Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating’

Common Boiler Repair Problems

Wednesday, December 18th, 2013

In Plattsburgh, many homes use boilers to keep them comfortable all winter long. Boilers are inexpensive to run, and they tend to be more efficient than gas furnace. Boilers are reliable pieces of technology, but like all mechanical devices they can still experience their share of problems, which require a trained technician to repair. Here’s a short list of common boiler repair problems, which you should keep an eye out for when operating your heating system.

  • Leaks. Leaking could stem from the central boiler or anywhere in the piping system, and is often cause by a corrosion of the fittings or damage to the pipe.
  • Low pressure. Low water pressure can be caused by leaks, faulty valves or similar issues. You can spot it by more strange noises in your pipes and by uneven heating in the boiler system.
  • Clogs. Clogs in the system will prevent hot water from reaching the radiators, leaving those areas without proper heat. The clog will need to be cleared and proper flow restored before the issues can be fixed.
  • Broken thermocouple. The thermocouple regulates the flow of gas into the system. When it’s broken, the gas will not flow and the boiler won’t ignite.
  • Broken pilot light. The pilot light ignites the gas in the system. If it goes out, it it’s blocked by build-up or if it’s otherwise impaired, the thermocouple won’t release any gas into the system.

Regardless of the causes of common boiler repair problems, you want a repair service that knows what it’s doing to make it right. In Plattsburgh, boiler repairs can be made by the experts at Red Rock Mechanical: qualified professionals who can get to the bottom of the problem quickly and correct it with maximum efficiency. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad that you did!

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Why Delaying a Gas Furnace Repair May Be Dangerous

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Natural gas heating systems provide one of the most cost-effective ways of heating up your home during the winter. However, people sometimes feel a bit skittish about using natural gas because of safety concerns. We can assure you that modern gas heaters, such as furnaces, are designed today to operate with few potential safety hazards. If you take good care of your furnace with regular maintenance and timely repairs, there is little reason to feel concerned about any health threats to you or your family.

Still, no piece of equipment can operate perfectly 100% of the time, and gas furnaces can have malfunctions that will lead to potentially hazardous situations. Delaying repair on a furnace will make the potential danger increase. When you need gas furnace repair in Burlington, VT, don’t hesitate or let it slide: shut off the gas supply to the heating system and call a professional technician to repair it immediately.

Dangers of delaying gas furnace repairs

The main threat a malfunctioning furnace poses is from carbon monoxide leaking. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, making it difficult to detect. (Some gas suppliers place an additive in the gas to give it a distinctive odor as a safety precaution.) Even a small amount of carbon monoxide inhalation will cause nausea, dizziness, and headaches. This is why we strongly suggest anyone with a gas burning appliance installs carbon monoxide detectors throughout their homes.

Here’s an example of one place where a furnace malfunction will create a carbon monoxide hazard: the thermocouple that detects if the pilot light is on might fail. Since the thermocouple’s job is to shut off the gas in case the pilot light goes out, if the thermocouple fails because of corrosion, unburned gas could start flooding the combustion chamber, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

Regular maintenance on your gas furnace will detect potential issues (such as a rusting thermocouple) and repair them before they become dangerous. However, the moment you notice anything about your furnace’s behavior that seems out of the ordinary—the pilot light going out or its flame changing color, strange booming noises from the burners, or hissing sounds—call in Red Rock Mechanical immediately. Don’t fool around with repairs to a gas heater yourself: its always best to call in a professional.

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What to Do if Your Heating System Breaks Down

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013

We definitely know cold weather in upstate New York, and if your heating system goes down, your home could turn into an icebox within a matter of hours. You need to act quickly both to ascertain the source of the problem, and to summon a Plattsburgh, NY heating repair technician if the situation calls for it. Here’s a quick guide on what to do if your heating system breaks down.

In the first place, try to note any symptoms of the problem if you can. Heater damage can usually be spotted by any unusual activity in the heating functions: strange sounds, reduced air flow, lower heat or the like. If you notice any symptoms, be sure to note them, though you shouldn’t try to run a broken heater or recreate any specific symptoms. If you don’t notice the symptoms, simply move on.

A few basic troubleshooting steps might help you avoid a service call. Check the thermostat to make sure it’s set to the proper temperature, and look at your breaker box to make sure the breaker hasn’t been tripped. If it has, reset it and see if the heater runs as it should. If the breaker trips again, or neither of these things do the trick, then you need to play it safe. Shut off power to the heater and call a service technician: preferably one who can respond swiftly to your calls.

Red Rock Mechanical has served the Plattsburgh, NY area  for over two decades, providing all manner of support for homeowners in need of serious heating repair. Out trained staff is on call 24 hours a day and we pride ourselves on swift professional service in all things. If your heating system breaks down, give us a call and set up an appointment today. We’ll treat the issue with courtesy and efficiency, getting your household back up to speed quickly!

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Furnaces vs. Heat Pumps

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

When you’re considering your heating options in Burlington, VT, furnaces and heat pumps are may be competing for top of your list. They are two of the most common types of heating systems in the US, and they both heat efficiently and effectively when properly installed. At Red Rock Mechanical LLC, we offer a wide range of heating options for the home. Remember that no matter what type of system you have installed in your home, hire a trained and certified heater specialist. Only a pro knows how to maximize the heating potential of your new heater. Call Red Rock Mechanical LLC  in Burlington, VT today!

Let’s take a look at furnaces and heat pumps:

  • Furnaces heat your home by converting energy drawn from a fuel source and making hot air that is circulated throughout your home via air ducts. While gas furnaces are generally recognized to be highly efficient, some customers still heat their homes by burning oil. Depending on the make and model, a furnace will vary in its efficiency, although the top of the line gas-based systems often offer AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings as high as 97%, which means that only 3% of the energy is wasted. Furnaces are known for their reliable heating capabilities during the coldest of winters.
  • Heat pumps heat your home by a different method entirely. Instead of converting energy from a fuel source, they run on electricity. The heat pump works much like an air conditioner in that it uses a refrigerant to transfer heat indoors during the heating season. The added benefit of a heat pump is that it can also cool your home during the summer by reversing the heat transfer process. This makes it a highly versatile choice for customers looking to for a year-round comfort solution. However, since heat pumps don’t heat efficiently at low temperatures, you will probably need some sort of auxillary heater to help keep your home comfortable during very cold days.

Keep in mind that you can also pair a furnace and heat pump together. That way, you’ll be covered for moderate shifts in temperature as well as those harsh winter days, when you need more of a heating boost. Call Red Rock Mechanical LLC for furnace or heat pump installation in Burlington, VT.

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How to Keep Your Furnace Up and Running

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

Getting through a beautiful—but icy cold—winter in Vermont requires a heating system that is up to the task. Furnaces have kept many homes in this state warm and cozy through the cold months, and advancing technology has kept modern furnaces competitive in the HVAC market.

However… you have to be good to your furnace to make sure that it stays up and running during the coming cold. We’ll give you some guidance on how to do that in this post. Red Rock Mechanical has 23 years of experience working with furnaces and other heating systems, and when you need prompt professional assistance to keep your heater up and running, give us a call.

Ways to prevent a breakdown in your furnace

Schedule regular preventive maintenance: We put this first because it’s the best method to make sure you don’t experience a chilly period of shutdown on the coldest day of the year. Any machine requires regular maintenance to ensure its continued efficient operation, and with the amount of work a furnace needs to do during a Burlington winter, it should get at least a yearly check-up. Sign up for a maintenance program with a reliable HVAC company; they should be able to take care of your air conditioner as well.

Change the filter regularly: The filter in a furnace traps debris that might otherwise get into the cabinet and damage the components. During the heating season, you should change the filter once a month to prevent it from developing so much dust and dirt that it can no longer function adequately. Also, make sure you change the filter before heating season begins, so your furnace has a fresh start.

Get repairs done immediately: The moment that your furnace gives you any warning that something is wrong—reduced air flow, odd smells from the vents, tripped circuit breakers, uneven heating, strange noises—call in an HVAC specialist to find out what is wrong and repair it before it can grow into a bigger, more expensive problem or a full breakdown.

Red Rock Mechanical can take care of the repair and maintenance needs that will make sure your furnace in Burlington, VT stays healthy this coming season. We back all our work with a one-year warranty.

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Reasons Why Your Furnace Won’t Turn On

Tuesday, October 29th, 2013

Many homes in Plattsburgh NY are heated by a gas furnace. The technology is reliable and relatively inexpensive: burning gas to heat air which is then distributed through your home. If your furnace won’t turn on, you need to call a professional repair service to address the issue, especially in the winters when the snows start to fall. A low air flow or a lack of heat is bad enough, but if the furnace won’t turn on at all, it may indicate a serious issue. Here’s a list of some of the more prominent reasons why your furnace won’t turn on.

  • Pilot light out. The gas in your furnace is ignited by a pilot light, which should be on all the time in order to provide heat when you need it. If the pilot light goes out, the furnace won’t turn on. In most cases, the pilot light apparatus will need to be replaced, though it can be relit if the problem isn’t substantial.
  • Thermocouple. The thermocouple is a safety valve near the pilot light (sometimes a part of the same component) which regulates the flow of gas into the combustion chamber. If there’s a problem with the gas line or the pilot light, the thermocouple with turn off the gas automatically so that it won’t flood your home.
  • Electrical issues. Some furnaces use electricity to run certain components, including the blower fan and possibly the pilot light as well. If there’s an overload or a problem with the wiring, the furnace won’t receive any power and you won’t have any heat generated.

No matter what the cause, you need a professional to determine why your furnace won’t turn on. Call the professionals at Red Rock Mechanical for help.  We handle Plattsburgh, NY heating issues of all varieties, and our trained experts can determine the cause of your heater malfunction. We also perform installation services, and can set up a maintenance schedule to keep your furnace clean and running. We’re standing by to help, so give us a call today.

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How to Save Money on Heating in Plattsburgh, NY

Tuesday, October 15th, 2013

Heating in Plattsburgh, NY is a serious business thanks to our long, cold winters. A reliable heating system ensures that your house stays cozy and warm, no matter how deeply the snows fall. Most people think that such heating needs to come with an equally high energy bill every month. That doesn’t have to be the case. In addition to common-sense tips like setting the thermostat a few degrees lower than you might normally and dressing warmly while you’re inside, you can take some concrete steps to lop a few dollars off those monthly bills. Here’s how to save money while heating in Plattsburgh, NY.

Ideally, your system would function at peak efficiency all the time. It can’t do that, but you can help by setting up a regular maintenance schedule with a trained professional. He or she can perform a basic “tune-up” on the system: refilling refrigerant if needed, cleaning dirty components and tightening loos fittings or seals. If larger repairs are needed, he or she can identify the trouble spots and schedule a repair session at some convenient point. All of that helps reduce the system’s inefficiency, lowering stress on your heater and ensuring that it doesn’t use quite as much energy to warm your home in the wintertime.

On top of that, you might want to consider adding upgrades that let you tailor your heating options to fit your specific conditions. For instance, look into adding zone control systems, which allow you to raise or lower the heat in specific sections of your home instead of heating the whole thing. You can have kitchen warmed to one temperature while your spouse reads in the bedroom with another temperature, protecting you from household squabbles as well as higher energy bills.

If you want to save money on heating in Plattsburgh, NY, call upon Red Rock Mechanical to help. We have the experience and know-how to keep your heater running at its best, as well as performing installations and upgrades to take advantage of new technological advancements. Contact us today to set up a consultation.

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Plattsburgh Heating Tip: Get the Most from Your Thermostat

Monday, September 30th, 2013

Physically, the thermostat is a minor part of your home comfort system: a small unit set into a wall. But the thermostat serves just as important a function in heating your home as the tank of a boiler or the ducts of a furnace. The thermostat is how you communicate with your heater so that it does the job it’s supposed to.

However, you can get more out of your thermostat than you probably realize. If you only occasionally fiddle with it when you start feeling too cold or too warm, you’re missing out on ways to optimize your heating. In this post, we’ll give you some tips to help you get the best performance possible from your thermostat.

Red Rock Mechanical can help you with all your Plattsburgh, NY heating needs, so give us a call when you want to go to the next level of service.

Set the thermostat to energy saving temperatures: Do you know how high you can set your thermostat? Well, don’t set it that high unless you absolutely need to… a Death Valley-level heat wave isn’t necessary for your comfort. Set the thermostat to 68°F when you’re awake, and you can set it even lower at night—and use a sweater and thick blankets to help. The US Department of Energy has found that scaling back 10°F to 15°F for eight hours can save from 5% to 15% on your bills every year.

Invest in a programmable thermostat: If you have an older digital thermostat, or an even older manual one, you’re losing out on advantages in energy savings and convenience. With a programmable thermostat, you have control over the temperature whether you’re home or not. You can wake up to a warm house, and come home to one as well, while saving energy throughout the day.

Make sure the thermostat is in the best location: Where your thermostat is installed in your home is important for it to work its best. In the wrong place, a thermostat can record “ghost readings” that don’t reflect the true temperature in your house, and it will unnecessarily activate or shut down your heater. The thermostat should be away from direct sunlight and the drafts from doors and windows. If you suspect your thermostat’s location is interfering with its job, get it re-installed.

Red Rock Mechanical can help out if you need a thermostat installation or if your current one requires repairs. We’re a family-owned business, and when you call us, you won’t get a recording—a live person will be there to answer your questions for your Plattsburgh, NY heating concerns.

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What Goes on During Heating Maintenance in Burlington, VT?

Monday, September 23rd, 2013

Having professional maintenance performed on your heating system is a vital part of keeping you warm during the beautiful but lengthy Vermont winters. Any hard-working mechanical device with moving parts—from a dishwasher to a car engine—requires regular maintenance to give it a long life. A home heater in a city that gets as chilly as Burlington will need at least an annual check-up to make sure it functions efficiently and won’t threaten to break down during the least convenient times.

We’ll explain what occurs during heating maintenance in Burlington, VT to help you understand why it is so important. You can expect top-quality preventive maintenance like this from the experts at Red Rock Mechanical.

Although the work a technician performs during a maintenance visit depends on the type of heater you have installed, you can expect these general steps:

  • Inspection: The HVAC expert will give all the components in your heater a thorough examination. Electrical connections, gas valves, pilot lights, pipes, ducts, heating elements, belts, motors, fans, water tanks—anything that might suffer from dirt accumulation or sustain damage from wear and tear. If any part looks like it requires repairs or replacement, your technician will identify what needs to be done to keep your heater healthy through the winter.
  • Cleaning: Your heater most likely picked up dust and dirt during its summer vacation. If more than a year has passed since it received a check-up, your system might have serious clogs that could create major issues when it turns on. The technician will clean out any debris build-up that might interfere with fans, blowers, valves, the pilot light, or other vital components.
  • Tune-ups: Similar to an engine tune-up on your car, your heater requires adjustments to keep it performing at peak efficiency. Depending on the type of system installed in your home, this can involve recalibrating the thermostat or tightening the line connections to a boiler.

Regular maintenance will reward you with a more efficient and durable heater that won’t drain extra power and raise your bills. The fall season is the best time to schedule a maintenance visit because HVAC companies have fewer emergency calls filling their calendars. They can easily arrange an appointment convenient for you.

Contact Red Rock Mechanical today for Burlington, VT heating maintenance. You will appreciate our years of experience and personal touch.

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Preparing for the Burlington, VT Heating Season

Monday, September 9th, 2013

If you live in Burlington, VT, heating season starts early and ends late. Ours is a cold and snowy community, which makes proper heating an absolute necessity. You can help yourself and your heating system by adhering to a regular maintenance schedule throughout the summer months, then preparing for the heating season properly when it rolls around. A qualified professional can help you with the details, but in general a few key steps in the process will serve you well.

  • Lower your thermostat. Most people don’t need the home to be as warm in the winter as it is in the summer; 68 degrees feels plenty warm when it’s 20 below outside. Lowering your thermostat will not only save you electric bills but will save wear and tear on your heating system, helping it last longer.
  • Seal air leaks. Leaks in the windows, doors and duct system cause air to be pulled out of your home, forcing your heating system to work harder to heat your home. Sealing the leaks in the doors and windows, and having a professional serviceman check your ducts for leaks, will save you money in the long run.
  • Clean the components of your heating system. Or rather, have them cleaned by a professional. Service specialist can get the dust and dirt out of your heater, check the heat exchanger, examine the pilot light to make sure it’s running, and test the your heating system’s overall efficiency.
  • Consider a new system. While your current heating system may be working just fine, this is a good time to think about replacing one that isn’t. Not only will it save you money in electric bills, but you may be able to consider new options such as zone controls that your older unit might not feature. The time to install a new unit is in the late summer or early fall, before the snows start.

If you’re preparing for the Burlington, VT heating season, it pays to consult with people in the know. The experts at Red Rock Mechanical can speak with you about upgrades, repairs or replacement to your heater. Call us today to set up an appointment.

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