The backflow preventer is a critical device for most commercial buildings, and is sometimes found I use homes and for larger residential structures. The backflow preventer is designed to protect the municipal water system from backflow, which is when waste water from the sewer system side of the plumbing ends up moving into the potable fresh water side, possibly contaminating the municipal fresh water supply. This isn’t something that’s a problem in most homes—there’s a simple air gap device to prevent backflow in the few places it can happen, such as a dishwasher—but it’s a major danger for commercial plumbing. Commercial plumbing has cross connections where there is the potential for backflow to occur and the fresh water becoming contaminated with bacteria and the microbes contained in waste water.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Plattsburgh’
Last Minute Furnace Repairs—Don’t Ignore Them
Monday, April 2nd, 2018
The weather is still cool-to-cold here, and who knows what sudden shifts may occur through the rest of April and even in to May? You are probably still running your furnace during the evenings and sometimes the days as well. If you think your furnace is showing signs that something is wrong, like a loss of heating power or strange sounds from the cabinets, make sure you call a professional to repair the system right away.
When you read that last sentence, did a pestering voice in your head say, “Why bother? The furnace is about to shut down for the warm season. There’s not much point in hustling to get a minor problem fixed now. Wait it out.”
Please don’t listen to that nagging part of your brain! Ignoring furnace repairs, no matter the time of year, is bad for your comfort, your bills, and even your safety. We’ll explain further.
Start Considering Furnace Replacement Options
Monday, March 5th, 2018
“Spring hasn’t even arrived yet, and yet I should be thinking about replacing my furnace?”
Yes! Your current furnace is still working away, and will continue to do so until the warmth finally settles in. But the “spring/summer break” for your furnace is an ideal time to make plans to replace it. The point when you need the furnace the least is the time to have it taken out and a new one put in, because…
- You’ll be far ahead of the next cold weather and won’t have to worry about cramming in an installation in fall.
- Local HVAC contractors don’t have schedules that are packed during the spring and can find a convenient time to arrange for the work.
- You’ll have enough time to review your options carefully for a new furnace installation.
Let’s take a deeper look into that last point. Choosing a new furnace is trickier than it may seem, especially if you’ve never had to have one replaced.
Stuffy Household Air? An Energy Recovery Ventilator Can Help!
Monday, February 19th, 2018
Are you getting tired of the winter weather, and even looking at the calendar to see how many days until spring puts you in a deep funk? We understand. Cabin fever can be a serious problem during our cold winters.
But there’s no reason your home shouldn’t feel comfortably cozy with its heater running. If you find that your house is stuffy when the heat is on, and you long for some fresh air, what can you do about it? Opening up the windows doesn’t sound like a good solution—it will let ice-cold air gust in. This places extra strain on the heating system trying to fight back. Of course you could turn the heater off … but you don’t want to do that with the house open to the outside.
But we have a way for you to enjoy fresher air in your house without causing chills and running up your heating bill: an energy recovery ventilator.
Some Boiler Malfunctions You May Run Into
Monday, January 8th, 2018
A boiler is a great way to provide warmth during a stormy and cold winter—and we’re in the middle of one of those right now! The heat coming from radiators and baseboard heaters is cozy and spreads evenly through a room, without having to blow around any dust from ductwork. A boiler also has a great advantage over a furnace, which is that it usually needs fewer repairs over its lifetime. A boiler contains fewer moving mechanical parts that can break down. As long as you remember to schedule heating maintenance for your boiler each year (do it now if you haven’t!) you should have reliable comfort through the season.
There’s no guarantee, of course, that your boiler will work without any troubles. Let’s look at some possible problems your boiler might encounter. Call for boiler heating professionals to check out the issue before it worsens and you end up with no heat at all!
Why Isn’t My Gas Furnace Turning On?
Monday, November 27th, 2017
When you’re making your winter plans, both in the short-term and the long-term, you probably make most of them around being in locations where you can receive warmth. In your house, that means a natural gas furnace that works whenever you need it to, that will turn on when the thermostat signals your house requires a boost in warmth.
You probably aren’t planning for the furnace to refuse to turn on at all. You can take steps to avoid this during the fall (arranging for professional heating maintenance is one of the best), but there’s nothing that can stop all potential furnace malfunctions. If your furnace isn’t coming on and you aren’t getting any heat, there are a couple of possibilities for why it’s happening. Some you can correct on your own, but others will require you call for heating repair in Plattsburgh, NY from HVAC professionals.
Duct Sealing May Be the Answer to Your Heating Problems
Monday, November 13th, 2017
Heating systems put in a lot of work here through the winters, and we’re about to get into the most intense period of using our heating systems to make it through the winter. (You did remember to have maintenance, right? It’s easy with our one of our Preventative Maintenance Comfort Plans.)
But not all apparent heating system problems stem from inside the actual heater components, or even from the thermostats. The heating system is only one part of the entire HVAC system, which includes the ventilation ducts. Issues with those ducts may be the source of difficulties you may encounter with the heater during the winter. Some of these troubles include:
- The compressor of a heat pump turning on and off rapidly (short-cycling)
- Hot spots in rooms due to low airflow or insufficiently cool air from the vents
- A steep rise in utility bills that’s out of the ordinary for when you usually run the heating system.
Does a Furnace Dry Out the Air in a House?
Monday, October 30th, 2017
This is a question people often ask about furnace performance. During the winter, the moisture level in the air drops as more water vapor becomes pulled out of the air as snow. Dry conditions may be helpful during the summer, when it makes it easier for the human body to cool down in the heat. Bu dry air during the rest of the year presents comfort and health problems. Furnaces are often blamed from causing the air to become even drier. Is there any truth to the idea that a furnace “dries out” a home’s air?
Important Jobs That Require a Trained Plumber
Monday, October 16th, 2017
You may think of yourself as handy around the house, and you’re proud of your tools and getting jobs done on your own. That’s great for some parts of the house—but it isn’t great for the plumbing system. The majority of plumbing tasks must be left to licensed and trained plumbers to ensure they’re done right and don’t end up creating leaks, water waste, construction damage, and other problems. Here are some jobs that require a professional plumber in Plattsburgh, NY:
As Summer Ends, It’s Time to Schedule Heating Maintenance
Monday, September 18th, 2017
We say goodbye (officially) to summer this week and prepare to greet fall. The change in the weather won’t happen as suddenly as the change in day on the calendar, but fall always means it’s time to prepare your home for cooler temperatures. Winter isn’t that far off … and actual winter weather is probably closer! Step #1 to get ready for the cooler temperatures is to have your home heating system professionally maintained.
To arrange for this year’s heating maintenance in Plattsburgh, NY and the surrounding areas, you only have to contact us and sign up for one of our Comfort Plans. Now is the time to do it: the earlier you have the service taken care of, the easier it is to schedule and the more time you’ll have to attend to any repairs that may be necessary.
