Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling featured in The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration NEWS

December 21st, 2010

Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling was featured in The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration NEWS for its recent expansion into the geothermal market. (“PA Contractor Jumps into Geothermal”, December 13, 2010) The NEWS’ coverage highlighted the perfect match between the rigorous demands of geothermal installations and Carney’s long-time company philosophy, which focuses on offering customers the best value for their money rather than the absolute lowest price.

With geothermal systems in particular, the NEWS notes, skimping on quality to reduce price can be disastrous. Installing a geothermal loop requires excavation, which means that it’s important to get everything right the first time. If a low-bid contractor tries to cut corners by shortening the loop, only to find that the system doesn’t put out the right BTUs, re-excavating to extend the loop will be extremely costly – perhaps even prohibitively expensive.

To make sure this doesn’t happen to its customers, the Carney geothermal team checks and double-checks its load calculations to be sure that they install a geothermal loop that is the right size for the home. Carney also requires extensive training for all their geothermal installers, and will pay for any additional geothermal training an employee requests.

The NEWS article also emphasized the economic advantages of geothermal heating and cooling systems. Geothermal systems require an upfront investment, but they’re designed to last for 20 years, so a geothermal heating and cooling system is a great long-term addition to a home. Federal tax incentives and local utility rebates can help offset the installation costs, making the initial outlay much more affordable. The increase in comfort and the reduction in utility bills are immediate – and, the NEWS pointed out, the savings will only increase over time as the price of oil goes up and Bucks-Mont utilities are deregulated, leading to potential double-digit utility rate increases.

Owner Kevin Carney is excited about the potential for geothermal. He told the NEWS that when installed properly, nothing comes close to geothermal “in terms of comfort, reduced energy expenditures, and equipment longevity”. One of his employees has already made the switch to geothermal, and Carney himself is planning to install a geothermal system in his next home.

Read more about geothermal heating and cooling systems in previous blog entries!

Geothermal – Get It Done Right!

Top Ten Reasons to Love Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Dual-Flush Toilets: Another Great Green Plumbing Innovation

December 15th, 2010

If you’ve traveled to Europe or Australia, you’ve probably seen toilets with two buttons instead of a single flush handle. Pressing one button flushes the toilet lightly to remove liquid waste, and pressing the other produces a higher-volume flush to remove solid waste.

Originally designed for drought-prone Australia, these water-saving toilets are becoming increasingly popular in North America as well.

Standard 1.6-gallon toilets are a great improvement over older toilets, which used 3 or even more gallons per flush. But dual-flush toilets are even more water-efficient. A “full flush” uses 1.53 gallons per flush, and a “half flush” uses only 1.02 gallons per flush. The result is a reduction of up to 68% in water usage over a conventional toilet (and even more if your conventional toilet is old and leaky).

Of course the savings vary from person to person, but if you use the toilet an average of 5 times a day, you’ll save close to 600 gallons of water every year. For a family of four, that works out to a total savings of 2400 gallons annually. And, since toilet usage typically accounts for roughly a quarter of your water bill, you can end up with a monthly savings of close to 17%.

Another benefit of dual-flush toilets is that most models have a larger trapway for removing waste than conventional toilets – which reduces the likelihood of a clog.

Finally, dual-flush toilets look great. They are sleek, modern, and European-looking, and they perfectly complement a high-end bathroom.

Touch-Free Faucets: Green Plumbing That’s Fun and Easy!

December 8th, 2010

One fun, high-tech, and relatively inexpensive way to go green is to install a touch-free faucet in your kitchen or bathroom. Touch-free faucets work on a very simple principle: when you’re not actively using them, they shut off. There are a lot of times when you leave a normal faucet on simply because your hands are full (i.e. when you’re washing something), or soapy. With a touch-free faucet, the water turns off during all these gaps in your actual water usage. According to industry estimates, the result can be a water savings of up to 70%.

Of course, most of us have encountered touch-free faucets in public restrooms, and they can be frustrating. You can end up waving your hands around wildly, hoping a faucet somewhere in the room will turn on, and then the water cuts off mid-stream, just when your hands are full of soap. However, new sensor technology is making touch-free faucets much easier to use. These sensors are “omni-directional”, meaning that when your hands are anywhere within a given radius around the tap, the water will turn on and stay on.

Top-of-the-line models can dispense filtered water for drinking, and one designer model has a digital LED screen that allows you to adjust the water temperature, fill a glass with drinking water, or dispense dishwashing detergent, soap, or even hand lotion – all by waving your hand in front of the desired function. Some models also have manual override, which enables you to push a button so that the faucet will stay on for a certain time period without shutting off, even if you move your hands away.

Alternatively, if you like your current faucet and want to keep it, you can add a touch-free faucet adaptor to your existing faucet. Adaptors start at about $50.

Touch-free faucets and adaptors are surprisingly easy to install – no more difficult than conventional faucets. They can be powered by an AC adaptor or batteries, so you can install them almost anywhere.

In addition to the water savings, there are other benefits to touch-free faucets as well:

Touch-free faucets are much easier to use than regular faucets – especially if your hands are dirty, soapy, or full.
Touch-free faucets are much more sanitary than conventional faucets. With conventional faucets, you turn them on with dirty hands, wash your hands carefully, and then immediately touch the dirty handles again to turn off the faucet.
Touch-free faucets allow you to set the water temperature precisely for improved comfort and safety.
Touch-free faucets are ADA compliant for people with disabilities.
Touch-free faucets are helpful for older people or small children who may forget to turn off the faucet when they are finished
Kids love touch-free faucets – no more arguments about hand-washing!

Touch-free faucets make your bathroom or kitchen look really cool and high-tech.

Heating system rebates up to $3,500 – now through December 31st!

December 2nd, 2010

Have you taken advantage of the Federal Tax Credit yet? What are you waiting for? This is the FINAL MONTH to save thousands of dollars when you replace your old, less efficient home heating system with a new, energy saving, high efficiency heater! If you replace your natural gas, propane gas or oil heating system with a qualifying system by December 31^st the Federal Government is providing a tax credit up to $1,500!*

The year-end incentives don’t stop there! In addition to the tax credit, manufacturer rebates of up to $1,000 on new heating systems and air conditioning systems are available now through December 31st. Combine these two incentives and you’re saving up to $2,500 by simply having Carney Plumbing, Heating and Cooling replace your old, less efficient heater and air conditioner with a new, energy saving system.

In addition to the money you’re saving through the rebate offers, modern high efficiency heating and air conditioning systems save hundreds of dollars each year in energy usage and come with FULL 10 YEAR PARTS & LABOR WARRANTIES.
Call us today at 215.346.7160 to schedule your FREE, in-home consultation! Don’t forget- these rebates are only available until December 31^st.

The rebates don’t stop there! We would like to offer you even more savings! Carney Plumbing, Heating and Cooling now has a coupon allowing for an instant $400 off of your purchase of a new heater and air conditioner! Click here for the coupon!

Finally, utility providers such as PECO and PP&L are offering rebates up to $700 for high efficiency furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners.

Families across Pennsylvania are taking advantage of the Rebate Programs.

As you can see, the savings really add up if you act now, but this opportunity will not last! Don’t wait until after December 31^stto have your new heating system installed, because missing this deadline will cost you savings of up to $3,500!!! Call Carney today to schedule your FREE in-home consultation and take advantage of these unprecedented incentives before the year is over and these offers expire!

*Consult your tax preparer for personal eligibility concerning tax credit.

Plumbing Is Going Green! Start with Simple Upgrades to Your Faucets and Showerheads

December 1st, 2010

When people talk about “green building”, they’re typically referring to energy-efficient heating and cooling appliances, insulated walls and windows, and sustainable materials. But these days “green plumbing” is getting increasing attention – and rightly so, because water consumption is a major factor in the environmental footprint of any building! The green plumbing movement is being led by drought-prone Australia, where it’s even possible for plumbers to earn a Green Plumbing Certification.

“Green plumbing” helps the environment by doing one or more of the following:

Saving water
Saving energy
Using environmentally-friendly materials

In the US, LEED Certification is becoming increasingly popular, which means that green plumbing systems are being installed in many new or substantially renovated buildings. But green plumbing improvements don’t have to be big and expensive. In fact, they start at under $20.

Over the course of the next few blog posts, we’ll look at a range of green plumbing upgrades – some that you can do yourself, and others that require professional assistance.

In this first post of our “Green Plumbing” series, we’ll look at the simplest and most affordable green plumbing upgrade you can make: installing low-flow faucet accessories and showerheads.

How do low-flow showerheads and faucet accessories work?

Low-flow showerheads and faucet accessories (often referred to as aerators, which is the most popular type) attach to existing fixtures. Normal-flow showerheads use about six to seven gallons per minute (GPM), and the water comes out at about 80 psi (lbs per square inch, a measure of pressure). Of course, if you try to use less water with a normal showerhead, the stream is flat and insubstantial – a very unsatisfactory shower experience. Low-flow showerheads solve this problem by forcing the water into a narrower opening, which reduces the amount of water that comes out, but maintains the pressure at 80 psi for a nice strong stream. (It’s like partially blocking the end of a hose with your thumb to increase the force of the water coming out – except that low-flow faucets and showerheads reduce the size of the stream only a little, just enough to maintain existing pressure with less water.)

Low-flow faucet accessories work the same way.

There are two different kinds of low-flow faucets and showerheads:

Aerating faucet accessories and showerheads mix air into the water stream for steady pressure. The steady stream sensation is very popular with consumers. However, mixing air into the water can lead to a reduction in water temperature, which can be a drawback for showers during the winter months.
Non-aerating faucet accessories and showerheads don’t mix air into the water, which results in a pulse-like rather than a steady-state stream. Not everyone likes the pulse effect, but those who do say it feels like a gentle massage. Non-aerating faucet accessories and showerheads maintain water temperature very well.

How can you tell if you need a low-flow faucet or showerhead?

The EPA standard for new residential lavatory (bathroom) faucets is 1.5 GPM (gallons per minute). Your current faucet may have an aerator on it already, and if it does, it will have the GPM stamped on the side. If the GPM of your existing aerator is greater than 1.5, you should upgrade to a new high-efficiency faucet aerator. If you don’t have an aerator, check to see if the inside of your faucet has threads (grooves) for an aerator to be screwed into it. If it does, install an aerator.

If you already have a low-flow showerhead, check the side of the showerhead to see if it has a flow rate of 2.0 GPM (the new EPA standard for showers). If you don’t already have a low-flow showerhead, you can test your shower to see if its flow rate is too high. Put a two-quart saucepan on the floor of the shower and position it in the middle of the shower stream. Turn the shower on at full pressure and count how many seconds it takes to fill the pan. If it takes fewer than 15 seconds, you would probably benefit from a high-efficiency showerhead.

How much water will a high-efficiency faucet or showerhead save?

It depends on how much water your sink or shower used before you installed the upgrade. The only way to know for sure is to check your utility bills over the next few months and compare them to the same time period during the previous year. If you want to feel good about your decision right away, you can get a rough estimate as follows: assume that your current showerhead uses 2.5 GPM (this is a very common flow rate for modern showerheads). A new 1.5 GPM showerhead will make your shower 40% more efficient. Use your utility bill to calculate 20% of your total water usage (this is the amount typically used for showering), then take 40% of that number. Multiply this by your cost-per-gallon, and you’ll have your savings!

How do I find high-efficiency faucet accessories and showerheads?

When you go to your local plumbing supply store, look for the EPA WaterSense label. This is the equivalent of the EnergyStar label, and all products bearing this label meet the new EPA water use guidelines.

We’re Grateful for Central Heating and Indoor Plumbing

November 25th, 2010

The holiday season is upon us again – a time for celebrating with family and friends, and remembering our many blessings.

Of course, the most important of these are the love of our family and friends and the food that nourishes us. We hope these blessings are shared by all our customers.

As the weather gets colder, we are grateful, too, for the comfort of our homes. It’s worth remembering that even the simplest of our modern homes are full of luxuries that people of centuries past could not even have imagined.

Take central heating, for example, which did not become widespread until the 20^th century (although it was actually invented by the Romans). Here in the New World, early European settlers emulated the practices of the Native Americans, heating their homes with an open indoor fire and keeping out the cold with brightly-woven mats and furs. The houses stayed surprisingly warm during the winter (sometimes getting as hot as 90 degrees F, especially in the wigwams, which were better insulated than the colonists’ dwellings). But tending the fire was a tedious, time-consuming, dirty, and somewhat dangerous task – and as anyone who has ever made breakfast over a campfire will tell you, cooking three meals a day over an open flame was very challenging.

Indoor plumbing is another invention that early natives and settlers could not have imagined (although again, it had been invented long before by the ingenious Romans). During the long and arduous voyage to the New World, European colonists relieved themselves by sitting on shelves that jutted out over the sides of the ship; when they reached the New World, they simply went outdoors to do their business, even in the dead of winter. Even outhouses were luxuries in the early years. Baths were uncommon (sometimes a once-a-year event) and were not taken at all on board ship. When colonists did wash, they did so in a nearby stream or pond.

So, the next time you press a button on your thermostat to turn on the heat, or flush your toilet, or take a nice warm shower, or cook a meal on a temperature-controlled oven – give thanks!

We’re grateful for the opportunity to help you keep your home warm, safe, and comfortable. Our customers are one of the many blessings for which we are thankful – now and all year long.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

How to Cover Your Air Conditioner for the Winter

November 23rd, 2010

This time of year, it seems that you’re covering almost everything. You’re wrapping up in hats and scarves and you’re putting frost blankets over your garden plants at night. You might even be covering a beloved boat, motorcycle, or summer convertible.

If you have an outdoor air conditioner that won’t be used during the winter months, you might be wondering if you should cover it, too. The answer is – yes!

Air conditioners don't like to be left out in the cold!

Covering your air conditioner is one of the best ways to protect your investment and keep future costs down. Here’s why:

Covering your outdoor air conditioner provides maximum protection against debris (leaves, branches, acorns, pine needles, sand, and salt).
A cover stops precipitation from getting into the system, then freezing and expanding. (Also, if you live near the ocean, it keeps out salty water and air.)
An air conditioner cover minimizes the possibility of damage during storms, when tree branches or hail may fall on the unit and chip the paint or bend the fins on the grille.
You’ll increase the efficiency of your air conditioner by keeping the condensing coil clean (good for the environment and for your wallet!)
You’ll have less cleaning and repairing to do next spring – and your maintenance costs will be lower!

Covering your air conditioner will extend its life and reduce its operating costs. But…you need to be smart about how you cover your outdoor AC. If you cover it with plastic, you may trap moisture around the unit, creating ideal conditions for rust, mold, and mildew. This is especially a concern on those sunny winter days when the air inside the cover will heat up to be much hotter than the outside air. Also, a plastic cover can create a very cozy place for rodents and insects to spend the winter. Once they’re inside the cover, it won’t take them long to find their way into the equipment itself.

You should make sure to choose a cover made of breathable material – NOT plastic. The cover should also have appropriate ventilation to ensure that moisture doesn’t build up.

How do you choose the best cover for your air conditioner? Consult your owner’s manual, and contact us for advice. We’ll be happy to help.

Also, make sure to schedule a service appointment for the spring, before you start your unit up again. The service will include a thorough cleaning of any debris that did find its way into your unit, plus a check for any damage to the fins. We’ll also check that the pipe insulation is in good shape and that the unit is level – two simple but important things that can improve your unit’s functioning and efficiency.

P.S. If you have a window AC unit, the ideal solution is to take it out for the winter instead of covering it.

If you have an outdoor air conditioner or heat pump unit that won’t be used during the winter months, you might be wondering if you should cover it, too.

It seems like a simple question, but in fact it generates a fair amount of controversy.

Almost everyone thinks that it’s advisable to cover outdoor AC and heat pump units rather than leaving them completely exposed to the elements. However, not everyone approves of covering the units completely.

On the one hand, putting a full cover on an outdoor air conditioner or heap pump provides maximum protection against debris (leaves, branches, sand, and salt). A cover also stops water from getting into the system and then freezing and expanding in there. Plus, a full cover minimizes the possibility of damage during storms, when tree branches or hail may fall on the unit and chip the paint or bend the fins on the grille.

On the other hand, completely covering outdoor air conditioners and heat pumps can trap moisture around the unit, creating ideal conditions for rust, mold, and mildew. This is especially a concern on those sunny winter days when the air inside the cover will heat up to be much hotter than the outside air. Also, a cover can create a very cozy place for rodents and insects to spend the winter. Once they’re inside the cover, it won’t take them long to find their way into the equipment itself.

One common way to cover air conditioners and heat pumps is simply to place a piece of plywood across the top of the unit, weighted down with cinderblocks (bricks and smaller rocks have can been reported to blow off in strong winds). This will keep out the worst of the precipitation and debris, but will still leave the unit well-ventilated. And, there will be no place for moisture or vermin to linger!

If you do opt for a full cover for your heat pump or air conditioner, make sure that it is not plastic. The cover should be made of a breathable material, and should be vented to prevent the buildup of hea

If you have an outdoor air conditioner or heat pump unit that won’t be used during the winter months, you might be wondering if you should cover it, too.

It seems like a simple question, but in fact it generates a fair amount of controversy.

How do you decide how best to cover your air conditioner or heat pump? Consult your owner’s manual, and call us for advice. We’ll be happy to help.

No matter how you decide to cover your heat pump or air conditioner, you should contact us to schedule a service appointment in the spring, before you start your unit up again. The service will include a thorough cleaning of any debris that did find its way into your unit, plus a check for any damage to the fins. We’ll also check that the pipe insulation is in good shape and that the unit is level – two simple but important things that can improve your unit’s functioning and efficiency.

P.S. If you have a window AC unit, the ideal solution is to take it out for the winter instead of covering it.

t and moisture.

How do you decide how best to cover your air conditioner or heat pump? Consult your owner’s manual, and call us for advice. We’ll be happy to help.

P.S. If you have a window AC unit, the ideal solution is to take it out for the winter instead of covering it.

Geothermal – Get It Done Right!!!

November 10th, 2010

As we wrote in last week’s blog post, everyone at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is really excited about geothermal energy systems. But…geothermal only works well when it’s installed correctly. If it’s not, then the geothermal system you install could wind up being nothing more than expensive waste of money – and you might even end up using more energy than you did before, not less.

In this blog post, we’ll explain how we make sure that we install geothermal systems properly so that our customers enjoy maximum comfort and savings.

To explain the secret to a successful geothermal installation, first we should explain how geothermal systems work.

Although the temperature above the ground can vary widely from summer to winter, the temperature underneath the ground stays fairly constant all year round, thanks to the hot molten rock that underlies the earth’s surface. Depending on latitude, the level of volcanic activity in the area, and the depth at which the geothermal system is installed, the underground temperature can range from 45 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Geothermal systems use underground pipes, called a loop, that circulate fluid in a loop into your house and back under the ground. In the winter, the loop brings heat up from the ground into your house, where it is distributed throughout your house via ductwork. In the summer, the loop pulls the hot air out of your house and discharges it underground.

So, what’s the secret to a successful geothermal installation? The most important thing is to correctly calculate the load (i.e. the number of BTUs the system has to generate to keep the house comfortable). This will ensure that the geothermal loop, and the equipment that keeps the fluid moving in the loop, are properly sized. If a contractor has cut corners by making the loop and the circulation equipment too small, the system will not keep your home comfortable.

At Carney, we receive a couple of calls every month from worried homeowners who are not comfortable with the geothermal systems they’ve had installed by other companies. When a Carney technician goes to check it out, we almost always find that the loop and the equipment are not big enough to properly regulate the temperature of the home. Although the smaller loop may reduce the cost of the initial installation, this is a false savings. A homeowner will have to supplement an improperly functioning geothermal system with other means, or sacrifice comfort – and the home’s overall energy consumption might even go up, not down, as a result! At Carney, we call this “getting geothermal in name only”, and we’re always upset when we see homeowners who’ve had this happen to them.

So how do we make sure this never happens to our customers? We start by making sure that all our technicians are fully trained. In addition to mandatory training, we encourage our technicians to sign up for whatever additional training they want – on us.

We also take great care when we design our geothermal systems – in fact, we probably spend more time on design than we do on actual installation. We do all our load calculations by computer and by hand so that we are sure of our results. And we get as many different minds working on the design as possible – for example, we ask drillers to provide their own independent assessments to make sure they tally with ours.

Our philosophy when it comes to geothermal is, “You cannot cut any corners.” We make sure we don’t – we pay attention to all the details so that when your geothermal system is done, all you have to do is relax and enjoy it!

Top Ten Reasons to Love Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

November 3rd, 2010

Here at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we’ve been installing geothermal systems for more than a year now. Our entire team is really enthusiastic about them. Our customers rave about the savings and comfort that they get when they upgrade to a geothermal heating and cooling system, and we’re excited to bring this leading-edge technology to the residential consumer.

Geothermal requires an upfront investment, but it’s worth it! Here’s why we love it:

70% of the energy used by a geothermal system is renewable (using the earth’s own heat). The rest comes from electric power. A geothermal system makes a huge difference in your carbon footprint.
You’ll never buy foreign oil again. In fact, you’ll never buy oil again, period. One of our first geothermal customers had been burning 5-6 tanks of oil a year (1400-1600 gallons). After installing an all-electric geothermal system, not only did he have no more oil bills, but his overall electric bill was reduced too.
Like to buy local? You can’t get more local than geothermal – 70% of your heating and cooling energy comes from right underneath your feet.
You will increase your home’s safety by not storing fossil fuel on the premises.
You’ll be much less affected by volatility in fuel prices. Remember the high oil prices of a couple of years ago? Consumers in southeastern Pennsylvania may soon see a similar increase when local utilities are deregulated in January 2011 – anywhere from 10% to 40%. With a geothermal system, you’ll feel spikes in energy prices much less.
You can get rid of your old, high-maintenance oil-burning heater and replace it with new, long-lasting geothermal equipment that is designed to last for 20 years.
All of our geothermal customers report that they are now more comfortable in their homes.
Geothermal systems are ultra quiet. They’re installed inside (generally in a basement) so there are no noisy outdoor units.
Federal tax credits for conventional heating systems will run out at the end of 2010, but tax credits for geothermal systems will last until 2016. Also, local utilities frequently offer rebates on geothermal systems.
Carney’s offering a $300 discount on all geothermal heat pump systems!

Our own Kevin Carney was recently interviewed on ACHR. Check out the audio podcast to hear more about his experiences with geothermal systems and his commitment to quality geothermal installations:

Halloween Treat – $100 Off a New Sump Pump With Battery Backup

October 28th, 2010

What’s scarier than a cold and stormy Halloween night?

A cold and stormy Halloween night when the power cuts out and the water starts to rise in your basement!

Fortunately, we’ve got just the right solution – at a real treat of a price.

A sump pump keeps your basement dry when a storm comes through your neighborhood!

If your basement regularly gets damp or flooded, eventually it’s going to start looking and smelling like one of those musty old basements in a cheap horror movie. Sump pumps are a great way to protect your home and maximize its usable area.

A battery backup system makes sure that your sump pump works when you need it most – during and after major storms. Battery backup doesn’t add much to the cost of a sump pump – and the peace of mind it gives you is priceless!

Get $100 off a new sump pump with battery backup!

P.S. Happy Halloween, everyone. Have fun and stay safe!

Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling featured in The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration NEWS

Dual-Flush Toilets: Another Great Green Plumbing Innovation

Touch-Free Faucets: Green Plumbing That’s Fun and Easy!

Heating system rebates up to $3,500 – now through December 31st!

Plumbing Is Going Green! Start with Simple Upgrades to Your Faucets and Showerheads

We’re Grateful for Central Heating and Indoor Plumbing

How to Cover Your Air Conditioner for the Winter

Geothermal – Get It Done Right!!!

Top Ten Reasons to Love Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Halloween Treat – $100 Off a New Sump Pump With Battery Backup

Get $100 off a new sump pump with battery backup!

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