The boom in smart, mobile devices over the last several years has changed the way homeowners control and monitor their home in some pretty amazing ways.
Synchronizing home security systems with smart phones and tablets allows people to watch cameras, arm alarms and even lock doors from afar to give them piece of mind.
Even more recently, new refrigerators let you see what's inside from the grocery store on your phone, alert you when you run out of something or when your milk expires.
The ability to connect your home with new technology has since become known as home automation.
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to connect other aspects of your home with remote control? Well, home automation is now giving homeowners a new level of control and comfort.
The latest technology from Home Automation has created a smart thermostat: the Housewise Thermostat, a dynamic, new way to control your home's comfort level.
The Housewise Thermostat not only gives you further reaching control but also changes how you make adjustments within your home.
Complete remote control
Did you forget to turn down the thermostat this morning? Is an approaching cold front going to make you come home to a freezing house?
Home automated thermostat gives you the ability to control your home's heating and cooling levels to ensure you come home to the perfect temperature, all from your mobile device.
What makes Housewise Thermostats different from other similar products out there? These devices are registered not only to you, but with your dealer as well. That way, if something goes wrong with your system, you won't be the only one getting an alert.
Your dealer, like Chapman, will also get an email alert of the issue. This eliminates the run around of contacting repair and significantly reduces downtime of a broken system.
Voice-controlled comfort
Controlling your thermostat from outside the home is just the beginning. Housewise Thermostats are also game-changers inside the home.
Housewise Thermostats are compatible with Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.
Stop fiddling with knobs and buttons. No more only being able to control the thermostat from one room. And no more having to constantly get up to fidget with a temperamental system. Now you can control all your heating and cooling with your voice.
We know, this is Star Trek type stuff, right?
All you need is registered Housewise Thermostat, an Alexa-enabled device (Amazon Echo, Amazon Dot or Amazon Tap), the Alexa app and a Wi-Fi connection. From there, you are free to give your device simple commands to control and change your system from anywhere in the house.
Ready to own the smartest home on the block? The future is now! Pick up the phone and call Chapman today to have any questions you may have answered and find out how you can bring a smart thermostat home with you.
Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, to provide air conditioning installation for your home today
Many people think of an oil furnace as old fashioned or outdated technology, but that just isn't true. Bryant heating and cooling has a full line of oil furnaces. These products range in efficiency from 80 , 90% AFUE.
AFUE is the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Essentially, for every unit of oil you put into the system, you get between 80 and 90% of it back in heat to your home. This is a vast improvement over the units installed in the last century With more efficient blowers and insulated cabinets, today's Bryant Oil Furnace will keep you warm throughout the long Indiana winter.
Let's take a closer look at the furnace line up.
The Bryant Legacy Line Oil Furnaces
Legacy Line oil furnaces deliver dependable efficiency and years of trouble-free heating to your home. These reliable products are available in both low boy and standard size furnaces.
If your furnace is installed in an attic or other area with a low ceiling, our low boy units deliver full size comfort in a compact package. With multispeed and variable speed motors, the furnace will automatically adjust when the temperatures drop warming your home evenly and efficiently.
Bryant® Preferred Series oil furnaces
There's an old saying that children should be seen and not heard. Well we think furnaces should not be seen or heard. Tucked in a closet, attic, basement or garage, the Bryant preferred series is a hard working super quite oil furnace. With quieting flue silencer baffles and fully insulated cabinet walls you will hardly know when It is running
All the products in the Preferred Series will efficiently convert oil to heat so you will stay warm and save money too.
If you are looking for an even more efficient way to heat your home, these furnaces can be combined with a Bryant heat pump to create a HYBRID HEAT dual fuel system. This state of the art combination relies on the heat pump on mild days when there is some warmth in the air and switches to oil only when you need the extra boost of heat.
All of these products are durable and built to last. They are covered by a 10 year parts warranty and a lifetime warranty on the heat exchanger, so you will be warm and comfortable winter after winter regardless of which product you choose.
Not sure which oil furnace is right for your Indianapolis home? Contact the professional heating team at Chapman today.
Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, carries a full line of high efficiency furnaces. Contact us to recommend the best services to your home
Heating Fuel Battle: Oil vs Natural Gas
If your oil furnace is more than 15 years old, it's time to think about replacing it. The moderate Indianapolis winters give homeowners more choices when it comes to heating systems. Oil and gas both provide comfort at a reasonable price. Which is the best choice for you? Let's take a look at each:
Pros and cons of an oil furnace
Oil furnaces are actually very efficient. They provide more heat per BTU (unit of energy). They are also typically less expensive than a gas furnace, but the installation is fairly comparable.
There is no oil pipeline to your home, so if you heat your home with an oil furnace you must have an on-site storage tank. If you have an existing oil furnace, you can typically use the same storage unit for the new furnace. We do however recommend having the tank cleaned and checked at the time of the installation.
The need for an external storage tank is the primary reason we don't recommend switching to oil from another fuel. There cost of installing a storage tank and restoring your yard after the installation makes this a less attractive alternative for homes in central Indiana.
You will also need to contract with a firm to deliver oil on a regular basis. This firm will usually service the tank at the same time. You should also plan to have your chimneys cleaned and oil filters changed frequently as soot is more likely to build up with an oil furnace.
One last consideration is the cost of oil. The price of both go up and down, but typically oil has been slightly less expensive than natural gas.
Pros and Cons of Gas
If you are converting from oil, you will need to run a gas line to your home. Depending on how close the nearest existing line is, it can be quite expensive to run the line. In Indianapolis, Citizens Gas will often discount the cost of running the lines if homeowners agree to convert multiple appliances (furnace, stove, dryer, and or hot water heater) at the same time.
Gas furnaces tend to be more expensive than comparable oil units and do not create as much heat per BTU as oil.
On the other hand, natural gas burns cleaner than oil so less soot accumulates in the chimney. While periodic cleaning is still recommended, it does not need to be done as often.
If you are concerned with the environmental impacts, natural gas has a relatively low carbon footprint and is considered one of the cleanest nonrenewable energy sources.
Finally, natural gas is there when you need it. Since it is delivered to your home through a pipeline buried underground, there are no delivery schedules to manage. It is available when you need it.
Still confused about which system is a better choice for your Indianapolis home? Give the heating professionals at Chapman a call. We will explain your choices and install a heating system that will keep you comfortable for years to come.
Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, carries a full line of high efficiency furnaces. Contact us to recommend the best services to your home
By this time in the year, we're all thinking about cold weather, runny noses and sore throats. Sure, we know the common ways we help our bodies stay healthy during the winter months when cold and flu season is in full force. But what about other lesser-known ways you can help your immune system and stay healthy through the winter?
Today we're breaking down 3 tips, outside of washing your hands and covering your mouth and nose, to keep the sickness away and the home healthy.
Clean and Disinfect Commonly Touched Surfaces
This doesn't just mean the countertops and door knobs. Even inside of your home, think about places you touch every day. You do the best you can to keep them disinfected but with busy days and a house full of kids, it can be hard. One thing people touch constantly throughout the day is their phone. You probably don't want to know just how dirty your cellphone is, but this fixture in most people's day is a source of dirt, grime and germs. Consider the last time you cleaned your phone. Find a safe to use cleaning agent and give your cell phone a much needed cleanse.
Take Care of Yourself
Yes, avoiding contact with sick people is important for escaping the cold or flu, but the best defense is a good offense. The healthier your body, the better equipped it is to fight of germs. Eat healthy, balanced meals, exercise consistently and get plenty of rest at night. Good, restful sleep does not mean dozing with the TV on or with your cellphone in front of your face. Try to shut down electronics and get a solid 7-9 hours every night.
Keep your Home Healthy
Of course we all shut the doors and windows in the winter to keep the cold air out. Part of keeping the cold air out is trapping hot air, and commonly germs, in. Recycling warm, dry air all winter long takes a toll on your body, home and overall health. By using a humidifier through the winter, you can add moisture back to the dry air, making it more difficult for germs to live. Humidifiers also keep the air more comfortable through the winter by maintaining a more consistent temperature that feels comfortable. Cracked lips, dry skin and nosebleeds are all caused by lack of moisture in the air, avoid these signs of winter by installing a humidifier for your home.
Aside from these health benefits, there are many other benefits to a humidifier for your family. If you want to know more about these systems, we would be happy to help, just give us a call!
The winter is tough enough with the snow, sleet and frigid temperatures, the last thing you need is to try to get through it sick. Use these tips with your usual methods for fighting off the flu for a happier, healthier winter season.
Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, your source for home heating and air conditioning repair and installations
As the temperature drops everyone looks for ways to stay warm indoors and out. Here are some of our favorite tips to help you stay warm this winter.
Dress in layers to keep your core warm this winter
Dressing in layers will keep you warm this winter and give you options as you move from warmer to colder rooms and back again. Always make sure the layer closest to your body fits snugly to keep body heat in. Then feel free to add additional loose or bulky layers.
If you are experiencing wide temperature swings as you move from room to room in your house, talk to the team at Chapman about a zoning system for your home. This will allow you to manage the temperature in each room of your home.
Keep your toes warm
Your extremities are likely to get colder first, so keep a pair of socks or fuzzy slippers nearby. Especially if you have tile floors which tend to feel colder even on a warm day.
Of course, you could also talk to Chapman about radiant heat. These systems heat your floors from underneath with either electrical wires or hot water tubes making them comfortable and warm no matter how cold it gets outside.
Turn on your ceiling fan.
This may sound a bit counter-intuitive, but warm air rises. That means the warmest part of your room is probably up near the ceiling. Circulate that warm air by running your fan on its lowest setting in a clockwise direction drive the warm air back into the room.
Give Windows a Winter Makeover
As you are pulling your winter sweaters out of storage boxes, and packing away your short and bathing suits consider a fall wardrobe for your windows.
Add curtains to windows which only have shades all summer long. Swap out thin curtains for wool or fleece drapes. Keep them closed on cold and cloudy days, but open them to let the sun in on bright days.
While you are looking at your windows, be sure to check them (and doors) for leaks and drafts. You may need to add or replace the caulking or weather stripping to keep out the cold winter weather.
Eat Warm
Reach for soups, stews, spicy foods, coffee or cocoa to take the chill off a day. Warming up your inside will make you feel warmer. Are you tired of the same old chicken noodle? Try a few of these instead.
Exercise
Physical activity raises your heart rate, gets your blood pumping, and raises your core temperature. Walk around the house, up and down stairs or pop in an exercise tape. Moving even just a few minutes every hour in a confined space help you feel warmer.
Use space heaters with caution
While portable space heaters can add a bit of extra heat to colder rooms, you should always keep anything that is flammable at least three feet away. This includes, but is not limited to; clothing, rugs, blankets and curtains.
Place the space heater on a hard, non-flammable, stable surface. Always turn it off completely when you leave your home.
If you find yourself using space heaters throughout your home it is definitely time for a check up on your system. Maybe you need a programmable thermostat to allow you to adjust the temperature when you are home or a zoning system which will deliver more heat to some parts of the house. Or maybe your system isn't running at top performance.
Whatever the reason for cold uncomfortable rooms, it is time to call Chapman. We'll help you stay warm through the long, cold Indiana winter.
Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, carries a full line of high efficiency furnaces. Contact us to recommend the best services to your home
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
DIY. A great concept for trying your hand at building a coffee table or turning an ordinary jar into a colorful centerpiece for the living room. But there are a few things that really require the technical know-how of a trained professional. When something goes wrong in the home, it's tempting to try doing it yourself. Unfortunately, this approach often leads to costly damages and dangerous situations when dealing with HVAC units.
High Voltage Electricity
What you don't know will hurt you. These units are highly technical and utilize a large amount of voltage electricity. It's best to stay away from these levels of electricity without knowing what can hurt you or even kill you. Doing it yourself is not worth the risk of potentially deadly consequences.
Chemical and Refrigerants
Heating and cooling appliances utilize chemicals and refrigerants most of us are unfamiliar with. Handling these chemicals can be deadly if the proper precautions are not followed. Proper training and safety gear is essential to make sure no one is injured by or exposed to deadly chemicals used in these systems. Handling these chemicals also requires certification.
Tools of the Trade
You wouldn't try to build a table without a hammer and a saw. The same is true for HVAC repair. Specialized, professional tools are used to correctly identify and repair problems. Without these tools you run the risk of creating even more damage to the unit. Professional technicians don't just come with experience, training and knowledge, they come prepared with tools specifically made for fixing problems.
Small Fix to a Bigger Issue
What might seem like a small issue to you could really be a symptom of a much larger issue. Even more challenging is diagnosing the real problem with the symptoms masked. If there is an issue with your unit, have a technician take a look to ensure that you aren't just patching an issue that will eventually become a costly, dangerous and inconvenient problem down the road.
Irreparable Damage
Small problems can quickly become big problems. The most dangerous decision is trying to fix something you don't know how to fix. One wrong decision and your left with more damage than you started with. The more you attempt to repair, the higher the risk of damaging a unit beyond repair.
Appropriate Size For Your Home
Without the knowledge of a trained technician, it's difficult to know what your home really needs in terms of size and capacity of your HVAC unit. Making these decisions alone leads to overspending on a unit ill-fitted for your home. When considering a new unit, do your research, but consult a certified technician to help you make the right choice for your space. In the end, a brief consultation at minimum will ensure you're making the best choice for best efficiency and comfort for your needs.
The good news is that for the handy personality type, there are still plenty of things you can do to maintain and service your unit. General maintenance and cleaning are essential for an efficient and healthy system. The next time you want to do a little work on your system, take on one of these tasks.
General Cleaning , Clean and check your filters, change them when necessary and keep your unit running at tip-top shape. This can, and should, be done frequently to make sure the air in your home is clean and your unit isn't working any harder than it needs to. Clear out leaves and branches and maintain clear space around the unit.
Battery Check , If you don't already have a carbon monoxide detector, go get one. Today. If you do, go check the batteries when you get home. A detector with bad batteries is just as useless as not having one at all. Check that your detector is in good working order monthly to make sure your home and family are safe from poisonous gas.
By hiring a professional for the big stuff and doing regular maintenance checks of what you can handle, you'll have a safe and efficient HVAC unit.
Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, your source for qualified hvac repair and installation
If you were hoping for another mild winter, we have bad news for you. Early predictions show that we can expect a lot of precipitation and very cold temperatures.
Every fall, around this time, people start speculating about winter weather and how tough the next few months are going to be. As we say goodbye to summer, we have to start thinking about snow, freezing temps and leaving 15 minutes early for work.
Even with sophisticated weather tracking technology, no one really knows for sure what the weather will do. Forecasting a week ahead is hard enough, and not always reliable. Although there's no scientific way to tell exactly what kind of a winter we have in store, it's fun to look at the trends and make some educated guesses.
Indiana Winter
One book takes these educated guesses and pulls them together into a yearly publication: The Farmers' Almanac. Stuffed with everything from predictions to puzzles, the Farmers' Almanac warns of a weary winter of snow and cold.
While last winter was a reprieve from shoveling and high fuel bills, the party is over. According to the 2017 Farmers' Almanac, winter is back! , 2017 Farmer's Almanac
This year the book calls for frigid temperatures throughout the Midwest. It might not hit until later in the season, but we're in for a frigid February.
U.S. Weather Trends
So what about the rest of the country? The almanac predicts high precipitation in the southeast, northeast and News England states and the western states will see high snowfall.
Accuracy
So how good is the Farmers' Almanac at predicting winter weather? According to the Almanac itself, it boasts a 96% success rate for predicting 2015's winter weather. These success rates are a little hard to track, mostly because the Farmers' Almanac doesn't release their methods for gathering data. If you want to learn more about how they make these predictions, you can read all about it here. Whether or not you believe it is up to you.
It might not be the best way to predict future weather, but it is a fun book with a lot of information. Full of home tips, gardening guides and astronomical calendars, the almanac is a fun tradition to kick off fall and get us all ready to drag out the shovel and snow boots.
We're just going to have to wait and see what this winter brings us. In the meantime, pick up a copy of the Farmers' Almanac and schedule your fall clean and check, just in case the almanac ends up being right.
Looking for home heating and air conditioning repair  contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today
AFUE, BTU, BTUh, CAE and CFM. What do all of these assortment of letters have in common?
When unscrambled and explained, these letters represent terms and measurements for heaters and heating units. Instead of trying to unscramble this alphabet soup yourself, use our handy heating term glossary. These terms and definitions will help you select efficient units, explain where your unit might need repair or a tune-up and make some sense out of the letters and abbreviations that come with understanding your heating unit.
A - F
AFUE , Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency is the measure of a furnace's heating efficiency. The amount of natural gas or propane a furnace uses to heat a home versus how much is wasted is calculated to determine your AFUE.
BTU , The British Thermal Unit is the measurement of heat energy. One BTU is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree.
Carbon Monoxide , Hopefully by now this term is known and understood by all homeowners. Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas produced when carbon burns with insufficient air. Carbon monoxide is very dangerous; every home should have a detector. Find out more here.
CAE , Combined annual efficiency is the measure of the amount of heat produced per dollar of fuel consumed.
CFM , The cubic feet per minute measures how many cubic feet of air pass by one point in a minute. The higher the number, the more air is being moved through the ductwork.
DOE , Department of Energy. Most people are familiar with this one, but in case you didn't know, this is the federal agency responsible for standards of energy consumption.
Energy Star , This designation of the Energy Protection Agency recognizes products that meet or exceed federal guidelines for energy-efficient performance.
EPA - The United States Environmental Protection Agency protects human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.
Flue - The flue is the structure through which heated air, or combustion air, moves before they are released from indoors to outdoors.
G - J
Heating Coil , The heating coil is the part of the system that conducts heat and creates electricity that acts as fire.
Heat Exchanger , The furnace heat exchanger is responsible for the transfer of heat from inside to the air outside the furnace. Once out, the duct system transfers the air to other rooms.
Heat Pump , A heat pump heats or cools an area by moving the heat. In the winter a heat pump draws warm air inside then circulates it through air ducts. In the summer, the heat pumps pulls warm air out of the home and releases it outside.
HEPA , High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance is a type of air filter, good for increased efficiency.
HERS , The Home Energy Rating System is an energy rating program used to measure a homes' energy quality. This rating system is typically used by homeowners, mortgage lenders and builders to measure energy losing deficiencies.
HSPF , Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is the efficiency rating for heat pumps. The higher the rating, the more efficient the pump.
IAQ , Indoor Air Quality refers to the amount of pollution in the air within a building.
K - Z
MERV Rating , Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value describes the size of the holes in the filter that allow air to pass through. High MERV means the smaller the holes in the filter and the higher the efficiency.
R-Value , The R-value is the capacity of insulating material to resist heat flow. High R-value means greater insulating power.
SEER , Seasonal Energy Efficiency Raito is the energy efficiency rating used by HVAC professionals in order to rate the efficiency of a system.
Therm , A unit of heat equal to 100,000 BTU's.
Variable Speed Motor , A system that offers two-stage operations with a range of speeds to precisely control the distribution of warm and cool air through the home.
There you have it, our glossary for heating terms. Hopefully, this helps you navigate the sea of alphabet soup that comes with energy terms and measurement acronyms. If you want to learn more about your equipment or any problems you have been experiencing, please contact our certified technicians.
Looking for local hvac services contact Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, today
