Carney All Seasons Blog: Archive for February, 2014

How Plumbers Use Snakes for Drain Cleaning

Monday, February 17th, 2014

The drain snake, also called a drain auger, is one of a plumber’s best friends. These devices, based on simple principles, are powerful at clearing out some of the toughest clogs that can afflict drains. The only tool more effective at eliminating heavy drainpipe clogs is the hydro-jetter, a more complex machine that blasts out high pressure water to clear away clogs.

If you cannot clear a drain clog on your own with a plunger, then you need to call up a professional plumber to address the problem with a drain snake. Don’t reach for liquid cleaners: they are acidic and can cause damage to the interior lining of your pipes. Let the experienced plumbers at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling take care of your drain cleaning in Doylestown, PA.

How the Drain Snake Works

Drain snakes come in two basic types: manual and powered. The only difference between the two is the power source; otherwise they use the same mechanics to remove clogs.

The drain snake is made up of a long coil of metal wires that attaches to a crank on one end. The wires are flexible and can easily “snake” down the curved pipes of drains. A plumber runs the end of the drain snake down into the clogged drainpipe until it contacts the plug. The plumber then turns the crank (either by hand or with the motor), and the coil of wires screws into the clog. The action is similar to a corkscrew going into the cork of a wine bottle. Once the coil is imbedded into the clog, the plumber can either pull it back up through the drain to remove it, or move the wires around to break up the clog so it will wash down the drain.

Some drain snakes have multiple attachments for different kind of clogs. A plumber can determine which type will work best, as well as deciding if the job requires a motorized auger rather than a manual auger.

Call For Professional Drain Cleaning Service

Manual drain snakes are available in some hardware stores as well as online. (Motorized models are also available, but are usually too expensive for consumer use.) However, we don’t advise that you attempt to use a drain snake without training because you can potentially damage the pipe interior. Let a skilled plumber do the job, and it will be over fast with no problems.

A drain snake is only part of effective drain cleaning in Doylestown, PA. For comprehensive cleaning of all the build-up in your drains, call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling. We offer complete drain cleaning services that will restore your plumbing to like-new condition.

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Who Wrote the First Valentine’s Day Poem?

Friday, February 14th, 2014

The celebration of Valentine’s Day is often seen as a modern institution, even if the roots of the holiday go back to Late Antiquity and the figures of St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni. It’s difficult to separate our view of February 14th from the more recent phenomenon of greeting cards, comical cupids, and specialty treats from candy companies.

However, not only are some of these traditions older than we might think (mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards were an enormous success in early 19th-century England), but the earliest Valentine’s Day love poem comes from none other than the first great English author, Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in the second half of the 14th-century.

Chaucer’s most famous work is The Canterbury Tales, an enormous collection of linked stories in poetry and prose. But his 700-line poem “Parlement of Foules” has the special distinction of being the first surviving record of a connection between Valentine’s Day and romantic love. Chaucer probably composed the poem in 1381–82. At the time, he was a member of the court of King Richard II, holding an important bureaucratic position in London. The date suggests that Chaucer wrote “Parelment of Foules” to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of the English king to Princess Anne of Bohemia.

The poem follows the dream of the narrator, where he walks through Venus’s temple and discovers a meeting of birds where they all choose their mates. This is where the mention of St. Valentine’s Day appears (English modernized):

For this was on St. Valentine’s Day,

When every bird cometh there to choose his mate.                                                                  

The poem also contains a familiar Valentine’s image, Cupid with his arrows:

Under a tree, beside a well, I saw

Cupid our lord his arrows forge and file;                                                             

And at his feet his bow already lay.

When Chaucer mentions St. Valentine’s Day, is he referring specifically to February 14th? Late winter isn’t a time when birds in England would mate. However, the date for the start of spring—when some birds would have started nesting in England—was on February 23rd in the calendars of the time, certainly close enough for Chaucer to take poetic license and nudge it a bit to match with Valentine’s Day.

Love birds remain a popular symbol of Valentine’s Day even now, and for this we can thank Chaucer. In fact, he may very well have invented the link between love and Valentine’s Day, although we will probably never know for certain.

Whoever started these traditions, all of us here at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling hope you have a wonderful February 14th!

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Look for These Warnings You Need Water Heater Repair

Friday, February 7th, 2014

Running hot water isn’t something people are willing to negotiate. Like indoor plumbing and electricity, it’s an essential for daily life, keeping you clean and helping with cooking and washing. If your water heater begins to show signs that it requires professional attention, you need to act on the knowledge fast and call a technician for repairs. We’ll list some of the warnings you may receive that your water heater is failing.

Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling is “The Plumber That Other Plumbers Recommend.” We’ve served Bucks and Montgomery Counties with excellent plumbing services since 1976. Give us a call when you notice any of these signs that indicate it’s time for water heater repair in New Hope, PA.

  • A drop in hot water levels: If you notice that you’re receiving less hot water during the day than you are accustomed to (such as the hot water stopping early during your morning shower), don’t shrug it off as a temporary issue that will fix itself. This is often a sign of a disruption in the power source for the heater, whether electric or gas, and a professional will need to look into the cause and find a way to fix it.
  • A heating bill increase: If your water heater is working ineffectively because of a malfunction, it will draw a larger amount of power to provide you with the same level of hot water. A sudden increase in your power bills that you can’t account for because of a problem with your HVAC system may stem from a broken heater.
  • Rust-colored water from the taps: Rusty water is a common sight if you turn on a faucet after it hasn’t been used for a few weeks. But if you spot this same reddish-brown coloration in your hot water during normal use, then rust has started to infiltrate the hot water tank. This needs to be investigated right away before the corrosion damages the tank enough that it needs replacement.
  • Leaks: If you notice water pools around the water heater’s tank, you definitely have a problem. Any leaking from a water heater is a serious concern that needs attention right away.

You can avoid a “cold water surprise” during a morning shower if you have repairs on your water heater done as soon as possible. With Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling, we always have actual people answering our phones 24-hours a day to send technicians when you need them. There’s no reason to delay your water heater repair in New Hope, PA!

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Will a Heat Pump Provide Sufficient Warmth for the Winter?

Monday, February 3rd, 2014

Heat pumps are popular HVAC systems because they pack the power of a heater and an air conditioner into a single unit. Using the process of heat exchange—moving heat from one place to another in order to heat up or cool down the indoors—heat pumps provide effective cooling in summer and heating in winter without draining excessive amounts of power.

But you may have heard that heat pump suffer from a serious drawback: a loss of efficiency in heating mode when the temperature drops too low. If you live in Hatfield, PA, heating your home will be important to you, so you do not want to get trapped with a heater that will start to give up on the job when you need it the most.

However, don’t let this frighten you away from considering a heat pump, as we’ll explain. Call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling for more information about heat pump installation, as well as the personal attention to help you decide if a heat pump is the right choice for your home.

Heat Pumps and Hybrid Systems

It is true that a heat pump can have difficulty with extreme lows: the refrigerant inside the heat pump must extract heat from outside and bring it inside, and once the temperature drops below the economic balance point (which varies depending on humidity, but is usually around 32°F), the heat pump will work harder to remove enough heat. If you expect temperatures below freezing for a good part of the winter, a heat pump alone may not be enough to keep you warm.

However, a hybrid heat pump offers a solution. These systems combine a heat pump with a back-up heater that uses a separate fuel source, usually a gas furnace. Whenever the temperature drops below the economic balance point, the second system turns on automatically to make up the difference. You get all the benefits of a heat pump, and only have to pay a slight bit more in fuel costs for the secondary system, which will only run occasionally.

You should always consult with heating experts before making a choice about a heat pump, or any heating system. Experts can perform a heat load calculation at your house to determine how much heating power you need for your comfort, and then match you with the ideal system. Perhaps a standard heat pump is sufficient, or maybe you should invest in a hybrid.

Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling has delivered quality comfort to our customers for over 30 years. Contact us if you need heating service in Hatfield, PA.

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