Carney All Seasons Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Bucks County’

How Does a Heat Pump Work?

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

If you’re in the market for a new home heating and cooling system, a heat pump is definitely an option worth considering. However, while the popularity of these systems is growing rapidly, many people still don’t understand what they’re all about. Before you go out and get yourself a new home comfort system, you should make sure you really know what you’re looking at.
As their name suggests, heat pumps move heat from one location to another. However, their name can be misleading as well. Heat pumps are able to both heat your home in the winter and keep it cool in the summer by taking heat from the air in one place and sending it to another.

For example, your heat pump will remove the heat from your indoor air in the summer and pump it outside to keep your home cool. In the winter, the process is reversed, and the heat pump gathers heat from the outdoor air and pumps it inside to keep you house warm.

Of course, it’s not hard to see how the air inside your home in the summer has heat in it. But the outdoor air in the winter is cold. So how does a heat pump heat your house with cold air? Well, the truth is that there is almost always some heat in the air, no matter how cold it seems to you and me.

In fact, the temperature would have to drop well into the negative range before there was absolutely no heat to be found in the air. And heat pumps are specially designed to find that heat and collect it.

Basically all heat pumps work on this principle. However, they can’t keep your house comfortable all on their own. Heat pumps are usually installed as part of a complete home heating and cooling system. This means they’ll be paired with an air handler that can circulate the temperature controlled air throughout the house.

There are also some heat pumps that supplement the amount of heat they’re able to pull out of the air by heating it as it passes through. These types of heat pumps are often more effective in cooler areas, but because they require more energy to actually generate heat, they’re not typically as energy efficient as models that rely on their ability to get heat only out of the air.

If you’re in the market for a new home heating and cooling system, a heat pump is definitely an option worth considering. However, while the popularity of these systems is growing rapidly, many people still don’t understand what they’re all about. Before you go out and get yourself a new home comfort system, you should make sure you really know what you’re looking at

As their name suggests, heat pumps move heat from one location to another. However, their name can be misleading as well. Heat pumps are able to both heat your home in the winter and keep it cool in the summer by taking heat from the air in one place and sending it to another.

For example, your heat pump will remove the heat from your indoor air in the summer and pump it outside to keep your home cool. In the winter, the process is reversed, and the heat pump gathers heat from the outdoor air and pumps it inside to keep you house warm.

Of course, it’s not hard to see how the air inside your home in the summer has heat in it. But the outdoor air in the winter is cold. So how does a heat pump heat your house with cold air? Well, the truth is that there is almost always some heat in the air, no matter how cold it seems to you and me.

In fact, the temperature would have to drop well into the negative range before there was absolutely no heat to be found in the air. And heat pumps are specially designed to find that heat and collect it.

Basically all heat pumps work on this princ

If you’re in the market for a new home heating and cooling system, a heat pump is definitely an option worth considering. However, while the popularity of these systems is growing rapidly, many people still don’t understand what they’re all about. Before you go out and get yourself a new home comfort system, you should make sure you really know what you’re looking at

As their name suggests, heat pumps move heat from one location to another. However, their name can be misleading as well. Heat pumps are able to both heat your home in the winter and keep it cool in the summer by taking heat from the air in one place and sending it to another.

For example, your heat pump will remove the heat from your indoor air in the summer and pump it outside to keep your home cool. In the winter, the process is reversed, and the heat pump gathers heat from the outdoor air and pumps it inside to keep you house warm.

Of course, it’s not hard to see how the air inside your home in the summer has heat in it. But the outdoor air in the winter is cold. So how does a heat pump heat your house with cold air? Well, the truth is that there is almost always some heat in the air, no matter how cold it seems to you and me.

In fact, the temperature would have to drop well into the negative range before there was absolutely no heat to be found in the air. And heat pumps are specially designed to find that heat and collect it.

Basically all heat pumps work on this principle. However, they can’t keep your house comfortable all on their own. Heat pumps are usually installed as part of a complete home heating and cooling system. This means they’ll be paired with an air handler that can circulate the temperature controlled air throughout the house.

There are also some heat pumps that supplement the amount of heat they’re able to pull out of the air by heating it as it passes through. These types of heat pumps are often more effective in cooler areas, but because they require more energy to actually generate heat, they’re not typically as energy efficient as models that rely on their ability to get heat only out of the air.

iple. However, they can’t keep your house comfortable all on their own. Heat pumps are usually installed as part of a complete home heating and cooling system. This means they’ll be paired with an air handler that can circulate the temperature controlled air throughout the house.

There are also some heat pumps that supplement the amount of heat they’re able to pull out of the air by heating it as it passes through. These types of heat pumps are often more effective in cooler areas, but because they require more energy to actually generate heat, they’re not typically as energy efficient as models that rely on their ability to get heat only out of the air.

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Heat Pump Systems, Heat Pumps | Comments Off on How Does a Heat Pump Work?

Energy Efficiency Tax Credits Extended for 2011

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

Good News! The tax credit for energy-efficient home improvements has been extended for another year.

However, the tax credit will be less in 2011 than it was in 2010 and 2009 – so if you can purchase your energy-efficient appliances now, you should!

For 2009 and 2010, a taxpayer can take a total of 30% of the value of energy-efficient home improvements, up to a maximum of $1500 for both years combined. For 2011, the tax credit is offered for only 10% of the cost of energy-efficient home improvements, up to a maximum of $500.

Other restrictions also apply for 2011. Certain appliances have their own maximum credit amount. For example, you can only get up to $300 for a water heater. Efficiency requirements have increased as well in certain cases – for example, gas boilers must now be 95% efficient. Tax credit requirements for gas furnaces remains at 95%, as it has been for the last two years.  This means that not all Energy Star appliances will qualify.

And, if you claim credits in 2009 or 2010, they count against the $500 maximum for 2011. If you’ve already taken more than $500 in tax credits, you can’t claim anything more in 2011.

Remember, too, that the tax credits are only for improvements to an existing home that is your principal residence. New construction and rentals don’t qualify.

If you’ve been thinking of upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment, don’t make it a New Year’s resolution: do it now!

But procrastinators take heart: even if you don’t get around to buying until next year, you’ll still get some benefits.

215.346.7160

215.346.7160

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Rebates & Tax Credits | Comments Off on Energy Efficiency Tax Credits Extended for 2011

Holiday Emergencies: How to Unclog Your Toilet…Without Your Guests Even Noticing

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

It’s your big holiday party. The carols are playing, the champagne is sparkling, and everyone’s having a great time. But when you step into the bathroom to wash your hands, you discover that one of your wonderful in-laws has attempted to flush the equivalent of a small forest down your toilet. You have a houseful of people and you need to unclog your toilet now. What can you do?

To really handle this situation well, you should stock up on the right tools ahead of time. Along with the veggie dip and spiced wine, add the following to your holiday shopping list: a flange or ball plunger, and a toilet auger (also known as a closet auger). You should be able to get both in your local hardware store.

But wait! you say. I already have a plunger! You probably do, but it may be the wrong kind. The standard “cup plunger” (which is what most people have on hand) looks like a rubber ball cut in half. Contrary to what most people think, these plungers aren’t for toilets – they are for the tub, where the flat edge of the plunger will connect well with the flat bottom of the tub to form a vacuum seal. The right tool for unclogging your toilet is a flange plunger or a ball plunger. These are properly shaped to connect to the curved shape of a toilet bowl and maintain a good vacuum seal while you plunge.

So…back to the party and your emergency. Assuming that you’ve prepared appropriately, you will probably be able to clear that clog quite easily – and if you’re discreet, your party guests will never need to know! The most important thing is to overcome the temptation to flush an already blocked-up toilet (we know, maybe you’ll get lucky, but more likely, you’ll end up overflowing the bowl and making a really disgusting mess and having to clean it up with the guest towels). Instead, start by plunging with your handy-dandy new flange plunger. Gently push the plunger head through the water, allowing the air to escape from it. Then, fit the plunger around the hole in the bottom of the bowl, and push the handle up and down rapidly until you feel the clog release or until the water level in the toilet drops.

Now, test to see if the toilet really is draining. Once again, it’s tempting to flush – but don’t do it. Instead, pour a little water down the toilet from a bucket, or lift the tank cover and slowly lift the flapper seal at the bottom to allow a little water to enter the bowl. (Don’t lift the flapper all the way, or the toilet will flush, and you might end up wading around in something you’d rather not think about.)

If the added water leaves the toilet easily, then the clog is cleared. If not, plunge again.

If the clog won’t clear after repeated plunging, break out the heavy firepower in your freshly-stocked plumbing arsenal. Your new toilet auger has an auger bit (a sharp spiral of wire) at the end that is connected to semi-rigid wire or cable that flexes to thread through the bends in a toilet bowl. The auger bit and the wire are connected in turn to a long handle with a hand crank that you can turn to work your way through the clog.

Start by turning off the water supply to your toilet, to keep any possible mess to a minimum. Then, fully retract the auger cable into the handle and put the auger into the toilet so that the curved bit where the cable comes out of the handle faces the same way the toilet drains. (Some toilets drain to the front and others to the rear – look into the toilet bowl to see which way yours goes.)  Work the cable into the drain with a combination of cranking and gentle pressure until it becomes tight and stops turning, or until you feel resistance. Either one probably means that you’ve hit the clog. Crank the auger quickly to break up the clog, and if you can’t crank any more, stop and start cranking in the reverse direction. Continue doing this until you’ve inserted the auger all the way. If you feel that the auger has grabbed something and is stuck, push and pull gently or crank back and forth while gently pulling up. Never force the auger or you may break the toilet porcelain.

After breaking up the clog, use the plunger again to move the obstruction down the drain line. Then, check to make sure the toilet is draining (remember – do this by adding a small amount of water from a bucket or by lifting the flapper slightly, not by flushing!). If and only if the toilet seems to be draining well, try flushing it. If it flushes, you’ve defeated the clog, and you can turn the water supply to your toilet back on.

Then, don’t forget to clean the auger! Put it in a garbage bag to prevent drips and carry it out of the house. (Okay, you don’t have to do this during your holiday party, but please don’t forget to do it later!) Clean it outside and then bring it to a warm dry place to dry. Spray the auger cable with WD-40 to remove any remaining moisture and protect it while in storage. Don’t store the auger lying down – hang it, handle side up, from a hook in your workshop or shed.

Toilet augers have a reach of about three feet. If your clog doesn’t clear after you’ve tried the auger, it probably means that the obstruction is farther down the drain line. However, don’t try using a drain snake to clear the blockage, because it can damage your toilet.

Instead, call us at Carney: 215-346-7160. Even over the holidays, we’re available 24/7 to help you cope with emergencies. We’ll be glad to fix the problem and get you back to your party.

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Plumbing | Comments Off on Holiday Emergencies: How to Unclog Your Toilet…Without Your Guests Even Noticing

Dear Santa, Please Bring Me Some New Plumbing Accessories (Really!!)

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

When most people think of holiday gifts for their family, chances are they’re not considering…plumbing. But maybe it’s time to think again. Everyone uses toilets, sinks, and showers every day – which means that making improvements to your plumbing will make your entire family more comfortable, every day! The right plumbing upgrades can help your family enjoy mornings more, get fewer colds, savor great European style, and save money on utility bills (money that you can put towards that new car, or a dream vacation).

Plumbing upgrades are also a great green gift. They save water and energy, and they last for years – much better than cheap, disposable stuff that will just wind up in the landfill.

So, while we’re not necessarily recommending that you completely forget about jewelry, toys, and electronics, we do think you should consider adding plumbing improvements to your gift list.

Here are some suggestions for some great, relatively inexpensive plumbing improvements that your family will enjoy every day:

  • Insulate your hot water pipes, and put a blanket over your hot water heater. This is often touted as a money-saving measure (and it is) – but it has the wonderful side effect of making your water hotter as it comes out of your sink or shower. You can’t put this under the tree…but wouldn’t your family enjoy waking up to lovely warm showers on Christmas morning? This is a great gift if you’re strapped for cash, because the materials for insulating your pipes and heater are very inexpensive – the biggest part of the gift is a couple of hours of your time and effort. (Read our blog post on insulating your hot water pipes to find out how easy it is to do.) [Link to: http://www.milani.ca/blog/plumbing/prevent-frozen-pipes/]
  • Replace your old water-saving showerhead with one of the new-generation water-saving showerheads. Those old aerators were virtuous, but they can be chilly and a little prickly.  With the right new showerhead, you’ll never even know that you’re saving water – you’ll just feel like you’re in a luxury hotel. You can get a wide range of fun styles and functions, including rain showerheads, massage showerheads, you name it. (Pair a new showerhead with insulating your pipes to really kick your family’s shower experience up a notch!)

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Energy Savings, Green Living, Plumbing | Comments Off on Dear Santa, Please Bring Me Some New Plumbing Accessories (Really!!)

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

Tuesday, 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.

(Read more about how Carney makes sure that it gets its geothermal systems right every time.)

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.

(Read more about why geothermal systems are well worth the upfront investment.)

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

Continue Reading

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Geothermal, Rebates & Tax Credits, Tax Credits | Comments Off on Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling featured in The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration NEWS

Dual-Flush Toilets: Another Great Green Plumbing Innovation

Wednesday, 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.

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Green Living, Plumbing, Water Conservation | Comments Off on Dual-Flush Toilets: Another Great Green Plumbing Innovation

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

Wednesday, 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.

Continue Reading

Tags: , ,
Posted in Energy Savings, Plumbing, Water Conservation | Comments Off on Touch-Free Faucets: Green Plumbing That’s Fun and Easy!

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

Thursday, 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 31st 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 31st.

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 31st to 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.

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Rebates, Energy Savings, Gas Heaters, Green Living, Heat Pump Systems, Heat Pumps, Heating, Oil Heaters, PECO Rebates, PP&L Rebates, Rebates & Tax Credits, Tax Credits | Comments Off on Heating system rebates up to $3,500 – now through December 31st!

Pennsylvania Home Heating Rebates!

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Effective August 2, 2010 – the second phase of the Pennsylvania Home Heating Rebate Program has enhanced the monetary rebates provided by the Commonwealth to homeowners who replace their current, less efficient home heating systems and water heaters with new high efficiency, energy saving models!  The new ceiling for natural gas, propane gas and oil heating systems is now $1,000 (a $500 increase over the previous amount)!  Additionally, the Commonwealth has increased the rebate for Energy Star Qualified water heaters to $250 for tank style water heaters and $300 for tankless water heaters!

Families across Pennsylvania are taking advantage of the PA Home Heating Rebate Program.

Families across Pennsylvania are taking advantage of the PA Home Heating Rebate Program.

Details on qualifying models, updates on the programs and other information can be found at the Pennsylvania Home Heating Rebate Qualifying Products Page.

Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling continues to install dozens of tankless water heaters and home heating systems that qualify for these rebates and the Federal Tax Credit (up to $1,500) every week!  These two rebates alone save homeowners $2,500 towards the replacement of their older, less efficient heaters.

BUT ACT NOW! As of August 20th, the funding for this program was nearly 1/3 exhausted, additionally – the Federal Tax Credit is scheduled to expire on December 31st and there are no current plans to extend it.  Call Carney today at 215.346.7160.

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Energy Savings, Gas Heaters, Heating, Oil Heaters, PECO Rebates, PP&L Rebates, Rebates & Tax Credits, Tax Credits | Comments Off on Pennsylvania Home Heating Rebates!

Carney PHC Featured in Intelligencer

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling was recently profiled in The Intelligencer as part of their “Going Green” series that appears each Monday in the print version of the paper as well as on line.

Kevin Carney with a geothermal heat pump days before it was installed in Bucks County.

Kevin Carney with a geothermal heat pump days before it was installed in Bucks County.

The article highlights several of the Federal, State and Utility rebate and credit programs that financially aid homeowners who choose to install “green” energy saving appliances.  In this case Carney was contacted to provide insight on how these rebates have effected the decisions that homeowners are making when replacing heating and air conditioning systems.

A photo of the owner of Carney PHC, Kevin J. Carney, was taken standing next to a geothermal heat pump that was installed in a Bucks County home days after the photo was taken.  This homeowner will enjoy a reduction in their income taxes that will equal 30% of the cost to replace an aging oil heating system with an ultra-efficient geothermal heat pump system that will reduce heating, cooling and hot water costs up to 70%!

Call Lisa at 215.346.7160 to schedule a free consultation regarding geothermal heat pump systems.

Continue Reading

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Rebates, Geothermal, Heat Pump Systems, Heat Pumps, Heating, PECO Rebates, PP&L Rebates, Tax Credits | Comments Off on Carney PHC Featured in Intelligencer