Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

My Furnace Broke Down: Should I Repair or Replace It?

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

In towns like Plattsburgh, NY heating concerns are quite serious, especially considering how cold our winter has been thus far. A new furnace entails time and investment, which may entice you to just hang on with your old one for a time. On the other hand, you may be experiencing such significant problems that replacement is preferable to repairs. The status of your furnace should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but a few general tips can help you decide what to do.

It usually boils down to a question of cost, and whether this particular round of repairs is worthwhile or simply throwing good money after bad. If the repairs are particularly expensive, or if this single repair costs a great deal of money, it may be preferable to install a new one rather than fixing the old. This gives you the opportunity to install a more efficient heater (which can save you money in monthly bills) and/or a heater that includes technological upgrades such as digital thermostats and variable speed fans. All of that can help offset the additional cost, or at least make that cost worthwhile.

Similarly, the age of the furnace should come into play as well. A newer furnace – especially one still under warranty – should likely be repaired instead of replaced. Otherwise, you won’t be getting your money’s worth out of it. If the furnace is more than ten years old, however, and it’s experiencing serious or more frequent repairs, then the time may have come to replace it with a new unit.

If you’re saying to yourself “my furnace broke down: should I repair or replace it?” then the experts at Red Rock Mechanical can help. Call us for any Plattsburgh, NY, heating repairs you need. We can inspect your furnace to see what the problem is and either instigate repairs or install a new furnace depending on what you need. Our trained staff of experts can answer any questions you may have, then schedule a repair or installation on a timetable that meets your needs. Pick up the phone and give us a call today!

Continue Reading

What to Do When Your Heating Malfunctions

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

What to do when you heating malfunctions depends a lot on your particular circumstances. There always comes a time when sinking more money into an existing heater just isn’t worth it. When your heater malfunctions – especially in the dead of winter, when you need it up and running again fast – you need to look for signs to tell you which decision to make. A brief overview of some of the more obvious signs is included below.

  • Higher heating bills. As your heater wears out, it spends more and more energy to do the same basic job, which translates to higher monthly bills. If you’ve noticed higher costs every month, even though your heater isn’t being used any more than normal, then a malfunction may be the final straw indicating that a new heater is in order.
  • Recurring repairs. It’s quite possible that the malfunction is being caused by something that you’ve had repaired before. Or, it may be that the malfunction comes at the end of a long string of further repairs. Either way, it’s a good sign that your existing furnace is ready to give up the ghost, and you should probably invest in a new one.
  • Age. An older heater isn’t necessarily ready to give up the ghost, but if your heater is more than 10 years old and evinces the kinds of problems described above, it’s definitely time to consider a replacement. You might also want to think abo a replacement if you want a more efficient heater (newer heaters are invariably more efficient than old ones) or if you want to install improved features like a variable speed blower.

Repair or replace? What to do when your heating malfunctions can be extremely tricky to determine. Luckily, the Plattsburgh, NY heating repair experts at Red Rock Mechanical can help. Pick up the phone and give us a call today!

Continue Reading

The Winter Is Already Here: Can I Put off Heating Maintenance for Another Year?

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

We all lead busy lives and sometimes mundane tasks can get put off longer than they should. Case in point: your heating system. Here in Burlington, VT, heating is a serious issue, and ideally every homeowner should schedule maintenance before winter starts in order to ensure that their home is kept warm without undue inefficiency. But life has a way of putting more pressing concerns in the forefront, and homeowners might very well find themselves in the middle of winter without scheduling a maintenance visit for their heater. “The winter is already here: can I put off heating maintenance for another year?” Yes, you can, though like everything else, it comes with a price.

Maintenance basically serves two purposes: to ensure your heater is running at maximum efficiency and to identify potential problem areas.  In both cases, it benefits you to schedule maintenance as soon as possible. In the first case, if you don’t clean off the dust and tighten loos bolts and fittings, the furnace is going to use more energy when it runs. This translates to higher monthly bills for you, as well as increasing wear and tear on individual components overall.

The second purpose is even more significant. If you can’t spot a smaller issue before it becomes a larger one, you run a greater risk of a more serious breakdown: costing you more money and possibly cutting you off from heat in the dead of winter. Considering the severity of the weather this time of year, that’s no small concern.

In light of that, it’s in your best interest to schedule a maintenance visit, even if winter has already arrived. True, you can push it off until next year, but doing so will ultimately cost you money in some form or another. If you need to schedule an appointment, call Red Rock Mechanical today. We work in Burlington, VT, heating maintenance and repair issues are our specialty, and we can help lower your bills and retain a reliable heating system with routine maintenance. Call us today to set up an appointment!

Continue Reading

Common Boiler Repair Problems

Wednesday, December 18th, 2013

In Plattsburgh, many homes use boilers to keep them comfortable all winter long. Boilers are inexpensive to run, and they tend to be more efficient than gas furnace. Boilers are reliable pieces of technology, but like all mechanical devices they can still experience their share of problems, which require a trained technician to repair. Here’s a short list of common boiler repair problems, which you should keep an eye out for when operating your heating system.

  • Leaks. Leaking could stem from the central boiler or anywhere in the piping system, and is often cause by a corrosion of the fittings or damage to the pipe.
  • Low pressure. Low water pressure can be caused by leaks, faulty valves or similar issues. You can spot it by more strange noises in your pipes and by uneven heating in the boiler system.
  • Clogs. Clogs in the system will prevent hot water from reaching the radiators, leaving those areas without proper heat. The clog will need to be cleared and proper flow restored before the issues can be fixed.
  • Broken thermocouple. The thermocouple regulates the flow of gas into the system. When it’s broken, the gas will not flow and the boiler won’t ignite.
  • Broken pilot light. The pilot light ignites the gas in the system. If it goes out, it it’s blocked by build-up or if it’s otherwise impaired, the thermocouple won’t release any gas into the system.

Regardless of the causes of common boiler repair problems, you want a repair service that knows what it’s doing to make it right. In Plattsburgh, boiler repairs can be made by the experts at Red Rock Mechanical: qualified professionals who can get to the bottom of the problem quickly and correct it with maximum efficiency. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad that you did!

Continue Reading

Why Delaying a Gas Furnace Repair May Be Dangerous

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Natural gas heating systems provide one of the most cost-effective ways of heating up your home during the winter. However, people sometimes feel a bit skittish about using natural gas because of safety concerns. We can assure you that modern gas heaters, such as furnaces, are designed today to operate with few potential safety hazards. If you take good care of your furnace with regular maintenance and timely repairs, there is little reason to feel concerned about any health threats to you or your family.

Still, no piece of equipment can operate perfectly 100% of the time, and gas furnaces can have malfunctions that will lead to potentially hazardous situations. Delaying repair on a furnace will make the potential danger increase. When you need gas furnace repair in Burlington, VT, don’t hesitate or let it slide: shut off the gas supply to the heating system and call a professional technician to repair it immediately.

Dangers of delaying gas furnace repairs

The main threat a malfunctioning furnace poses is from carbon monoxide leaking. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, making it difficult to detect. (Some gas suppliers place an additive in the gas to give it a distinctive odor as a safety precaution.) Even a small amount of carbon monoxide inhalation will cause nausea, dizziness, and headaches. This is why we strongly suggest anyone with a gas burning appliance installs carbon monoxide detectors throughout their homes.

Here’s an example of one place where a furnace malfunction will create a carbon monoxide hazard: the thermocouple that detects if the pilot light is on might fail. Since the thermocouple’s job is to shut off the gas in case the pilot light goes out, if the thermocouple fails because of corrosion, unburned gas could start flooding the combustion chamber, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

Regular maintenance on your gas furnace will detect potential issues (such as a rusting thermocouple) and repair them before they become dangerous. However, the moment you notice anything about your furnace’s behavior that seems out of the ordinary—the pilot light going out or its flame changing color, strange booming noises from the burners, or hissing sounds—call in Red Rock Mechanical immediately. Don’t fool around with repairs to a gas heater yourself: its always best to call in a professional.

Continue Reading

What to Do if Your Heating System Breaks Down

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013

We definitely know cold weather in upstate New York, and if your heating system goes down, your home could turn into an icebox within a matter of hours. You need to act quickly both to ascertain the source of the problem, and to summon a Plattsburgh, NY heating repair technician if the situation calls for it. Here’s a quick guide on what to do if your heating system breaks down.

In the first place, try to note any symptoms of the problem if you can. Heater damage can usually be spotted by any unusual activity in the heating functions: strange sounds, reduced air flow, lower heat or the like. If you notice any symptoms, be sure to note them, though you shouldn’t try to run a broken heater or recreate any specific symptoms. If you don’t notice the symptoms, simply move on.

A few basic troubleshooting steps might help you avoid a service call. Check the thermostat to make sure it’s set to the proper temperature, and look at your breaker box to make sure the breaker hasn’t been tripped. If it has, reset it and see if the heater runs as it should. If the breaker trips again, or neither of these things do the trick, then you need to play it safe. Shut off power to the heater and call a service technician: preferably one who can respond swiftly to your calls.

Red Rock Mechanical has served the Plattsburgh, NY area  for over two decades, providing all manner of support for homeowners in need of serious heating repair. Out trained staff is on call 24 hours a day and we pride ourselves on swift professional service in all things. If your heating system breaks down, give us a call and set up an appointment today. We’ll treat the issue with courtesy and efficiency, getting your household back up to speed quickly!

Continue Reading

Furnaces vs. Heat Pumps

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

When you’re considering your heating options in Burlington, VT, furnaces and heat pumps are may be competing for top of your list. They are two of the most common types of heating systems in the US, and they both heat efficiently and effectively when properly installed. At Red Rock Mechanical LLC, we offer a wide range of heating options for the home. Remember that no matter what type of system you have installed in your home, hire a trained and certified heater specialist. Only a pro knows how to maximize the heating potential of your new heater. Call Red Rock Mechanical LLC  in Burlington, VT today!

Let’s take a look at furnaces and heat pumps:

  • Furnaces heat your home by converting energy drawn from a fuel source and making hot air that is circulated throughout your home via air ducts. While gas furnaces are generally recognized to be highly efficient, some customers still heat their homes by burning oil. Depending on the make and model, a furnace will vary in its efficiency, although the top of the line gas-based systems often offer AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings as high as 97%, which means that only 3% of the energy is wasted. Furnaces are known for their reliable heating capabilities during the coldest of winters.
  • Heat pumps heat your home by a different method entirely. Instead of converting energy from a fuel source, they run on electricity. The heat pump works much like an air conditioner in that it uses a refrigerant to transfer heat indoors during the heating season. The added benefit of a heat pump is that it can also cool your home during the summer by reversing the heat transfer process. This makes it a highly versatile choice for customers looking to for a year-round comfort solution. However, since heat pumps don’t heat efficiently at low temperatures, you will probably need some sort of auxillary heater to help keep your home comfortable during very cold days.

Keep in mind that you can also pair a furnace and heat pump together. That way, you’ll be covered for moderate shifts in temperature as well as those harsh winter days, when you need more of a heating boost. Call Red Rock Mechanical LLC for furnace or heat pump installation in Burlington, VT.

Continue Reading

Do I Need to Schedule Heating Repair if My Vents Smell Bad?

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

Your heating system may not have an artificial intelligence hooked up to it, but it does have ways to provide you with warnings about malfunctions and potential repairs. Grinding and clicking noises, intermittent heat levels, cold rooms, and sudden spikes in energy bills: each of these can indicate a heating system developing trouble that may require professional attention and repairs.

Another common warning sign: unpleasant musty smells emanating from the vents along with the warm air. This certainly isn’t normal—but does it necessarily mean you need to have repairs done?

We will deal a bit with that question in this post. If you do need heating repair in Plattsburgh, NY, use your best available resource: contact the staff at Red Rock Mechanical, the family-owned company that puts customer satisfaction first.

What’s causing that bad smell from the vents?

A common reason for a musty smell coming from your vents, one that definitely requires you schedule heating repairs, is breaks along the ductwork. A gap in a section of the ducts may cause the heating system to begin drawing in air from the hidden spaces of your home, such as between the walls, in crawlspaces, or from the attic. The air in these regions is usually dirtier than elsewhere in your home, and you will start to smell this noisome air as it comes from your vents.

Ductwork problems need repairs because they will lead to a loss of air pressure that will force your furnace to work harder to achieve its target temperature, and this means further repairs and a system that rapidly ages.

A particularly vile smell might occur because of an animal carcass inside the vents: usually these scents are so strong you have to act on them. Although this won’t require heating system repairs, you will need to contact as HVAC company familiar with ducts to extract the problem without damaging the ductwork.

If you can’t determine what is causing the foul odor, you can rely on highly-trained professionals to track down the problem. Contact Red Rock Mechanical, where all our technicians are NATE-certified so you know you will get top-quality work done on your Plattsburgh, NY heating repair.

Continue Reading

How to Keep Your Furnace Up and Running

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

Getting through a beautiful—but icy cold—winter in Vermont requires a heating system that is up to the task. Furnaces have kept many homes in this state warm and cozy through the cold months, and advancing technology has kept modern furnaces competitive in the HVAC market.

However… you have to be good to your furnace to make sure that it stays up and running during the coming cold. We’ll give you some guidance on how to do that in this post. Red Rock Mechanical has 23 years of experience working with furnaces and other heating systems, and when you need prompt professional assistance to keep your heater up and running, give us a call.

Ways to prevent a breakdown in your furnace

Schedule regular preventive maintenance: We put this first because it’s the best method to make sure you don’t experience a chilly period of shutdown on the coldest day of the year. Any machine requires regular maintenance to ensure its continued efficient operation, and with the amount of work a furnace needs to do during a Burlington winter, it should get at least a yearly check-up. Sign up for a maintenance program with a reliable HVAC company; they should be able to take care of your air conditioner as well.

Change the filter regularly: The filter in a furnace traps debris that might otherwise get into the cabinet and damage the components. During the heating season, you should change the filter once a month to prevent it from developing so much dust and dirt that it can no longer function adequately. Also, make sure you change the filter before heating season begins, so your furnace has a fresh start.

Get repairs done immediately: The moment that your furnace gives you any warning that something is wrong—reduced air flow, odd smells from the vents, tripped circuit breakers, uneven heating, strange noises—call in an HVAC specialist to find out what is wrong and repair it before it can grow into a bigger, more expensive problem or a full breakdown.

Red Rock Mechanical can take care of the repair and maintenance needs that will make sure your furnace in Burlington, VT stays healthy this coming season. We back all our work with a one-year warranty.

Continue Reading

Reasons Why Your Furnace Won’t Turn On

Tuesday, October 29th, 2013

Many homes in Plattsburgh NY are heated by a gas furnace. The technology is reliable and relatively inexpensive: burning gas to heat air which is then distributed through your home. If your furnace won’t turn on, you need to call a professional repair service to address the issue, especially in the winters when the snows start to fall. A low air flow or a lack of heat is bad enough, but if the furnace won’t turn on at all, it may indicate a serious issue. Here’s a list of some of the more prominent reasons why your furnace won’t turn on.

  • Pilot light out. The gas in your furnace is ignited by a pilot light, which should be on all the time in order to provide heat when you need it. If the pilot light goes out, the furnace won’t turn on. In most cases, the pilot light apparatus will need to be replaced, though it can be relit if the problem isn’t substantial.
  • Thermocouple. The thermocouple is a safety valve near the pilot light (sometimes a part of the same component) which regulates the flow of gas into the combustion chamber. If there’s a problem with the gas line or the pilot light, the thermocouple with turn off the gas automatically so that it won’t flood your home.
  • Electrical issues. Some furnaces use electricity to run certain components, including the blower fan and possibly the pilot light as well. If there’s an overload or a problem with the wiring, the furnace won’t receive any power and you won’t have any heat generated.

No matter what the cause, you need a professional to determine why your furnace won’t turn on. Call the professionals at Red Rock Mechanical for help.  We handle Plattsburgh, NY heating issues of all varieties, and our trained experts can determine the cause of your heater malfunction. We also perform installation services, and can set up a maintenance schedule to keep your furnace clean and running. We’re standing by to help, so give us a call today.

Continue Reading