Carney All Seasons Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Spring House’

How Can a Geothermal System Installation Save Me Energy?

Monday, January 14th, 2013

Every homeowner likes to be comfortable in their own home, no matter how swelteringly hot or bitterly cold the temperature may be outside. With energy prices rising as much as they tend to, though, the cost of keeping your home comfortable year round may dissuade you from doing so. At Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, we think that that is simply unacceptable. No homeowner should have to sacrifice their comfort to lower energy bills in Buckingham, PA. If high energy costs have got you feeling low contact us today to learn more about geothermal heating and cooling systems.

A geothermal heating and cooling system is one of the most efficient ways in which you can choose to keep your home comfortable all year long. Unlike more conventional heating and air conditioning systems, geothermal heating and cooling systems do not consume fuel in order to keep your home comfortable. Rather, they utilize a geothermal loop system that is buried on your property to absorb existing heat from the ground or a water source. This heat can then be used in your home to warm it in the winter. In the cooling season the process is easily reversed, allowing the geothermal heat pump to remove heat from your home to cool it. Only a very small amount of electricity is used in the process.

Unlike air source heat pumps, a geothermal system does not fall prey to widely fluctuating air temperatures such as those of the air. Because temperatures are much more even and consistent underground or underwater than they are in the open air, a geothermal system can be even more efficient and dependable than standard heat pumps. While the installation of a geothermal system is a bit more involved and expensive than other home comfort system options the potential savings in energy costs over time can help offset the initial investment.

For more information about geothermal heating and cooling system installation services in Buckingham, PA, contact the experts at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. We can answer any questions that you may have. You might wind up deciding that this environmentally friendly, highly efficient comfort system option is the right choice for your home heating and cooling needs.

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Ice in Central Air Conditioning: Why Is This a Problem?

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

If your air conditioner does not seem to be working as well as it should, your natural first reaction is to go out and take a look at the compressor to see if there is anything you can do quickly to correct the problem. Of course, you cannot assess the situation unless you know what you are looking for. For instance, if you see ice forming on the condenser coil or anywhere else on the air conditioning system, you will know you found the likely source of the problem.

Ice can form in your air conditioner for a number of reasons. The most common one is that your refrigerant levels are low. Since this refrigerant is contained in a closed system, a deficiency in refrigerant means that there must be a leak somewhere in that system. Only a certified professional can refill your refrigerant and determine where the leaks are in the system to make the necessary repairs.

Another reason that ice can develop in your air conditioner is because the air is not flowing fast enough through the system and across the coils. This can happen because of a problem with the fan or because there is an actual physical impediment to the air flow. Regardless of the reason, the ice will form because without adequate air flow the condenser coils will get too cold.

These coils are typically kept just above freezing by the constant flow of air across them. When the air passes by them at this temperature, the moisture from the air condenses on the surface of the coil. But because the coil is not quite freezing, the water then runs down into a collection pan. When the coil is too cold, however, the moisture from the air will freeze on the coil before it can run off.

This ice actually manages to insulate the coil and keeps it from properly cooling the air or removing any additional moisture. If left unattended, the ice in your central air conditioning system can cause real damage to the unit. Plus, it is not allowing the air conditioner to do its job and cool your house down. So if you notice any amount of ice at all beginning to form on any part of your air conditioner, be sure to call for professional service right away.

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How Do I Stop My Pipes from Knocking?

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Tell me if this sounds familiar – you are sleeping comfortably and in the middle of the night a soft but persistent knock sounds through the pipes in your home. At first it is easy to ignore, but inevitably the sound will grow with each passing night and eventually start keeping you awake. Luckily, there are simple solutions for knocking pipes that do not require a plumber or expensive parts.

First, it is good to know why your pipes are knocking in the first place. In most cases, knocking pipes are caused by variable water pressure in the main supply pipes coming into your home. That pressure is important because it keeps the water moving freely between pipes and into your faucets. However, when the air used in pressurizing those pipes leaks or is depleted, water moves suddenly and violently, creating the knocking sound as it traverses the length of the supply lines.

The easiest fix for this kind of knocking is to first turn off your main supply valve. Make sure you communicate to anyone in your home that you are shutting off the valve as it will stop ALL water coming in. Now, flush the lines by opening all of the faucets and flushing your toilets. Water can still leave your home through drainage pipes and this will ensure all of the supply lines are fully empty.

Once the lines are cleared, feel free to turn your main valve back on. It is important to do this slowly so that the air chambers between and around your pipes have time to refill before the water courses back into them. However, now that the pipes were fully emptied, the knocking sound should be completely gone.

It is as simple as that. In most cases, you should not need to call a plumber to help, but if you have any problems finding your main valve or shutting it off, a plumber can be helpful with the proper tools and the know how for various kinds of shutoff valves. Additionally, if you live in an apartment building or a shared space, you may not be able to perform this fix. Rather, you should contact your superintendent or landlord and make sure they know exactly what is happening – with any experience, they should recognize the problem and be able to make similar fixes to your pipes.

Knocking pipes can be incredibly frustrating if not dealt with as soon as they start. Now that you know how simple it is to make the fix, make a habit of regularly flushing your lines and the knocking likely will not start up again.

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