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

We know what you’re thinking. It’s cold and I want to get warm fast. So while you’re busy making sure your furnace is in tip-top shape and you’re using a humidifier to balance out the dry air, you might have forgotten about your plumbing. Oh yeah. Your plumbing is going to need just as much tender love and care as the rest of your home maintenance. Icy morning showers, frozen or cracked pipes, flooding and leaks are just some of the many plumbing issues that happen when the temperature drops. Avoid these issues with some of these winter plumbing tips.

Leave Water Running – If the weather channel predicts negative temperatures or a snow storm you need to take preventative measures. Make sure the faucet in your kitchen or bathroom is dripping slightly to reduce pressure in the pipes. A slow trickle is best, not a stream. Be sure to use insulating faucet covers, rags or trash bags around your outdoor faucets.

Keep Your Pipes Insulated – Leave some of your cabinet doors under the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms open to allow heated indoor air to circulate around the pipes. You can also use foam padding sleeves to guard your pipes during the colder months. Exposed plumbing should be kept warm! Don’t forget about those pipes in the basement or unused areas of your home. You don’t want frost to accumulate or cracks to develop.

Don’t Forget the Outdoors , When freezing temperatures hit you definitely want to disconnect water hoses from faucets. Drain the hose and bring it indoors if you can. You also need to close the shut-off valve on the pipes that lead to your outdoor spigots. When spring decides to arrive, roll the hose back out.

Spread Out Your Showers , Not having hot water during the winter is just the worst. Eliminate this issue by spacing out showers by 10 minute intervals. This will help maintain hot water and water pressure for everyone in your house. If you decide to turn up your water heater, make sure you keep the temperature below 125 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns.

These are just a few tips to help get you through the freezing cold months without any plumbing issues. Still have questions? Call Chapman Heating and Air Conditioning at 317-291-4909 or visit our website today.

Give Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing, to answer all your plumbing needs

Just in case you forget to check the weather app on your phone, or perhaps step outside, you’ll notice it is pretty dang cold. As the weather gets colder, the air gets much drier. Have your hands and lips felt cracked or chapped lately? Well that’s because of the lack of humidity in the air. A lack of humidity doesn’t just wreak havoc on your skin, it also wreaks havoc on your home. Here’s why you need a humidifier for winter.

Humidifiers Keep You Comfortable

The dry air will take a toll on your health and your home. Dry air just makes you feel colder. You might not realize it, but because you sweat all the time, you’re losing moisture and feeling colder. So what do you do when you’re feeling cold? Crank up the heat! That’s a great solution until you receive a massive electric or gas bill at the end of the month. Humidifiers will help save you money and keep you feeling great all winter long. When used correctly, humidifiers can help to alleviate dry skin, chapped lips and nose bleeds. The most basic explanation of how a humidifier works is it pumps moisture back into the air using water vapor. This leaves you feeling more hydrated and your wallet a little fatter. It’s estimated that having a humidifier will save you around 10-20 percent on your heating bill.

You Need a Whole Home Humidifier

We compared whole home humidifiers and portable humidifiers in a previous blog post, but we can’t stress enough how great whole home humidifiers are. This type of humidifier connects directly to your HVAC system and delivers moist air through your existing air ducts. That means it reaches every room in your house with equal, even comfort! It’s easy to use and won’t need to be replaced every other year like a portable humidifier.

This year, don’t let winter get the best of your or your home. Humidifiers will keep you feeling healthy and comfortable, and will also keep your home looking beautiful. For more information about humidifiers call Chapman Heating and Air Conditioning at 317-291-4909 or visit our website 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

Sometimes keeping your home toasty warm during the winter can become expensive. Your heating bill can become astronomically high while the temperatures continue to drop. Don’t panic. It’s easy to bring those sky-high energy bills down without sacrificing comfort one bit. So don’t break out that Snuggie to stay warm just yet. Start with these simple tips for a cozy and cost-effective winter.

The first and most important step you need to take is to make sure your furnace is running at peak performance. If you have any doubt that something might be wrong, call a professional. Chapman can install the world’s most energy efficient HVAC system. If you have drafty rooms or a cold bedroom, our installation team can address these trouble spots for you. Regular maintenance helps extend the life of your furnace, while saving you money. Give Chapman a call for more information about preventative maintenance.

For whole-house comfort, consider installing a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats allow you to tell the thermostat to keep the temperature low during the day while no one is home, and at night while everyone is asleep. At pre-set times, like when you return home or when you wake up, the temperatures will automatically return to more comfortable levels. By saving your furnace while you’re away or asleep, you can shave dollars off of your annual energy bill. Best of all? This will also save you cash during the summer cooling season.

Colder temperatures mean it’s time to become more aware of how often your exhaust fans are running. The fans in your kitchen and bathroom are actually expelling the warm air inside your home when they are on. If you absolutely have to have a fan on, keep it on only for as long as you need it (like to suck the steam out after a shower or while cooking) then turn it off. This is a money saving habit everyone in the house can easily adapt.

Finally, make sure you’re actually getting that warmth you’re paying for. If air isn’t circulating around your house properly, your furniture or rugs might be blocking the vent. Consider moving your furniture around so that it doesn’t block the vents in your home. This will keep your home warmer and also leaves you with a fresh, new living space.

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