The official end of winter and the start of spring is March 20, less than a month away. But as anybody who has lived for a few years in Northwest Vermont and Northeast New York can tell you, the weather is extremely unpredictable during this last period of winter. The saying that March “enters like a lamb and leaves like a lion” (and sometimes vice versa) is a short way of saying that you never quite know what the temperatures are going to be like until it finally settles into spring weather. Your heating system still has some work ahead of it.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Archive for February, 2017
The End of Winter: Watch for These Heating Troubles
Monday, February 27th, 2017
There’s Water around My Furnace… What’s Going On?
Monday, February 20th, 2017
Most people have a basic idea about how gas furnaces operate: a pilot light or electronic ignition system lights gas burners, which generate the heat that warms up the air sent into the house. This process doesn’t sound like it involves water at any point. So when a homeowner notices that there is water coming out the base of a furnace, it seems strange.
This does happen with furnaces, and if you see it occurring with yours, you almost certainly need professional heating repair in Plattsburgh, NY or elsewhere in Northeast New York or Northwest Vermont. A number of problems might be at work, ranging from minor malfunctions to the need to replace the entire furnace. But no matter what, you must have trained technicians on the job: a gas furnace is potentially dangerous if someone without licensing and training tries to work on one.
The Benefits of a Boiler for a Home Heating System
Monday, February 13th, 2017
If you are currently in a situation where you have to make a decision about a heating system for a new home, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of choices available. The most common way to heat a home is with a furnace, which must have a network of ducts to carry heated air to the various rooms. Heat pumps are another form of forced-air heating that relies on a ventilation system (although there are also ductless mini split heat pumps).
A boiler system, on the other hand, is an option that runs differently from forced-air heating. A boiler uses radiant heating, which is heating up objects in rooms so they send out heat waves through the space. Boilers can use radiators, baseboard heaters, or in-floor piping to spread warmth around a house.
Selecting a boiler for winter heat is a major choice, but there are a number of reasons that you may wish to make this your choice for your new home heating in Burlington, VT:
Groundhog vs. Groundhog: No Matter Who’s Right—Be Ready for More Winter!
Monday, February 6th, 2017
Here in Vermont and Northeast New York, we’re divided between the two most famous Groundhog Day prognosticators. On the one hand, there’s Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania. On the other hand, there’s Staten Island Chuck in… Staten Island. Sometimes the two make similar predictions. This year it was different. We would love to think that Staten Island Chuck is right, since he predicted an early spring.
But let’s be honest: Groundhog Day accuracy isn’t something you should use to plan for your home heating needs over the next six weeks. There’s still cold weather ahead, and you want to make sure that your heating system will make it through to whenever it is that spring comes to the rescue. We have some advice on how to do this.
