Our Blog | Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning

4 Ways You Might Be Neglecting Your AC

July 19th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

It seems like each summer after the last is getting hotter here in Pennsylvania, and this year seems to be one of the hottest yet. As the temperatures rise, it is only natural that you will rely more on your air conditioner to keep your home cool and comfortable.

Unfortunately, your air conditioner will have to work a lot harder to keep your home cool. With all the hard work it goes, you might not realize that you could be causing a lot of harm to your AC. As with any appliance, too much strain can cause additional wear and tear, leading to extensive damage that can shorten its life.

Modern air conditioners are designed to last for 10–15 years. Not using yours properly could cut its operational lifespan in half and leave you with hefty bills for repairs and utility costs. Are you taking good care of your air conditioner?

It is possible to get better use out of your air conditioning in Bucks County if you can learn about ways you might be neglecting your air conditioner and take steps to reduce your bills without compromising on comfort.

A Larger AC Isn’t Always Better

July 5th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

Is it time for you to change your air conditioner and upgrade it to a new unit? When choosing a new air conditioner, many people make the mistake of going for a larger unit, thinking that it will be better for their home. Unfortunately, bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Choosing the right sized air conditioner can make a world of difference in keeping your home cool and comfortable. A unit that is too large for your home might not be as good at keeping your home cool without giving you any problems as you might think. It could result in doing more harm than good to your cooling system and burn a hole in your pocket with all the extra costs.

We have prepared this guide to help you understand the importance of choosing the right-sized air conditioner for your home. And if your current air conditioner just needs repairs instead of a replacement, you can always call us for air conditioning repair in Chalfont, PA, to come and fix it for you.

Put Down Those Chemical Drain Cleaners

June 21st, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

We’ve all been there. You’ve had a long day and you’re tired of dealing with a clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom. So you head to the grocery store and see the aisle full of “plumbing chemicals” that guarantee your clog will be removed. Some of them even say that they’re “natural chemicals” when they’re probably the furthest thing from natural in the world!

Basically, we’d like to spend this blog post as a PSA to keep homeowners away from these chemicals. We see people use them in their kitchens, their bathrooms, and even when it comes to toilet plumbing in Bucks County. Your pipes aren’t built to handle these corrosive or caustic chemicals, and we’ll get into all the details below.

Just remember one thing—nothing can replace old-fashioned craftsmanship delivered by a quality plumber. Our team has the necessary tools to clear your drain without harming your plumbing system or you!

What Does “Short Cycling” Mean?

June 7th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

Imagine that your air conditioner is starting to sound funky. It’s running in short, frequent cycles for some reason and it’s really struggling to keep your home cool this summer. What gives?

You ask a friend to take a look and the first thing they say after hearing that noise is, “it sounds like your air conditioner is short cycling.” Now, you might be a bit embarrassed to ask your friend about it, but it turns out there are a lot of homeowners who don’t exactly know what this means.

More importantly, there are many homeowners who don’t know how serious short cycling can be without calling for proper air conditioning repairs in Bucks County.

Well, you can save face for now because we’re going to go over everything you need to know about short cycling. We’ll talk about how it happens, what’s going on, and why it’s so important that you call for a professional!

Our Guide to Replacing Your AC

May 24th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

If you’re the owner of an air conditioner, then it’s probably not news to you when a professional tells you that it won’t last forever. We’d be hard-pressed to find a piece of machinery that will last forever, so this technically shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. But many homeowners wish their air conditioners lasted a lot longer than they do, and they end up paying for that.

If you had to guess how long your air conditioning in Montgomery County was supposed to last, what would you say? Five years? Ten years?

An air conditioner is supposed to last between 10 to 15 years and that depends on a lot of different factors. Let us walk you through the different things to consider when dealing with an aging air conditioner, so you’re prepared for the inevitable cost of AC replacement. We can answer any additional questions you have if you call our team today!

Is Your AC Leaking Refrigerant?

May 10th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

This is a good question, and one that needs to be answered quickly. Refrigerant leaks are not fun to encounter, and they can spell disaster for an air conditioner. While homeowners like to think that they can just call up their neighborhood technician to get the refrigerant recharged, it’s just not that simple.

Your air conditioner doesn’t run on refrigerant. Refrigerant isn’t a fuel like gasoline is in a car. Your AC relies on refrigerant to cool temperatures, but it runs on electricity, which is why it’s so important that your refrigerant leak gets patched up. An AC is not supposed to lose any refrigerant in any of the years that it’s functioning.

So, if you keep reading and suspect that you’ve got a refrigerant leak, then reach out to us for AC services in Montgomery County. We can help get that leak patched up and make sure your system is good to go for the future.

Why “It Just Works” Isn’t Good Enough Anymore

April 26th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

When you think about your plumbing system, what thoughts come to mind? Through all the clogs, the pipe leaks, and constant headaches which require emergency support, do you think it “just works” so it’s fine? Well, we’re here to tell you that a plumbing system that “just works” isn’t good enough anymore. The time of your galvanized steel pipes constantly leaking and a plumber telling you that it can’t get any better is over. Our team is ready to help.

We’re huge proponents of preventative plumbing and providing systems that homeowners feel good about. We’re plumbers in Montgomery County who are focused on making sure you’re happy with your plumbing. So, let’s start by talking about some of the problems your plumbing system has, and talk about why having it “just work” should be the first prerequisite out of many.

5 Tips to Deal With Our Unpredictable Weather

April 12th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

We don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the weather in Lansdale, PA is very unpredictable. We get all of the seasons, inundated with heat and humidity in the summer, and some major amounts of snowfall and frigid temperatures in the winter. When you live here, you have to be ready for anything.

That being said, springtime is the time that we like to draw attention to repairs that your HVAC system hasn’t had. Sure, your heater might have made it through the coldest parts of the winter, but have you been neglecting a clear and present problem that needs professional support?

We’ll be straight with you—we’ve got 5 reasons why we highly advise you to call our team for heating repair in Lansdale, PA. The longer your system goes unchecked, the more likely you are to be disappointed when fall rolls around.

Gurgling Drains and a Remodeled Bathroom

March 29th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

When you gurgle water after brushing your teeth, what exactly is happening? It’s not exactly a normal noise that you can make in your throat on a whim (unless you can, in which case, bravo!). When this noise comes from your drains, it can be especially disconcerting because you can’t exactly clear out your drains like you can your throat. Drains are located in the deeper recesses of your home and require a plumber to provide any extensive repairs that need to be done.

If your drains are gurgling as they’re worn down, this could be the perfect time to invest in bathroom remodeling in Bucks County. Since we’ll likely have to replace certain plumbing components, it might be more cost-effective to finally have the remodeling work done that you’ve always wanted.

Let’s talk about plumbing problems and how they can affect your remodeling process.

End of the Winter Furnace Checklist

March 15th, 2021 | Written By Chris Long | Reviewed By Kevin Carney

Temperatures are starting to get warm! The birds are singing, the sun is shining, and everyone is out and about jogging, walking, and just enjoying the weather. Time to put away your furnace and finally forget about it, right?

Absolutely not! We’d be hard-pressed to find every night from here until the end of June to be warm and balmy. Some nights are going to be cold, and your heater is still going to be a requirement this year, and for next year as well. You could still need some urgent furnace repair in Lansdale, PA, and now would be the perfect time to invest in it.

Let’s cover the basics. We’ve got a checklist for everything you’ll need to pay attention to this spring. Leave your furnace care to the pros and do everything you can to avoid a surprise bill down the line.