Are you moving this season?
April marks the beginning of peak moving season where an average of 40 million people in the United States move each year.
Moving into a new home can be an exciting and stressful time for families. Unfortunate surprises in this stage aren't necessarily welcome and anything wrong or out of place can feel 10 times worse.
For those reasons, it is important that you take the time before your official move to make sure everything is in order. Anything out of place can be covered or addressed by your landlord, renter or superintendent and help the move go smoother.
Don't know where to start or what to look for? Use this handy move in checklist to get yourself started.
Air Ducts
Nothing is worse than breathing in dirty air. When air ducts get dirty or backed up it can result in your allergies acting up, sinus problems and/or respiratory problems. You can help by making sure your air filters are clean and replaced.
Specialists recommend that air ducts be cleaned every three years or so, so be sure to check the last time they were serviced. Clean air ducts not only make the air cleaner, but also help save you on energy bills and increase their lifespan.
Dryer Lint Trap and Vent
A clogged dryer lint trap and vent can be extremely dangerous. The build-up of highly flammable lint exposed to the extreme heat generated can cause devastating fires. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates almost 3,000 fires occur each year because of dryers.
The lint trap for your dryer are easy to access and should be cleaned before and after every time you use the dryer. The vent, although a little harder to get to, is easily cleaned and can be done on your own. Depending on your frequency of use, this should be done several times a year and certainly before the move in. Here is an easy guide to help you clean it.
Pests
Nothing is worse than moving into your new home and realizing you already have guests but not the good kind. Pests don't care if you are just moving in, they'll make themselves right at home anyway. Common household pests like insects and mice are sometimes unavoidable, but you can usually spot them easily.
Take a look around for dead insect carcasses, droppings and/nesting materials around the house but especially in the attic and basement. If you think you may have a problem or want someone to do a thorough check you can always call in an exterminator.
Water Softener
Hard water can be a real bummer for new homeowners. It creeps into almost every aspect of life. It leaves you feeling grimy after showers, makes your clothes rigid after a wash and gives you that gross, metallic taste in the water you drink.
Not only that, but hard water can wreak havoc on your pipes. It is crucial that your water softener is in tip-top shape. If your new water softener is a littler worse for wear, you can always call your friends at Chapman to get you a new one!
We are proud to serve Central Indiana for all your plumbing, heating and cooling needs.
Looking for air conditioning services contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today
Can Your Air Conditioner Help Fight Allergies?
Your air conditioner helps keep your home cool and comfortable during the harsh spring and summer months. Everybody knows that and, especially here in Indiana, is extremely grateful for it.
But, did you know that your air conditioner does more than just keep you cool?
As if fighting the heat wasn't reason enough to have your unit running in tip top shape year-round, your air conditioner is actually an instrumental piece of equipment for keeping allergens at bay and you allergy-free.
You may be wondering how could this be? After all, doesn't it just keep the air cool? Keeping a cool home can directly fight certain common household causes of allergies.
Mold and Mildew
Take mold and mildew for example. While toxic mold and mildew like Black Mold are not very common, more simplified versions often grow around the home. If left unattended, mold and mildew cause respiratory problems and can heighten allergy issues.
Mold and mildew grow most commonly in areas high in moisture and humidity, making places like your bathroom, basement and laundry rooms ideal targets. However, by regularly running your air conditioner, especially after showers and while doing laundry, you can keep humidity levels down and make it harder for these common allergens to grow.
Dust Mites
The thought that there are tiny living particulates around your house can be a little gross, but it's the truth. Dust mites are common household pets. Although nearly invisible, a regular household contains a great number of them.
The byproducts of dust mites are a major cause of common allergies like coughing, wheezing and sneezing. While it is impossible to completely rid your home of dust mites, there are measures you can take to keep them at bay.
Like other mites and parasites, dust mites thrive in humid areas. It makes perfect sense then that keeping the air dry and cool limits their growth and population. Other measures like frequent dusting, vacuuming and washing of bedding has been shown to also help, but experts stress controlling humidity as the most effective tactic.
Purified Air
An air conditioner doesn't just keep the air cool, it also helps keep the air fresh and clean. When your air conditioner pulls hot air out of your house, it is also pulling significant amounts of pollen, dander, dust and even pet hair that may also be present. So, the air that remains is not only cooler, but also freer from pollution, contaminants and allergens.
However, the job is not done there. These contaminants cause a buildup on built-in air filters inside air conditioning units, causing them to the filters to prevent catching more and reintroducing the contaminants into the air.
For this reason, it is crucial to regularly replace air filters according to manufacturer's instructions. Even more important is making sure your entire unit is up-to-date and running in tip-top shape. If you are having some issues with yours after turning it on for the first time this year, it may be an easy fix or time for a replacement.
Either way, your friends at Chapman can help! Give us a call or schedule service online. We are proud to serve Central Indiana for all your heating, cooling and plumbing needs.
Looking for local ac repair contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today
Renting season is fast approaching!
If you are a landlord or property manager, the incoming warm weather will lead to new renters starting to make their rounds and stopping by to check out your property.
First impressions are huge, especially when it comes to renting. When you are showing off your property to prospective renters, you want it looking in tip-top shape.
Take a little time before it's too late to make sure your property gives the right first impression. Here are a couple places you can start and simple things you can do to make sure everything is in order.
Get the yard looking great
An inviting and well-kept exterior will welcome visitors inside. Make sure the grass is cut, gutters are clean, sticks are picked up and the lawn is clear of any trash or debris. You can also make a yard look more inviting by addition. Plant some new flowers and shrubs and lay some new mulch to give it an even fresher look.
Bring in professional cleaners
New tenants want their space to look brand new (even if the building is decades old). Relying on your previous tenants and your own elbow grease to get your property ready to show may not be enough. It is well worth it to bring in a team of professional cleaners to tackle particularly troubling areas like bathrooms and carpet cleaning. This will ensure visitors won't be turned off by any dirt or grime.
Spruce up the interior
Now that the outside looks great, make sure the inside is just as beautiful. Depending on your budget, there are a lot of different ways to go about this. Start it fixing any dings or holes in the walls and then slap on a fresh coat of paint to help breathe a little new life into the room. Obviously, stay within your means but the more you do the better it will look. You can also think about replacing big things like cabinetry, appliances, window blinds and so on.
Check heating and air conditioning
We don't have to tell you how crazy this Indiana weather of ours is! After a crazy winter, it won't be long until the dog days of summer arrive. Nothing is worse than being without air conditioning during the heat and without heat during the cold. Save yourself an angry new tenant and make sure there is nothing wrong with either now.
If you find anything wrong with your current systems or realize it may be time to replace it with a new one, give your friends at Chapman a call!
Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, to provide hvac repair for your home today
There are a lot of things to love about spring, and allergies are not one of them. A big reason for them is pollen, which many people are allergic to. Pollen is released by trees, flowers, grass and weeds as they start to fertilize and grow once the temperature increases.
But there are many more different causes of allergies. In fact, allergens are present year-round. Things like dust, pet dander, mold and mildew are other large causes of allergies and respiratory problems.
With all the new activity around the house kicking around these irritants and the increase in pollen, spring always becomes the worst time of year for allergies.
To help save you lots of sneezing, coughing and runny noses, we thought we would give you some simple and helpful tips for fighting allergies this spring.
Frequently vacuum carpet and rugs
Rugs, carpets and other non-leather, wood, plastic or metal furnishings like chairs and sofas are like magnets to dust and dander, especially for pet owners. These allergens get caught deep in the fibers of whatever surface they find. Then when someone walks or sits on them the rerelease into the air.
A good way to prevent this is to vacuum your carpeting and upholstery and shake out your rugs often, once or maybe even twice a week. Oh, and always be sure to dust non-fibrous surfaces frequently as well.
If you are troubled by allergies and are considering making some changes around the house, you can think about replacing your carpeting with laminate or hardwood floors.
Attack mold and mildew build-up
Mold and mildew grows in places that are high in temperature and moisture. As you can imagine, your bathroom is an ideal location for it to grow and take hold. These allergens are also the cause of a lot of respiratory issues and need to be addressed.
It is fairly common for most bathrooms to have some level of mildew, and mold is typically pretty easy to spot. But, here are a few ways of seeking it out not only in your bathroom but around the house as well.
If you spot mold and mildew beginning to appear, scrub it with soapy water or one of the many anti-mold sprays at your local hardware store. If the problem is too severe, you may need to call in an expert.
When it comes to preventing them there are a couple different methods you can use. Make sure to keep your bathroom dry with fans and there is even special mold-resistant paint available to use in your bathroom.
Keep your windows closed
We know, we know, it is going to be so beautiful outside that it may feel nice to have a breeze come through the house. As nice as it may feel, you are opening yourself up for pollen and other airborne allergens to enter your home and wreak havoc.
That doesn't mean you should be a total shut in, though. Just be smart about when you choose to take in the spring breeze. For example, as nice as it may be to have the windows open during the evening, pollen counts are highest between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Besides, you can always rely on your air conditioner. Just be sure you always keep those vents and air filters nice and clean. Those are other hot spots for dust and dander accumulation.
Looking for air filters contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today
