How AC Works

One of the best ways to understand why your air conditioning system is leaking water is realize how AC works. Air conditioners work by circulating a refrigerant through a series of coils. These are called evaporator coils and are located inside your home.  Your air conditioner pushes the warm air of your home across the cool coils so that they can absorb the heat and carry it outside.

Condensate Drain

When you take a cold drink outside in the heat you likely have noticed that droplets of water will form on the outside of it. Warm air is able to hold more moisture than cool air. As the air cools over the evaporator coils condensation will form on the coils. This condensation will usually drip off into a pan and drain away. If the pan or the drains get clogged it will likely start to leak. Call the Plymouth, MN air conditioning repair technicians at Air Mechanical today if you’ve started to notice any issues with your home’s AC.

Plymouth, MN Air Conditioning Repair

If your air conditioning system isn’t working well all you have to do is call the Plymouth, MN air conditioning repair pros at Air Mechanical. We have years of experience working with all different types and brands of systems. We can get your system back up and working again as quickly as possible.

• Blower motor fault. Your blower motor is responsible for blowing the heated air throughout your ductwork, after it has been heated by the heat exchanger. But when if you have a clogged air filter, then the blower motor will continue to work harder and harder until it overheats or breaks due to the increased load. By keeping your furnace air filter clean at all times, you can ensure that your blower motor is not undergoing any additional load.
• Short-cycling. One of the most common issues related to a clogged air filter is short-cycling, which means when your furnace turns on and off frequently. When it cannot complete a heating “cycle,” your furnace will perform inefficiently, which can lead to a rise in energy costs. It will also increase the wear and tear on many of the system’s components.
• Overheating. Your furnace is not enough. If it begins to overheat, it can cause all sorts of problems with operation. A clogged air filter causes your heated air to build up inside the air handler, leading to overheating. Temperature fluctuations can cause your heat exchanger to crack and this repair is both dangerous and costly!

Make sure you check and clean your furnace air filter about once a month during the heating season, and replace it when necessary. Operating your furnace with a clogged air filter only leads to problems. Call Air Mechanical today for comprehensive Blaine, MN furnace repair services!

What Not To Put Down Your Kitchen Sink

With all the use that your kitchen sink gets it can be easy to just dump everything from your cooking or cleaning down the drain. However, there are a few things that you shouldn’t put down your garbage disposal that can often cause kitchen sink clogs. Call the Andover, MN kitchen plumbing repair experts if you’re having any issues with your kitchen sink.

• Fibrous foods – Foods like celery that have lots of fibers in them can get caught around the garbage disposal blades which can lead to problems.
• Starch foods – Potato skins, rice and pasta are all starches that you should avoid putting down your garbage disposal. They can expand when they meet water and cause clogs in your pipes.
• Fruit pits – Larger fruit pits like avocado and peach pits should never be put down your garbage disposal. The blades will not be able to break those apart.
• Animal bones – Another thing you shouldn’t put down your garbage disposal is animal bones. These will likely cause clogs because your garbage disposal won’t be able to break them down.

For all your Andover, MN kitchen plumbing repair and installation services make sure that you call Air Mechanical. We have years of experience working on all different types of kitchen clogs.

High water pressure is one of he most common causes of water leaks, damage to pipes and wasted water in homes. Striking the right water pressure balance in your home is integral to ensure that you are able to use your water conveniently and effectively, without putting your plumbing system at risk. If you have any reason to believe you have high water pressure issues in your home, call a professional plumber right away.

There are many signs that you may notice which indicate a high water pressure problem. If you have multiple leaks in fixtures throughout your home, high water pressure may be to blame. You may also notice that your toilets are running even when thy are not in use.

Pinpointing the source of a high water pressure problem requires the skill of a professional plumber. Most often it is traced all the way back to the municipal water supplier. Obviously fire hydrants, high rises and other applications require higher water pressure than the average home. Sometimes, in meeting these needs, a water supply can exceed the necessary residential water pressure requirements. However, it is also possible that water properly pressurized when it arrives in your home is then over pressurized within it. This can be a result of thermal expansion. A professional plumber will be able to help you figure out the cause of your high water pressure, as well as the best solution.

Contact the Ham Lake, MN plumbing repair pros at Air Mechanical, Inc. today to learn more. We want to ensure that your plumbing system and your comfort is protected. Call with any questions you may have.

Age of Your Furnace

One of the best indicators that you need to replace your furnace is its age. If you have an older furnace that has started to require more frequent repair it likely might make more financial sense to replace it than continue to repair it. Contact the Plymouth, MN heating repair and replacement specialists at Air Mechanical. We’ll be able to help you determine if it would be better to replace your furnace. We’ll also help you find a new system that fits your home and your budget.

Cracked Heat Exchanger

Gas-fired and oil-fired furnaces use a heat exchanger to deliver heat into the air. The burner in your furnace heats up the heat exchanger and the fan blows cool air over it. But heat exchangers also are responsible for disposing of the harmful combustion gases that result from burning fuel. If the heat exchanger gets cracked it can allow carbon monoxide to leak into your home. If your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger it likely cannot be fixed and needs to be replaced.

Benefits of Plymouth, MN Heating Replacement

While it can be frustrating to have to replace your furnace there are a few terrific benefits. First, if your furnace is older then you will likely see a decrease in the amount of energy that you use to heat your home. New furnaces tend to be much more efficient than ones that were built even just a few years ago. Second, you will likely get more consistent and comfortable heat. If your old furnace gives out a lot or breaks down often then you likely aren’t getting the kind of heating that you deserve.

For all your Plymouth, MN heating and furnace replacement call the friendly experts at Air Mechanical. We’ll be able to get you a new heating system that matches your home’s needs and your budget.

Now that you know a little bit about hard water, let’s examine some of the ways a water treatment system might help to eliminate its danger:

• Reverse osmosis. This process was created as an industrial tool to desalinize salt water, in order to make it a potable water source. But the technology has dramatically improved over the last 50 years, and reverse osmosis systems can now be installed in your home, either at the water main, or as an under the counter solution. They work by reversing the biological process of osmosis, by which a weaker concentration will gravitate towards a stronger concentration. Your hard water is just such a concentration. Reverse osmosis removes the hardness of water by pressurizing the incoming water through a semipermeable membrane. It’s comprehensive and effective.
• Water softening. Another option for treating the hard water issue is to install a water softener. Water softening works by exchanging the calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water with sodium ions. As the water passes through a tank full of polystyrene beads positively charged with sodium ions, the exchange takes place. The result is soft water with very low amounts of sodium.

Reverse osmosis is more comprehensive than water softening, and customers concerned about their sodium intake may want to seek an alternative. If you’re considering ways to change your hard water, then take the time to consult with a professional. For more information about our Andover, MN water treatment systems, call Air Mechanical today!

The smell of sewage around your home is probably the result of a damaged sewer main. The sewer main, or line as it is often called, connects your wastewater plumbing to a septic tank or municipal waste management system. It is a vital component of disposing wastewater safely and quickly. If it is cracked, collapsed, or otherwise damaged, it can begin to leak that wastewater into the surrounding soil. Beyond the smell of sewage, other symptoms include wet spots in the yard and systemic blockage of your fixtures.

While the smell is unmistakable, it’s not obvious what the cause of the problem is. If your sewer main is very old, it may have collapsed under the pressure of shifting soil, whether due to erosion, or construction nearby. The roots of trees exert incredible amounts of pressure and can often penetrate an underground pipe over time. If your pipe is collapsed, your plumber will need to burst it open first before sending through a replacement.

While sewer line repair and replacement used to require major excavation of your backyard to access the pipe and lay the new one in the ground, today’s trenchless technology requires only two relatively small access pits on either side of the problematic pipe. The result is a faster and more economical process. For plumbing services in Plymouth, MN, call the experts at Air Mechanical today!

Dust and Dust Mites

As you may know, dust is mostly comprised of dead skin cells. When the air dries out it can increase the amount of dust in your home. Dust mites are very small insects that are in every home. The dust mite droppings can dry up and can actually enter the air. These droppings are triggers for many people with allergies.

Pollen and Pet Dander

Pollen is a huge allergen that is often tied to seasons. If anyone in your family suffers from seasonal allergies then you know how uncomfortable it can be. Pet dander is another allergen that many people are sensitive to. Dogs, cats, birds and other common household pets can shed and increase the amount of pet dander in the air.

If you’re interested in learning more about duct cleaning services to help decrease the impact of these air pollutants in your home, call the friendly Andover, MN air duct cleaning technicians at Air Mechanical.

Here are some signs that you may want to have your water tested:

• Bad smell or strong taste. While they are not infallible, our senses can tell us a lot about our water. Bad smell or taste is often a sign that there is a contaminant in your water. It may be a pH imbalance, increased salinity in your water, or the traces of chlorine or some other contaminant. If your supply piping is made out of iron or lead, these minerals can leach into your system and cause pollution.
• Illness. If you, your family members, or your pet falls suddenly ill, and you all share the same water supply, you may want to have your water supply tested. While there are a number of factors involved in illness, contamination can be ruled out by a water test.
• Old pipes. If your home has older plumbing made from lead or iron, it may be at risk of contamination. As these pipes get old, their insides begin to deteriorate, which can release metallic fragments in your water supply.
• Hard water. Hard water is the name for water with high calcium and magnesium content. While it’s not typically harmful to humans, it can do serious damage to your plumbing and water heater.

Water testing is a great way to make sure that the water you drink and use in your home is safe for you and your family. For water testing in Andover, MN, call Air Mechanical!

One of the most common causes of gas line leaks is faulty piping. If you use natural gas to heat your home or to cook with, then that natural gas is piped into your home by a main gas line. Piping then carries this natural gas throughout your home to wherever it is needed. If these pipes are very old they may have corroded, lost their seal or simply broken over time. Whatever the problem, it can allow gas to seep into your home, creating a dangerous situation. Improperly installed piping is also another major cause of gas leaks in home. Make sure that your gas piping is installed by professional Andover, MN plumber you can trust.

A problem with your natural gas appliances may also be to blame for a gas leak. If your appliances are unable to properly ignite the natural gas used to create heat then the gas can bypass the appliance and leak into your home. It is very important that you schedule routine maintenance to ensure that all of your natural gas piping and appliances are working properly and that they are in great condition. Failure to do so puts your comfort and even your safety at risk.

For more information about possible causes of gas leaks in your home, call the Andover, MN gas leak repair experts at Air Mechanical. We want to make sure that your home is as comfortable and safe as possible. Contact us today to schedule service.