Plumbing

Areas We Service

A.C. Rimmer provides Geothermal, Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and other services to Central Pennsylvania, including:

  • Harrisburg
  • Dauphin
  • Steelton
  • Humelstown
  • Hershey
  • Susquehanna Township
  • Mechancisburg
  • Carlisle
  • Camp Hill 
  • Lemoyne
  • New Cumberland
  • Wormleysburg
  • Dillsburg
  • Perry County

Plumbing Services

A.C. Rimmer technician working on setting up the water heater and the customer's plumbing

Water Heaters

If your heat isn’t working as efficiently, you may not notice it right away.  However, if your water heater stops working the same way it used to, it’s noticeable almost immediately.   Certainly, there are problems with the actual unit that you should be noticing, but there’s nothing that can ruin your day more than stepping into a cold shower than you’re used to.  Before that happens, here’s how to tell if you need a new water heater.

If you’ve noticed that the hot water in your house is lasting less and less time, it may be one of two things. The first is that it might be a buildup on silt and minerals in your water heater and it needs to be drained. However, if you’ve already done that and it’s still getting chillier during your morning shower, the second could be that your water heater isn’t up to par anymore.

Water heaters over ten to fifteen years old should be considered for replacement; that’s just one of the unfortunate side effects of homeownership. Over the years, your water heater begins to break down and become not as reliable. If your water heater is approaching the ten year mark, but isn’t causing too many problems, consider it.  If you’re at the fifteen year mark, be proactive and get a new one soon.

If your water heater is leaking, it’s time to replace it before it does some serious damage. Sure, if it’s tucked away in a corner of the basement where a small leak isn’t really going to hurt anything, it’s easy to forget about. However, if it develops a serious leak, you’re not going to be able to think about anything else.  Despite the hassles of chilly showers and dishwashers that aren’t working properly, you run the risk of doing serious damage to your home.

If your water is coming out brown, the situation is about as good as it looks. Brown water is indicative of rust, and rust means your water heater isn’t cutting it anymore. If you’re noticing the color, smell, or taste of your water getting worse, it’s time to start looking around for a new water heater.

Normally, you’ll hear a little bit of feedback from your water heater. You’ll hear it working, essentially.  However, if you’re starting to hear cracks and pops from it, that’s not good.  It’s usually trying to tell you something at the point that it starts making odd noises, and what it’s trying to say is “replace me!”.

If you need to put your water heater out of its misery and step into a nice hot shower again, contact us.  We have several options available for new water heaters!

A.C. Rimmer technician working on setting up the water heater and the customer's plumbing
water softener plumbing service

Water Softeners

Hard water is caused when there is a high concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Over time, it can build up deposits in shower heads, coffee makers, sinks and pipes. Water softeners can help by dissolving special salt into your tap water. That salt will help remove minerals from your water and save your plumbing and appliances from the extra wear and tear of hard water.

water softener plumbing service
A.C. Rimmer Technician tests a sink's plumbing

Water Treatment

A.C. Rimmer provides a variety of water treatment services, including water softeners, well pumps and UV lighting.

Hard water is caused when there is a high concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Over time, it can build up deposits in shower heads, coffee makers, sinks and pipes.  Water softeners can help by dissolving special salt into your tap water. That salt will help remove minerals from your water and save your plumbing and appliances from the extra wear and tear of hard water.

UV radiation systems are a great way to help sterilize and disinfect your well water. This non-chemical process destroys microorganisms by altering their genetics, leaving them unable to reproduce. Advantages of UV systems include the absence of toxic byproducts, no storage of hazardous chemicals is needed and they do not add any smells to your water.

A whole home water filtration system can help reduce contaminants, particulate matter and chemical imbalances in your drinking water. They can also tackle problems like hard water and removal of bad tastes or smells. Filtration can ensure that you have access to cleaner, fresher water from every faucet in your home.

Reverse osmosis is a process that is used to reduce the impurities in your water. In fact, it’s the same process used by bottled water companies in order to purify drinking water. In your home, reverse osmosis can bring your family great tasting, purified water.

Chemical Feeders are generally installed with private wells and can help to treat various water issues. Solutions can be added to neutralize acidic water or to control substances such as iron, manganese or soda ash.

If you would like to learn more which water treatment is right for you, please contact us!

A.C. Rimmer Technician tests a sink's plumbing
backflow testing and repair plumbing system sitting amounts bushes

Backflow Testing & Repair

Any pipe, valve, fixture, etc., in a drinking water plumbing system that may allow the drinking water within the system to become contaminated or questionable in quality. Cross connections can either be eliminated or protected by an air gap or mechanical backflow preventer.

Backflow is the undesirable reversal of the flow of water from its intended direction in any pipeline or plumbing system. Backflow is dangerous because it can allow drinking water in plumbing systems to become contaminated and unusable.

Backflow preventers are mechanical plumbing devices installed in a plumbing system to prevent water from flowing backward in the system. A properly installed, tested and maintained backflow preventer at the service entrance to a building or property can reliably prevent the backflow of water of an unknown quality from flowing back into the community water system.

Absolutely. The public water systems in the Commonwealth are required to operate an on-going program to protect the public water supply from contamination from possible cross connections. The most effective method for the water utility to meet this requirement is to require customers to install a backflow preventer on the main supply line to their property or facility, thus protecting the community water system from any cross connections that may be present inside a customer’s plumbing system. All water users benefit from an active, on-going cross connection control program that includes the installation of backflow preventers.

The backflow preventer is installed to protect the public water supply against possible hazards in the your plumbing system. The actual or potential cross connection belongs to the property owner and not to regulatory officials or the water utility. Once the water goes beyond the meter, water quality could be altered. The water utility does not want the water back, nor do the water customers want to purchase used water. If a backflow preventer is required to keep the water safe, then the person who created the cross connection (actual or potential) should purchase, install and maintain the backflow preventer.

Any pipe, valve, fixture, etc., in a drinking water plumbing system that may allow the drinking water within the system to become contaminated or questionable in quality. Cross connections can either be eliminated or protected by an air gap or mechanical backflow preventer.

If you would like to learn more about backflow preventers, or if you need help to determine proper installation or how to maintain a backflow preventer assembly, please contact us.

backflow testing and repair plumbing system sitting amounts bushes

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Hours

Monday – Friday 

7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Licenses

PA Contractor PA001803

MD-HVACR-01-125129

MD Master Plumber/Gas Fitter 113315

Backflow 31124