Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog

My Heat Pump Won’t Switch from Cooling Mode! What’s Wrong?

October 15th, 2014

The very last thing you want or expect when you turn your heater is for cold air to start venting into your house. In the case of heat pumps, this is an uncommon but frustrating problem. Fortunately, there is a fairly simple solution, though your HVAC technician will need to be the one to implement it. Before we explain what causes this problem, we have to understand how the heat pump switches between modes.

The Reversing Valve

Inside every heat pump is a part called a “reversing valve.” This valve sits at the junction of the central unit exhaust valve, intake valve, and both the indoor and outdoor unit lines. Inside this valve is a slide that controls which direction the refrigerant flows through the system. Depending on the direction, either the indoor or outdoor unit will blow hot air while the other blows cool air. This is what allows the heat pump to change modes.

Attached to the reversing valve is a solenoid, which operates an electro-magnet in the valve itself. The solenoid has two modes: “relaxed” and “energized.” All this really means is whether or not it has an electrical current running through it. When the solenoid is energized it activates an electromagnet which moves the slide from one position to the other and reverses the flow of refrigerant.

Common Problems with the Reversing Valve

Most often, the reason the heat pump gets stuck on one mode or the other is because the solenoid on the reversing valve is bad. If the solenoid is not working properly, it can’t move the slide from one side of the valve to the other. This essentially removes the heat pump’s ability to switch freely between heating and cooling modes.

So how can this be fixed? Often, the first thing an HVAC technician will do is check the solenoid for a magnetic charge. If it is displaying a charge, then something else might be responsible. Often, however, the solution is simply to replace the solenoid.

Call Red Rock Mechanical today if you are experiencing heat pump problems. Our comprehensive heating repair service cover the entire Montpelier, VT area.

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What Ice along Your Heat Pump Might Mean

October 8th, 2014

It’s pretty common to walk outside during the winter and find ice on your heat pump. At first, it may seem like a problem you need to address. After all, you don’t want your heat source freezing over while it’s warming your house. In reality, however, you may not have to worry about it. Here is what ice along your heat pump usually means.

The Cause

A heat pump works by absorbing the thermal energy from the air around it. This thermal energy is then directed inside to heat and circulate air to the house. Condensation forms on the outside unit as a side effect of this thermal absorption. The sub-freezing environment then causes that condensation to freeze, forming frost on the outside of the heat pump.

The Solution

Heat pumps were designed to combat this condition by going through a defrost cycle every so often. A heat pump in heating mode will periodically reverse the flow of refrigerant, causing the outside unit to heat up and melt the frost around it. Therefore, there is no reason to worry about a little ice on your heat pump. If the heat pump is operating properly, it will take care of this issue on its own.

The Exception

There are cases where ice and frost can become a problem, however. If the defrost cycle doesn’t occur for whatever reason, ice will continue to build up around the outside unit. The more ice accumulates, the more air is cut off from the unit. This can drastically lessen the available thermal energy for the unit to absorb. If the ice and frost covers enough of the unit, it may stop absorbing heat altogether. If you happen to see ice on your heat pump, wait an hour or two and then check again. If the ice is gone or there is less of it, that’s a sign that your heat pump defrost cycle is working properly. If there is more ice or it doesn’t seem to be going away, you may have a problem with your heat pump. When that happens, call a professional.

If you are having issues with your heat pump, call Red Rock Mechanical. We service heat pumps and provide other professional heating services throughout the Stowe, VT area.

 

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There Is No Such Thing as a “Small” Plumbing Leak

October 1st, 2014

Most homeowners know to call a plumber when there is severe damage to their pipes. But occasionally, leaks in your plumbing system are so small that they go unnoticed for some period of time.

At the first sign of a leak, no matter how small it may seem, you need to call for immediate repairs. This is because what seems like a minor leak can actually spiral into something much bigger, causing major plumbing repairs and affecting your daily activities. When you need plumbing repair in Burlington, VT, call the experts at Red Rock Mechanical to prevent major problems from occurring.

First, a leak can reduce your water pressure. Your water is kept pressurized so that it can easily flow from your faucet. Small leaks reduce water pressure, and, if a leak becomes larger over time, you may only feel a trickle just when you need a hot shower. Keep your family happy, clean, and healthy by calling a plumber at the first indication of low pressure.

Second, leaks can attract mold and mildew that seriously affect the living conditions in your home. As water pools in often-hidden areas of the home, mold forms and spores can move into the air. These spores can trigger asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems which may affect some of the members of your household. Pools of water can also damage the structure of your home.

But perhaps the most important reason to repair issues now is that leaks will not fix themselves. Any leak can develop into a larger problem over time, flooding your yard or house and costing far more in repairs, which is why early intervention is key. Homeowners sometimes have a hard time detecting minor leaks. But if you notice any water spots in your home or yard or reduced water pressure, it could be an indication. Catch leaks even earlier by scheduling plumbing maintenance every year to make sure the most important components of your home are free of leaks and other problems.

Remember: any plumbing leak may become an emergency plumbing repair later on. Why wait for a costly fix? If you need plumbing repair in Burlington, VT, call Red Rock Mechanical today. We offer 24-hour emergency service so you can get that “small” leak repaired right away!

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Why Heating Repair Is Not a “Do It Yourself” Job

September 24th, 2014

Do-it-yourself projects are much easier today than they once were thanks to the availability of instant access to resources such as free online tutorials. And while such projects may allow you to learn a valuable new skill, heating repair is not something that should be done without the help of a skilled technician. Technicians go through a lot of training to be able to recognize repair needs and make repairs quickly and accurately. That’s why it is important to call on a specialist any time you need repair, like the dependable folks at Red Rock Mechanical in Williston, VT. Let’s take a quick look at a few of the reasons you should always call a technician first whenever you need professional heating repair.

  • The problem may not be what you think. Many guides can give you ideas about what may be causing reduced heating or strange noises from your system. But a lot of problems have several possible causes, which is why you should always depend on a technician to help you diagnose the issue. Reduced heating, for example, may be a result of anything from duct leaks to a faulty motor to dirt on the furnace.
  • Technicians can finish the job more quickly. You want your heater up and running as soon as possible, and an experienced repair technician will probably get the job done much more quickly. This is because technicians go through a lot of training to be able to assess damage quickly and are equipped with the proper tools to get the job done.
  • A new heating system will be costly. Perhaps the most important reason to schedule heating repair is to avoid the need for costly system replacement. The opportunity to learn how to fix your heater is simply not worth the chances of a sudden breakdown.

At Red Rock Mechanical, we carry the proper certifications to handle any heating repair and offer a one-year warranty on our labor, something you definitely won’t get with home repairs. We also offer 24-hour emergency service, so you can get repairs at any time of day. For heating repair in Williston, VT, give us a call now!

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Some New Plumbing Installation Ideas for Your Home

September 17th, 2014

When you want to improve your home, and perhaps save a little money on your monthly bills in the process, there are a lot of plumbing installation options available to you in Essex, VT. It can be difficult to decide whether you need to replace some components of your plumbing system, but in this guide we’ll show you why you may be more satisfied with low-flow toilets, a tankless water heater, or new sink installation.

Low-flow Toilets

Your current toilet may be responsible for a large portion of your water bills. Toilet use accounts for about 40% of your indoor water use, but, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, switching to a low-flush fixture may save you over 30% on your water bill. This is because low-flush toilets use greater pressure to flush as effectively as other toilets that rely on high volumes of water per flush.

Tankless Water Heater

If your existing water heater is nearing the end of its life, or if you’re looking for a unit for your new home, consider an efficient tankless water heater. Tankless systems are more efficient than other systems because there is no standby energy loss. While a storage tank water heater keeps water heated all day, a tankless unit heats water directly as it flows past the heating element and to your faucets whenever a hot water tap is turned on. Tankless heaters have a longer lifespan than storage tanks and may require fewer maintenance and repair visits.

New Sink Design

If your current sink doesn’t meet all of your needs, a plumbing company can install a new sink for aesthetic purposes or to create more space for storage and cleaning. For example, if you want your sink installed at a higher level to allow for more cabinet space in the bathroom, or if you want a sink with two bowls instead of one in your kitchen, a plumber can take care of installation for you.

Interested in making a few improvements to your home? Call the experts at Red Rock Mechanical for new plumbing installation in Essex, VT.

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Warning Signs You Need Air Conditioning Replacement

September 10th, 2014

Coming out of a hot summer, air conditioners can sometimes start to malfunction because of the large amount of stress they just endured. Often, a few targeted repairs from experienced technicians will handle the trouble and restore the AC to its best working order.

But there are times when an air conditioning system will start giving signs that it should be shut off for the last time and replaced with a new unit. We’ll look at a few of the ways you can determine that your AC should be retired and a new system installed.

You will want a second option when it comes to the choice to repair or replace. Bring in professionals like those at Red Rock Mechanical to look over your AC and determine if replacement is the best choice. You can also count on professionals to handle either the necessary repairs or installation. Expert installation work should ensure that your air conditioning replacement in Montpelier, VT will give you many future years of cooling.

Watch for these signs of AC replacement

  • System age: The best barometer for air conditioner replacement is how old the system is. Check on the manufacturer’s estimated lifespan for the unit (it is either on the cabinet or in the manual). If the AC is at or beyond the estimate, then you should give serious consideration to replacing the unit, even if it still seems to work adequately. The chance of the AC breaking down when you need it or starting to work inefficiently will begin to increase from this point, and often it’s a wise idea to get ahead of the problem and schedule the replacement when it is convenient.
  • Too many repairs: There’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to knowing when a repair is no longer worth it: if the repairs during a year are equal to or greater than half the cost of a new system, you should leave the repairs aside and invest in the new system.
  • Rising electrical bills: If you keep up with regular maintenance for your air conditioner, it should retain 95% of its efficiency through most of its life. But when age catches up to it, it will begin to rapidly decline in energy-efficiency, and you will see this reflected in your bills. If repairs and regular maintenance do not change the elevation in the bills, you should replace the AC.
  • Loud operation: An air conditioner that has ceased working effectively due to age deterioration will begin make loud mechanical sounds while it runs. An occasional odd noise here and there may point toward a repair issue, but if the whole system has become a noise pollution issue, then it’s indicating it should be replaced.

The team at Red Rock Mechanical that handles air conditioning replacement in Montpelier, VT is NATE-certified and can bring you the quality work that will keep your home cooled efficiently and effectively. Put your trust in our 23 years of experience.

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The Fashion of Wearing White and Labor Day

September 1st, 2014

You may have heard about the fashion faux pas of wearing white after Labor Day. In the present, this tradition is usually treated as old fashioned and a joke. Few people will criticize you for wearing white articles of clothing after the first Monday in September, or even take notice of it except to wonder why it was ever a major concern at all.

Where did this tradition of white clothing going out of fashion after Labor Day come from, and why did it fade away like colorful fabric washed in a hot load in the washing machine?

In general, white makes sense for the heat of summer. Light-colored clothing reflects away the radiant heat of the sun, instead of absorbing it the way dark colors do, so for thousands of years of human history people have preferred to wear white clothing during the hotter months.

However, the idea of white as strictly fashionable during the summer season only emerged in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—the time when the very concept of “fashion” began to spread across the Western Hemisphere.

It was only the highest level of post-Civil War society in the U.S. that strict and often bizarre rules for fashion controlled whether someone was in with the “in” crowd. Compared to our ideas of what’s fashionable today, the Czars of Style in the 1880s were true despots. Things as trivial as sleeve length could determine whether a woman in high society—no matter her level of wealth—was fashionable or a pariah.

Wearing white during the only summer, when it was common for weddings and outdoor parties, was only of these restrictive society rules. When the U.S. government made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894, the Fashion Czars gained a definite cut-off point for when wearing white was no longer “acceptable” in the upper echelons of wealthy society.

For many decades, this rule only applied to a small number of millionaire socialites in a few big cities, but in the 1950s it reached general fashion magazines that were read around the country and started to affect more people.

But time eventually broke apart this odd rule, and during the 1970s fashion became more individual. Some fashion legends, like Coco Chanel, also purposely rejected the restriction and wore white throughout the year. Today, the “no white after Labor Day rule” is little more than an amusing gag to tease friends, and almost nobody takes it seriously.

Whatever you choose to wear after Labor Day (and if it’s white, we won’t tease!), everyone here at Red Rock Mechanical hopes you have a happy end of the summer and great plans for the fall!

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The Benefits of Regular Plumbing Maintenance

August 27th, 2014

A working plumbing system is vital to many of the tasks in your home, but you may not think about where your water comes from too often—unless something goes wrong, that is. And repairs can be a major inconvenience when you need water or a working drain right away. While you may be able to spot some leaks and clogs or notice signs of problems before your plumbing is in need of serious repair, other issues are often undetected until it’s too late. Many major repair needs can be prevented, however, with regular maintenance from a plumbing professional. In this guide, we list some of the best reasons to schedule regular maintenance.

  • Longer Lifespans: The pipes in your plumbing system may need replacement someday, but this can happen sooner if they do not receive proper maintenance. Corrosion or rust can cause sudden leaks and other plumbing problems that are caught early with a maintenance visit, to extend the lifespan of your whole system. Furthermore, your water heater and other fixtures in your home may develop problems over time that could cause them to need replacement. A plumber will inspect and clean these parts of your plumbing system as well to keep your system running smoothly for longer.
  • Fewer Repairs: If you don’t schedule maintenance, you may find that repair needs occur more often. With maintenance, leaks, clogs, and other problems are often caught early on, which means you won’t have to worry about repair needs occurring as often.
  • Better Water Pressure: If you have low water pressure from your shower and faucets, it may be due to leaks, mineral buildup, or other plumbing issues. Increased water pressure is just an added bonus that may go along with regular plumbing maintenance.
  • Lower Bills: If you have leaks in your pipes or problems with your water heater, you may not realize that you’re paying too much for utility bills. When you schedule plumbing maintenance, your bills may actually be lower than they were before.

When you decide to schedule plumbing maintenance in Stowe, VT, call the dependable professionals at Red Rock Mechanical.

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Air Conditioning FAQ: What is the Condenser Coil?

August 22nd, 2014

Your air conditioner has 3 key parts: the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor. Each plays a role in cooling your home, and each part is dependent on the other. The condenser and compressor are housed together in the outside unit while the evaporator resides in the inside unit. There are two sets of coils in your system, one in the condenser, the other in the evaporator, and problems with either set of coils can trigger the need for air conditioning services in Burlington, VT. Coils can be delicate components, so it’s best to call professionals, like the ones at Red Rock Mechanical, for any repair needs.

What Is the Condenser Coil?

The condenser coil is a narrow, serpentine copper tube that is covered with aluminum fins. The coil is part of the condenser unit, which also has a fan.

The main job of the condenser coil is to release heat from your indoors through the refrigerant in your system. In the compressor, the refrigerant is pressurized into a hot, high-pressure gas; this hot, gaseous refrigerant leaves the compressor and flows into the condenser coil. As it flows, the heat is released; as the heat releases, the refrigerant cools enough to change states from gas to liquid. At the end of the condenser coils, the refrigerant is a warm liquid. From here, the refrigerant enters the evaporator and continues the cycle.

Common Problems with Condenser Coils

Condenser coils can suffer from some commonly-seen problems:

  • Refrigerant leaks – refrigerant leaks can develop anywhere in your system, including the condenser coils. Refrigerant leaks can be tricky to find, particularly if a leak originates in the coils, so it’s always advisable to call a professional for any refrigerant leak repair.
  • Layered dirt and dust – dirt and dust can collect on the coils during normal usage. If the coils aren’t cleaned regularly – approximately once a year – this layer can become thick and insulate the coils. This inhibits the heat release process and can imbalance the entire refrigerant cycle.

Your condenser coils are an important part of the refrigerant cycle in your system; should anything interrupt the coils’ operation, your entire system can malfunction. Red Rock Mechanical has been providing air conditioning services to Burlington, VT properties for almost 25 years. If you are experiencing problems with your air conditioner, call us today and schedule an appointment.

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What to Look for in a Plumbing Repair Company

August 14th, 2014

Picking out the right company to handle your plumbing repairs can present some difficulties: you only have to make a quick search on the Internet to pull up a seemingly unending list of people who will offer to fix your plumbing troubles. How best to make the choice?

Below, we’ve listed a few qualities to place high on your criteria for a company to call for your plumbing repair service in Williston, VT. We think that you will discover that Red Rock Mechanical can meet all your needs, and that we go above and beyond to deliver quality plumbing work, whether it’s repairs, installation, or maintenance.

Look for These Qualities in a Plumbing Repair Company

  • Longevity: A criteria that applies to almost any company in any field: how long has the company served customers? A plumbing contractor with only a few years of experience (or which doesn’t reveal how long it’s been in business) is generally not as dependable as one with at least a decade of work under its belt. Longevity not only means more hands-on experience and better decision-making, but it also indicates a company that has earned the respect of many customers and the community in general.
  • 24-hour emergency service: Plumbing troubles wait for no one. If you have a pipe burst, a toilet overflow, or an unconquerable sink clog, it won’t necessarily happen during weekday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours. You will need to have a repair company you can reach around the clock and around the week, and which can dispatch out emergency repair technicians when you need them.
  • Proper certification and licensing: Anybody can call themselves a “plumber,” but to work as an actual professional plumber you must have certification. The highest certification is Master Plumber, so make sure you find a company that keeps certified Master Plumbers on staff. If you need plumbing work for gas and propane pipes, you must also look for a company that has the special licensing required for these jobs—this is a major safety issue.

When you have emergency need for plumbing repair in Williston, VT, give Red Rock Mechanical a call any time of the day: you won’t receive a recording, but a live person who can send out the fast service you need. We have served Northwest Vermont for over 23 years, and we have Master Plumbers on staff and the proper licensing for propane and gas line work. We think that you will have a hard time finding repair plumbers more suited for whatever job you need done.

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