As summer starts, people all over the country will turn on their air conditioners to keep their homes comfortable during the heat. But many of those people will make basic mistakes with operating and caring for their air conditioning systems that will end up costing them money or even contribute to an early failure for the ACs.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog
Signs You May Have a Slab Leak
May 11th, 2015
Slab leak is a professional plumbing term used for leaks that occur in water lines under the foundation of a home. The name can also apply to any leak that starts under a hard rock surface, but with homes it almost always means leaks in the cold and hot water pipes down in the concrete under the house. About 80% of slab leaks happen in the hot water lines, and the rest in the cold water lines.
Air Conditioning Question: What Is the Evaporator Coil?
April 27th, 2015
Most homeowners know very little about how the air conditioner that keeps their house cool works. There’s no problem with this; that’s the reason we have highly trained professionals to take care of any issues an AC might encounter, as well as to handle installation and maintenance work. However, a bit of knowledge can always come in handy, and in this post we are going to shed some light on one of the most crucial components in your home’s cooling system: the evaporator coil.
3 Reasons to Install a Heat Pump for Your Air Conditioning
April 20th, 2015
Are you looking for a new air conditioning system to install before the summer heat arrives? One option that you should put on your list is a heat pump. A heat pump takes the basic operation of an air conditioning system and changes it so that it can also switch the direction it moves heat and brings heat indoors.
Some Early Air Conditioning Repairs to Watch for This Spring
April 13th, 2015
Now that spring is here, air conditioning systems throughout Northwest Vermont and the Plattsburgh, NY area will start to turn on for their long stretch of work during the middle of the year. If you haven’t done so already, make sure you schedule routine maintenance for your air conditioning from a professional HVAC technician. This is necessary to see that the AC works at peak efficiency and to catch potential repair problems so they can be dealt with early.
Ways You Will Benefit from Spring Maintenance for Your Air Conditioning System
April 6th, 2015
Now that the calendar has officially changed from winter to spring, we can start looking forward to warm weather in the near future. And eventually hot weather. Now, when we still have some of the leftover chills of winter, is the ideal time to arrange for an HVAC technician to come to your home and give your air conditioning system a thorough inspection and tune-up. To schedule this service, you only need to give the team at Red Rock Mechanical a call. We will set up a convenient time for your air conditioning maintenance. We service Burlington, VT and the surrounding areas.
How this AC regular maintenance will help you
Annual air conditioning maintenance isn’t an optional service: it is mandatory if you want to receive a full return in cooling performance from your investment in air conditioning installation. Here are some of the specific benefits you will get from an air conditioner that is regularly maintained by HVAC technicians:
- Longer service lifespan: If an air conditioner doesn’t receive annual inspections and tune-ups, it will likely not even reach half of its manufacturer’s estimated lifespan. But with the right care and attention, your air conditioner will probably exceed that estimate, giving you many years of energy-efficient performance.
- Fewer repairs: Fixing a malfunctioning AC can become costly, especially as it wear downs. Maintenance reduces the effects of wear and tear, and this takes care of approximately 85% of the repairs it may require during its lifetime.
- High energy efficiency: As dust and dirt build up on an air conditioner, and its components start to deteriorate, it will need to work harder to reach the same level of cooling that you normally expect from it. This will mean higher electrical bills. However, an AC that receives yearly maintenance should only experience a 5% drop in efficiency over its entire service life.
- Peace of mind: This is a less concrete benefit, but it may be the most important one. Regular maintenance will significantly reduce the chance that your AC will abruptly break down at the worst time possible.
Contact Red Rock Mechanical today to arrange for your spring air conditioning maintenance. We have NATE-certified technicians to see that you receive the best service possible.
Leaky Faucet? Don’t Wait for Plumbing Repair!
April 3rd, 2015
The drip-drip-dripping sound from a leaky faucet can be quite an annoyance. However, many homeowners don’t see this as reason enough to call a plumber. While a leaky faucet is an inconvenience (and it may stain the bottom of the tub or sink), it often does not seem like a severe enough issue for immediate plumbing repair. However, when you keep in mind how much water a leaky faucet can wait over time, it becomes apparent that plumbing repair should be completed sooner rather than later.
If you need plumbing repair of any sort in Stowe, VT, call the experts at Red Rock Mechanical. We can repair your leaky faucet or provide leak detection services if you’re worried about leaks in your water line.
The easiest way to see how a leaky pipe affects you and your community is by looking at the numbers. At a leak rate of one drop per second, your faucet will waste 5 gallons of water a day, which is almost 2,000 gallons over a year’s time. Still think this isn’t a lot? Now consider what would happen if every home in the United States had a leak to this extent. That’s a lot of water! And, as it turns out, according to the U.S. EPA, American households waste almost 1 trillion gallons of water a year in leaks alone.
Your faucet may not be the only part of your home that leaks. You may have a leaky pipe somewhere in your plumbing system contributing to your water waste and high utilities. If you want to lessen your impact and prevent plumbing problems from worsening, you might consider having your plumber perform a full pipe inspection.
Besides, for a skilled plumber, fixing a leaky sink should not take a very long time at all. You may be surprised at how quick and painless the process is, as long as you choose a reputable plumbing company for the job. Red Rock Mechanical is committed to providing quality customer service to our customers, no matter how small of a leak we’re dealing with. Trust in our skilled team of experienced technicians for any plumbing repair you come across in Stowe, VT.
What’s Involved with Boiler Installation
March 25th, 2015
When it’s time for a new boiler, there’s a lot you have to think about. How long will the process of installation take? What will be the impact on your home? And who should you call for the job? While the steps of boiler installation very depending on the size of your home and the state of your older heating system, the most important thing is to choose a company with plenty of experience on the job.
To get in touch with a heating contractor experienced in heating installation in Burlington, VT, call on the help of the skilled technicians at Red Rock Mechanical.
Some of the Steps of Professional Installation
The fact is that new boiler installation will take quite a while: multiple days, in most cases. Removing the older boiler can take several hours, as can determining the state of the existing pipes. Furthermore, the technician will have to size your home and make some careful measurements regarding the type and size of system to use as a replacement.
Sizing a boiler is not as simple as using the measurements from the older unit. It’s possible that your existing boiler was sized improperly for your home or that you need a different type of system to accommodate your home. An oversized boiler consumes far too much energy, while a smaller boiler can become overworked and fail early on. Your technician will work with you to select an energy efficient heating system that will save you money over time.
The actual installation process requires a professional for several reasons. First, your technician will make sure that your new installation is up to code. And the installation process itself can be difficult, tedious, and unsafe. Experienced heating technicians use years of training to make sure they use the most up-to-date installation techniques only and make sure to check their work thoroughly. It’s difficult to detail the installation process for your particular needs, as it depends on whether you need in-floor piping, baseboard units, or any additional fittings for your home. Most likely, the process will take several days.
Call Red Rock Mechanical today for heating installation in Burlington, VT. We’ll detail the process so that you stay informed every step of the way.
3 Signs that You Need Pipe Repair
March 20th, 2015
When your pipes are in need of repair, you may notice it right off the bat. For example, you may not be able to use your drains at all or you may notice water leaking from underneath your sink. However, pipe damage does not always present itself so clearly. When you find yourself in need of plumbing repair in Williston, VT, contact the friendly plumbers at Red Rock Mechanical today. For your information, we’ve gathered a list of some of the warning signs.
- Low Water Pressure – Pipe leaks may not always be so obvious. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average household may have pipes that leak up to 10,000 gallons a year! And many of these leaks go undetected for long periods of time. Sometimes, you notice the drip-drip-drip of water in the sink. Other times, however, a leaking pipe will present few warning signs besides an obvious effect on your water pressure. When you notice that the water pressure in your home is low, call on the help of a technician ASAP. Water may not make it to your faucet as quickly because it is leaking underneath the property or through the walls, potentially resulting in thousands of dollars in damages.
- Slow Drains – When the drains in your home don’t seem to clear out as quickly as you’d like, you can probably guess that there is a clog in the pipes. What you may not know is that those drain cleaning liquids found in stores can do serious damage to the pipes and to your health (especially to your skin and eyes). Slow moving drains are always a job for a professional plumbing technician when a regular plunger won’t work. Our plumbers use only high quality tools to remove drain clogs and ensure the life of your pipes.
- A Musty Smell – An annoying musty odor that won’t seem to go away is a huge warning sign. Unfortunately, excessive leaking can lead to mold. And mold can result in a number of ensuing issues with your family members’ health. Pay attention to this issue so that you can catch mold early on if it has become a problem.
Call our professionals at Red Rock Mechanical today for expert plumbing repair in Williston, VT.
When Is Heating Repair Urgent?
March 11th, 2015
We’ll say it right off the bat: every heating repair need should be treated as an urgent matter. Sometimes, a heating repair need may not seem like something that necessitates immediate attention. A strange noise coming from your furnace is a minor annoyance, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t get through your day. And a decline in heating power might not appear to be so much of a problem, just a slight inconvenience as you add an extra layer and wait for the home to reach the desired temperature setting.
However, these problems will not improve on their own. In fact, what’s far more likely is that the heating trouble will worsen. Consider this: when one part of your heating system is in need of repair, it still has a job to do. Often, the other parts step up in order to attempt to raise the temperature. This wears down multiple parts, resulting in a more costly repair than what was originally needed.
Furthermore, if you delay scheduling heating repair, your system may shut down entirely. When there’s not enough heat in the home, it may be due to a faulty blower fan. If the blower fan cannot push enough heat over the heat exchanger, the furnace plenum could overheat. Many decades ago, this may have resulted in very dangerous conditions (including a potential explosion), but today’s units have safety measures that prevent this. The furnace limit switch detects if the plenum is overheating and shuts off the unit. This keeps your home safe, but it also leaves you without any heat.
You should always take heating problems seriously, and you should not try to fix the trouble on your own or leave it to an untrained amateur. When it comes to gas heating systems, your health and safety may be at risk, and experts know the right way to inspect and diagnose a heating system while determining the proper method of repair.
Call Red Rock Mechanical today to schedule an appointment for our professional heating repair service in Essex, VT. Our team has years of experience installing and repairing both furnaces and boilers in the area and can get your unit back to normal fast.
