Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog

Why Isn’t My Gas Furnace Turning On?

November 27th, 2017

natural-gas-furnace-burnersWhen you’re making your winter plans, both in the short-term and the long-term, you probably make most of them around being in locations where you can receive warmth. In your house, that means a natural gas furnace that works whenever you need it to, that will turn on when the thermostat signals your house requires a boost in warmth.

You probably aren’t planning for the furnace to refuse to turn on at all. You can take steps to avoid this during the fall (arranging for professional heating maintenance is one of the best), but there’s nothing that can stop all potential furnace malfunctions. If your furnace isn’t coming on and you aren’t getting any heat, there are a couple of possibilities for why it’s happening. Some you can correct on your own, but others will require you call for heating repair in Plattsburgh, NY from HVAC professionals.

Continue Reading

Duct Sealing May Be the Answer to Your Heating Problems

November 13th, 2017

ductwork-in-attic

Heating systems put in a lot of work here through the winters, and we’re about to get into the most intense period of using our heating systems to make it through the winter. Our team specializes in repairing, maintaining, and replacing a wide range of systems, including boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, and hot water systems. We handle installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and replacement of hot water systems such as boilers, electric water heaters, and combined heating units. Red Rock Mechanical specializes in energy-efficient comfort systems and tailored solutions for heating and cooling needs, ensuring optimal home comfort for our clients. With years of expertise serving VT and the surrounding region, our technicians are confident in providing high-quality, personalized service to clients. Our team recommends the best heating and cooling solutions based on individual home needs, so you can trust you’re getting the right fit. Customers can feel confident in the advice and installations we provide, and you don’t have to worry about unexpected costs or reliability, our company provides peace of mind. (You did remember to have maintenance, right? It’s easy with one of our Preventative Maintenance Comfort Plans.) It’s always a pleasure for our team to serve our clients and help them find the best options for their heating needs, including plumbing services that complement your home’s heating system.

Red Rock Mechanical has been family-owned and operated for more than twenty years.

Our technicians are highly trained, those handling refrigerants must have EPA Section 608 Certification, and those servicing natural gas, propane, or oil-burning units are certified by the Vermont Division of Fire Safety. As of April 2023, contractors performing residential work valued at $10,000 or more must be registered with the Vermont Secretary of State.

Common Heating System Problems Beyond the Heater

But not all apparent heating system problems stem from inside the actual heater components, or even from the thermostats. The heating system is only one part of the entire HVAC system, which includes the ventilation ducts. Issues with those ducts may be the source of difficulties you may encounter with the heater during the winter. Some of these troubles include:

  • The compressor of a heat pump turning on and off rapidly (short-cycling)
  • Hot spots in rooms due to low airflow or insufficiently cool air from the vents
  • A steep rise in utility bills that’s out of the ordinary for when you usually run the heating system.

Emergency Heating Repair Services When You Need Them Most

We offer emergency heating repair services 24 hours a day, with prompt response to heating failures, especially during cold weather, these services are crucial during winter months when heating failures can lead to uncomfortable living conditions. Many HVAC contractors offer emergency services to address heating malfunctions, and customers can expect prompt service from emergency heating repair technicians.

Introduction to Duct Sealing

At Red Rock Mechanical, we know that keeping your Vermont home comfortable through every season depends on more than just a reliable furnace or air conditioning unit, it’s about ensuring your entire heating and cooling system works at its best. One of the most important steps to achieving optimal performance and efficiency is professional duct sealing.

Duct sealing involves identifying and closing leaks or gaps in your home’s ductwork, which is essential for preventing heated or cooled air from escaping before it reaches your living spaces. When your ducts are properly sealed, your heating and cooling systems don’t have to work as hard, which means lower energy costs, more consistent comfort, and a longer lifespan for your equipment. Our knowledgeable technicians use advanced tools and techniques to deliver high-quality duct sealing services tailored to the unique needs of each house and system.

Tailored Heating and Cooling Solutions for Every Home

We take pride in offering a full range of solutions to enhance your home’s comfort and efficiency. Whether you rely on a furnace, heat pump, mini split, or central air conditioning, our team is committed to providing expert service and maintenance that keeps your systems running smoothly. We understand that every home and every customer is different, so we cater our approach to meet your specific needs, whether you’re looking to fix an existing problem, install a new system, or simply maintain what you have.In addition to duct sealing, Red Rock Mechanical specializes in heating and cooling installation, repair, and maintenance, as well as plumbing services, hot water systems, and boiler solutions. Our business is built on trust, quality workmanship, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. We’re proud to serve homeowners and businesses across Vermont, and we’re always ready to help you find the right solutions for your comfort and budget.

Schedule Your Heating System Maintenance and Tune-Up Today

Regular maintenance and tune-ups are essential for keeping your heating system running efficiently and safely throughout the cold months. Our technicians provide comprehensive heating system maintenance plans that include cleaning, inspecting filters, nozzles, and burners, and testing system performance. These routine check-ups help prevent costly repairs, improve energy efficiency, and extend the lifespan of your equipment.

Continue Reading

Does a Furnace Dry Out the Air in a House?

October 30th, 2017

burners-in-furnaceThis is a question people often ask about furnace performance. During the winter, the moisture level in the air drops as more water vapor becomes pulled out of the air as snow. Dry conditions may be helpful during the summer, when it makes it easier for the human body to cool down in the heat. Bu dry air during the rest of the year presents comfort and health problems. Furnaces are often blamed from causing the air to become even drier. Is there any truth to the idea that a furnace “dries out” a home’s air?

Continue Reading

Important Jobs That Require a Trained Plumber

October 16th, 2017

plumbing-material-in-bathroomYou may think of yourself as handy around the house, and you’re proud of your tools and getting jobs done on your own. That’s great for some parts of the house—but it isn’t great for the plumbing system. The majority of plumbing tasks must be left to licensed and trained plumbers to ensure they’re done right and don’t end up creating leaks, water waste, construction damage, and other problems. Here are some jobs that require a professional plumber in Plattsburgh, NY:

Continue Reading

Watch for Boiler Repair Concerns Early in the Fall

October 2nd, 2017

boiler-residentialWe aren’t quite at the true heating season yet—the time of the year when home heaters turn on to provide warmth. Temperatures are still hovering in the cool-to-warm region. But it’s October, which means fall is here and just over the ridge is winter. If you use a boiler system to heat up your house in winter, you want to ensure that it’s in the best shape possible before the cold weather hits. You can do this by arranging for a heating tune-up and inspection through one of our preventative maintenance comfort plans.

But today we want to focus on what happens once your boiler actually gets to work—especially if you end up putting it to work before it has maintenance. We urge you to avoid this situation, but it can still happen. If it does (and even if you did have routine maintenance this year) look out for some of these early indications that you need to call us for boiler repair in Burlington, VT. The sooner you have the trouble fixed, the less expensive it is likely to be and the less long-term damage it will do to the boiler.

Continue Reading

As Summer Ends, It’s Time to Schedule Heating Maintenance

September 18th, 2017

We say goodbye (officially) to summer this week and prepare to greet fall. The change in the weather won’t happen as suddenly as the change in day on the calendar, but fall always means it’s time to prepare your home for cooler temperatures. Winter isn’t that far off … and actual winter weather is probably closer! Step #1 to get ready for the cooler temperatures is to have your home heating system professionally maintained.

To arrange for this year’s heating maintenance in Plattsburgh, NY and the surrounding areas, you only have to contact us and sign up for one of our Comfort Plans. Now is the time to do it: the earlier you have the service taken care of, the easier it is to schedule and the more time you’ll have to attend to any repairs that may be necessary.

Continue Reading

Some Important Kitchen Plumbing Jobs

September 4th, 2017

kitchen-interior-with-islandIt may not seem like it, but the kitchen is not the area of your home that contains the most plumbing. That’s actually the bathrooms, which can account for more than 50% of all freshwater use in a house and contain vital fixtures compressed into a small space.

But the kitchen contains a large amount of plumbing, and many of the fixtures in it are unique to this space. Caring for the plumbing in your home requires knowledge of many different types of appliances and fixtures, whether you need to have new installations, basic repairs, extensive repiping, or regular maintenance. It takes people skilled with kitchen plumbing in Burlington, VT to get these jobs done—and that’s why you should always contact our plumbers, no matter what you need.

Below are a few important kitchen plumbing jobs you may require and which we can handle for you:

Continue Reading

Are Clogged Drains Out of Control in Your Home?

August 21st, 2017

bubbling-drainEverybody has run into a clogged drain at one time or another. They’re just “one of those things” when it comes to household inconveniences. Can’t get rid of them entirely—sometimes they just happen, and you have to deal with them using the tools you have available (a plunger, a hand-cranked drain snake, but not chemical cleaners) or else contact a plumber to take care of it.

But what if drain clogs aren’t an occasional aggravation in your home? What if they are a continual, bonafide out-of-control nuisance that has you gritting your teeth every day?

Well, you may something more serious going on than a clot of grease or a tangle of hair in your drain. And it will probably take the work of our professional plumbers to help you out.

Continue Reading

Why You Should Always Hire a Professional Plumber

August 7th, 2017

plumbing-toolsThis is something we can’t repeat enough: when it comes to your home’s plumbing system, whether you need a simple fix to stop a leak or a full new appliance installation, ­always hire a professional plumber from the start. We understand it’s tempting to try to tackle some jobs on your own—after all, you did get that great set of wrenches as a birthday present last year. Or you may want to save some money by going with a local “handyman” or some other non-professional who says something like, “Hey, I can fix that for you totally cheap!”

Don’t be fooled! Proper plumbing work requires the best in training, experience, and equipment. Amateur work will not only be time-consuming, it can lead to water leaks, backed-up drains, and damage to your house.

Continue Reading

The Advantages of a Zone Control System

July 25th, 2017

room-ventCentral heating and air conditioning is one of the greatest inventions in the modern home (maybe not at the level of indoor plumbing, but we’re not here to debate old sayings). One comfort system can distribute cooled and heated air to rooms throughout a house.

But there’s a flaw in the standard way a central HVAC system is designed, which is that it’s an “all-or-nothing” proposition. On a hot day, when the air conditioner turns on, cooled air goes to every room. That sounds great at first—until you realize that some of these rooms aren’t occupied. This is an expenditure of energy the home doesn’t need.

And, thanks to the creation of zone control systems, it’s an unnecessary expenditure of energy. Zone control allows for better manipulation of how cooled and heated air is distributed around a house.

Continue Reading