We’ve all had that faucet with the small leak. We learn to tune out the annoying drip, drip, drip sound to the point where it is simply background noise. After all, it’s just a little drip – how much can it really do? Turns out, quite a lot, which is why it’s important to hire plumbing experts, like the ones at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling for repair.
Carney All Seasons Blog: Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category
Why It’s Important to Take Care of Leaks Right Away
Monday, July 27th, 2015Have a Leak Coming Through Your Ceiling? Give Us a Call!
Monday, July 13th, 2015Leaks are never a good thing, but it’s the leaks behind your walls that can be some of the most problematic. If you have noticed areas of your ceiling that are wet, or are actually dripping, it’s time to give the plumbing experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling a call. Leaks behind your ceiling require immediate attention, and our pros are here to help you with all your plumbing repair needs in Ambler, PA.
Why Annual Plumbing Maintenance Is Important
Monday, July 6th, 2015Odds are, you schedule your heating and cooling system for maintenance, as well as your car and other household appliances. So why wouldn’t you also schedule maintenance for your home’s plumbing system? A professional maintenance appointment for your plumbing system isn’t a quick visual review of the outside of your plumbing; it is a full inspection of your entire system, including all fixtures, to ensure your system is optimal shape. Some of the items checked are:
Common Reasons for Sump Pump Breakdown
Monday, June 29th, 2015You have a sump pump in your basement or crawlspace to remove excess water that can damage your foundation and any belongings you have in that space. However, without proper maintenance and attendance to the area in which the sump pump resides, you may encounter problems with your sump pump when you need it most. Here are some of the more common reasons your sump pump in Doylestown, PA, may develop issues:
Ways to Avoid Plumbing Repair Issues
Monday, June 15th, 2015There is no way to guarantee that you won’t ever experience a plumbing issue with your home in Hatfield, PA, but we do have a few tips to offer that can help reduce the incidence of plumbing repair in your home. However, if you are in need of plumbing repair, make sure you call experts you can count on, like the ones at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling. Here are some of the ways you can reduce the amount of plumbing repairs in your home:
Stinky Puddles in the Yard? It May Be Time for Sewer Line Replacement
Monday, May 11th, 2015Your home’s plumbing system is pretty large and pretty complicated, but there are two main lines that make the whole system work: the main water line, which brings in the potable water, and the sewer (or septic) line that removes all the waste water. When there’s an issue with either of these lines, your plumbing system will develop problems. However, it can be challenging to know when something has gone wrong with either of these lines because they are buried under your yard. So if you have a sewer line problem, how are you going to know about it? Here are some tips from our Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling experts.
Signs Your Water Line Needs Replacement
Friday, 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!
When Is It Time to Schedule Drain Cleaning?
Friday, February 27th, 2015Nope, 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!
What Is a Sump Pump?
Thursday, February 5th, 2015In 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!
How Long Will My Home’s Water Line Last?
Thursday, January 8th, 2015Having an older home or fixer-upper can be a very rewarding experience, but there is always a concern about the water lines coming into the home. Water lines are quite study, but they do age, and if you have a property that has been around since 1950 or before, you could be looking at a water line that needs replacing. Following are some average lifespans from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for the different types of metals used for main water lines:
- Brass – 40-70 years
- Copper – 50 years
- Galvanized steel – 20-50 years
- Cast iron – 70-100 years
- PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – indefinite
- Lead – 100 years
So how do you know if your water pipe has blown? Here are some common signs:
- Yard puddling – water main lines run under the ground and directly into your home; if a leak has developed in the area of your yard, the ground surrounding the leak will become saturated and the water will rise to the surface, creating very soggy areas or puddles.
- Very high water bill – if you notice a sudden, big increase in your home’s water bill and haven’t increased your water usage, you may have a water main leak.
- Significant decrease in water pressure – have you noticed that all the faucets and showerheads seem to have a lot less pressure when the water comes out? A significant drop in pressure means a leak has developed somewhere, and if the water pressure loss is across the board, then it’s likely to be a problem with the main water line to your home.
- Water discoloration – are you noticing that your water has become brown, or that dirt is in it? This can indicate that soil is getting into your water from a break somewhere in the water line.
- Water around foundation of your home (slab) – if your home sits on a slab, and your main water line is embedded in the concrete of the slab, a leak can still develop. Because the pipe is encased, the leaking water may escape to the outside of the foundation, where it will puddle.
If you have concerns that the main water line to your home may be aging, or you think you may have a leak, call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling today.