Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog

Pick a Maintenance Plan—And Enjoy Great Heating This Winter

October 29th, 2018

mom-and-daughter-in-snowWow, the end of the year is moving up fast! Of course, it seems like it does this every year. If you’ve found the winter has surprised you more than once by striking before you can get your heating system ready, then we recommend you find a heating maintenance plan in Plattsburgh, NY and get on the schedule with professionals.

We Have a Maintenance Plan to Fit You

Taking care of your heating system so you’ll have as worry-free a winter as possible is a big part of our job. We offer two different maintenance plans to provide you with the regular inspections and tune-ups necessary for top heating system performance each year:

Continue Reading

Is There a Way to Avoid All Drain Clogs?

October 15th, 2018

tapwater-flowing-down-drainWe’re sorry to bring you the bad news, but drain clogs are problems that will affect homes at some point. There is no way to prevent every single possible source of clogs. For example, you may end up with clogged drains because of sewer line issues coming from the municipal system. There’s nothing you can do to stop that ahead of time! And sometimes accidents occur and an object gets tipped over into a drain, leading to stoppage.

Now that we’ve been a bit of a downer, we can tell you the good news. You can still prevent most drain clogs. There are many preventable reasons for clogging in drains, and if you know the steps to take, you can keep them away and your drains healthy. (And you can always reach us for help when problems arise. We have emergency services!)

Continue Reading

October Is Here: Time to Think If Your Heating System Needs Work

October 1st, 2018

service-blue-markerThe recent rains should serve as a strong reminder: it’s definitely fall, and we’re on the road to winter. Air conditioners will soon turn off for the rest of the year and furnaces and boilers will fire up (or heat pumps switch over to heating mode).

Now, before that happens, ask yourself if your heating system needs work. Can you trust it to make it through another tough winter season?

Continue Reading

Does Loss of Water Mean a Plumbing Emergency?

September 17th, 2018

faucet-drippingYou turn on a faucet—and no water comes out. You run over to another faucet, or to the shower, and find no water their either. This certainly sounds like an emergency, especially if it’s morning and you depend on running water to get the basic parts of the early-day routine done.

But is a lack of water a reason to make an emergency call to a plumber in Williston, VT? Well, it certainly can be! We’ll take a closer look at “no water” troubles and what they may mean.

Continue Reading

The P-Trap, A Vital Part of Your Drains, Explained

September 3rd, 2018

p-trap-hand-gripping-itWhen we talk about the importance of hiring professionals to inspect your pipes, we emphasize that most of the plumbing in your house is hidden from sight. The freshwater pipes and drainpipes around your home are behind walls and cabinets, placed in the floors and ceilings, and in the case of the sewer line and water main, buried under the property.

But there’s one piece of piping you can see and access easily: the p-trap. This is a basic pipe piece, but it does a crucial job in your home. We’d like to take an opportunity to explain the p-trap and its function.

Continue Reading

A Short-Cycling AC Is Bad News: Here’s Why

August 19th, 2018

spinning-fan-closeup“Short-cycling? What’s that?” We know it sounds like a strange circus act or a short-distance bicycling competition. But it’s a term for faulty behavior from a cooling system. If you hear your home’s AC starting and stopping multiple times over an hour, that’s short-cycling. This isn’t something you want to happen, since it spells trouble for your air conditioning in Burlington, VT. In most cases, you’ll need to call up HVAC technicians to find out why the AC is short-cycling and what to do about it.

Why is short-cycling a problem?

First, we must explain in greater detail what short-cycling means. When the thermostat of a house makes a request for cooling, the air conditioner starts up its fans and the compressor motor. The compressor is the component that allows for heat exchange and cooling of the air. The compressor remains running until the thermostat registers it has reached the target temperature, and then the compressor cycles down. In mild weather, the AC cycle lasts approximately 10 to 15 minutes and completes 2 to 3 times per hour.

Continue Reading

Museum of Weird Plumbing: Strange Things That Can Clog Your Drains

August 6th, 2018

oh-no-not-the-museum-of-weird-plumbing

When you think about calling for a plumber, what’s the first plumbing problem that pops to mind? We’d bet in seven cases out of ten you’d say “clogged drain.” Slow or clogged drains are among the most common and irritating of plumbing troubles. Every home runs into them at some point, and no matter how much care people take to prevent them, they can still crop up—and often for some pretty strange reasons.

The main culprits behind clogged drains are food waste, FOG (fats, oils, grease), soap scum, hair, and small objects from bathroom and kitchen counters that may go down the drains by accident. Plumbers know how to deal with each of these. But plumbers also know how to deal with some of the more unusual and uncanny reasons for clogged and slow drains. Step into our “Museum of Weird Plumbing” and meet some of the other villains that can stop up your sinks, showers, toilets, and tubs.

Continue Reading

Repairs You Can Do Yourself on Your AC

July 23rd, 2018

wrenchesWhen an air conditioner loses its cooling power on a hot summer day, or even loses all of its power, it can be a serious emergency. You don’t want to be stuck for long in your home without cooling when the outdoor heat is rising. What can you do?

Trying to fix the AC on your own might be the first idea that pops into your head. And why shouldn’t it? If you want something done right, do it yourself!

Except this isn’t always the case. There are plenty of repair jobs you wouldn’t try on your own unless you were a trained professional, and fixing an air conditioner is one of them. It takes a trained HVAC technician to do them. Only they have the knowledge and tools to accurately diagnose and fix a serious air conditioner malfunction.

Continue Reading

Is Duct Cleaning Worth the Cost?

July 9th, 2018

duct-cleaning-before-afterYou may have heard about duct cleaning services and wondered if this is something you should invest in. If you’re hesitant, it may be because you’ve heard stories about air duct cleaning scams that don’t offer a service that’s worthwhile. Unfortunately, it’s true there are many disreputable companies who claim to provide duct cleaning services at cut-rate prices—and then deliver a “cleaning” that’s hardly better than nothing at all. Cut-rate indeed! These unreliable companies make money by scheduling numerous appointments in a day and only pretend to do any cleaning. It’s how they can charge those low rates.

However, ­real­ air duct cleaning from a reputable HVAC contractor is definitely a worthwhile investment. You don’t need to have this service done every year, but if it’s been a few years since you last had duct cleaning—or you’ve never had it done—we recommend calling us for duct cleaning in Burlington, VT. We have more than two decades of history of quality service and customer satisfaction.

Continue Reading

Are Small Leaks an Emergency?

June 25th, 2018

leak-in-p-trap-pipeWe wish we could just say “There is no such thing as a small leak in plumbing” to answer this question and end it there. Well, end it there along with the recommendation that you call us as soon as possible. Whatever the size of the leak you’ve got in your home’s pipes, if you know you have one you need a Plattsburgh, NY plumber with training and licensed to get out to you, pronto.

And if that recommendation already has you reaching for the phone to call us, then consider the following information bonus details. You’ve already taken the right step. But while you’re waiting for us to arrive, or if you’re reading this post for information or advice about future plumbing issues, we’re going to look a bit closer at the dilemma of the “small” leak.

Continue Reading