Carney All Seasons Blog: Archive for the ‘Water Heaters’ Category

What Types of Tankless Hot Water Heaters Are Available?

Friday, 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.

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Signs that You Need a New Water Heater

Monday, October 20th, 2014

Eventually, you will need to call a professional to schedule new water heater installation if your unit is broken down completely and will not provide any hot water to your home. This can come as a surprise right in the middle of a shower or before you’ve completed a large load of laundry. Instead of waiting for your water heater to fail entirely, you may decide that it makes more sense to schedule replacement around the end of your unit’s lifespan. Look out for the signs that your water heater may need replacement sooner rather than later.

  • Leaks: Technicians can repair many leaks on the spot. Sometimes, a technician simply needs to make some adjustments to the temperature, flush the tank, or replace the temperature and pressure valve. However, when the leak comes directly from the tank, there may be no saving your unit, and a sudden flood is a definite possibility.
  • Rust: One of the reasons that water heaters leak is when rust and corrosion wear away the steel tank. Your tank is protected from corrosion via the sacrificial anode rod, and with proper maintenance this should not happen before your unit has outlived its expected age range. However, if your tank does begin to corrode, it will require replacement. This may be indicated by leaks in the tank or discoloration in the water when you turn on a hot water tap.
  • Poor Performance: If your water heater just does not seem to be working the way you would like it to, it could be a sign that your system is approaching the end of its life. Many people inherit their water heaters when they purchase their homes and may be unsure of how old the unit is. Poor performance is a good indication of impending failure, although it could also point to a number of other problems, from a broken dip tube to sediment buildup.
  • Old Age: If you know how long you’ve had your unit, you may simply decide to replace it now before it gives out someday soon. Most storage tank water heaters go about 10-15 years before they can no longer run effectively or efficiently. A new water heater may offer better performance and save you some money over time.

Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling has been dedicated to quality customer service for over 30 years. For water heater installation in Lansdale, give us a call!

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How Do Storage Tank Water Heaters Work?

Monday, September 8th, 2014

As water flows from the water main to your home through a series of pipes, it’s usually much cooler than what you’d expect from a hot shower. The water heater, then, is an important asset to your home which is vital for many everyday activities around the home. And while there are a few different types of units available today, the storage tank water heater remains the most common type of unit used in homes. Yet many homeowners are unsure of how these systems heat water. Why is the tank so large? How does hot water enter the faucet? To answer these questions, we’ve put together this short guide to hot water heaters.

There are two types of systems that use different heating elements to heat the water: gas and electric. While these systems may look large and complex, they actually rely on a natural process of heat exchange in order to keep water heated. First, cold water enters the tank through a large pipe that leads all the way to the bottom. Here there may be a burner located underneath the tank, or an electric heating element may be located toward the bottom. Here’s where science takes over; hot water naturally rises above the cooler denser water. Another small pipe is located towards the top of the tank. This pipe picks up the heated water and carries it to the faucet. Water continues to re-enter the tank in order to keep a large supply of hot water on hand.

A few more key elements of hot water heaters help keep everything in working order. For example, a thermostat helps monitor the temperature while a pressure valve keeps the water pressure at a safe level. One problem you’ll want to avoid at all costs is rust, but the anode rod can prevent rust from damaging your system, increasing its lifespan. When rust damages the storage tank of your unit, you’ll likely need to replace your water heater. The anode rod attracts corrosive elements that may cause your unit to rust through, so it’s important to replace this rod when it becomes too worn down.

If you’re not sure whether you want a gas or electric water heater, or if you want to talk to an expert about hot water heaters in Lansdale, call the experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling today!

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Tank vs. Tankless: Which Water Heater Is Best for Me?

Monday, July 21st, 2014

The standard water heater, a storage water heater, uses a large tank filled with water to which energy is applied to keep the water inside at a temperature ready for use. For many decades, this was the only type of water heater available for homes. But now technological advances have brought tankless water heaters into the residential world. Tankless heaters use a heat exchanger (electric- or gas-powered) placed along the plumbing to directly heat water without storing it; the heat exchangers come on to heat the water only when a tap calls for hot water. For this reason, tankless water heaters are also called demand water heaters.

But just because a technology is recent doesn’t mean that you should adopt it immediately. A tankless water heater may make an ideal appliance for your home; but a storage water heater might still be best.

To find out which of the two choices for water heater installation in Allentown, PA will serve your family best, call the professionals at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling.

The advantages of a storage water heater

The standard storage water heater is a less expensive option, and if short-term budget is important for you, it is probably worth it to stay with a tank system. Although storage water heaters can run out of hot water if you place too much demand on them (such as during the mornings when many people may require showers), they have the advantage of providing hot water quickly once a tap comes on, and this means less water waste. They are also easier to repair.

The advantages of a tankless water heater

The biggest benefit of choosing to go with a tankless water heater is that you won’t run out of hot water. Since a tankless system only heats up water as you need it, there is no stored supply to deplete. For large families, this can be a significant advantage. And even though tankless systems cost more to install, they offer energy savings because they do not remain on constantly to keep a supply of water warm at all times. If your tankless system lasts long enough, it will pay for itself with energy-efficiency. Thankfully, tankless system can often last for many years longer than a storage system, since they do not suffer from the wear of holding large amounts of water.

Call our Allentown, PA water heater installation specialists at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling to find out more about where you should fall in the tank vs. tankless debate. We will help you calculate water use and energy use to discover if you should upgrade to a tankless model, or if the tried-and-true storage water heater is the better choice.

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What Does the Thermocouple Do on My Water Heater?

Monday, July 14th, 2014

Without a water heater in your home, the miracle of indoor plumbing (“the best thing since indoor plumbing” is still one of the measuring sticks of progress) will not mean much. You need hot water for many daily activities, so a working water heater is essential.

But you also need a safe working water heater, and that’s where the thermocouple comes in. If you, like many homeowners, use a gas-powered water heater, the thermocouple helps prevent the heater from turning into a danger. But sometimes the thermocouple itself may need repairs and replacement, and for that you’ll need professionals in water heater repair in Doylestown, PA, like those at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling. We offer same day service, satisfaction guaranteed, so make us your first call for restoring your malfunctioning water heater.

The job of the thermocouple

The thermocouple is a simple safety component made from two strips of different types of metal, joined at one end. The thermocouple is attached near the pilot light along the burner assembly, with the two ends of the metal placed in the flame of the pilot light, and the other end attached to a shut-off valve for the natural gas line that feeds gas to the burner. Should the pilot light fail, the thermocouple will automatically close off the gas line and prevent the combustion chamber from flooding with unburned gas, creating a major hazard of explosion from even the smallest spark.

The way a thermocouple does this task is through a principle known as the “Seebeck Effect.” The Seebeck Effect describes how two different types of metal in proximity to each other will create an electric current when exposed to heat. The higher the heat, the stronger the current. This makes a thermocouple a crude temperature sensor. As long as electric current runs through the thermocouple because of the heat of the pilot light, the current keeps the valve open. If the pilot fails, so does the current, and the valve automatically closes.

Not all water heaters use a thermocouple. Some of the more recent models use a mercury sensor to shut off the gas valve. An electric water heaters don’t use gas at all, and therefore doesn’t need any kind of emergency gas shut off.

Thermocouples can fail and require replacement. To make sure that your water heater remains safe all year long, have a yearly maintenance visit from a professional to detect any troubles such as failing thermocouples.

The experts at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling can help you with maintenance and any water heater repair in Doylestown, PA that you need. Call us today. 

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