Choosing a new heating and cooling system is a long-term commitment, so why not choose a system that will save you money and has a positive impact on the environment?

We are talking about heat pumps, which are a great HVAC system option. Heat pump units are an energy-efficient alternative to traditional furnaces and air conditioners and are continuing to grow in popularity across Central Indiana.

In our most recent blog, the HVAC technicians at Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing discuss what a heat pump is and why you might want to consider buying one for your Indianapolis home.

What is a Heat Pump?

Your traditional HVAC system uses a furnace in the winter and an air conditioner in the summer. A heat pump unit, though, can provide both heating and cooling for year-round comfort.

A heat pump works like an air conditioner in the summer by cooling your home by extracting the warm air in each room and replacing it with cool dry air. It runs in reverse in the winter to heat your home. Because heat pumps transfer heat rather than generate heat, they can provide equivalent space conditioning at a lower cost than a conventional heating or cooling appliance. During the winter, the system will be matched with a backup heating source, most often electric heat for those extremely cold days of winter.

Heat pumps have Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings like air conditioners and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) ratings for measuring heating efficiency. Higher SEER and HSPF ratings mean greater energy savings.

There are two common types of heat pumps; air-source and geothermal. An air-source heat pump transfers heat between your home and the outside air. Geothermal, or ground-source heat pumps, transfer heat between your home and the ground or the closest water source. Geothermal heat pumps have low operating costs and can be used in climates with more extreme weather.

Misconceptions About Heat Pumps

There is a misconception about heat humps that we would like to clear up. Heat pumps are not the enemy. Sometimes prospective homebuyers are turned off by the thought of using a heat pump instead of a traditional heating and cooling system, perhaps because they are not familiar with these systems. But heat pumps are actually a very efficient alternative to electric heat.

What might turn some people off about heat pumps is the initial cost of equipment, installation costs, the cost of electricity and the potential for increased maintenance costs. While any system will be expensive in the beginning, the return on investment is great with a heat pump. The compressors and refrigerant cycle of the heat pump will compound the productivity of your electric heat in the winter, giving you $2 to $3 of electricity for every dollar you spend.

Raising and lowering a heat pump thermostat will actually raise your bill because it forces the more expensive backup to come on when it would not normally be needed. Be sure to set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature, and don't move it to see increased energy efficiency.

Just like our air conditioners, many of our heat pumps have advanced features, such as two-stage compressors and variable-speed fan operation. These features not only improve the comfort level of your home, but can provide additional energy savings as well.

How Do I Maintain a Heat Pump?

Like all heating and cooling machines, you must perform regular maintenance to keep the machine running in tip-top shape. If you neglect to take care of your heat pump, it could end up costing you more money. You will need to clean or change the air filters once a month depending on the manufacturer's instructions.

Dirty filters and fans will reduce airflow. Most filters will last anywhere from 8 to 12 months. You should also have a professional heating and cooling technician look at your heat pump at least once a year to make sure everything is running smoothly. We typically recommend two tune-ups per year, once in the spring before cooling season and again in the fall before the heating season.

Contact Chapman for Heat Pump Installation Services

Heat pumps are an excellent way for you to save money no matter what season it is. It acts as a furnace and air conditioner, but you're only paying for one machine. It offers long-term cost savings and less dependence on fossil fuels. Your heat pump will supply lower-temperature air than a fossil-fueled furnace, so your heat pump will run for longer periods of time. It delivers steady heating with less energy consumption than the fossil-fueled competition.

Have we sold you on the benefits of having a heat pump installed in your Indianapolis or Central Indiana home? If you're interested in learning more about these energy-efficient systems or would like to schedule installation service, pick up the phone and call Chapman today, or contact us online.

Throughout the year in Indianapolis and across Central Indiana, the temperature will fluctuate from hot and humid in the summer to frigid and below-freezing in the winter. If you’re constantly adjusting and cranking the temperature on your thermostat, it will lead to higher-than-expected utility bills and overall frustration and discomfort.

Finding ways to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter will help you deal with the extremes, but it’s still important to know the best temperature for your home.

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about the best thermostat setting for winter and summer that will keep you comfortable and lower your electricity bill. One of the best and most trusted sources of information regarding the proper thermostat settings is the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Keep reading to learn more about what temperature to set the thermostat at for every season.

Recommended Thermostat Settings in the Winter

Although the wind chill might make it frigid outside, it should not be cold inside your house. Even if the temperature drops to single digits, you can rely on your furnace or other heating system to keep your home comfortable.

In the winter, the DOE recommends keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit while you are awake and at your house. This temperature not only keeps your house warm but should also help prevent your pipes from freezing.

However, to help save money and be more energy efficient, it’s an option to adjust the temperature depending on where you are and what you’re doing. Specifically, the DOE suggests turning the temperature on the thermostat down while you're sleeping or out of the house.

Even by lowering the thermostat by seven to ten degrees for eight hours a day, you can see up to a ten percent decrease in your annual heating expenses. This figures out to be as much as one percent for each degree lowered.

It’s important to remember that percentage change goes both ways. If you’re freezing in your house when the thermostat is set to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, you can expect a one percent increase in your heating bill.

Recommended Thermostat Temperatures for the Summer

Summers in Indiana can be brutally hot. But, like your heat, you should hesitate before cranking your air conditioner to try to cool your house down faster. This will only waste energy and put extra stress on your appliances, which over time, can decrease its operational efficiency. Plus, it’s not proven to be effective in cooling your home down any faster.

During the summer, the biggest challenge is finding the right temperature that balances your comfort with saving money and energy.

That is why the DOE recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you are home during the summer. While this might make your house a little warmer than you're used to, it does help reduce the cost of your energy bill significantly.

When you leave during the summer, do not be afraid to crank up your thermostat setting between 85 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. The DOE estimates this can help you save as much as ten percent on cooling costs annually.

Recommended Thermostat Settings for Spring and Fall

During the fall and spring, you’re less likely to experience the extreme temperatures and conditions associated with winter and summer. However, the weather can still be unpredictable, which can make setting your thermostat a little tricky.

If you have a programmable thermostat, we recommend the following thermostat settings during the spring and fall:

• During warmer periods, set the thermostat to 78 degrees during the day, and 86 degrees if you leave the house.
• During cooler times, set the thermostat to 68 degrees while you’re at home and awake, but lower it to 65 degrees when you’re asleep. You can even lower it further to 60 degrees when you leave the house.

Even with a programmable thermostat, it is best to place the device on “auto” mode during the spring and fall. This allows you to set the desired temperature as the weather changes and makes it easier to lower your energy bill.

Why You Should Adjust the Temperature When You Leave the House

One of the keys to maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home while saving money and being energy efficient is to lower the temperature on the thermostat when you leave the house.

Our team of HVAC professionals recommends the “8 is Great” rule, which states:

Adjust your temperature by eight degrees when you know you’re leaving the house for at least two hours. For example, if your thermostat is set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit while at home during the winter, turn it down to 60 degrees Fahrenheit before heading out to work, school, or running errands.

Some people find it difficult to remember to adjust the thermostat as they’re running out the door. Others forget to turn it back once they arrive home and soon find themselves freezing or sweating.

This is where a programmable thermostat comes in handy. It allows you to automate the process. With a programmable thermostat, you have the ability to just set the times and temperature settings you want without having to think about it ever again. This is especially helpful if you have a set schedule.

For example, you leave the house for work every day at 8:00 a.m. and return by 5:00 p.m. You can program the thermostat to adjust during the hours you are away while ensuring it’s back to your preferred temperature before you get back home.

Whether it’s learning the best temperature settings, or which programmable thermostat is right for you, Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about your home’s heating and cooling system so you can stay comfortable no matter the season.

There's a good chance that for the past few years you've been hearing HVAC contractors talking about the R-22 phaseout, or the Freon phaseoutespecially if you own an AC system that still relies on it. But what even is the phaseout? And how does it impact you? Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is here to clue you in!

What Is R-22 Refrigerant?

Nearly all modern cooling systems rely on a refrigerant loop in order to cool homes. The refrigerant cycles between the evaporator, condenser, and the compressor in order to, essentially, move warm air out of your home to replace it with cool air. There are many different types of refrigerant, and for a very long time, the most commonly used of these was the chemical R-22commonly known under the name of the company that produced it, Freon.

In terms of efficiency and production speed, R-22 was great. However, it is also an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), which has been identified as a major contributor to ozone depletion among other problems including high toxicity, and a tendency to degrade.

What Is the Phaseout, and What Does it Mean for Me?

Because of the sheer weight of its negative properties, and the impact is it having on our environment, the EPA selected to steadily remove the use of Freon in an R-22 refrigerant phaseout. In fact, nations worldwide are following suit in what is known as the Montreal Protocol agreement. The process has been a slow and steady one, starting back in 2010, and by 2020 (next year!) R-22 will no longer be accessible to anyone, either via production or import.

What this means for you as a homeowner, is that if your current air conditioner or heat pump uses R-22 refrigerant still, then it is going to become exponentially more difficult (and more expensive) to find replacement refrigerant, and it may be wise to talk to your contractor about an AC replacement.

Do I Need to Replace My Air Conditioner Right Now if I Use R-22?

The answer will partially depend on when your cooling system was installed. Any system installed before 2010 is likely to be using R-22, while more recent systems could be using alternatives. But if you know that you're using R-22, your answer is this:

Not immediately, nobut there are some things you need to be aware of going forward. The price of R-22 has skyrocketed in the past decade, and it's becoming scarce already. This means:

• Refrigerant leaks are going to become prohibitively expensive.
• In a few years replacing your refrigerant will become impossible without a retrofit.

However, this is not all bad news! In fact, you stand to gain substantially from replacing soon. The available alternatives for R-22 use more modern technology and options like R410a have already shown advantages in system efficiency and performance. Add in the fact that an AC system installed 10+ years ago is already approaching the due date for a replacement, and you're in a solid position to replace your air conditioner at just the right timeand just in time.

Contact Chapman for Professional AC Replacement in Marion County Before R-22 is Gone for Good!

At Chapman, we make it our business to provide clients with affordable, professional services and solutions. If you're looking to dodge the upcoming surge in the cost of repairing a unit that uses R-22, we can help! Our AC installation services work to save you stress and money.

Call 317-291-4909 today to speak with an HVAC contractor in Indianapolis about your options, or schedule a consultation online!

This can occur for many reasons; uneven solar heat load through windows, an undersized system, improperly balanced or clogged system or a single system serving a two-story home with no zoning control. Each situation is different, usually requiring an onsite analysis with problem specific recommendations. Please call to arrange for us to see your home.

Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, when you find you are not comfortable in every room in your home.

Yes. As of January 2010 the refrigerant R-22 (what consumers call Freon®) is no longer allowed to be used in the manufacturing of new equipment. R-22 has been used as the "standard" refrigerant for many years but has been found to be harmful to our planet by our government. All new air conditioners and heat pumps use R-410A, the more "environmentally sound" refrigerant.

R-22 is still the most commonly used refrigerant in existing air conditioning equipment in residential homes today. However, per the Montreal Protocol, caps have been established to eliminate the production of R-22. In 2004, there was a 35% reduction; in 2010 there was a 65% reduction; in 2015 a 90% reduction; and finally in 2020 a 99.5% reduction in the production of R-22. This means that during the time of these reductions with high demand, the price of each pound of R-22 refrigerant could potentially skyrocket.

If you are considering replacing your existing air conditioning equipment, most higher efficiency products have already made the switch to R-410A, the more "environmentally sound" refrigerant.

Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, a call for all your hvac questions

A difference of 6 decibels (such as between 72 dB and 78 dB) is technically a four-fold increase in compressor sound when rating air conditioners or heat pump units. However, it takes a difference of 10 decibels to double the loudness. It is also noted that it takes approximately 3 decibels for the average human ear to discern any difference in loudness at all.

Great strides have been made in reducing the operating sound level of equipment. We will be happy to show you the difference in sound ratings with our product line.

Need an air conditioner tune up? Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, a call and have an hvac contractor to your home today

Yes. Each year, carbon monoxide kills more than 200 Americans and sends nearly 5,000 more to emergency rooms for treatment, reports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Where does it come from? When carbon-based fuels such as gas, oil, kerosene or wood burn, they produce gases. When fuel combustion or burning isn't complete, carbon monoxide enters the air. The CPSC advises that carbon monoxide detectors are the only way to alert yourself to the presence of toxic gas in your home. If you wake in the night with a headache -- and especially if another member of the family complains of a headache or is difficult to arouse -- get out of the house fast and seek medical help. We recommend carbon monoxide detectors be installed in your home!

Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, your source for heating and air conditioning installation contractors

Propane (LP) gas: You have this type if your gas comes from a tank located outside close to your house. Propane is stored as a liquid under pressure in tanks and cylinders. In most residential applications, propane is used as a vapor. When liquid propane changes into a gas vapor, it expands in volume. This means that even a small leak of liquid propane can result in a much larger quantity of propane vapor, which can be especially dangerous in a confined space. A chemical odorant has been added to propane to give it a distinct smell. Learn to identify this odor. Propane gas is heavier than air, so it will sink to the floor and spread. To check for the presence of propane, carefully smell all over a room, especially in low spots.
If you smell propane (LP) gas:

• Exit your home immediately.
• Propane gas can ignite easily. Do not light a match, start an engine, use a cell phone, or do anything that may create a spark.
• From a safe area, contact your propane supplier and call 911.
• If you are able, shut the propane gas supply off at the tank.
• Stay away from your home until you've been told that it is safe to return.

Natural gas: You have this type if you have a gas meter and pay a natural gas supplier or utility. A chemical odorant has been added to natural gas to give it a distinct smell. Learn to identify this odor.
If you smell natural gas:

• Exit your home immediately.
• Do not light a match, start an engine, use a cell phone, or do anything that may create a spark.
• From a safe area, contact your gas company or call 911.
• If you are able, turn the gas off at the meter.
• Stay away from your home until you've been told that it is safe to return.

Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, carries a full line of high efficiency furnaces. Contact us to recommend the best services to your home

With a traditional heating and cooling system, if you wanted to save more, you had to use less. But a Hybrid Heat system combines the benefits of intelligent control for both gas and electric heating to create an intuitive system that can actually react to changing conditions.

No matter what the temperature is outside, a Hybrid Heat system will automatically select the fuel source most efficient for your home, which means you'll stay warm in the winter, cool in the summer and save money all year long.

To design a Hybrid Heat system for your home, we professionally match one of our heat pump units with a natural gas furnace. Contact us to see how much energy you can save over your existing system.

Looking for home heating system installation contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today