Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog: Archive for January, 2014

Why a Boiler Might Be the Right Heating System for You

Wednesday, January 29th, 2014

Many homes in Germantown, MD use a boiler as their heating system. Boilers are a great choice for many houses in our area. However, individual circumstances vary, and what works for one home may not be right for yours. To help you figure out which heating system is your best option, here’s a few reasons why a boiler might be the right  choice.

For starters, boilers help maintain air quality better than the gas furnaces and other forced air systems. Because boilers use radiant heat, they don’t require a circulating the air through ducts to do their job. That means they don’t create any drafts of cold spots, nor do they blow dust or allergens through the air. They heat the room evenly and don’t leave any hidden corners out. They’re also much quieter than gas furnaces, generating  very little sound at all. Contrast that with the noisy fan necessary for gas furnaces to function.

Furthermore, boilers making adjusting temperature by zone easy, since you can have valves in the pipes to regulate the temperature in different areas of the house. Gas furnaces can also include zone control systems, but the dampers in the air ducts are less effective. Finally, because boilers don’t have as many moving parts, they are less prone to breakdowns and repair needs than gas furnaces.

It’s easy to see why a boiler might be the right heating system for your Germantown, MD home. Again, however, specifics vary and your particular home may be suited to any number of possible heating systems. For expert advice, or to schedule installation, call on Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing

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Signs Your Water Line Needs Repairs

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

Your water line connects your home to the water mains. As such, it is one of the most important components to the house: delivering clean water for drinking and bathing. When it runs into trouble, it can be a tremendous headache, and even in towns with reliable municipal services like Bethesda, a plumber is usually necessary to help make repairs. The sooner you can call one in, the better, which is why you need to be able to spot the signs your water line needs repairs.

The biggest sign is a severe drop in your home’s water pressure, rendering faucets and showers unusable. In some cases, a problem with the city’s water mains might result in a loss of pressure, but you can resolve that question quickly simply by calling the water company. A second, more overt sign is the sudden creation of puddles or even actively leaking water coming up from the ground in your yard. In those circumstances you need to shut off the water supply to your home immediately and call in a plumber for help.

Less severe damage results in less severe signs, which require a little more attention to notice. For example, you might still be able to spot damp spots in your yard. It might even be a question of the grass in your yard being greener in one spot for no apparent reason.

Other signs of problems could include discolored or smelly water coming through your pipes, or unusual sounds emanating from faucets or shower heads. Once unifying factor in all of these situations: the signs occur throughout your entire household, instead of just one sink or shower. (If it affects only one section of your plumbing, the problem is likely localized inside your home.) In any case, if you spot the signs your water line needs repairs, then call on Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing. If you need a plumber in Bethesda, give us a call today!

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What Benefits are There to Switching to a Heat Pump?

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Here in Rockville, MD our winters are plenty cold, our summers are hot and muggy, which means homeowners need both a great heating and cooling system for their homes. In light of that, you may want to consider switching to a heat pump, which combines the effects of a heater and an air conditioner into one single unit. It uses the same basic technology as an air conditioner, but with a few twists to make it useable any time of the year. Heat pumps offer several advantages over other heating systems. What benefit are there to switching to a heat pump? A few quick answers can be found below.

  • Increased efficiency. Heat pumps use less energy than normal HVAC systems, since they transfer heat rather than creating it by burning a fuel (it absorbs it from the nearby air during the heating and cooling process). That means it uses energy very efficiently, and can save you money on your utility bills.
  • Convenience. Since heat pumps both heat and cool your home, you only need one HVAC system. This can not only save on money on the initial installation, but also means you don’t have to worry about whether or not your furnace will turn on at the beginning of the heating season, you’ll know your heat pump is running and able to change modes.
  • Resale value. Because heat pumps are so efficient, they can improve the resale value of your home when the time comes to sell.

For more answers to the question “what benefits are there to switching to a heat pump?” call upon the experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating. We operate in Rockville, heating and heat pumps are among our specialties, and our courteous staff will be happy to discuss any repairs or installation operation you may have in mind. Pick up the phone to set up an appointment today 301-670-0034.

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Reasons for Bad Odors Coming from Your Drains

Monday, January 6th, 2014

You notice a strange, unpleasant odor wafting through your house. When you track it down, you discover it’s coming from one (or more) of your drains.

The reasons for foul drain odors range from simple problems you can fix yourself in a few minutes to serious troubles that require professional plumbing service as soon as possible. Call Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating when you need plumbing in Gaithersburg, MD to solve those bad-smelling drains.

Sources for bad odors from drains

  • Dry p-trap: The p-trap is the curved pipe underneath your drain. It’s designed to trap water to serve as a plug that will prevent sewer smells from wafting back up the drainpipe. However, if all the water in the p-trap evaporates, nothing will stop the sewer smells from entering your house. This is a problem encountered with sinks you don’t use often, such as sinks connected to unused bedrooms, or laundry room sinks. If you run water through the drain at least once a week, the problem will go away.
  • Sewer lines problems: The sewer line carries the wastewater from your home out to the municipal sewer main in the street. Should the sewer line from your house become clogged or suffer from breaks, the sewage will start to back up in your drain pipes, leading to those foul odors. This requires immediate attention from professional plumbers before the back up of sewage starts to flood into the foundation of your house.
  • Bad venting: Most drains have venting pipes that releases the back-flowing gases that the p-trap stops. The venting pipes run up the roof, but should these exit vents become blocked with debris or animal nests, the sewer gases will be forced to bubble back up through the water in the p-trap. If you hear gurgling from your drains along with the smell, this is the most likely cause. (Don’t go up to the roof to clear the vent; it’s dangerous, and it might not be the reason for the sewer smells.)

When you need to call professionals

A dry p-trap is an easy fix: just run water down the drain, and do so at regular intervals. For other problems that cause unpleasant sewer odors to come through your drains, you will need the help of professional plumbers. If you suspect that a sewer line break is behind the drain smells, you need trained plumbers on the job immediately.

For quality plumbing in Gaithersburg, MD, look to the services of Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating. We offer free estimates and free second opinions.

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