Carney All Seasons Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning System Replacement’

Should I Repair or Replace My Air Conditioner?

Monday, July 28th, 2014

Repair versus replace. It’s a conundrum many property owners face when dealing with an aging and/or malfunctioning air conditioner. There are many factors to consider when purchasing an air conditioner, whether it’s for the first time or a replacement system. As such, choosing whether or not to replace your air conditioning system in Lansdale requires time and consideration, and you can greatly benefit from the help of a trained installation professional like the ones at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. Here are some questions to review that may help you decide what is best for you, your air conditioning system and your home:

Better Energy Efficiency

The lifespan of your air conditioner is approximately 10-12 years; past the 12-year point, you may start to see a serious decline in your energy efficiency, which can result in a serious incline of your energy bills. In addition to the age, any air conditioner older than 8 years was purchased when the minimum required SEER number was 10; this changed to 13 in 2006. Odds are, if you purchased more than 8 years ago, you may have an AC that is operating at a lower SEER number than is energy efficient. It is estimated that each SEER point you go up can save you up to 5% in annual energy costs – something to review carefully in regard to your current AC.

Too Many Repairs

As a mechanical and electrical appliance, it is expected that you will need to make repairs to your air conditioner at some point. But if the amount of needed repairs is becoming excessive and costly, it may be time to consider replacing. Why? Repairs can add up quickly, and you may find that what you’ve spent on repairs is equal to, or greater, than the cost of a new system.

Uneven Cooling

Hot and cold spots can be an indicator that your aging system simply cannot keep up with the cooling needs of your home. Pushing your air conditioner to cool more by lowering the thermostat only puts more stress on your system, and raising the thermostat can increase your discomfort. If there are no existing mechanical problems and your AC still can’t cool as it should, it may be time to look for a replacement.

Still Not Sure? Call a Professional

As we mentioned above, making the decision to install a new air conditioner is a big one, and professional help can go a long way toward ensuring you purchase an AC that truly fits your needs.

Call Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment to discuss your air conditioning system replacement in Lansdale.

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Replace a Centralized Furnace with a New Air Conditioning System

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

You may look at the title of this post and squint your eyes. “Huh? Why would I replace a furnace with something that does the exact opposite of a furnace? Besides, I already have an air conditioning system.”

However, what we’re proposing makes more sense than you may realize… if the air conditioning system you use to replace your furnace is a heat pump. A heat pump is, essentially, an air conditioner: it operates through the same action of cycling refrigerant from a compressor and through two sets of coils to move heat from one place to another. But there is this important difference: through a component called a reversing valve, a heat pump can change the direction it moves heat and work as a heating system as well. Instead of removing heat from inside of a home, it moves heat inside from the outside. You won’t need a furnace (or boiler) with a heat pump in your home.

When you’re looking for air conditioning system replacement in Doylestown, PA, come to Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling first. We will help you determine if a heat pump will work as your year-round comfort solution.

Why replacing a furnace with a heat pump is a good idea

We’ve already mentioned the main heat pump advantage: you have cooling as well as heating. This means you only need to install one system and it takes up less space than having an air conditioner and a furnace packaged together.

A heat pump, aside from delivering cooling at the level of the best air conditioners, provides more energy-efficient heating than a furnace. A furnace must burn fuel to generate heat, where a heat pump uses a modicum of electricity to run its mechanisms to move heat. Government studies have shown that a family of four will save, on average, 30% from their heating bills over a winter after the switch from furnace to heat pump.

Heat pumps are also safer. If you have concerns about a gas furnace overheating or leaking toxic carbon monoxide, you won’t have any worries with a heat pump. Heat pumps don’t even have hot exteriors that children might hurt themselves on.

Professional installation of heat pumps

So many home comfort systems receive improper installation, and this accounts for the majority of their repair needs. If you want to replace your furnace with a heat pump, only rely on trained professionals with a long history of air conditioning system replacement in Doylestown, PA. Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling has handled installations for over 30 years, and we can do the job for you fast and right the first time.

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When to Replace Your Air Conditioning System

Monday, August 1st, 2011

One of the last things you probably want to think about is replacing your current air conditioning system, especially during a hot summer in Telford. However, the time will come when you can no longer ignore the fact that your air conditioning system is not getting the job done like it used to. And considering your replacement options early can help save you a lot of money and aggravation in the long run.

Before you can start looking at replacement options, though, you need to be aware that the time has come to replace your current model. But how can you tell that your air conditioner is on its way out? Well, there are actually quite a few warning signs that, if you are attuned to them, will help you determine whether or not it is the right time to replace.

First of all, if you have to call for repairs, even minor ones, on a regular basis, chances are that you would be better off replacing rather than continuing to patch up the air conditioning system you already have. This is true for several reasons including the fact that a system that requires repairs so often is probably not going to last you much longer anyway.

By replacing now rather than continuing to pay for repairs, you will save a lot of money in the long run. After all, you are going have to pay for the new system sooner or later, so you might as well skip the shelling out of extra cash to repair a system you are just going to get rid of anyway.

Problems like inadequate or uneven cooling or mismanaged humidity levels in your home are a good sign that something is not working right in your air conditioning system and that it may be time to replace. At the very least, you should call someone out to take a look and let you know what type of repairs you are looking at.

You should also think about replacing an older system even if it is still working fine because the newer systems available are much more energy efficient than even the top of the line models available ten years ago. While you will have to pay the purchase and installation cost up front, you will immediately begin to save substantial amounts on your monthly cooling bills.

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Top Ten Reasons to Love Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

Here at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we’ve been installing geothermal systems for more than a year now. Our entire team is really enthusiastic about them. Our customers rave about the savings and comfort that they get when they upgrade to a geothermal heating and cooling system, and we’re excited to bring this leading-edge technology to the residential consumer.

Geothermal requires an upfront investment, but it’s worth it! Here’s why we love it:

Geothermal offers great green savings for your family!

 

  1. 70% of the energy used by a geothermal system is renewable (using the earth’s own heat). The rest comes from electric power. A geothermal system makes a huge difference in your carbon footprint.
  2. You’ll never buy foreign oil again. In fact, you’ll never buy oil again, period. One of our first geothermal customers had been burning 5-6 tanks of oil a year (1400-1600 gallons). After installing an all-electric geothermal system, not only did he have no more oil bills, but his overall electric bill was reduced too.
  3. Like to buy local? You can’t get more local than geothermal – 70% of your heating and cooling energy comes from right underneath your feet.
  4. You will increase your home’s safety by not storing fossil fuel on the premises.
  5. You’ll be much less affected by volatility in fuel prices. Remember the high oil prices of a couple of years ago? Consumers in southeastern Pennsylvania may soon see a similar increase when local utilities are deregulated in January 2011 – anywhere from 10% to 40%. With a geothermal system, you’ll feel spikes in energy prices much less.
  6. You can get rid of your old, high-maintenance oil-burning heater and replace it with new, long-lasting geothermal equipment that is designed to last for 20 years.
  7. All of our geothermal customers report that they are now more comfortable in their homes.
  8. Geothermal systems are ultra quiet. They’re installed inside (generally in a basement) so there are no noisy outdoor units.
  9. Federal tax credits for conventional heating systems will run out at the end of 2010, but tax credits for geothermal systems will last until 2016. Also, local utilities frequently offer rebates on geothermal systems.
  10. Carney’s offering a $300 discount on all geothermal heat pump systems!

Our own Kevin Carney was recently interviewed on ACHR. Check out the audio podcast to hear more about his experiences with geothermal systems and his commitment to quality geothermal installations:

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Air Conditioner Rebates

Saturday, July 10th, 2010

From July 12th through July 31st, Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling will be offering an exclusive and instant rebate on air conditioning systems – up to $1,000!.
These rebates are very simple – Carney will deduct up to $1,000 on new air conditioning systems until July 31st.  These Carney rebates can be combined with the PECO Rebates, the PP&L Rebates and the Federal Tax Credit.  They can even be combined with the Carney Coupon for Energy Star rated Heating & Air Conditioning Systems (mention this blog post for combo with the coupon).  These systems are also eligible for 12 months interest free financing!

Modern Air Conditioners reduce energy consumption up to 25%.

Modern Air Conditioners reduce energy consumption up to 25%.

In total, select systems combine for up to $3,350 in rebates and credits from Carney, PECO or PP&L and the Federal government’s tax credit program!
Best of all – these systems brand new, state of the art high efficiency systems designed to also save you money on your heating and cooling costs for years to come – in most cases, up to 25%!  They also come with a full 10 year parts and labor warranty.

Call Lisa today at 215.346.7160 to schedule a free estimate that will save up to $3,350 on a new energy saving heating & air conditioning system.

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PECO Tax Credits?

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Over the past few months, we’ve had a lot of homeowners calling and emailing, inquiring about “PECO Tax Credits”.
PECO is not offering Tax Credits for air conditioners or heaters.

PECO air conditioner rebates and PECO heater rebates are available right now for customers who replace their air conditioning and heating system with higher efficiency models – up to $600! These PECO air conditioning and heating rebates can be combined with the Federal Tax Credit that homeowners can apply towards 30% of the cost of the installation (up to $1,500) of a new high efficiency air conditioning and heating system.DollarSign

The difference between the two programs is that PECO sends homeowners a direct rebate check following the installation of qualifying air conditioning and heating systems while the Federal Tax Credit for air conditioning and heating systems is applied to a homeowner’s Federal Tax returns – we always advise consultation with your tax preparer.

One thing that each of these programs have in common is that they are available for a limited time.
The Federal Tax Credit is set to expire at the end of 2010, and the PECO heating rebate is currently on schedule to exhaust funding sometime in September as we posted here earlier this month.  PECO has also reported the same regarding the limited opportunity for heater rebates.

Additionally, each of these programs are providing homeowners with an unprecedented opportunity to receive significant financial assistance towards the replacement of air conditioning and heating systems.  We have installed thousands of air conditioning and heating systems that qualify for PECO rebates in addition to the Federal Tax Credit, and we continue to advise consumers to take advantage of this opportunity – as this appears to be coming to a close within the next few months.

Call Lisa today at 215.346.7160 to schedule a free consultation to take advantage of these programs while they last.

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Air Conditioner Repair Tiips and Suggestions

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Three Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling employees work together to save 4 year old’s birthday party in Lansdale PA!

In the past few weeks, we’ve performed several hundred air conditioning repairs in Lansdale, North Wales, Doylestown, Ambler, Warrington and Chalfont.  The following is a note that we received from a new customer in who needed an air conditioner repair in Lansdale, PA:

Dear Mr. Carney,

I just wanted to take a moment to write to you and share a recent experience with your company.  Two weeks ago, our air conditioner stopped working a couple of hours before we were about to have over 50 people over for my 4 year old daughter’s birthday party!

Air conditioners in Bucks and Montgomery Counties are working hard this time of year!

Air conditioners in Bucks and Montgomery Counties are working hard this time of year!

I tried calling several air conditioning repair companies in the Lansdale area and no one was able to help, most didn’t even answer their phones. It was hotter inside my house than outside so I went outside to make phone calls to every company I could find in the phone book when I noticed one of your trucks and yard signs at my neighbor’s house a few doors down.

I walked over to get the phone number and as I approached the sign, one of your men was walking to his truck. I explained my situation to him and asked him if he could come over when he was done and look at our air conditioner. He explained that he worked on air conditioner replacements and that he did not have repair parts on his truck, but he offered to take a minute to call your office and see if you could help. When he hung up, he told me to call your office and ask for Lisa and that she would “make it happen”!  I was so relieved!  I called your office and asked for Lisa. As promised, she was expecting my call and assured me that she would get a repair man to my home as soon as she could.

About an hour later, your air conditioning service man, Jim arrived at our home – at this point, I was really worried and almost in a panic. He assured me that he would do everything he could to get it working and asked me a few questions about when it stopped working and if I had noticed any patterns or noises from the system before it broke. After that he went to work, back and forth from the basement to the outside unit. About 45 minutes later, he got it working again and we had cold air coming from the vents! It took a little while for the house to get cool again, but everyone was comfortable and the birthday party was a big hit!
Thank you so much for having such great people in your company, everyone that I talked to was so friendly and accommodating and they did everything they could to help.
We know that we need to get a new air conditioner soon, and we’ll definitely be calling Carney to replace it – my neighbors are so happy with the new one you just installed in their home.

Thank you again and please pass along my thanks to Lisa, Jim and the replacement technician that made the phone call for me in the first place – they were all great!

-Michelle S, Lansdale, PA

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Heat Pump Replacement, Perkasie Bucks County

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling recently completed another heat pump replacement in Bucks County, PA!

A new heat pump system in Perkasie, Bucks County PA.

A new heat pump system in Perkasie, Bucks County PA.

The existing heat pump system in Perkasie had surpassed its useful lifespan.  Although it still functioned – it was costing the homeowners more to operate than it should have.
A Carney installation team installed a new high efficiency heat pump system that qualified for the Federal Tax Credit.  Because the new heat pump is so energy efficient, it also provided PP&L rebates for new heat pump systems.  These homeowners received nearly $3,000 in rebates and credits after installation and will see a reduction in heating and cooling expenses of at least 25%!
Call Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling today at 215.346.7160 to see how you can benefit from the current rebates and tax credits that are still available for a limited time.

The comments below are feedback that this particular homeowner provided following this heat pump replacement.  As always, customer commentary is shared on our testimonials page.

Heat Pump Replacement, Perkasie PA

New system seems to be working fine and with yesterday’s 90s, nice. Am sure I’ll be playing with around with the options, adjusting functions etc. for awhile. Thanks for the info and sales help.

Also wanted to comment on Tuesday’s install. Chris and Matt did an outstanding job. What I’ve seen from the work Carney’s did at my in-laws former home and Tuesday’s install were field technicians who are meticulous, thorough, and have great attitudes. Too often you get service for whatever, you’re dealing with techs who seem to be just going through the motions, doing the jobs because the boss told them to. Nothing exceptional. The Carney staff treat you like its their own business at stake, want you totally satisfied and, to come back for more. I will definitely recommend Carney to others.  Thanks, John.

– John B, Perkasie, PA

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PECO Rebates

Friday, June 4th, 2010

As mild spring weather has quickly turned to summer heat, many homeowners in Bucks and Montgomery Counties have already decided to upgrade their older, less efficient central air conditioning systems with new Energy Star rated heating and air conditioning systems that reduce energy consumption and utility bills while providing years of trouble free relief and comfort inside your home.

Temperatures are rising in Bucks and Montgomery County!

Temperatures are rising in Bucks and Montgomery County!

The new PECO rebate program offers direct rebate checks to homeowners who replace their older, less efficient heating and air conditioning system with a modern and more energy efficient system.  Click here for more on heating system replacement or air conditioning system replacement,

In addition, these PECO rebates in Bucks County and Montgomery County (up to $700) CAN be combined with current manufacturer rebates (up to an additional $1,000) that are available through the end of June – as well as the Federal Tax Credit of up to $1,500 that expires at the end of 2010!

However, the PECO rebates for gas heating systems and the PECO rebates for air conditioning systems have limited funding.  In fact, the PECO heating rebates are currently expected to have exhausted funding by the middle of September.

Act now to take advantage of the PECO rebate program when you upgrade to an energy saving heating and air conditioning system.

As always, at Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, we strive to provide a hassle-free experience – we’ll take care of all of the details and paperwork to make sure that you receive your PECO rebate as quickly as possible and without any need to fill out forms and paperwork.

Call Carney today at 215.822.9029 to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity!

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