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The Benefits Of Installing A Generator In Your Cape Cod Home

September 16, 2024 by mcdonnellmechanical

The Benefits Of Installing A Generator For Your Cape Cod Home

The Benefits Of Installing A Generator For Your Cape Cod HomeCape Cod, and especially those of us who live here year ‘round know that we have an aging electric grid that has frequent outages. Axios reported that Massachusetts experiences more power outages than average longer power outages, and the average number of hours is also increasing, not decreasing. The Association To Preserve Cape Cod wrote an article in February of 2024, after many people lost power for at least part of a day due to Nor’Easter.

The bottom line is that between an aging power grid and the increased number and severity of storms due to climate change, residents on the Outer Cape are more vulnerable than ever to power outages, and of unknown duration. Yet with more people relying on electricity to power every aspect of their lives, from heating and cooling, to telecommuting for work, to relying on power for CPAP machines and other medical devices, unexpected power outages can be more than inconvenient- they can be life threatening.

That’s why at McDonnell Mechanical, we’re seeing more and more people opting to add a generator to their homes.  With a Generac generator, you can ensure that key aspects of your home- your HVAC system, refrigerators, and select circuits in your home can operate continuously when the power’s out for everyone else.

Schedule A Free Generator Consultation

Risks in Summer and Winter

Late Summer and Early Fall are prime Hurricane Season. While the Gulf Coast sees more Hurricanes than we do, the tropical storm winds and rain can do their own damage to our fragile infrastructure.  

In the Winter, Nor’easters can send snow and winds our way, further endangering our electric grid, just when people need it most for heating as well as connectivity to the world off the Cape. And the bottom line is the further out in the Outer Cape you live, the more vulnerable you are to electric outages that occur closer to Mid-cape- and the longer it takes crews to get out and fix the problems.

Why Choose a Generator?

Losing Your Power Means Your AC And Heating TooWhen you lose power for more than a few minutes, it can get expensive. Without power, the temperature in your refrigerator and freezer can increase, making food more likely to spoil and become unsafe to eat.  Replacing a whole fridge’s worth of food can run you several hundreds of dollars, and with just one or two extended outages, the security a generator offers looks more and more attractive and cost-effective.

Especially if you plan on using your Cape Home year- round, a generator will make your home more comfortable for you and more attractive to renters. You won’t have to deal with people begging for refunds if the power goes out, because they really won’t be inconvenienced at all by bad weather!

If anyone in your family uses medical equipment like a CPAP machine, or takes medication that needs to be kept cold, having a generator will make sure you can run this critical equipment even when the power goes out. That’s peace of mind that many folks find important, and it’s why we’ve been installing more and more generators every year in the Outer Cape Communities.

Generators can also keep your well and sump pump operating, keeping your home operating and protecting it from damage due to flooding.

And of course, if you have a security system for your home, a generator can keep that running as well – and that’s particularly important to keep your home safe when you’re not around.

Homeowners have also told us that having a generator has increased the value of their home when they do decide to put it on the market. And with real estate prices increasing everywhere, don’t you want to have an advantage to get a premium price for your home?

Talk To Someone About A Generator For Your Home

If You’re Thinking About Installing A Generator, Give Us A Call!

If you’re tired of all the power outages and what it does to your productivity, give us a call at 508-394-0005, or contact us online.  We’ll send someone from our expert team out, and you can choose a generator that will meet your critical needs in an emergency, and make sure your family is safe and comfortable.  We have a wide range of choices and price points, so you can find a generator that meets your needs and budget!

Schedule A Free Generator Consultation

Filed Under: Generator Tagged With: air conditioning, Ductless Mini Split, Generator, Heating

When Should You Replace Your Heating System

September 12, 2024 by mcdonnellmechanical

When Should You Replace Your Heating System

When Should You Replace Your Heating SystemReplacing an old heating system is a big decision, and one that you sometimes may not have a straight answer to. In most cases, people simply replace their old heating system when it stops working. This is a pretty simple answer, but one that rings true for most people. 

In this article, we want to go over some of the most common signs that your heating system needs to be replaced, and the best time of year to replace it. We have been installing and replacing heating systems in Cape Cod for years, and know when it’s the right time to make the swap. Whether you are using a gas or oil furnace, a heat pump, or baseboard heating, we have dealt with them all! 

If you are having problems with your heating system, or simply are looking for an upgrade, give us a call or contact us online. Our experts would be happy to take a look at your home, and help you install the perfect heating system to stay comfortable all winter long! 

Schedule A Free Heating Consultation

The Most Common Signs You Need To Replace Your Heating System

In some cases, it’s very obvious that you need to install a new heating system. In other cases, there are other factors that may indicate that it’s time to make the switch. Here are a few signs you should look out for: 

Your System Isn’t Producing Heat

If your heating system isn’t working properly and not producing heat, you may need a replacement. This is the most obvious sign it’s time to replace the system. If it isn’t getting the job done, it could just be time to make the switch. 

Your Energy Bills Are Higher Than Normal

It’s natural for your energy bills to rise once the heating system is working day and night in the winter. But, if they are extraordinarily high, it could be an indication that there is a problem with your heating system. 

It could have deteriorating energy efficiency, which can happen to an HVAC system over time. We recommend you have your heating system serviced regularly. This will help you maintain energy efficiency and lengthen the lifespan of your heating system. Still, even with regular furnace maintenance, your heating system could still suffer from lost energy efficiency and need replacing. 

In some cases, it becomes more cost effective in the long run to replace a heating system that is running your energy bills through the roof. If you are trying to stave off the costs of a new heating system replacement, you may think that the old heater is saving you money. The truth is, it will need to be replaced eventually, and in the meantime, your energy bills are higher than they should be! 

 

Your System Breaks Down Frequently

If your heating system is in need of repairs every season, it may be a good idea to consider a replacement. Repairs can get costly, and are usually the sign of an aging system that needs to be replaced anyway. If the repair is cheaper, under $500, that’s probably the right move. 

 

If the repairs become more expensive, $1000 and over, we would recommend that you also get an estimate for a replacement. Instead of sinking money into an old, failing system, a new one may cost a bit more than a repair, but in the long run it will save money, and give you some peace of mind. 

Why Should You Schedule Heating Service?

When Is The Best Time Of Year For A Heating System Installation

The Fall Is Our Preferred Time To Install A Heating SystemThe best time of year to replace your heating system is the fall. Obviously, if your heating system needs to be replaced in the winter, that is perfectly fine. We would recommend replacing your heating system in the fall for a few reasons. 

For one thing, you don’t need as much heat in the fall. So if you have an installation happening, it’s not really impacting your comfort. You are still feeling fine and staying cozy, even while the system is being replaced. 

Another reason is HVAC contractors have more time. In the winter, there’s a higher demand for HVAC services. This means you could see a delay of weeks to have your heating system replaced. In the fall, it’s a bit slower with less demand. This gives the customer a lot more of an open availability to schedule their heating replacement at their convenience. 

Getting your new heating system installed before the winter also sets you up for better energy bills. Newer heating systems are more energy efficient than older ones, and will likely always bring your energy bills down. Getting the new system in your home before the winter will set you up for cheaper energy bills all winter. 

Replacing Your Heating System In Cape Cod

If you are looking for a heating system replacement in Cape Cod, McDonnell Mechanical can help you out! Give us a call at 508-394-0005, or contact us online. Whether you need a new gas furnace, oil furnace, heat pump, or ductless mini split, we have you covered! One of our experts can come take a look at your current heating situation, and give you options to replace it with an energy efficient system!

Schedule A Heating Consultation

Filed Under: Ductless Mini Split, Furnace, Heat Pump, Heating, Heating Installation Tagged With: air conditioning, Ductless Mini Split, Heating

Installing A Ductless Mini Split To Fix A Hot Room

August 29, 2024 by mcdonnellmechanical

Installing Ductless Mini Splits To Fix A Hot RoomOne of the common things homeowners complain about is why certain rooms in their home always seem too hot or too cold. It might be your sunroom, the room above the garage, or a room on the upper floor that just is too warm for comfort. Or maybe you have a finished basement, and the room always feels clammy in some way. 

It’s something that we hear pretty often, and luckily something that we know how to fix. Each home is unique, and keeping your home comfortable can be a challenge. Certain homes, especially older ones, were not designed with HVAC in mind. Even when an HVAC system was installed, it could be a challenge for the conditioned air to make it to every space in the home.

One of our favorite supplemental solutions are ductless mini splits. This article will tell you a little more about what ductless mini splits are, and why they are a perfect solution to fix a problem room in your home.

Contact Us About Ductless Mini Splits For Your Home

Consider A Ductless Mini Split

There are plenty of solutions for this kind of problem, but one of the best is a single zone of Mitsubishi ductless heating and air conditioning, often called a “mini-split”. These systems are called mini-splits because they have two main parts- an outdoor condenser unit that is connected by lines to an indoor, often wall-mounted unit. They also have state of the art sensors that help monitor the temperature and humidity in a room. These sensors allow the system to  make small adjustments  and distribute the hot or cool air throughout the space as needed to keep the whole room perfectly comfortable.

How Do Mini Splits Work?

Mitsubishi ductless mini-split systems are high-efficiency heat pumps, that take advantage of the heat in the surrounding air to help either remove heat from your home, cooling it, or add heat in from outside, making it warmer. These systems are up to 70% more efficient in heating than other solutions like baseboard heaters, and 30% more efficient than window air conditioners in cooling- and they don’t take up your window for half the year! 

In addition, these systems are super quiet- whisper quiet- around 19 db. Unlike other solutions, you’ll barely hear when your system is on- all you’ll notice is the comfort. And these systems are designed to help distribute the air evenly through your room as well, getting rid of those hot and cold spots.  Because these systems are often mounted on the wall, there’s no risk of kids or pets bumping into it, like they could with a space heater, and getting hurt.

Learn More About Ductless Mini Splits

Improved Efficiency Means Savings

A Ductless Mini Split Is Perfect For A BedroomDuctless mini-split systems are so efficient they qualify for rebates from most energy companies and tax credits up to $2,000 under the Inflation Reduction Act, making installation of a permanent, safe solution to your heating and cooling issues even more affordable. But the real savings will be to your energy bills.  You’ll be able to get the exact comfort you need, right where you need it most, and you won’t have to try to adjust the heat and AC for the rest of the house to get the comfort you want.

Easy Controls

Mitsubishi ductless systems can be controlled from the Kumo Cloud app or even be hooked up to your Alexa at home, allowing you to control your system from wherever you are.  That means adjusting the comfort level to where you want it even before your feet hit the floor on a cold morning, or adding a little additional cooling if you wake up in the middle of the night, all from a convenient remote or from a smart phone app.

Flexibility

These systems don’t require air ducts, so they can be placed in almost any home and in any room. That’s why they are popular as a supplemental heating and cooling system for those problem areas of a home. You don’t have to rework your whole ducted heating and cooling system, or worry about the capacity of your current system to make the problem room comfortable. And if you are in an older home without ductwork, this is a perfect solution, and one that doesn’t sit in a window, obstructing your view for months of the year, and is difficult to install and store in the off-season.

Ductless Mini Splits For Cape Cod Homes

If you are looking for permanent, cost-effective and efficient solution to those hard to heat and cool areas of your home, consider a Mitsubishi mini-split system from McDonnell Mechanical. And with current tax credits and rebates, this solution can be more affordable than ever. Just give us a call, and we’re happy to come out and see whether a mini split is the best solution for your home or business.

Schedule A Free Ductless Mini Split Consultation

Filed Under: Air Conditioner, Air Conditioning, Cooling, Ductless Mini Split, Heating Tagged With: air conditioning, Ductless Mini Split, Heating

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79 School Street, West Dennis, MA 02670 Phone: 508-394-0005
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