Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Have You Scheduled Your Air Conditioner for Maintenance Yet?

April 6th, 2015

Spring gives homeowners a window of opportunity to get their homes ready for summer, and part of your spring cleaning should always include scheduling a maintenance appointment for your home’s air conditioning system. Why? The wear and tear from last season, coupled with potential debris and dirt that may have accumulated over the winter, provides ample opportunity for your system to perform poorly or malfunction. The air conditioning experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling are scheduling spring maintenance appointments now for Doylestown and the surrounding areas, so call us today and get your AC system ready for summer.

Why Schedule Maintenance?

Maintenance for your air conditioner isn’t a quick visual review of the system; it’s a full tune-up that entails cleaning, adjusting, lubricating and small repair, plus a thorough inspection of the system. Checks are performed as well as performance testing. Why is this appointment so involved? To provide you and your AC system with the following kinds of benefits:

Better energy efficiency – your air conditioner was made to operate at a specific level of energy efficiency, but when maintenance isn’t performed annually, your system can lose up to 5% of this efficiency every year.
Improves comfort – when your system is in optimal shape, as it will be after a maintenance appointment, it will be better able to achieve your set temperature.
Helps prevent repairs – the reason your technician thoroughly inspects your AC system is to discover any developing or existing problems. This helps get you ahead of potential repairs.
Extends life of the system – keeping your system in good working order means that your system doesn’t operate under stress. This helps extend the life of your air conditioning system because it reduces and/or eliminates premature aging, which can contribute to malfunction, breakdown and early replacement.

Always Hire a Professional

To gain the benefits maintenance has to offer, it’s always best to hire a trained expert to perform the work. The professionals at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling have been helping customers with their ACs since 1976, so call us today and schedule your spring maintenance appointment!

What Types of Tankless Hot Water Heaters Are Available?

March 27th, 2015

Tankless water heaters are becoming more and more popular options for homeowners, thanks to better, more effective designs and their ability to greatly reduce energy usage. What’s even better is that if you choose to install a tankless water heater, you also can choose how to power it, with either natural gas electricity. Which type of tankless hot water heater is best for your home in Jenkintown? Let the experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling give you some food for thought below.

Electric vs. Gas

So which is the better tankless system for your home? First, to have a gas-powered tankless water heater, you must have access to a natural gas line or an LP (liquid propane) tank. If you don’t have access to either of these, you will probably be limited to the installation of an electric tankless system. On the whole, the installation costs of an electric tankless system are less expensive, mostly because combustion tankless systems require specific venting that includes a flue. However, operating an electric tankless water heater will most likely be more expensive as electricity costs more than natural gas; in fact, it may be 10-15% less expensive to operate a gas tankless unit than an electrical one. When it comes to deciding which type will be the best fit for your home, ask the following kinds of questions:

What is your preference?
What kinds of power do you have access to?
What is your daily water usage?
Does size of the unit matter? (Gas tankless units are about 30% larger than electric ones)
What are the installation costs for both?
What kind of energy costs can you anticipate from operating each one?

Always Work with a Trained Professional

To help ensure that you purchase and install a tankless water heater that fits your needs and provides enough hot water to your home, work with a trained specialist.

The tankless hot water heater experts at Carney Plumbing Heating &Cooling can maintain and repair your unit when needed. Call us today and schedule an appointment.

Why Consider a Whole-Home Natural Gas Generator?

March 20th, 2015

Did you know there are over 3 million people without power every week due to power outages? Not all power outages last for long periods of time, but even a 24-hour outage can spoil food and cause plumbing and HVAC problems for your home. However, if you have access to a natural gas line, or already have natural gas in your home for other appliances, you may want to consider the installation of a whole-home natural gas generator for your Warrington home so that you won’t have to worry about the effects of a power outage again. Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling offers whole-home generator services, so if you have been thinking that it’s time for a home generator, call us today!

How a Whole-Home Gas Generator Works

All generators should be sized to properly work for your home, which is something your expert can assist with. Once you determine the right size generator, the unit is installed outdoors and then connected to both your natural gas line and your home’s electrical box. Your whole-home generator is equipped with sensors that constantly monitor the power, so that should a power interruption occur, the generator immediately takes over; this is known as automatic switching. The generator will provide the power to your home’s electrical panel until the power returns, and when the power does return, the sensor will turn off the generator automatically as well.

Benefits

The benefits of having a whole-home gas generator include:

Safety and protection – a whole-home generator keeps your home operational, so that you can keep lights on, run and alarm system and have access to electronics.
Ability to keep food fresh – with a whole-home generator, the major systems in your home will be able to operate, including your electricity. This will allow you to keep your refrigerator on and maintain your food supply.
Comfort – your HVAC system is going to be one of the major systems powered by your generator, so you won’t have to worry about losing heat during a power outage.

The generator experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling are here to help with all your whole-home natural gas generator needs in Warrington, so call us today!

How to Keep Your Geothermal System Running Optimally

March 13th, 2015

Geothermal systems don’t have a lot of moving parts, but this doesn’t mean that there aren’t some basic things that you can do to keep your system healthy. We aren’t recommending that you perform any kind of repair or maintenance yourself on your geothermal system – leave that for the experts. Rather, our Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling experts would like to pass along some geothermal energy tips that may help keep your geothermal system in Bedminster, PA, healthy.

Tip #1: Schedule Bi-Annual Maintenance

You may be asking: twice a year – really? Yep, really. Your geothermal system provides your home with both heating and cooling, so the system’s heat pump works all year long, not just seasonally. As such, it does twice the work of a single heating or cooling system. Maintenance for your geothermal system will keep the system energy efficient, help discover any existing or developing problems and make sure that your system’s anti-freeze is at the right levels. Maintenance also involves cleaning, adjusting and lubrication, so you can rest assured that your heat pump will also be given a thorough going-over and the attention it needs to be in good working order.

Tip #2: Schedule Duct Cleaning

If you have a ducted geothermal system, it’s just as important to maintain your ductwork as it is to maintain the heat pump of your system. A thick layer of dust and dirt can disrupt the air flow in your system, creating unnecessary stress; this layer will also blow into your living spaces, compromising the indoor air quality in your home. Ductwork can often be neglected because it isn’t visible, but it is an important part of your heating and cooling system.

Tip #3: Change the Air Filters Every 3 Months

A dirty air filter can wreak havoc on your geothermal system. Not only will it block air flow, it will also put stress on your system and cause problems with your home’s indoor air quality. But there is a simple solution to all of these issues: change the air filter every 3 months.

Geothermal systems may not need as much upkeep as other types of home HVAC systems, but this doesn’t mean that they are maintenance-free and utilizing these geothermal energy tips from our Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling experts can help you stay ahead of problems.

Our experts are always on hand to help, so if you are experiencing problems with your geothermal system, contact us today!

Signs Your Water Line Needs Replacement

March 6th, 2015

All of the plumbing in your home is important to every day function, but there are two major plumbing lines that especially need to be fully functional at all times: your septic or sewer line and your main water line. Without a properly-working main water line, your home won’t get the clean, fresh water it needs, and without a functional septic or sewer line, your home’s wastewater will not be removed properly or safely. Today we’re going to talk about signs that can indicate your main water line in Jamison needs replacement and why it’s important to always hire trained professionals, like the ones at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling, to perform all work on your main water line.

Signs of Water Line Problems

Here are some of the more common signs that your main water line needs replacing:

Soggy Spots in the Yard

The water line coming into your home is buried in the ground, so if a leak or leaks have developed, the water will seep into the dirt and head toward the surface. The seeping will eventually create soggy areas and/or puddles around your yard.

Low Water Pressure

When problems develop with your main water line, the pressure inside the line can decrease significantly, which will present itself in your home as low water pressure. Typically all the faucets will display low water pressure when there’s a problem with the main water line, so if you are experiencing this, it’s time to call for an expert.

Discolored Water

Corrosion is one of the causes for a failing water line. If this is the case with yours, you may see a discoloration of your water due rust getting into the water flow. The discoloration would appear from all faucets and would be a part of both your hot and cold water.

Call for a Trained Expert

Water main replacement is a large job that requires adherence to local and state codes; additionally, it takes training and expertise to properly replace a water main line. These are the reasons why it’s so important to call for an expert should you need to replace your water line.

Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling experts have been providing comprehensive plumbing services since 1976, so if you suspect something is wrong with your water line, call us today!

Reasons to Convert Your Heating System to Natural Gas

March 5th, 2015

Have you been getting frustrated with your oil or electrically-based heating system? Do you wish to have other appliances on natural gas? Then it may be time to consider a natural gas conversion in Doylestown. Converting to natural gas is a process that involves several steps, the handling of heavy, complex equipment and managing the correct piping for the natural gas to flow safely into your home. What does this mean? You need an expert to handle your natural gas conversion, and the experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling are here to help.

The Process

The process of converting from oil to natural gas involves a number of steps, including:

Site evaluation – this typically includes evaluating the current heater and how much gas piping will be needed to reach your home.
Estimate for scope of work – your technician will provide you with a scope of work and an estimate for the work to be done.
Coordination with the gas company – a lot of paperwork has to be processed in order to move forward with the conversion, and this is something the experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling will handle. The paperwork will involve issues such as who owns the property, where the property is located and other administrative issues that pertain to the conversion, including permits.
Installation of the gas piping – once all the paperwork and permits have been completed, the technicians will move forward with installing your gas piping from the street to inside your home.
Inspection – once all of the piping has been installed, the gas company will need to inspect the work and approve it before any appliances can be connected to the gas.
Installation of gas heater – as soon as the piping clears inspection, your new gas heater can be installed.

Why Convert?

While the process may seem a bit cumbersome, there are some important benefits to converting your heating system from oil to natural gas:

Convenience of a fuel – with natural gas, there is no more need to manage fuel deliveries
You can fuel a number of appliances with the new gas line – you can add a water heater, a dryer, etc., to use your new gas fuel line
Clean-burning fuel – if you’ve had concerns about using oil, natural gas is the cleanest-burning of all the fossil fuels

If you have been thinking of converting from gas to oil, call the people you can trust: Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling.

When Is It Time to Schedule Drain Cleaning?

February 27th, 2015

Nope, these aren’t the sounds of a tasty treat, they are the sounds a slow drain makes as it struggles to move your waste water from the drain to your outlet pipe. Many of us wait for these sounds to disappear, but unfortunately, they are usually the harbinger of an imminent clog. So what can you do? You can try some home remedies for the problem that may work if the build-up isn’t too bad: using the combination of white vinegar and baking soda in the drain, plunging or boiling water. But if none of these options work, it may be time to schedule drain cleaning in Montgomery City, PA.

Reasons to Schedule Drain Cleaning

Along with the above-listed sounds and slow drainage, there are some other signs that can indicate it’s time to call an expert to clean your drains:

Multiple clogs/slow draining on the same plumbing line – if you are experiencing multiple clogs, or multiple drains that all have slow drainage, it is likely there is a clog deep in the main pipe that all these drains are connected to. Reaching deep problems in your plumbing can be challenging and should always be left to an expert.
The same clog keeps happening – do you have one drain that won’t stop developing a clog, even after you’ve unclogged it several times? This is usually indicative of a clogging issue that hasn’t been completely resolved, but can be solved when you hire a trained expert.
It’s time for annual plumbing maintenance – drain cleaning is a part of plumbing maintenance, so if you haven’t scheduled your plumbing system for maintenance in the last 12 months, call and schedule a drain cleaning appointment.

Can’t I Clean My Drains Myself?

We hear this question a lot, and the answer is: unless you have the training and expertise to use drain cleaning equipment, no, you shouldn’t clean your own drains. Likewise, using over-the-counter drain cleaners is not considered drain cleaning. For the best results and healthy, undamaged drains, call your plumbing professional for all drain cleaning work.

The plumbing experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling have been helping customers in the Montgomery City, PA area with their plumbing needs since 1976, so if you need drain cleaning or any other plumbing services, call us today!

Tips to Help Your Heating This Winter

February 20th, 2015

Sometimes it can be pretty amazing to see how a small change can make a big difference. When it comes to saving money on your winter heating, there are some small changes that homeowners can make that can have a positive impact on their winter heating budgets. None of these heating tips for your Warrington home are very difficult and some are things you can manage to do on your own. However, if you need repair, replacement or maintenance for your heating system, call the experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling today!

Winter Heating Tips

Here are some winter heating tips to help you become more energy efficient this winter:

Install ceiling fans – ceiling fans help circulate the air and help keep the warm air in your home from trying to settle toward the floor, where the cooler air is. This can help keep your home warmer and more comfortable.

Upgrade your thermostat – if you are using a slide or dial thermostat with your heating system, you may be missing out some significant savings due to less energy efficiency. With a digital thermostat, you can set a precise temperature instead of aiming for a range, and if you install a programmable thermostat, you can create a program that will power down your heating when your home isn’t occupied.

Change the air filter regularly – if you heat your home with a furnace or heat pump system, your system has an air filter. It’s recommended that air filters are changed every three months because they gather dirt and dust fairly quickly. Having a clean air filter keeps the air flow in your system at the level it needs to be to perform optimally.

Close the fireplace damper – if you have a fireplace in your home, leaving the damper open is akin to leaving a window open. A simple check of your fireplace damper can save you from sending valuable heat out your chimney.

These simple steps can help reduce your energy usage, which you’ll see in your monthly heating bills. Need more in-depth help? Call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our experts.

Some of the Unusual Movies Released for Valentine’s Day

February 14th, 2015

Hollywood has always tried to match movies up to the seasons to draw droves of viewers to the theaters: October is packed with fright-offerings, while the winter holidays skew toward warm and pleasing family films (as well as Oscar hopefuls). Valentine’s Day falls in an odd spot when it comes to the movie release calendar, however, since February tends to be a slower time for the film industry. The studios are as likely to slot strange movies that don’t fit anywhere else in their annual schedules into the Valentine’s Day weekend as they are films with powerful romantic appeal.

So, while the second weekend of February has featured hugely successful romantic comedies like Hitch, The Wedding Singer, and (of course) Valentine’s Day, some truly weird choices have debuted in this weekend as well. And a few have even gone on to tremendous success despite the bizarre match with the holiday. Here are a couple of the odder Valentine’s Day movie releases:

Dracula (1931): Yes, this Halloween perennial and the start of Universal Studio’s Classic Monsters actually came out on Valentine’s Day! But perhaps this makes some sense, as the Dracula legend has often received a “doomed lover” approach in the many years since Bela Lugosi made the aristocratic vampire a screen icon.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991): Does any film seem less appropriate for Valentine’s Day than this unnerving and sometimes very violent psychological thriller? What’s even more astonishing than the film’s release date is that The Silence of the Lambs eventually nabbed the Oscar for Best Picture, an almost unheard of occurrence for a movie released so early in the year.
Daredevil (2003): This Marvel comic adaptation featuring Ben Affleck as a blind superhero does contain a romantic subplot, but the stronger connection to Valentine’s Day may just be that Daredevil wears a bright red costume.
A Good Day to Die Hard (2013): The least successful of the Die Hard film franchise, this is an excellent example of a studio dropping a film into a weekend where it doesn’t fit in the hopes that it works as counter-programming. (It didn’t.)
Wayne’s World (1992): Now here is an example of counter-programming that clicked with audiences. This comedy based on a Saturday Night Live sketch turned into one of that year’s biggest hits and spawned a sequel.

Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day with a trip to the movie theater, or you have your own special plans, everyone here at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning hopes you and your loved ones have a wonderful weekend.

What Is a Sump Pump?

February 5th, 2015

In your home, you may have never experienced a single problem with flooding before. But when a sudden flood does catch you off-guard, you may wish you had taken preventive action sooner. A flood can force you to spend thousands of dollars on repairs, mold remediation, seeking alternative shelter, and replacing lost items. But installing a sump pump keeps you from worrying about the unexpected costs of a flood, whether you’re no stranger to flooding or you’re just trying to protect yourself from future trouble.

For sump pumps or any other installations for your plumbing in Oreland, call on the professionals at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling.

Two types of sump pumps

A sump pump is a component that is typically installed in a basement or the lowest point in your home. These are recommended for homes in areas with low water tables, but they’re useful additions to nearly any home. If your basement begins to fill up with water, your sump pump should turn on and begin draining this water to the outdoors. And flooding may occur due to a storm or even if a neighbor’s pipe were to burst.

There are basically three major parts to a sump pump. There’s the pump that uses an impeller to pull in water. There’s the drainage system that allows it to drain to the outside. And then there’s the “sump” portion, the pit in which the pump is set. Sump pump installation should always involve a professional plumber to properly install the system, size it for your home, and to choose from the two types of sump pumps: submersible and pedestal.

The difference between the two is in how the pump is set up. A submersible unit is set into the pump in a waterproof encasing. A pedestal pump perches above the sump instead. Your technician will select the sump pump based on the size and shape of the sump, but there are a couple of other considerations that may come into play as well. For example, while a submersible pump is usually safer for children and pets, a pedestal pump won’t need as many repairs.

Calling the experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling is a great way to ensure your new sump pump works properly, especially when you include sump pump maintenance as part of yearly maintenance for your plumbing in Oreland. Contact our team today!