Look out for Murphy! Murphy's Law states that your equipment will breakdown at the worst possible moment and in the worst possible conditions. A good reason in itself to schedule regular maintenance, you can extend the life of your HVAC equipment and maybe even see the end coming. This would allow you to plan for the best possible time to perform major work such as an equipment change out. Winter so foul. This rooftop change out was on a snow covered building with a pitched roof. You can imagine how dangerous moving around on the rooftop was for our technicians. Bringing in the new unit and re...

High Capacity Commercial Dehumidification Controlling the humidity of your commercial facility is an important part of your building's health, industrial process and profit. Whether your industry is related to food production, food preparation, manufacturing, computer server / data centers or other specialized commercial applications . . . each industry has its own unique indoor climate control needs. The effect's of excess humidity can affect many industries in similar ways. Condensation can cause corrosion shortening the life of your equipment and adding to your maintenance costs. Production...

Ask Questions And Listen To The Answers The only bad question is the one you did not ask. Your questions should be specific to your needs and make sure to listen to the answers provided by the potential HVAC contractor. Vague answers may indicate a lack of experience, or poor communication skills. Both are important for your HVAC contractor to posses. Be sure to ask for clarification if enough information is not provided in their answers.  Allow conversation to develop around the answers given to you. Often a better understanding of the question asked and a more complete answer forms as t...

Hard water vs. Soft water The term hard-water relates to the residue left behind when water evaporates. Calcium and magnesium leave behind a hard residue that is difficult to wipe away, while sodium leaves behind a soft residue that is easily wiped away. Your water softener simply removes the hard minerals and replaces them with the soft minerals giving you noticeably softer water. Hard water is costly as well as an irritant to your skin. Have you ever taken a shower with hard water and noticed that your skin feels "sticky". If you wipe your hand across your skin it sticks and grabs a bit. Aft...

Fighting the bone chilling cold. No matter how cold it gets outside, we all want to be warm and cozy inside our homes. Our ancestors had to rely on fireplaces and wood burning stoves for winter warmth. Fortunately we have some very sophisticated heating systems that are far superior. Unfortunately there are also more things that can go wrong, leaving us feeling the cold. Four common winter heating issues exposed. Sudden Loss of Heat: While the loss of heat may be sudden, it may take a short while for you to notice the change in temperature. There are several issues that may cause a sudden loss...

Burst pipes in a Minnesota winter are just plain nasty! We hope you never call us for help with burst pipes, and to help you accomplish that goal we are going to share with you information on how to keep your pipes from freezing and how to thaw your pipes if they manage to freeze anyway. It isn't that we don't want your business, we would rather not see you suffer through the mess and damage caused by burst water pipes. Why are frozen pipes such a problem? Water expands as it freezes. This puts huge amounts of pressure on the material that is containing it. If you put a plastic glass of water ...

Shut the oven door, get out from under your pile of blankets and close the window.   Who hasn't been guilty of utilizing a few "creative" solutions to control the temperature of their home. Solutions such as these can be awkward, dangerous, and actually cost more in the long run. Heating by opening the oven door or turning on stove top burners. This option is a fire hazard and can dramatically increase your electric bill. Using a hair dryer to temporarily warm your hands or feet. Just plain silly. Opening a window to cool down rooms that are too hot. Wastes heat energy. Electric...

Reduced Energy Consumption Means Savings Energy recovery is the process of transferring energy from a buildings air exhaust by using it to precondition the incoming air from outside. During warmer seasons the system pre-cools and dehumidifies incoming air, while it warms and humidifies incoming air during cool seasons. Benefits of energy recovery are: Reduces Energy Consumption Reduces Total HVAC Equipment Capacity Improves Indoor Air Quality Saves Money Protects The Environment Transfer Methods Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) This is a type of air-to-air heat exchanger that transfers both se...

Heat Transfer Fluids A heat transfer fluid is any fluid (liquid or gas) which is used for any process involving heating or cooling. This could be as simple as water or steam, but may also include engineered heat transfer fluids. Which is better to use? Engineered Heat Transfer Fluid Advantages As with anything you must consider the process in which you are applying the fluid. Your application to which the fluids will be applied has a great deal of influence over the selection of which heat transfer fluid to use. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages in relationship to cause and effec...

What Is Radon Gas? Radon gas is colorless, orderless and radioactive. The gas is naturally occurring as the byproduct of minerals decaying in your soil. Minnesota is known to have radon gas present, and in a large part of the state the predicted average indoor screening level is greater than the suggested action level of 4 pCi/L.  Radon gas naturally rises out of the ground following the path of least resistance. This means that any cracks or openings in your basement floor and walls or openings for plumbing and your sump pump will allow the gas to leach into the living spaces of your hom...

Most Food-borne Illness is Caused by Bacteria Food-borne bacteria multiplies quickly at temperatures above 40° F threatening the health of your customers should they consume food that has been compromised by failed or failing freezer and refrigeration units. If your freezer / refrigeration units fail the potential for massive monetary loss is enormous. You may need to destroy large amounts of frozen or refrigerated foods to protect  your customer's health. In a worst case scenario you may be liable to damages as a result of illness cuased by compromised consumables. Prevention is Key I am...

Protect your family and your home. A temperature and pressure relieve valve is a required component on all water heating systems. What makes this safety device so important is the severity of water heater explosions. We are not just talking about your utility room taking a good soaking as water escapes from the storage tank. Your water heater can actually explode like a bomb or launch itself through the roof of your house. Imagine the possible damage and injury this could cause. Did you know an old pressure relief valve can fail? There are two situations that should cause your temperature and ...

Common problems that cause your toilet to flush improperly. Now here is a topic people don't often talk about in public. Imagine yourself the next time you greet a friend, " Hi Sam, Good to see you. How is your toilet working today?" None-the-less people to have problems with their toilets. Slow or incomplete flushing Frequent clogs Leaking Continuous recharging Slow or incomplete flushing and frequent clogs. This may be caused by several different things each requiring different solutions. Improper Venting: Improperly installed venting through the roof of your home or improperly installed plu...

What is HVAC design/build? It is one of those things that is pretty much what it says it is. We design your HVAC system and build it. The implications of design/build are quite large. How will HVAC design/build services benefit me? The importance of using a firm like AEM Mechanical Services, Inc. to provide you with design/build services boil down to two main benefits, you save time and money. Single point of accountability: Being both the designer and contractor eliminates the possibility of dispute that otherwise exists between two separate firms. Complete Process: Our design team understand...

Your mechanical systems will fail with time. The day you installed the new air conditioner, heating or ventilation system in your church, restaurant, store or manufacturing facility you thought to yourself, "Crap that was expensive!" Well here you are again, years later and it is time to replace them again. You know you can't really complain, you did get years of faithful service from them. You took care of them with regular annual maintenance and repaired them when they broke down. However the relentless march of time does take its toll, it is time for new equipment. In the end, you will bene...

Correctional and Law Enforcement Facilities Have an Obligation and Responsibility Proper ventilation helps to provide comfort and good health. Whether we are talking about a state or county correctional facility, Minnesota Highway Patrol, Sheriff's Department or local Police Department building they all have one thing in common. Each organization has an obligation to provide their employees and "guests" with a comfortable and healthy environment. Unique challenges are often presented by the nature of the business. Many correctional and law enforcement facilities consist of multiple floors, off...

Too Hot . . . Too Cold . . . Too Bad? Churches are notoriously difficult in relationship to temperature control. A church typically has many rooms ranging in size from the broad expanse of the main worship area to smaller community rooms where church groups hold weekly or daily gatherings. This presents a number of challenges in providing a comfortable environment for you and your congregation. Comfort isn't the only concern. Naturally everyone wants to be comfortable while worshiping and gathering for other church functions. However, there are other considerations that are often overlooked. M...

Does the thought of remodeling your home leave you feeling ill? Your not alone. Do-it-yourself or hire a professional there is a great deal of stress involved in a home remodel. Do-It-Yourself You must follow building codes and safety guidelines. Do you have the experience to handle unexpected problems discovered after the demolition? Will you install the plumbing or heating and air conditioning systems correctly? If not, getting things up to snuff can be quite expensive after the fact. Do you have time to deal with everything? Professional Contractor Did you hire a quality professional HVAC c...

"It was working fine when I turned it off last fall." Have you ever been surprised to find when you turn your A/C on for the first time in the spring that it doesn't work? What could possibly be wrong? It was working fine when you turned it off. As it turns out, there are many things that may have happened. Critters:   You may think covering the exterior unit for your Air Conditioner  helps to protect it from the elements, but instead it provides a shelter for critters looking for a place to spend the winter. Often these critters will chew through wiring damaging the unit. It is impo...

How Do you Find A Quality HVAC Service Provider? Most people will ask a friend or relative if they know someone, or you may trust the opinion of an industry leader that is willing to share their experience with you. It is our opinion that you should do exactly that, much of our new business comes from current and past clients referring us to friends, relatives and colleagues. Follow this link to read what our clients have to say about AEM Mechanical Services, Inc. Does AEM Mechanical Offer the Services I Need? While we specialize in satisfying Commercial HVAC needs for businesses,  AEM Me...