Rosenberg Plumbing & Air Blog

How to Choose the Right HVAC Filter for Your System

July 22, 2025

Having quality air in your home is very important. Indoor air affects your health, productivity, safety, and comfort. It also impacts the overall performance of your HVAC system and other appliances and devices in your home. Although it’s true that your indoor air quality and airflow are affected by various factors in your home, your HVAC filters are the key players. Therefore, your selection of the filters, and by extension, the HVAC system itself, will directly determine the quality of the air you breathe and the overall efficiency and health of your home’s climate control. This is why you must make an informed decision when replacing your HVAC filters. The Role of HVAC Filters Depending on your system type, the filters are either located behind the return air grille or near the blow compartment of the indoor unit. Their job is to trap airborne particles as air travels to the components that condition it. Take a furnace, for example; filters will remove pollutants in the air so that it is clean when it reaches the heat exchanger. This design is important because air particles can damage the intricate inner parts of an HVAC system if they get through. For instance,...

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5 Ways Tree Roots Can Affect Your Drainage System

July 15, 2025

Having trees on your property around your home can significantly enhance its curb appeal. Certain trees can also help improve your home’s energy efficiency by blocking the sun in the summer and allowing it through in the winter. However, no matter what type of trees you have on your property, they all come with a risk to your plumbing system. Here are five ways that trees can adversely affect your home’s plumbing. We’ll also discuss some of the ways to address plumbing problems related to tree roots. 1. Creating Clogs As a tree grows, its need for water can increase exponentially. As a result, most trees grow vast root systems that can dwarf their above-ground parts. Since tree roots aren’t visible, it’s often difficult to gauge their spread, though. However, you should know that a tree will routinely grow roots that penetrate up to 12 feet below the ground. And, a tree’s root system may spread up to four times the diameter of the tree’s crown. As they grow, the roots will gravitate toward any nearby moisture. That makes sewer pipes an attractive target. Tree roots will often find minor defects in a sewer pipe and exploit them to reach...

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18 Things You Should Never Put Down Your Drain

July 8, 2025

Plumbing pipes are durable, but they’re not invincible. You can seriously damage them when you put the wrong items down the drains. Issues like cracks and clogs may occur, leading to needing repairs or complete replacements. If you avoid putting the following items down the drain, you can help protect your plumbing and save yourself a lot of time, stress, and money. 1. Grease, Fat, and Oil Grease, fat, and oil can cause multiple types of problems for your drains, including solidifying and leading to a clog. They can also line the walls of your pipes and attract unwanted critters. Unfortunately, many insects might continue their journey and enter your home through the drains, which is one of the many reasons it’s crucial to avoid tempting them. A better option is to have a designated container, such as a metal coffee can, where you can store the grease, fat, and oil after it cools. Keep a lid on it to avoid attracting bugs, and then, dispose of the entire can in the trash. 2. Plant Matter Many homeowners prepare bouquets over a kitchen sink to contain the material and prevent it from accidentally flying everywhere. Make sure a drain strainer...

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Why Is My Drain Smelling Like Rotten Eggs?

June 13, 2025

When your drain starts to smell like rotten eggs, you know there’s something wrong. You can quickly get rid of that rotten egg smell in many cases. There are tried and true ways to determine what’s causing the smell, and how to fix it, and how to keep it from returning. Rotten Egg Smell Causes and Potential Fixes Bacteria are typically what causes this horrible smell. Bacteria can produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which has that rotten egg smell that’s assaulting your nose. As unpleasant as it can be, this smell is an early warning signal that something is wrong. Taking care of it promptly can prevent bigger and more expensive problems down the road. First, make sure the drains are the source of the problem. Occasionally, the sulfurous smell could be coming instead from the water itself. If you notice that it’s your hot water that smells, your hot water heater may have a corroded anode rod that is causing a chemical reaction. A rarer case would be contaminated water. It’s common for well water to have a rotten egg smell because of bacteria or natural decay. However, if the smell comes from your drains, there are several causes and...

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Emergency Steps if Your Air Conditioner Stops Working

June 10, 2025

If the air conditioner in your San Antonio, TX home fails, you can quickly experience uncomfortable and unsafe conditions in your residence. There are some emergency steps that you can take to quickly get your cooling system running again. Stay calm — our team at is available to help. Immediate Steps for Protection If you notice burning smells or smoke coming from your vents or AC equipment, turn off the appliance at the thermostat as well as the electrical panel. Call for assistance immediately. This will help keep household members safe, protect your home, and prevent damage to your HVAC machinery. Inspecting Your Thermostat There may be an issue with your thermostat settings that prevents your air conditioning equipment from functioning properly. For example, make sure that the thermostat is powered on. You may need to replace the battery if you don’t see anything on the screen or if the buttons aren’t working. Make sure your thermostat is set to the cooling function. If you still have it set to the heating function, your AC unit won’t turn on. You also need to confirm that the thermostat setting is lower than the current indoor temperature. Checking Your Circuit Breaker and...

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How to Handle a Leaking Air Conditioner

June 5, 2025

Your air conditioner should cool your home, not leave a puddle under the unit. If you’ve spotted moisture around your system or noticed a steady drip, it’s probably more than condensation. Ignoring it won’t make it go away. in San Antonio, TX, helps homeowners figure out what’s wrong and what needs fixing before a leak causes water damage. Let’s explore the most common reasons for a leaky AC and what to look out for. Why Your AC Has Water in the First Place Your air conditioner isn’t supposed to leak, but it typically produces some water. That’s part of how cooling works. When warm air moves across the cold evaporator coil, moisture from the air condenses on the coil’s surface. This water needs to go somewhere, so your system includes a drainage setup. The coil drips condensation into a small pan, which drains through a pipe that leads outside or into a designated drain line. This process is constant during hot, humid days. The more moisture the air holds, the more water is in the system. When everything works right, you won’t notice it. The water leaves the house quietly, and your AC keeps running smoothly. However, the water may...

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Is It Better to Have a Dehumidifier or Air Purifier in San Antonio?

May 16, 2025

Living in San Antonio means dealing with plenty of humidity, changing air quality, and long, hot stretches. When making indoor air healthier, you might wonder whether a dehumidifier or an air purifier makes more sense for your home. Both offer big benefits, but they solve different problems. At , we can help you figure out your space needs to stay comfortable and safe. How a Dehumidifier Improves Your Home When summer humidity rolls in, the air inside your home can feel heavy and sticky even if your thermostat reads a comfortable temperature. A dehumidifier helps pull extra moisture out of the air, making every room feel cooler and more comfortable without lowering the temperature. High humidity can make a 78-degree room feel closer to 85, forcing your air conditioner to work harder than it should. By removing that moisture, a dehumidifier lets your AC run fewer cycles and still maintain comfort. You might notice fewer problems with musty smells, condensation on windows, and that unpleasant clammy feeling that makes it hard to sleep at night. High indoor humidity also encourages mold growth, especially in dark spaces like closets, crawl spaces, and behind furniture. Adding a dehumidifier to your system creates...

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How Do I Stop My Garbage Disposal From Making Loud Grinding Sounds?

May 9, 2025

Garbage disposals are a modern kitchen convenience that San Antonio, TX, residents have come to rely on for easy and fast cleanups. Plumbed into your sink drain, its internal mechanism grinds food waste into bits, eliminating rotting food and making cleanup after meals easy. But when your disposal begins to sound weird, you can be sure something has gone wrong. The consequences of ignoring these auditory warnings are clogged drains and a kitchen that isn’t running all that smoothly. This guide breaks down common garbage disposal noises, their causes and how to know it’s time to act. What Unusual Garbage Disposal Noises Might Mean Many different factors may cause unusual sounds and could necessitate different solutions. Before attempting a fix for your garbage disposal, listen carefully to the sounds so you know what might be causing them. And if you are unsure, just call us for a professional plumber. Loud Grinding Sounds Loud and harsh grinding sounds are a definite sign of trouble for your garbage disposal. Grinding may indicate a blockage inside the disposal. There might be silverware that has slipped down the drain, animal bones, fruit pits, or other foreign objects that cannot pass through the grinding chamber. Another...

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What Causes Water Hardness?

May 2, 2025

It’s common for homes in the San Antonio, TX area to experience hard water. Hard water exists when there are high concentrations of calcium and magnesium present in the water coming into your house. This isn’t necessarily bad for your health, as minerals play a role in normal bodily functions. However, it can be dangerous for certain people with kidney problems or sensitive skin. Also, hard water can lead to issues with your plumbing system and appliances that utilize water, like your dishwasher and washing machine. There are steps you can take to improve the quality of the water in your home if you’re concerned with the impact of hard water. What Causes Water Hardness? Water naturally moves through the rock and soil that’s in the ground prior to it becoming part of your home’s water source. It’s common for things like limescale and gypsum to have high levels of hard minerals in them. Both limescale and gypsum are common in San Antonio, making hard water a concern for many. Water is hard if hard mineral grains per gallon (gpg) are seven or higher. A gpg measurement of 10.5 or more equates to very hard water. Why Is Hard Water...

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When Your HVAC Stinks: Smells You Shouldn’t Ignore

April 17, 2025

When your HVAC system kicks on, you don’t expect to catch a whiff of something strange. Whether it’s a musty smell, something burning, or a scent you can’t quite place, any odor from your vents can be annoying at best and a warning sign at worst. Some odors mean your system needs a quick clean while others could point to something more serious. Knowing what’s normal and what isn’t helps you respond quickly before small problems grow. Musty Smells That Linger When you walk into your house and catch a damp or musty smell, your nose might be picking up something from inside your HVAC system. This often points to moisture where it doesn’t belong. If water collects in the drain pan or sits inside ductwork without a way to dry out, it becomes a perfect place for mold or mildew to grow. Your system pulls air from your home, moves it through the equipment, and then sends it back through the vents. If that air passes by moisture or mold spores, the smell travels with it. You might only notice it when the system kicks on or runs constantly during summer or winter. Getting rid of that musty smell...

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