Too hot, too cold or just right.
We've all had experiences similar to Goldilocks when she arrived at the house of the three bears. This feeling is especially common in the winter, when finding the perfect temperature for your home is no easy task. With the thermostat set high, it's not long before you get the urge to crack a window. As soon as the temperature drops back down, it's time to throw on some fuzzy socks and crank the heat back up again.
To help us find the right balance between freezing cold or blazing hot, let's take a closer look at a few of our home heating options.
Multispeed Units
The first system, multispeed, operates a lot like the choices in the home of the three bears. Usually, multi-speed units have three levels to choose from to heat your home, depending on how much heat you need. The unit increases blowing power to match the heat increase needs of your home. Although you have a few choices, it does leave some room in-between that can make the home uncomfortable and inefficient. If medium is a little cooler than you need and you crank it up to high, there is some space in between those levels that could be comfortable at a lower blowing speed and more efficient energy level.
Variable Speed Units
If given the opportunity would Goldilocks like her soup to a little bit warmer? This question brings us to our next heating unit, variable speed. While we aren't heating up soup, variable heat pumps work in a way that gives you the ability to change the temperature slightly, instead of jumping up to the next level. These variable systems provide many more 'levels' to choose from which in turn keeps you more comfortable and prevents the system from working harder than it has to. By identifying the right level for you home, these systems save you money on unnecessary heating.
The Good and Bad
These two systems aren't without their pros and cons. Selecting the right one for your home will take some research and a hard look at the real needs of your home. While the variable unit is great for efficiency and long-term energy savings, it does come with a higher initial price tag. The new technology to make these systems so efficient is often more difficult to replace than older multi-speed units. If you are going to invest in a variable unit, be sure to purchase the full warranty to protect your investment.
On the other side, we have the multi speed unit. These units come with a lower initial cost. Because they don't operate as efficiently as variable speed units, monthly energy spending will be considerably more expensive. The three-level heat system is older, which means maintenance and general repair is less expensive than newer, high-tech units.
Consult an Expert
Your choices aren't limited when it comes to the comfort of your home. If you're like Goldilocks and can find your 'just right' with a few choices, the multi-speed might be for you. If you're looking for something with high efficiency and more options for overall comfort, the variable heat pump is for you. Before you get started searching for a new unit, give our team a call and we will help you find the right unit for your home, budget, comfort and needs.
Don't suffer through the winter turning the thermostat up and down. Pick the right choice for you and your needs to make sure your home is comfortable all winter long!
Looking for home heating system installation contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today
Winters in Indiana begin in November. The temperatures might stay cool and mild for a while, but the weather quickly turns chillier as the last of the leaves fall. It’s during this time when homeowners face one of the biggest risks that cold weather can bring–a frozen water pipe that could potentially burst and cause severe water damage to your home.
That means in November, it isn't just time to rake up your leaves, but it’s also time to winterize your outdoor faucets in preparation for the first Indiana frost. The process takes only a few minutes but is well worth the effort.
First, we’ll cover the dangers a frozen pipe poses, and then go over the three easy steps to protect yourself from an expensive and avoidable headache. Finally, we offer some solutions for thawing pipes if you find yourself struggling with frozen pipe sections after a freeze to help protect your home from damage.
Why You Need to Winterize Your Pipes in Indianapolis
Water will freeze when it reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit. In central Indiana, the average temperature for December through February can get as low as 18 degrees Fahrenheit. While one cold night will most likely not cause severe damage, prolonged periods of time can lead to a burst pipe.
Winterizing your outdoor pipes and any exposed pipes on exterior walls should be done each fall in preparation for freezing temperatures. This serves two purposes:
- It reduces pressure in the water pipes: This can lead to long-term damage and disrupt your entire plumbing infrastructure. Since cold water expands upon freezing, it exerts additional pressure on pipes. This can lead to the pipe bursting at weak points. Even if your pipe has not burst in past winters, the continual strain from the frozen water is weakening the system as a whole.
- It prevents ice from building up: When ice builds up, it slows the flow of water. This not only puts a strain on appliances such as your water heater, but it also increases energy costs. Plus, if ice builds up in the taps, it can cause the outer surfaces to attract and condense water vapor. When condensed water vapor starts to leak, it causes the accumulation of molds.
How to Winterize Pipes in Your Indianapolis Home
In your home, it’s important to know that some pipes are more vulnerable to freezing outdoor temperatures than others. Specifically, exposed pipes like a faucet installed on an exterior wall or any exposed water supply lines running within the home’s exterior walls are at high risk. This is because these are more directly impacted by the cold outdoor temperature and lack the insulation that interior or underground pipes have.
Any pipes that are centrally located benefit from the home’s heat, whereas outside pipes are too far away to benefit from residual heat from a furnace or heat pump.
Once you’ve identified the pipes to winterize, it can be done in three steps.
1. Turn Off Water
Most outdoor faucets are connected to a shut-off value in your home, which controls the flow of water to the outdoor faucet. Usually, the shut-off valve is located in the basement, crawl space, or utility room. If your home is on slab foundations, the shut-off is more likely inside, near the exterior wall with a secondary one near the water meter.
How to turn off the water depends on the type of shut-off valve you have. There are two primary types:
- Gate Valve: It looks a lot like a small wheel. To turn off a gate valve, you need to simply turn the wheel in a clockwise direction until it won't go any further.
- Ball Valve. This will have a handle coming from the top of the valve. To turn it off, you will need to turn the handle so it is perpendicular to the supply line to shut off the water.
2. Disconnect and Drain Any Attached Hoses
During the winter, you will not need to water the grass or wash off your deck. To prepare for the temperature drop and safeguard your pipes from freezing, it is best to put the hose away until spring. Go outside and detach the hose from the spigot.
Then, roll it up and store it in a sheltered area such as your garage or in a shed. This prevents damage to the hose because any hose left outside may collect water. Water will expand by almost 10% as it freezes. This expansion can damage the hoses, causing them to leak at the connections or develop splits. Taking a few minutes to remove as much water from the hose as possible will extend the life of the hose.
3. Drain the Faucet
Once the water to the exterior pipe is shut off and the hose is removed, you are almost done. It is now time to drain the faucet, also called the hose bib, of any water left in the pipe. This creates some air space to prevent water from damaging either the pipes or valves if it does freeze.
For older outdoor faucets, you are likely to find a drainage port on the water line near the Open port. When draining, place a bucket below it which gives the water a place to collect as the line drains out.
If you can’t find a drainage port, open the faucet outside and allow water remaining in the line to drain out. We recommend leaving the faucet open over the winter to alleviate water pressure in case the line freezes. Although it is unlikely, if your shutoff valve leaks and allows water to reenter the system, an open faucet will also prevent the water from accumulating in the pipes.
What To Do With Frozen Pipes
If you missed the opportunity to winterize your pipes before the temperatures dropped and now find yourself battling frozen pipes, it’s important to take action quickly to prevent frozen pipes from damaging the plumbing in your Indianapolis home.
How to Thaw a Frozen Outdoor Hose Bib
- Open the faucet outside.
- Go inside to where the pipe runs into the exterior wall. This is most likely the basement or crawl space.
- Take rags or towels and wrap the base of the hose bib.
- Pour boiling water onto the cloth. A hairdryer is another option for applying heat to the frozen area.
- Once there is a trickle of water from the outdoor faucet, thawing has begun.
- Winterize the faucet to prevent future freezes.
If you need support in winterizing your pipes or thawing frozen ones, give the trusted team at Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing a call. Contact us online, or call (317) 620-8622 to schedule an appointment today.
From our interview with Brad Harvey, Chapman service technician, we took away three main points. Keep your equipment regularly maintained, camping is his family's favorite activity and just because you rent, doesn't mean you don't need to change your filters.
Brad Harvey joined the Chapman team is 2013. With a background in the equipment industry, Brad was ready to challenge himself and felt the HVAC industry was the right next step.
The reputation of Chapman drew me to the company. On all sides of the city, people have good things to say about the company, people and Jeff.
As a service technician at Chapman, we asked Brad to describe a typical day of work to us. He starts the day with a lot of demand calls; meaning, calls to go fix equipment or check the safety level.
The first thing I do is take a picture of the unit. A lot of people don't know that their units are unsafe, so if I need to pull out the picture to show and explain, it makes more sense to them.
We see quite a few unsafe units, especially in the winter time. Maintained equipment fails a lot less often than those without regular maintenance. That's why we recommend it so strongly.
Some parts of the unit can last a lifetime, but other parts will eventually need replaced. Finding these issues before they become big issues will extend the life of a unit in the long run and save a lot of money.
When Brad decided to make a change and start his career in the HVAC industry, he knew he wanted to learn as much as he could to be the best technician possible. Brad is NATE certified in gas heat with a universal heating license. Unlike a lot of technicians, Brad entered the field from a different industry.
The training helped me get a better idea of the industry, what to expect and what I needed to know. The NATE certification was more complex than other certifications. It took more study time, but it did train me in all systems, not just certain brands.
When he isn't checking systems and taking service calls, Brad spends his time with his family. With 5 kids, there is more than enough to keep him busy. Brad and his family love camping and playing basketball, spending time out on the boat and watching the Colts.
We asked Brad more about what he likes to do in his spare time.
We love the Colts; the whole family loves the Colts. Personally I also really like golf. Jordan Speif is my favorite golfer.
Working at Chapman
One of my favorite things about working for Chapman is the focus on the community. We just helped with Bring the Heat here in Indianapolis.
Bring the heat serves 100 low-income homes for appliance cleaning and servicing at no cost to residents. For more information and ways to get involved, visit their website.
Jeff wants us to set goals to keep moving forward, but they are always attainable. He pays attention to us guys and supports and reward us.
As we gear up for the cold season, we asked Brad what he sees most often in damaged or unsafe units.
It really doesn't matter what time of year you get your unit serviced, just as long as you get it done every 6 months. A lot of people forget to check and change their filters. This is one basic thing you can do to greatly improve the life of your unit.
Before we wrapped up our interview, we asked Brad what he thought this winter would bring to central Indiana.
I think winter is going to get here a little early this year. We got pretty lucky last year, but I think we're going to have a pretty cold one.
If you haven't done it yet, it's time to clean and check your system before winter weather hits. Give us a call for an appointment with one of our knowledgeable, certified technicians like Brad!
Think you have what it takes to be a member of our team Apply Today!
