Carney All Seasons Blog: Archive for December, 2014

The Composition of Snowflakes: Are No Two Alike?

Thursday, December 25th, 2014

“No two snowflakes are alike.”

This is a statement nearly every schoolchild has heard at least once, either while crafting unique snowflakes with a sheet of folded paper and some scissors or while learning a lesson on the science of snow. While even most scientists don’t quite understand what causes a snowflake to form such complex and beautiful columns and points and branches, one thing is for certain, the composition of snowflakes guarantees that no two will ever be identical.  However, it is possible for two snowflakes to appear to be nearly exactly alike.

A snowflake begins to form when a piece of dust catches water vapor out of the air. Water is created when two hydrogen molecules attach to an oxygen molecule. The two hydrogen molecules are angled from one another in such a way that they form a hexagonal shape when they come together during the freezing process; thus, a snowflake begins as a simple hexagonal shape or as layers of hexagons called diamond dust. The emergent properties that follow from the original hexagon are what differentiate one snowflake from another, as the humidity, the temperature in the air, and many other factors (some of which remain unclear to scientists) allow each snowflake to form in an entirely unique way with a seemingly endless variety of shapes.

However, in 1988, a scientist named Nancy Knight claimed to have located two that were the same while studying snowflakes as part of an atmospheric research project. And it appeared to be so; when put under a microscope, the emergent properties looked nearly identical. But while it is feasible that two snowflakes can appear to be exactly alike on the outside, they are never identical on an atomic level. Deuterium is an atom that appears attached to about one in every 3000 hydrogen molecules in the air. Because there are millions of atoms that make up a snowflake, the random assortment of deuterium in any two snowflakes—even in two that so very closely resemble one another—simply cannot be the same.

Here at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we’d like to remind you to grab a cup of cocoa and relax with your family this holiday, perhaps by crafting some unique snowflake creations of your own. We wish you a very happy holiday season, from our family to yours!

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How Will Oil to Gas Conversion Benefit My Heating?

Friday, December 19th, 2014

If you’re one of the few homeowners that still uses oil in your heating system, you may want to consider making a switch to natural gas. Oil is expensive, takes up space in your home, and tends to be far less efficient at heating a home than natural gas. Let’s take a look at some of the ways an oil to gas conversion can help your heating system.

Oil is Expensive

Compared to natural gas, it costs almost half-again as much to heat a home with oil on an average year. You aren’t really getting any extra benefit for that cost, you’re simply paying more money for a fuel that comes with a bunch of disadvantages and doesn’t even heat the home as well as other options. No homeowner wants to pay more money for no reason. That’s why it’s advisable to convert your heating system to natural gas.

Oil is Inconvenient

Oil must be stored by the homeowner who uses it. This means that it has to have physical space dedicated to it, either in your home or somewhere nearby, where it can be readily available if needed. Oil must also be stored carefully, not next to anything remotely flammable. Contrast this with natural gas, which is piped directly into the heating system with no need for additional safety or storage concerns.

Natural Gas is Versatile and Effective

Compared to oil, natural gas has quite a lot going for it. It is the most widely used fuel source in the country, and that makes it quite a bit cheaper than oil. It’s a more efficient fuel source, which makes it better for actually heating your home, as well as saving you money. It’s also safer than oil, with no need for you to store large quantities of flammable fuel in your home just in case there’s a cold day. For all these reasons, you should seriously consider converting your home heating system to run on natural gas instead of oil.

If you’d like to know more, call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling. We provide heating services throughout Blue Bell.

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How Do Electronic Air Cleaners Work?

Friday, December 12th, 2014

The air that you breathe in your home every day may not be as clean as you think it is. Sure, you vacuum and dust whenever you can, but this sometimes just kicks up dust and sends it back into the air. But what about your home air conditioning and heating system’s filter? Most ducted HVAC units contain a filter that can eliminate particles from the air as it passes into your unit. But this filter is only effective at straining out larger particles. A typical home air filter can only remove particles about 5 micrometers in length, while more efficient home air filters with a higher MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating may remove particles of 1 micrometer.

This means that your filter may miss hazardous particles in the air that can aggravate allergies or other respiratory symptoms, such as mold spores, smoke residue, and bacteria like legionella. An electronic air cleaner, when installed by a professional in conjunction with your HVAC system, can help to eliminate over 99% of the contaminants that would otherwise pass by. So how do these highly effective systems work?

Electronic air cleaners depend on an ionization process to give a charge to particles in the air. There are two basic types of electronic air cleaners to help improve indoor air quality in Quakertown: electrostatic precipitators and ion generators. It can be difficult to tell whether these systems are operating properly due to their quiet operation, so you’ll want to have a professional install and test it first.

Electrostatic precipitators charge particles as the air is sucked into the unit. Particles are given an electrical charge from ions moving back and forth in the system, and these particles then accumulate on two flat plates in the unit which have the opposite charge. You usually have to clean these plates every month to three months, depending on usage.

Ion generators are a little different, instead sending out ions to charge particles all around a room. Particles receive a charge so that they can cling to surfaces around the room such as a curtain or the walls. This way you won’t have to worry about breathing in contaminants, and they’ll likely be taken care of during your next home cleaning spree.

The professionals at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling can help you make sure you’ve gotten the right type of unit to protect your indoor air quality in Quakertown.

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Will a Heating Tune Up Really Save Me Money?

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

It’s an oft-asked question: does maintenance really save me money? The answer is yes. We’ll explain more below about how and why a heating tune-up in Pipersville can save you money, but more importantly, if you haven’t scheduled maintenance yet this year, it’s time to do so. It’s recommended that you schedule your heating system for maintenance every 12 months; if it’s been longer than that since your last maintenance appointment, call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling today and schedule a maintenance appointment with one of our experts.

What Happens During a Routine Maintenance Appointment?

A maintenance appointment doesn’t involve a simple once-over of your system. Instead, it is a full tune-up complete with inspection, cleaning and adjusting as needed. Small repairs are made, and if a large repair is discovered, you’ll be notified about the problem and given the opportunity to schedule repair to correct it. Here is a general overview of what to expect from a routine maintenance appointment:

  • Thorough inspection of entire system
  • Cleaning of components
  • Changing of air filter, if needed
  • Lubrication of all moving parts
  • Safety testing
  • Electrical testing
  • Performance tests
  • Visual inspection of ductwork
  • Small repairs (frayed wires, belt changes)

How Does Maintenance Save Money?

Maintenance can save you money in the following ways:

  • Increases energy efficiency – your system was made to operate at a certain level of energy efficiency. When it is dirty, dusty and worn from last season, it can be very challenging for your heater to achieve its normal level of efficiency. The tune-up your system receives during a maintenance appointment allows the system to operate optimally, which helps it reduce its energy usage.
  • Helps prevent repair – the thorough inspection allows the technician to detect any existing or developing problems; additionally, the small repairs that can occur during a routine maintenance appointment help get you ahead of small problems that can become bigger ones. Reducing the level and incidence of repair of your heater can help you save money.
  • Extends life of equipment – stress causes your system to prematurely age; a system can easily come under stress when it is dirty and worn out. Maintenance keeps your heater in good working order season after season, which helps extend the life of the equipment.

It is almost officially winter – have you scheduled your heating system in Pipersville for a tune-up yet? If not, contact Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning today!

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