785) 357-5123 to set up an appointment for AC maintenance before the heat of summer is upon us. Stat cool with Lower Plumbing, Heating & Air.
Hard water is something that affects nearly 85% of the homes in the United States. But what exactly is hard water? Regular H2O often has trace amounts of minerals in it like iron, magnesium, calcium or aluminum. These minerals can come from the water moving through limestone, soil, lakes, and rivers or even older plumbing pipes. Hard water is H2O that contains a high mineral count. These extra minerals are not necessarily bad for you, but they can have some unpleasant effects on the water you use in your home. In addition, these water sediments can carry harmful bacteria along with them. So how do you know if you have hard water?
Stains – Excessive iron in your water can lead to reddish-brown stains in your toilet, shower, and sinks. These stains can be very difficult to clean away.
Taste – Water that tastes metallic, like dirt or smells like rotten eggs can indicate a hard water issue.
Soap Scum – White spots on your glasses and dishes could be caused by hard water. Calcium deposits are left behind after the water dries in the dishwasher. This scummy coating can build up anywhere you use water in your home.
Shower Issues – The minerals in hard water react with the soap you use in the shower, making it less effective. It can be difficult to lather up and to rinse away all the soap, leaving residue on your skin. Mineral build up can also clog the shower head reducing water pressure.
Clothes – Laundry detergent won’t perform as well when hard water is present. Clothes can become dingy and stiff. Iron stains can also discolor your clothing and yellow your whites.
Skin Irritation – Leftover soap on the skin can cause dry skin. Dry skin often leads to itchy skin and general discomfort. Those with sensitive skin can be greatly affected and even develop eczema.
All these signs of hard water in your home are frustrating. On top of all these inconveniences, hard water can have a terrible effect on your pipes. Hard water builds up scales of mineral deposits on the inside of water pipes in your home. Just like the arteries in our bodies, continued build up can be disastrous, leading to many plumbing issues. This constricting of water can lead to excessive pressure on your water pipes and backup issues.
The good news is that the addition of a water softener to your home plumbing system can alleviate those issues. A water softener will remove the extra minerals in the water, including calcium, magnesium, iron and more. Improved taste, odor, and effectiveness of sap are only some of the many benefits of adding a water softener. No longer worrying about the buildup of mineral scales on your pipes will give you peace of mind. The plumbing experts at Lower Plumbing, Heating & Air Inc. in Topeka, KS can install a water softener in your home. You’ll be amazed at the increase in quality of living you will experience. Should you have pipes that are clogged or backup problems caused by hard water, Lower can repair those as well. Call (785) 357-5123 or contact Lower online to get your water softener installed quickly. You’re going to love it.
Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing, and Sheet Metal Fabrication
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(785) 357-5123
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(785) 357-0001
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