Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Archive for July, 2014

Signs You Need New Water Line Installation

Wednesday, July 30th, 2014

The water line is one of the most vital parts of your home’s plumbing, if not the most vital: it brings fresh water from the municipal system into your pipes, pressurized so it comes out of faucets, showerheads, etc. with just a turn of the tap. If the water line suffers from damage and bursts, likely because of wear due to age, you will need to have a new line installed fast.

There are a number of ways to tell that the time has come for a new water line, aside from simply having the water in your house just stop. (This might be an issue with the water department.) Here are some signs to look for that indicate the time has come for a new water line to your home.

Call Red Rock Mechanical whenever you need plumbing installation in Montpelier, VT. We have emergency service available for repairs to your plumbing that can’t wait.

Watch for These Warnings of Water Line Trouble

  • Water flooding onto the yard or through the sidewalk: A serious water line breech will cause the water to gush up through your lawn or yard, or sometimes geyser up through cracks in the sidewalk. Although it’s possible that a municipal line may be causing the problem, don’t assume that: call for plumbers right away to look into it. If it is you water line, it will likely need a full replacement because of the breech.
  • Drop in water pressure: When a water line starts to decay from age and corrosion (this is a problem for older galvanized steel pipes from pre-1970) leaks will begin to occur, and this will lead to a drop in the water pressure throughout your plumbing. When this begins to occur, first check with the utility company to make sure it isn’t a municipal issue. Then call for the professional plumbers to see to the trouble with the water line and advise on whether it should be replaced or not.
  • Discolored water: Corrosion is the main enemy of water lines, and when it happens the pipe will need to be replaced. One way you can detect corrosion is from a discoloration in the water from your traps. If this appears in taps throughout your house, the culprit may be the water line. Breaks in the water line that allow in dirt and soil can also lead to discoloration in the water.

Water line replacement isn’t a task you can delay: you risk losing all of your fresh water because of an aging, leaking, or broken line. Call Red Rock Mechanical at the first indication of trouble, and we will handle the plumbing installation in Montpelier, VT that you need.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Plumbing | Comments Off on Signs You Need New Water Line Installation

3 Signs You Need Air Conditioning Repair

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

It can be difficult to tell if something is seriously wrong with your air conditioner. If something is not quite right but doesn’t seem like an emergency, you may feel as though you can put off air conditioning repair until a later time. However, this is a dangerous way of thinking. If you put off air conditioning repair for too long, you may run into other problems, or you may lose cool air entirely right in the middle of summer.

So when should you call for AC repair? As soon as you run into a problem! We’ve put together a list of three of the most common reasons you might need to call for air conditioning repair.

  • Loud Noises: Don’t assume that the strange noises coming from your AC unit are normal. There are a number of moving parts in your air conditioner that may make noise when they are not working properly. If your fan motor runs into problems, you may hear a grinding noise. A hissing noise could indicate leaking refrigerant. Loose or bent parts in your outdoor condenser unit may begin to make a banging or clanking sound.
  • Not Enough Cool Air: Your air conditioner may lose cooling power for many reasons. Even if the temperature is still bearable, an AC that doesn’t cool properly drives up your energy bills, and it can cause serious damage to other components of your system. The first place to check is the air filter as a dirty filter may block airflow. However, loss of cooling power may also indicate low refrigerant or damage to the compressor.
  • High Energy Bills: High energy bills should be reason enough to have someone look at your air conditioner. All air conditioners lose efficiency over time, but a significant increase indicates a big problem. If your system is running up your bills, you may have serious problems with some important parts of your AC, such as the compressor or evaporator coil.

The consequences of a damaged AC are not worth delaying repairs. For air conditioning repair in Stowe, VT, contact the experts at Red Rock Mechanical.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on 3 Signs You Need Air Conditioning Repair

3 Standard Plumbing Repair Services

Tuesday, July 15th, 2014

Off the top of your head, you can probably think of three plumbing problems that you’ve encountered more than one time in your home. Professional plumbers know all about these everyday nuisances that can plague even the cleanest and best-maintained plumbing systems, and they’re always ready to help out with skilled repairs that will take care of the problem without causing any damage to the rest of your plumbing.

Red Rock Mechanical has worked in plumbing for over 23 years now, and we’ve seen almost every kind of plumbing problem you can imagine, and many you don’t want to imagine. But right now we’ll stick to the simpler kind and talk about 3 standard plumbing services in Burlington, VT that we often perform. If you need any of these basic services—or any of the more unusual ones!—call us right away, any time of the day or night.

3 Common Plumbing Services

  • Unclogging drains: No nuisance problem for plumbing is more common than the clogged drain. Unfortunately, too many people try to solve the problem themselves using chemical drain cleaners. Leave those on the grocery store shelves! They’re bad for your pipes and bad for your lungs, eyes, and skin. Instead, call in a professional plumber, who will use expert tools like motorized drain snakes and hydro-jetters to get rid of the clogs and keep them from coming back.
  • Leak detection: Leaks can start in places where you won’t notice them at first, such as hidden behind walls or under floorboards. When you do suspect you have a leak due to higher water bills, warped floorboards, mold growth, or discolored spots on the walls, you still won’t know exactly where the leak is. Plumbers will use leak detection equipment and their own skill at spotting leaks to pinpoint the location of the leaking pipe and reach it with minimum disruption to building material.
  • Fixing garbage disposals: You won’t realize how much you depend on your garbage disposal—until it breaks down. Although sometimes restoring the disposal to life is as simple as pressing the reset switch on the bottom of the unit, any more difficult work will require a plumber. You don’t want to risk sticking your hand down into the disposal to try to loosen the flywheel, so let the professionals handle this job. In some extreme cases, you may need to have the whole disposal removed and replaced.
  • Flushing water heaters: If your water heater has too much sediment gathering in its tank, it may start to overheat or block valves. Plumbers can flush out the water in the system to clean it and get the water heater back to normal operation.

Whatever your needs for plumbing services in Burlington, VT, you can count on the experienced team at Red Rock Mechanical to deliver it for you, done fast and done right. Give us a call today to schedule your next AC repair.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Plumbing | Comments Off on 3 Standard Plumbing Repair Services

Increase Efficiency with a New Air Conditioner

Thursday, July 10th, 2014

Efficiency is important when it comes to the large appliances in your home. Efficiency can translate directly into dollars saved, so when appliances like your whole-home air conditioner aren’t working efficiently, you can lose money; this can be especially true for air conditioners that are 10+ years old. Just as a new car can be more efficient than an older one, so, too, can a new air conditioner. If you are thinking of investing in a new air conditioning installation for your Williston, VT property, let our Red Rock Mechanical experts give you a few reasons how this can increase your system’s efficiency.

SEER Numbers

Before we talk about specific ways a new AC can be more efficient than your older one, we want to talk about SEER numbers.

SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency rating, and it tells consumers how energy efficient a specific model is on a scale from 1 to 20. In 2006, the federal law regarding SEER was upgraded from a minimum SEER of 10 to 13. This meant that starting in 2006, all air conditioners had to be manufactured with a minimum SEER of 13. Therefore, if you have an air conditioner that is 8+ years old, it is likely that your AC is not as energy efficient as it could be.

Increasing Efficiency with a New AC

As we outlined above, air conditioners made and purchased before 2006 had a lower required energy efficiency number. Here are some other ways a new air conditioning system can help increase your overall energy efficiency:

  • Less repair work – if you experience a high level of malfunctions and/or breakdowns that require multiple repairs, not only are you paying service fees but your AC is most likely not running well, either. This inefficiency results in additional monetary loss.
  • Better overall operating efficiency – not only is the minimum requirement for a new air conditioner more stringent, but advances in technology have also made today’s air conditioners more efficient – some as much as 60% than ACs from just a decade ago.
  • Better fit for your home – as air conditioners age, their ability to cool your home can decrease with time; this can result in warm and cold spots that can occur throughout your home. To compensate for the shortfall in cooling properly, your air conditioner may start to cycle more frequently, or for longer periods of time. Either of these scenarios mean more energy is used – energy you have to pay for. With a new system that can handle your home’s cooling load, you won’t have to worry about extra energy usage.

Is Your AC Ready to Handle the Heat?

Choosing to move ahead with a new air conditioning installation in Williston, VT is something that requires consideration and calculation, and we are here to help. Call Red Rock Mechanical today and schedule an appointment to meet with one of our installation experts.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Increase Efficiency with a New Air Conditioner

The Famous Painting of the Declaration of Independence Isn’t What You Think It Is

Friday, July 4th, 2014

If you grew up in the United States, you probably first saw John Trumbull’s painting of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence in an elementary schoolbook. This oil-on-canvas 12’ x 18’ painting hangs in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. It is one of the most famous symbols of freedom in the country and almost every citizen can conjure it from memory.

Except… the painting isn’t of the singing of the Declaration of Independence. The actual title of the work is Declaration of Independence, and although it does portray an important moment in the history of the document that announced the Thirteen Colonies’ decision to break away from British rule, the event in the painting occurred on June 28, 1776, not July 4, 1776.

John Trumbull, a Connecticut native who fought in the Revolutionary War and whose father was the state governor, was commissioned to create the painting in 1817. He did painstaking research on the figures in the picture and also visited Independence Hall to see the actual chamber where the Second Continental Congress met. Trumbull only included 42 of the original 56 signers, because he could not find adequate likenesses for 14 or them, and added a few figures who were not present (most of whom declined to sign the actual document). In fact, the men depicted in the painting had never been present in the same room at one time.

So if the painting does not portray the signing of the Declaration of Independence, what is happening in the image? The Trumbull’s scene depicts the presentation of the draft of the declaration to the Continental Congress for editing and approval. The five-man drafting committee (John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin) is handing over their finished work, which congress would then edit carefully over the next few days before voting on it and signing it on the day that we now celebrate as the start of the United States of America.

One last, odd, fact: two of the five-man drafting committee, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both died on July 4th—although many years later.

Our family at Red Rock Mechanical hopes that your Fourth of July (or Twenty-Eighth of June if you decided to start celebrating early) is a memorable and happy one.

Continue Reading

Tags:
Posted in Happy Holidays | Comments Off on The Famous Painting of the Declaration of Independence Isn’t What You Think It Is