Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog: Archive for March, 2015

How Long Will I Have to Wait for Furnace Installation?

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

When you find out you need a new furnace, it may be frustrating. But as it turns out, a new furnace can actually save you a whole lot of money each month. Most older furnaces consume a lot of energy because the parts wear down so much. It ends up taking a lot of extra time to heat your home, so you spend a lot more than when your furnace was brand new. But also, today’s furnaces are built to run more efficiently than older ones. A new ENERGY STAR furnace may save you a lot of money over the years.

While a new furnace should turn out to be cost-efficient, this is only true if you have a professional install your unit in the first place. But how long will this take? This will vary depending on the home and the amount of work to be done. Call the people at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for heating installation in North Potomac if you want to make sure the work is done properly.

If a heating technician promises the fastest heating installation, be cautious. Quick heating installation is not the primary goal. The most important thing is that your new furnace is safe, functional, and efficient. If your heating system is undersized, it cannot effectively keep your home warm and cozy. But it will continue to struggle to raise the temperature, causing parts to work too hard and, in some cases, fail early. If your heating system is too large, then it will use up way too much energy.

Sizing and planning take up some portion of the installation process, but most of it is devoted to removal and installation. Professionals will take time with every step of the process in order to make sure that everything works correctly and that it is safe. If your heating installer does not take the time to carefully inspect your unit, it’s time to call in a professional who will.

Make sure everything is done properly the first time by calling Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing. If you need professional heating installation in North Potomac, our skilled technicians are the ones for the job. Come to us for all of your heating needs.

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Common Reasons for Sewer Line Repair

Wednesday, March 25th, 2015

Some of the most troublesome news a homeowner can hear from a plumber is that the sewer line is in need of repair. Unfortunately, this is something that can happen in nearly any home, especially one with older pipes. Make sure you get regular maintenance and drain cleaning so that an unexpected sewage leak or backup does not catch you off guard. When you do run into trouble with your sewer line in Bethesda, our experts can help you out with professional sewer line services. Here are some of the most common reasons we’re called in for sewer line repair.

Clogs

A drain clog may only seem like an inconvenience, slowing the drainage in one or more sinks or showers. But as the problem worsens, sewage can actually back up into your home. Schedule drain cleaning regularly and at the first sign of slow drains if you’d like to prevent such issues from happening to you.

Tree Roots

One of the most surprising reasons for a burst sewer line is tree roots. Roots grow towards a source of water and the sewer line makes an ideal target. Roots can wrap around the pipe and eventually pierce right through. This could lead to leaking or a drainage backup. You need professionals with special equipment to properly determine whether a tree root has infiltrated your drains and what should be done to resolve the issue.

Outdated Pipes

There may come a time when your pipes are simply over the hill. After a certain age, pipes are subject to corrosion, particularly galvanized steel pipes. Galvanized steel pipes were the norm before the 1970s, as the zinc coating was meant to protect the steel from rust and, ultimately, corrosion. Unfortunately, this zinc layer could wear away, leading to corrosion (leaking) anyway. If your pipes have corroded, sewer line replacement is often the only option.

Sewer line repair and replacement does not have to be such a hassle when you enlist the help of our professionals. Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing will walk you through the process. We’re committed to getting the job done with quality customer service, so call us when you are in need of a plumber in Bethesda.

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3 Installations that Can Benefit Your Plumbing

Friday, March 20th, 2015

Modern plumbing systems make our lives so much easier. But wouldn’t it be nice if you could simplify your life even more? Making small improvements to your plumbing system can improve your daily routine and protect your valuable possessions. A new garbage disposal or sump pump may keep you from making some major costly renovations. A new kitchen sink can even make cooking and cleaning more enjoyable–especially if you were never a fan of boiling a pot of water in the first place.

If you want a professional plumber to secure your new plumbing installation in Rockville, put your trust in the friendly people at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing.

  • Garbage Disposal – If you don’t already have a garbage disposal in your kitchen sink, or if you haven’t replaced a broken garbage disposal, your pipes are in great peril. A garbage disposal keeps your plumbing system in check, helping to prevent serious blockage that could damage the pipes or allow sewage to back up into the drains. Garbage disposals break up food into smaller bits, essentially liquefying it so that it can move easily through the drainpipe. Don’t go without this important fixture for any longer than you need to.
  • Sump Pump – Flooding is a serious possibility that is not usually predictable. If your home floods, then you risk thousands of dollars in damages. A sump pump goes in your basement and pumps out water to the outside to drain. This important installation is necessary in some areas, especially those with high water tables or frequent pipe bursts.
  • Kitchen Sink – A new kitchen sink may make daily kitchen tasks a little bit easier. A faucet with a high arc, for example, may make it easier to fill up large pots. OR maybe you want a faucet with a pull-out sprayer attached to make cleanup a breeze. Make sure to choose professional installers for the job, as this can be difficult and time consuming for an amateur.

Call the people at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for these installations and other plumbing services in Rockville, MD.

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How Does a Gas Furnace Operate?

Thursday, March 19th, 2015

The most common heating fixture found in homes is the gas furnace. While they’ve always been a standard in home heating, today’s systems are more reliable and efficient than they have ever been. And since most homes already have a gas hookup and a duct system already in place, a gas furnace often just makes sense.

Few homeowners think about what powers the heat in their home and what happens when they switch on the thermostat. We’ll go over that here briefly, but be sure to call the people at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for more information about your furnace or to schedule repairs, maintenance, or new installation.

In order for a gas furnace to operate, you of course need a gas line in the home. In the past, the gas line would remain open in order to keep a pilot light on that would keep burning at all times. Today, however, furnaces are far more efficient in large part because updated ignition systems only ignite the gas once heating is called for by the thermostat. This happens in the combustion chamber, and the byproducts–namely carbon monoxide and water vapor–are vented through a flue and out the home.

The flame heats up a heat exchanger which directly heats the air. A blower fan sucks in cool air from your home. The cool air then blows over the heat exchanger and the now-warm air moves to the vents around your home. The blower fan will not start, though, until the furnace plenum reaches a preset temperature.

Another thing to keep in mind about the gas furnace is that there are many safety features that help to keep the furnace from leaking gas or even explosion. When one of these detects a problem, the unit will shut down. One important safety component, for example, will keep the furnace plenum from overheating. Another will stop gas from leaking should the flame go out.

Call the friendly technicians at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for furnace repairs, installation, or maintenance in Gaithersburg. We have experience with gas heating system, so you can feel confident that services have been completed properly and safely.

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The Two Types of Sump Pumps

Wednesday, March 11th, 2015

If you’ve ever had to deal with flooding in your home, you know just how much damage it can lead to. Replacing worn carpet and flooring is costly enough, not to mention the fact that you may ruin priceless irreplaceable belongings if the flooding gets too out of control. Furthermore, water damage leads to mold, which can be very troublesome for those with allergies and asthma.

The best way to take control against flooding is to schedule sump pump installation for your basement. A sump pump pumps water out of the lowest point in your home so that it cannot spread throughout the house. The experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing can help you pick out a new sump pump and offer professional installation. Call our skilled plumbers for installation or service of sump pumps in north Potomac and the surrounding areas.

Pedestal Pumps

There are two types of sump pump—pedestal and submersible—each of which has its own advantageous qualities. The components of a pedestal sump pump are perched above the sump—the pit—that allows water to collect and drain. A motor controls an impeller which pushes water into a pipe that drains to the outdoors. Pedestal pumps are often less expensive than submersible models but may not be available in a large horsepower.

Submersible Pump

Submersible pumps have all of the same components as pedestal pumps. What’s different is that all of the components are located in a single waterproof encasement within the sump. This makes these units less noisy and possibly more effective and efficient than pedestal pumps. However, they may be more likely to run into trouble, as it can become useless as soon as a minor crack allows water to leak through.

Call on the expertise of the plumbers at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for service and more information about sump pumps in North Potomac. We can help you decide on the right type of sump pump for your home, and make sure it is the correct size and speed to pump water out of your basement quickly and accurately. Call our office today!

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Choosing the Right Heating System for Your Home

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

You may decide to purchase a new heating system for one of many reasons. Perhaps your older unit has finally bitten the dust. Or maybe you just want a high-efficiency alternative to an older system that’s nearing the end of its life. In a new home, you’re looking for a new heating system that gives you the best bang for your buck. Whatever your needs are, the people at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing can help you to find the optimal new heating system. We’ll install your new furnace, heat pump, or boiler with the utmost of care so that it can serve your family for years to come.

Furnace

One of the reasons that furnaces continue to be such a popular selection among technicians and homeowners is that they are some of the most reliable systems for heating out there. The technology used in a furnace has long been trusted for home heating, though it has also improved greatly. Today’s furnaces have the most advanced safety settings possible, and any furnace sold in the U.S. today must have an AFUE of 80% or more (while those built decades ago had an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 50-60%).

Heat Pump

Alternatively, if you have a working set of ducts in place, you might consider a heat pump. Heat pumps move into a home in the winter and out of the home in the summer. This means that a heat pump can replace both your heating and air conditioning system. When it becomes too chilly outside, a backup heat source may be necessary, such as a furnace or electric heating strips. But a heat pump is still one of the most efficient units available today.

Boiler

A boiler uses a hot water system to heat the people and objects in the room while other heating systems heat up the air. Installing a boiler is quite a process if you don’t already have a piping system underneath the floor or a terminal unit like a boiler. But most boiler owners describe the heat from their boiler as the most comfortable heating available in homes.

Call us today at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for quality heating installation in Rockville from professionals you can trust.

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