Carney All Seasons Blog: Archive for January, 2014

How UV Lights Give You Higher Quality Water

Monday, January 27th, 2014

Finding quality water is a major concern with homeowners today. Increasingly, people have turned to whole-house water treatment systems to ensure they have the best water quality possible.

In this post, we’ll talk about one of the major tools for water treatment: ultraviolet (UV) lights. This may sound a bit odd as a way to clean water; most people associate water treatment with filters and water softeners. What can lights do to improve water quality? We’ll explain what UV lights do and how they can benefit you. If you are interested in having a UV light system installed in your home, call our Hatfield, PA water treatment system specialists at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling.

Ultraviolet (UV) lights

UV lights are used to eliminate microorganisms that can enter your water and threaten your health. Chemical disinfectants are rarely effective against these contaminants.

A UV system destroys these organisms through ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. Light at a very short wavelength destroys the nucleic acids inside microorganisms and disrupts their DNA. This destroys them and also prevents them from spreading.

Using UV lights to disinfect water has become increasingly popular since the middle of the last century because it does not risk putting chemicals into the water. UV lights are also easier to install and take up less room than other water treatment systems. UV treatment is approximately 20,000 times more energy-efficient than boiling water to remove contamination.

UV radiation does pose some risk to humans if their skin is exposed to its direct light, so installation of ultraviolet water treatment systems should be left to professionals who will make sure the lights are installed safely so they will only affect the water supply.

Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling has years of experience installing UV light systems and we carry and service the major brands. If you want the cleanest drinking water possible in your home, contact Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling today for installation of a UV light water treatment system in Hatfield, PA.

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What Causes Bad Smells from Your Drains

Monday, January 20th, 2014

Having bad odors enter your home is unpleasant and potentially embarrassing. If you detect a sewer-like odor emanating from your drains, it’s something you will want eliminated as soon as possible. Sometimes the fix is simple. At other times, it will require calling for plumbers to resolve the trouble.

Here are some reasons for those bad drain odors. For any assistance you need with plumbing in Wayne, PA, contact Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling. We offer same-day service, satisfaction guaranteed.

Reasons for bad-smelling drains

  • Dry p-trap: This is the simplest problem, and easy to fix. If you only notice a sewage smell coming from one of your drains, the trouble might be a dry p-trap. The p-trap is the curved section of the drainpipe underneath the sink. It is responsible for capturing water to form a plug against sewer gases coming back up the pipe. If the bad-smelling sink is one that hasn’t been used in a while (for example, in an unused guest bedroom), this is probably the reason for the smell. The solution is to pour water down the sink to restore the plug against the sewer gas. Try to regularly run water down sinks that don’t see much use.
  • Sewer line issues: If the odors are coming up from sinks all around the house, the trouble might be a break or block in the sewer line that carries wastewater out to the municipal sewer system. The odors will probably be accompanied by clogs and gurgling sounds from the drains. This is a major repair issue that needs professionals to take care of right away, since it can lead to sewage flooding into your home’s basement or foundations.
  • Venting problems: Along with the p-trap, your plumbing probably has another method of preventing sewer gas from entering your house: venting pipes. These pipes remove back-flowing sewer gases and run them up to the roof of the house. They can become clogged from debris, animal nests, and snow, and this will force the sewer gases back down and up through your drains. Don’t try to clear the roof yourself; call for assistance.

A dry p-trap is an easy fix, but sewer line breaks and blocked vents are work for professionals. If you can’t stop the problems with your drains using simple methods, you will need to call for expert plumbing in Wayne, PA. Turn to Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling, “The Plumber that Other Plumbers Recommend.” We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured so you know you are getting quality service.

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What Are My Options for a Water Treatment System?

Monday, January 13th, 2014

Whole-house water treatment systems are an excellent way to get fresh, clean water without the worries about the contaminants that can filter in from the municipal water supply. Instead of spending money on bottled water or ineffective local filters, you can treat all the water entering your home at one time. You will not just get water that’s healthier to drink, you’ll get water that’s better for your appliances and fixtures.

There are many different options available for your whole-home water treatment system. We’ll go over some that Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling offers. If you are thinking of installing a water treatment system in Doylestown, PA, contact us and we’ll help you find the right one.

Water treatment system options

  • Water softeners: If the problem that afflicts your water supply is hard water—water with high levels of minerals such as magnesium and calcium suspended in it—then you will want to have a water softener installed. Hard water isn’t usually harmful to drink, but it can create serious problems in plumbing because of mineral deposits, and it can damage appliances like dishwashers and laundry machines. A water softener balances the chemicals in your water to add salt to soften it and eliminate the trouble of hard water.
  • Reverse osmosis systems: These units remove many small particles out of water that standard filters won’t catch. They work by creating two separate sections of water with different pressure levels, which forces the water through a semi-permeable membrane that filters out small contaminants. Reverse osmosis is especially helpful for water with high salinization levels.
  • Acid neutralizers: Acidic water is bad news all around, but there are special acid neutralizers that can eliminate this threat to you and your pipes. They won’t add excess minerals to your water if they receive a proper professional installation.
  • UV water disinfecting systems: The use of ultraviolet radiation is a safe and powerful way to eliminate bacteria, viruses, mold, e. coli, and other biological contaminants that can enter into your water and have a negative effect on your health. These systems do not introduce other chemicals into your water such as chlorine.

Have water testing done today

The first step you should take when you are thinking about having a water treatment system installed is to schedule water testing. Contact Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling to perform this service, which will discover what issues in your water require treatment. Using this information, we can help you select the water treatment system that will provide you with the cleanest, safest water possible. Make us your first call for a water treatment system in Doylestown, PA.

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Some Upgrades to Consider for Your Bathrooom Remodel

Friday, January 10th, 2014

If you’ve decided to remodel your bathroom, you have more options available to you than just the design choices. Your bathroom remodel can go beyond the surface looks and include upgrading your fixtures.

Here are some suggestions for ways to upgrade your bathroom during the remodel. At Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling, we are proud to offer bathroom remodeling that combines design with practical plumbing considerations. We can help you realize the ideal bathroom for you that is more than just an upgrade in appearance, but an upgrade in function, comfort, and even safety.

Upgrades for your bathroom remodel

  • Hand-held showerheads: If you’ve used a standard showerhead, fixed to the wall, for years, now is the time to switch over to the convenience and stronger cleaning power of a handheld unit.
  • Heated towel racks: These are very popular in Europe, and if you have one installed you’ll see why. They are useful for both humid and cold climates, providing warmth to dry your towels and warm you up as well. They also add a terrific visual finishing touch to any bathroom.
  • Exhaust fans: Older bathrooms were usually constructed without exhaust fans, so venting out the room required opening up windows. Installing an exhaust fan means you no longer have to open up to the cold outdoor air to properly ventilate the room.
  • Grab bars: If you have elderly people living in your home, or people with special needs, grab bars in the shower or around the toilet can be enormously helpful and provide an extra level of safety.
  • Low-flow faucets: One of the best ways to reduce your water usage is through new low-flow faucets and fixtures, which use 30% less water without any reduction in performance.

Schedule bathroom remodeling and plumbing from the same contractor

To get the most from your bathroom remodel in Wayne, PA, make sure you look for a remodeling company that also handles plumbing, instead of relying on two contractors who may not communicate well. Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling has both remodeling specialists and expert plumbers on staff, and we know how to coordinate our work to bring you the bathroom remodel you dreamed of.

All our work comes with a guaranteed parts and labor warranty for a full year. We use only the best products available—and we are committed to going “green” in all our plumbing services. Contact us today to begin your bathroom remodel and upgrade.

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