Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning’

Ways You Will Benefit from Spring Maintenance for Your Air Conditioning System

Monday, 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.

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What are the Basic Stages of the Air Conditioning Cycle?

Friday, June 20th, 2014

Your air conditioner is one of the staples of your home, especially now with temperatures rising and summer hitting us with everything it’s got. We all depend on reliable air conditioning systems to keep our homes and businesses comfortable. And when problems arise with your air conditioning in Montpelier, VT, there are qualified repair companies to help you. But how much of the process of air conditioning do you understand? What are the basic stages of the air conditioning cycle? The more you know about that, the more you can understand what happens when repairs are needed.

Air conditioning systems are all based around the same basic system: a closed loop which cycles refrigerant gas through a series of valves and coils. The cycle begins when the gas enters a condenser coil, which subjects it to an enormous amount of heat and pressure. It then moves to a series of compression valves, which bleed the heat out of the gas, reverting it to liquid form. (The heat is then pushed out of the system via a vent, which is why this part of the cycle usually takes place in the outdoor portion of the unit.) It remains under a great deal of pressure, however, which plays a key role in the second half of the cycle.

The liquid moves from the coils to a second valve, an expansion valve, which squirts a set amount of the liquid into a series of evaporator coils. (It functions rather like an aerosol can in this capacity.) Released from the pressure, the refrigerant turns back into a gas: pulling heat from the nearby air in the process. A fan then blows the cooled air through the ducts in your home. The refrigerant gas then returns to the condenser valve to start the cycle anew.

For more on the basic stages of the air conditioning cycle, or to schedule an appointment for AC installations or repair, call upon the experts at Red Rock Mechanical. We treat any issue related to air conditioning in Montpelier, VT, and throughout the surrounding communities. Contact us today for a consultation session. You’ll be glad you did!

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Cut Down on Air Conditioning Bills This Summer

Friday, May 9th, 2014

Here in Stowe, VT air conditioning systems see a surprising amount of use. While our winters are cold, snowy and long, our summers carry their share of heat and humidity, and without a good air conditioning system, you’re liable to start longing for the cold far more often than you should. We’re used to paying higher energy costs in the summer to cover extended air conditioning use, which can cover up a fair amount of wasted money. Besides more obvious solutions like dressing in lightweight clothes and setting your thermostat slightly higher than you normally would, here are a few quick tips to cut down on air conditioning bills this summer.

  • Schedule a maintenance session from a qualified technician.
    Maintenance sessions are a little like a tune-up for your car. The technician cleans off dust and dirt that can cause friction, tightens loose fittings that might make components rattle in their housings and replaces clogged filters to help the air flow smoothly. As a result, the air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to do its job and your energy bills will go down.
  • Seal up those leaks and cracks.
    Look for spots under your door where air could escape, or similar spots on imperfectly sealed window. They could let hot air in or cause cool air to escape, raising your energy bills in the process. You can seal those spots with weather stripping, and a qualified technician can help you spot other parts of your home that can be made more energy efficient.
  • Consider a smart thermostat.
    If you have an older thermostat, look into replacing it with an upgraded model: something that lets you turn the air on and off remotely with a phone app, or even just one with a timer that you can set. Turning the air on ten minutes before you get home uses much less energy than just letting it run all day, and the house won’t feel any less comfortable when you arrive.

For more ways to cut down on air conditioning bills this summer, or to schedule a maintenance or repair session, the experts at Red Rock Mechanical are ready to help. For residents of Stowe VT, air conditioning service is vital to surviving the summer. Contact us today and let us make sure it’s ready for the job!

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Caring for Your Air Conditioning System in Burlington, VT as the Off Season Approaches

Monday, August 19th, 2013

Air conditioning systems keep us cool during the hot summer months. But as warm as our summers are, our winters are equally cold, and your air conditioning unit probably won’t see much use once the leaves begin to turn. As the off-season approaches, you can take a few steps to care for your air conditioning system and make sure it’s ready to go again the next time summer rolls around.

  • Maintenance: Like any other mechanical device, the air conditioning system requires routine maintenance in order to function at its best. Filters need to be changed, coils need to be cleaned, leaks need to be sealed, and worn parts need to be replaced with new ones. In the course of doing so, an expert may spot signs of more serious problems down the road, and help the homeowner take steps to address it before it results in a major repair bill. The autumn months are an excellent time to do this, since it won’t impact the cooling of your home and you have plenty of time to schedule a service call.
  • Gardening: It sounds a little strange, but the early autumn is a good time to trim back some of the verge that may be encroaching in your air conditioning system. Trees and shrubs that are too close to the unit’s vents should be trimmed back, and weeds around the unit should be pulled. If there are leaves or twigs in the vents at all, you should scoop them up and remove them.
  • Thermostat: Most people keep their thermostats at a certain level during the summer months. At the end of the season, you should reset it to a higher temperature, which will lower your bills while still keeping your home comfortable. You should also keep the shorter daylight hours in mind: if you set your thermostat to a different temperature starting in the evening hours, you may want to start setting it at an earlier time now that autumn is coming.

The air conditioning experts at Red Rock Mechanical can help you care for your system as the off season approaches, either by performing a routine maintenance call or enacting something more significant when the temperatures are mild. Call us today to make an appointment.

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How To Keep Your Air Conditioning Running Efficiently in Burlington, VT

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

You rely on your air conditioning system in order to stay comfortable throughout the hot summer months. If you’re like most homeowners, then you want to make sure that your AC works as efficiently and consistently as possible. Here at Red Rock Mechanical, we offer complete air conditioning services in Burlington, VT. We wanted to put together a quick list of some of the things that you can do to keep your AC working well.

As your air conditioning system operates it will develop small problems. Without the intervention of a professional air conditioning company, those problems will just continue to get worse and eventually cause you actual repairs. Here are a few things that you can do to make sure that doesn’t happen:

  • Regular Maintenance – One of the best things that you can do for the effectiveness and efficiency of your AC system is to get it regularly inspected, maintained and tuned up. During regular visits, your AC technicians will thoroughly inspect every component of your air conditioner. This will allow them to find any of the small problems that could be developing and fix them before they turn into full-blown repair. Not only can this increase efficiency, but it will also reduce the need for repairs, extend the life of your AC and also increase the comfort of your home.
  • Change the air filter – Your air conditioning system has an air filter in it that protects the moving parts from dust and debris. A clogged air filter is one of the most common causes of air conditioning repairs. If the air filter gets clogged it will restrict the flow of air through the system and cause wear and tear on components and decreased efficiency.

If you need any kind of Burlington, VT air conditioning services like repair, installation or maintenance, make sure that you call the friendly experts at Red Rock Mechanical.

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Check Out Our Blog for the Latest in HVAC Technology

Monday, July 1st, 2013

Be sure to bookmark the Red Rock Mechanical blog for updates on the latest advances in HVAC and Plumbing technology.

We’ll feature money saving promotions here as well.

Call Red Rock Mechanical for all your Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing needs.

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