Most appliances for your home need to be sized properly, whether for space, capacity or both. The same goes for your tank hot water heater. Improperly sizing a water heater for your home could leave you chilly in the shower if it’s too small or decreasing energy efficiency if it’s too big. One of the benefits of working with a trained expert, like the ones at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling, is that we can help you correctly calculate the sizing for your new hot water heater. We are available to help you with a new installation or a replacement water heater – just give us a call and schedule an appointment for your business or home in Telford today!
Do I Need to Size My Tank Hot Water Heater?
May 4th, 2015Common Misconceptions About Air Conditioning Costs
April 27th, 2015With summer on the way, residents of Bucks & Montgomery Counties, PA, are gearing up for heat and humidity. That means keeping your air conditioning unit maintained and ready to go, but it also means keeping an eye on costs. We all want a cool comfortable home in the summer months, but we also want to avoid paying an arm and a leg for it. Sadly, common misconceptions about air conditioning costs can be quite pervasive, and while you may think you’re saving money, the opposite may actually be true. Here’s a brief list of some common myths to be aware of.
Allergy Season Is Almost Here – Do You Need Help with Your Indoor Air Quality?
April 20th, 2015Spring is a most welcome season after cold, harsh Pennsylvania winters, but for allergy sufferers, it can be the time of year to stock up on allergy medicine and tissues. While there are both in- and outdoor allergies, allergens from the outside can fairly easily make their way into your cooling system, making your indoors a difficult space for those in your home who have allergies. But there is a way to combat allergens and even improve your AC’s performance: install an air filter or air cleaner in your Blue Bell, PA, home. Our indoor air quality specialists can help determine which type of system will work best for your home and install it seamlessly with your existing air conditioning system. Just give us a call today and schedule an appointment.
Looking for a “Green” AC System? Consider Geothermal
April 14th, 2015Air conditioners have not been known for their environmental friendliness, and this has led to the development and improvement of a variety of AC systems. One system that especially worth noting for being green is the geothermal system. This system has a great number of benefits, as we’ll explain below, but the one of the benefits that is simply outstanding for the environment is this: the system gives back 3-4 units of energy for every 1 unit it expends to heat or cool your home. Wondering how this happens? Let’s take a look at how the system works.
Is It Time for Air Conditioning Renewal This Spring?
April 13th, 2015Spring is the time of renewal, and if you ended last cooling season in Harleysville, PA, with an air conditioner on its last legs, now is the perfect time to see what kind of AC replacement system will best fit your home. Many people look at air conditioning replacement with little enthusiasm, but the truth is that replacement offers you and your home a great opportunity to improve energy efficiency and comfort, and you may find that your replacement system fits your needs better than your current one. There are a number of options available to homeowners for air conditioning replacement, and sizing is always a critical aspect of good installation. The trained experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling can help you determine which type of replacement AC will be best for your home and then install it correctly the first time around. If your air conditioning system needs renewal this spring, call your Carney expert!
Have You Scheduled Your Air Conditioner for Maintenance Yet?
April 6th, 2015Spring 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, 2015Tankless 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, 2015Did 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, 2015Geothermal 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, 2015All 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!