Most homeowners know very little about how the air conditioner that keeps their house cool works. There’s no problem with this; that’s the reason we have highly trained professionals to take care of any issues an AC might encounter, as well as to handle installation and maintenance work. However, a bit of knowledge can always come in handy, and in this post we are going to shed some light on one of the most crucial components in your home’s cooling system: the evaporator coil.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Maintenance’
Some Early Air Conditioning Repairs to Watch for This Spring
Monday, April 13th, 2015
Now that spring is here, air conditioning systems throughout Northwest Vermont and the Plattsburgh, NY area will start to turn on for their long stretch of work during the middle of the year. If you haven’t done so already, make sure you schedule routine maintenance for your air conditioning from a professional HVAC technician. This is necessary to see that the AC works at peak efficiency and to catch potential repair problems so they can be dealt with early.
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.
Cold Climate Heat Pumps: How They Work
Friday, April 18th, 2014
If you’ve done some research into heat pumps, you probably already know about their major advantages: air conditioning and heating power in one unit, low cost heating, and space-saving. But you may have also come across one of their disadvantages: inefficient heating power in extreme cold temperatures.
It’s true that a heat pump will begin to lose efficiency in heating mode when the outdoor temperature falls below freezing. A heat pump must remove heat from the outdoor air and bring it into a home; although there is always some heat available in the outdoor air, no matter how low the temperature drops, it becomes harder for a heat pump to extract it once it dips below the economic balance point, a temperature usually around freezing (it varies due to humidity).
We definitely recommend heat pumps for people when it comes to cooling, since these systems work ideally at this task no matter the outdoor heat. But in Vermont, sub-freezing weather in winter is the reality. Because of this, we suggest homeowners look into cold climate heat pumps (CCHPs) so they can still take advantage of the benefits of a heat pump, but without sacrificing comfort. Contact Red Rock Mechanical and our staff of experts on heating repair and air conditioning maintenance in Burlington, VT today to find out more.
How Cold Climate Heat Pumps Beat The Freeze…And Save Money
Cold climate heat pumps (CCHPs) are also known as dual fuel hybrids because they combine the heat pump with a second backup heater that uses a different fuel source. You can have the heat pump and the back-up installed at the same time, or technicians can use your existing oil or propane-powered heating system and hook the heat pump to it. CCHPs come in both central and ductless models, so you can have one easily installed without existing ductwork in your home. Professionals can retrofit a home with a ductless system in less than a day.
CCHPs, when professionally installed, delivery three times more heat energy than they consume in electrical power. This is because heat pumps do not generate heat, but instead move it, a less energy-draining operation. In the case of extreme cold weather, the back-up system activates to assist the heat pump when it goes below the economic balance point. With the aid from the oil or propane-heater, CCHPs can deal with temperatures down to sub-zero without suffering efficiency loss.
A study by Efficiency Vermont has shown the difference in costs: A household that uses 850 gallons of heating oil per year (at $4 a gallon) would pay $3,400 for a year of heating. But with a CCHP installed, the same household would use only 170 gallons of oil, plus 7300 kWh of electricity at $.015 per kWh, for a total of $680 (oil) + $1100 (electric) = $1,780 for a year of heating…a savings of $1,620 per year.
Call Red Rock Mechanical today to ask about installation of a cold climate heap pump for your house. We’ll help you determine if one of these systems will work for you. Keep in mind, heat pumps also work as ACs, and you can call us for air conditioning maintenance in Burlington, VT to take care of all aspects of your heat pump.
Why Schedule Routine Air Conditioning Maintenance in Burlington, VT?
Monday, August 12th, 2013
Nothing lasts without a little upkeep every now and then. We take our cars in for routine servicing, and our homes and yards need regular attention as well. The same is true of your air conditioning system. Preventative maintenance from a trained professional can keep it running efficiently for years, while reducing the chances of more expensive service bills in the future.
Dirt and dust can affect an air conditioning unit more than most devices if left untreated. Components like the evaporator coils will struggle to do their job if they’re caked in dirt. Air filters can become clogged with dust and particles if they’re not routinely changed out, while drain lines and similar components can become clogged over time. Such problems tend to grow worse as the clogs and dirt lead to more serious malfunctions.
A routine maintenance schedule can address those issues: keeping the components clean and tightening loose fittings that might further reduce your system’s efficiency. That way, small problems won’t give way to bigger ones, and your air conditioning unit will function at a higher efficiency. Indeed, a qualified service technician will be able to spot warning signs of potential trouble before it arrives, and find a comparatively easy solution that avoids trouble in the future.
Routine air conditioning maintenance saves you money. It usually costs less to prevent a problem than to solve it once it arrives, and a regular maintenance schedule will help keep your monthly energy bills down, since the AC system won’t have to work so hard to keep your household cool.
In Burlington, VT, you can call on the experts at Red Rock Mechanical to set up a regular air conditioning maintenance schedule. We’ve been in business for over 20 years and remain dedicated to your complete satisfaction. When the temperature rises and you need a cool, comfortable place to come home to, we can make sure that your system is running like it should. Contact us today to make an appointment for Burlington, VT air conditioning service.
Why Is It Important to Have Your AC Cleaned? A Plattsburgh, NY Air Conditioning Question
Thursday, August 1st, 2013
An air conditioning unit keeps your Plattsburgh, NY home cool and comfortable in the heat of the summer. However, routine maintenance for our AC doesn’t enter our minds much; instead, we wait for the AC system to malfunction before calling in a technician. Why is it important to have you AC cleaned and maintained if nothing’s wrong with it? In fact, cleaning your air conditioning unit may be one of the most practical decisions you ever make. Some of the biggest reasons are listed below.
- Effectiveness: Dirty coils and air filters slow down the air flow and reduce the cooling power of your air conditioning system. The system must thus work harder to cool your home, which will drive up your monthly energy bills. A regular cleaning keeps your system functioning the way it should while lowering the costs of running it.
- Longevity: Beyond keeping your air conditioning functioning in the short term, a regular cleaning schedule will help extend the life of your system. Dust, build-up and general wear and tear take their toll, and as your AC unit gets older, the cost and frequency of upkeep will continue to grow. Preventative maintenance undertaken by a trained expert can keep you air conditioning system running longer without repairs, and extend its life by a considerable amount of time.
- Small problems, not big ones: If you have your AC cleaned on a routine basis, the technician is more likely to spot signs of potential trouble: the state of the coils and other components, the presence of leaks, and so on. He can then sit down and discuss potential solutions with you, which usually cost much less than simply ignoring the issue and waiting for it to cause more serious trouble in the future.
If you’re looking for a technician to have your AC cleaned, contact Red Rock Mechanical to set up an appointment. Our trained Plattsburgh, NY air conditioning specialists can perform regular maintenance services, keeping your system clean and saving you money in future costs.
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.
