Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Archive for November, 2014

10 Facts You Should Know about Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 27th, 2014

Thanksgiving has been celebrated as an official holiday in the United States for over 150 years, so you may think you understand all there is to know about this family feast. Most of us have heard the story of the pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving in 1621 after arriving in North America on the Mayflower. But did you know that only about half of the people on this ship were actually pilgrims? This fact is one of ten things that may actually surprise you about the Thanksgiving tradition!

  1. Although we often consider Thanksgiving a holiday unique to the United States, many other countries and cultures celebrate their own set of harvest-time and thanksgiving traditions. In Korea, Chu-Sok (or “fall evening”) is put on in remembrance of forefathers on August 15th of every year. Brazil celebrates a contemporary version of the U.S. holiday. Chinese, Roman, and Jewish cultures all have a history of harvest celebrations as well.
  2. President Harry S. Truman began the tradition of a ceremony held before Thanksgiving during which the president receives a turkey. George H.W. Bush was the first to pardon the turkey instead of eating it.
  3. In Minnesota alone, farmers raise over 40 million turkeys a year. In fact, U.S. farmers produce about one turkey for every one person in the country.
  4. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American will gain about one to two pounds every year during the holiday season.
  5. On the other hand, turkey is naturally high in protein and has been known to support and boost immune systems to protect against illness and speed up healing. So feast on!
  6. Abraham Lincoln issued a “Thanksgiving Proclamation” in 1863, but a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale can be credited with the idea. While Thanksgiving had been celebrated at different times of year in many areas of the U.S. for years, it was Hale, prominent magazine editor and author of the rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” who urged Lincoln to finally establish the national event.
  7. President Franklin D Roosevelt once tried to change the date of Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday of the month in order to extend the holiday shopping season and boost the economy.
  8. Only about half of the people on the Mayflower were what we would consider today as “Pilgrims.” The other (approximately) 50 people were simply trying to find a way over to the New World.
  9. Gobble, gobble! Click, click? While male turkeys make a gobbling noise, females (hens) do not; it’s often described as a clicking.
  10. Even though we celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November, the month of June has been declared National Turkey Lovers’ Month by the National Turkey Federation so you can continue the celebration in the summer as well!

From our family here at Red Rock Mechanical, we’d like to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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How to Tell if You Have a Hidden Plumbing Leak

Wednesday, November 19th, 2014

A hidden plumbing leak can mean major trouble for your home. The pipes that make up your plumbing system are installed behind walls, underneath the property, and in the floors or ceilings. Water can slowly leak out and form water spots in the walls that lead to a buildup of dangerous mold and mildew. Or, water can begin to damage the structure of the home, leading to major renovations that may force you to relocate for a period of time.

In any case, you need to be able to sense when a water leak may lead to complications for your home. This may seem easy enough. Oftentimes, there is a pool of water underneath the sink or in the bathtub that indicates trouble. However, usually a plumbing leak isn’t so obvious. When it’s behind the walls or elsewhere in or around your property, you’ll have to rely on the following warning signs to tell you it’s time to call for plumbing services in Montpelier, VT.

  • Dark Spots on the Walls or Ceiling: A dark, damp spot on a wall or ceiling could indicate a pipe leak behind it. Unfortunately, this could also point toward mold or mildew development, so you should be sure to speak with a plumber right away.
  • Grass Growing at Different Rates: If there is a plumbing leak underneath your property, it may cause puddles of water in your yard. Alternatively, you might notice that one patch of grass seems longer or fuller than the rest.
  • Reduced Water Pressure: The water pressure in your home is reduced as soon as there is a leak. Many homeowners tend to ignore low water pressure if showers and other activities are still possible, but this is a problem that deserves your immediate attention.
  • High Utilities: Finally, check your utilities to find any sudden and unusual changes in your monthly water usage.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to speak with a plumber with the right tools for leak detection and plumbing repair. Call Red Rock Mechanical today to make an appointment for professional plumbing services in Montpelier, VT.

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Reasons Your Heating May Become Inefficient This Winter

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

We’ve got snow on the ground and it gets dark early – even though the winter solstice is next month, we’re clearly in our heating season here in Vermont. Trying to keep winter energy bills low is a challenge in our part of the country, so it’s good to be aware of how your heating system can become inefficient over the winter months. However, if you find that your system has become both inefficient and unable to heat your home as needed, it may be time to consider the installation of a new heating system in Stowe, VT. For over 23 years, Red Rock Mechanical has offered comprehensive heating services to Vermonters, so call us today!

Reasons for Inefficiency

Here are some of the more common reasons you may see reduced efficiency from your heating system:

Inadequate Maintenance

It is important that you schedule maintenance for your heating system annually. When your heater has to operate season after season, worn down and dirty from previous seasons, it affects the ability of your heater to work efficiently and effectively. During normal usage, components become dirty and dusty, and natural wear and tear can lead to corrosion. A maintenance appointment is a tune-up for your system, and allows your system to work optimally.

Ignoring Existing Problems

It can be tempting to ignore the signs of existing problems, especially if your heating system is still operable. However, repairs don’t fix themselves, and waiting to make repairs usually creates larger problems that can be even more costly. If you are aware of an existing problem, call for a technician and have it repaired before it creates stress and more potential problems for your system.

Age

The average lifespan for a combustion heating system is 15-20 years. Aging systems can struggle to meet the heating needs of your home, working harder to achieve the heating you need. When an aging system can no longer meet the needs of your home, it may be time to consider a replacement.

An inefficient heater can leave you uncomfortable and cost you money – something no one wants in the middle of a Vermont winter. If it’s time to consider a new heating installation in Stowe, VT, call Red Rock Mechanical today and schedule an appointment with one of our installation experts.

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What to Do if the Toilet Starts Overflowing

Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

One of the most common phone calls we get here at Red Rock Mechanical is the call from the frantic homeowner panicking because the toilet has overflown. If this ever happens to you, don’t fear; there are steps you can take to fix the problem and keep the flooding under control. However, you may need to call a professional to get your toilet up and running like normal. In this guide, we’ll go over how to stop a toilet from overflowing, what to try first to fix it, and how to prevent this from happening in the first place.

How to Stop the Water

Of course, the most important step to protect your home is to find a way to shut off the water. Look for the shutoff valve which shuts off the water to the toilet, usually located by the bottom of the bowl. If you cannot locate this valve, try carefully removing the tank cover and lifting up the float until the water stops. Shutting off the water stops it from overflowing any longer but won’t correct the cause of the overflowing.

Fixing the Problem

To fix the problem, there are a couple of steps you should take. Your toilet is most likely affected by a drain clog that allows water or sewage to back up into the house. If the backup occurs right after you flush, the clog may be localized to the toilet, in which case you may be able to clean up the area a bit and use a plunger to move the clog into the sewer. If this won’t seem to work, the problem might be further along in the drain pipes or the sewer line. In this case, you need a professional to come in and use drain cleaning equipment like motorized drain snakes that will pull out the clog or send it into the sewer.

Preventing Overflowing

An overflowing toilet can be quite an ordeal for any homeowner, and cleanup may feel like a nightmare. Keep this from occurring again by scheduling plumbing maintenance once a year with a skilled contractor. During plumbing maintenance, many of the components of your plumbing system are cleaned and inspected, so you can learn about clogs before they become a disaster.

Call Red Rock Mechanical if you need quality plumbing repair in Burlington, VT.

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