Comfort Insights is the name of Precision Comfort’s blog where Energy Man Dan shares his home comfort tips. Below you will find the best advice on energy efficiency, home heating and air conditioning and tips to lower your energy bills. Precision Comfort Systems, Inc. is the heating and cooling specialist in Central Indiana and we’re here to help with all your home comfort needs.
It is worrisome for many homeowners when they realize their heat pump is running all the time. If you live in Central Indiana, or any state with weather similar to Indiana, then you are familiar with your electric heat pump running non-stop on the cold days. If this concerns you, then perhaps your heating contractor is not a heat pump specialist. A heat pump specialist will explain to you the truth: your heat pump is a very efficient means of heating your home and it is designed to run 24/7 during the cold days and nights. Here is the honest science, compliments of Precision Comfort Systems in Westfield, Indiana, your heat pump specialist for all the Indianapolis area.
Unlike a conventional gas, oil or electric furnace that consumes a raw fuel and makes heat, a heat pump is gathering heat from the outside and moving the heat into your home. In the summer, a heat pump reverses the heat moving process and moves unwanted heat from the inside of your home and disperses it outside. Back to winter heating, moving heat takes much less energy than making heat. How much less?
The efficiency of a heat pump is easiest to understand when it is compared to simple electric furnace. Most electric heaters such as your hair dryer, electric stove/oven or portable heater, are similar what you see in an old toaster; bright red coils. Since electric heat has no combustion exhaust, we gain any heat made by the electric coils so the efficiency is 100%. But straight electric heat is not the most efficient. That is why the electric heat pump is more commonly used when heating homes. The outside portion of your heat pump does not have any electric coils. Instead, it has a compressor motor that captures the heat from the outdoor air. This heat is actually free, but we do pay a bit to move it. For each dollar that you would spend in an electric furnace to get one unit of heat, a heat pump will use the same dollar of electricity and provide up to 3.5 units of heat. As the temperature outside gets colder this efficiency decreases, but it is still a very efficient 2.5 times better than straight electric coils.
So why does my heat pump run non-stop, 24/7?
Your heat pump is sized for your air conditioning needs and in Central Indiana, this means it will not meet all your heating needs. So here is what happens. In outdoor temperatures above 30 degrees, the heat pump should cycle off and on as a normal furnace. Somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees outdoor temperature, the heat pump for your home will reach a “balance point” where the heat needed by the home is equal to the heat moved by the heat pump. So now it will run all the time. As it gets colder than the balance point temperature, the heat pump will continue to run non-stop, and occasionally backup electric coils will supplement the heat pump. But do not be alarmed by this. The heat pump is designed to run continuously to give you as much of the cheap heat as you can possibly get from the unit, in order to minimize the heat made from the backup coils. As long as the heat pump is allowed to run as it is designed, the backup heat will only account for 10% to 15% of the entire Indiana winter heating needs.
Do not turn off your heat pump!
Some nasty advice is given, even among heating contractors who do not know any better, that you can use the emergency heat setting on your thermostat and “give the heat pump a break when the weather gets cold”. Well take it from me. This switch named “em. ht.” is misnamed. It has nothing to do with getting extra heating capacity or being a cold day setting. It should be named, “DOUBLE OR TRIPLE MY BILLS!” When you switch to “em. ht.”, you turn off your heat pump and now the more expensive backup furnace (toaster coils) are heating your home at two to three times the cost. Don’t do this! Allow the heat pump to run and love it. New heat pumps are very efficient and they are designed to run non stop when you need it most so your heating bill is normal. Even older heat pumps are much better than the electric furnace.
If your heat pump is too old, then its ability to move heat may be less than what it should be. Call Precision Comfort Systems, your Central Indiana heat pump specialists, to evaluate your current heat pump. We can tune it up or eventually replace it so you are getting the most from the current heat pump technology.
We are fresh back from last week’s Indianapolis Home Show and, WOW! What a great show. Here’s the bottom summary: Indiana demands geothermal high efficiency. Central Indiana’s most popular heating and cooling tax credit is the geothermal federal tax credit of 30%. The Indianapolis area will see many new homes built this year. Precision Comfort Systems will see many new geothermal high efficiency heating and air conditioning jobs in the very near future. Here are the details on my observations.
Our home show booth was very busy and this is what we learned. Geothermal high efficiency heating and cooling is very popular. Not only because it is the most efficient choice, but also because of the 30% geothermal federal tax credit. Our visitors liked our prices, loved the savings estimates, left their names and now we are frantically trying to get back with all of them.
Couples planning on building a new home this year were much more plentiful than last year. And the most popular heating choice for the new homes was the same as the existing homes. Geothermal high efficiency systems are an easy decision when the investment is part of a low interest home mortgage. The upfront cost is reduced with the 30% federal geothermal tax credit and the small amount added to the monthly payment is offset by the monthly energy savings!
Those who heat with propane and oil are upset! Their propane and oil bills are very high! They are so high, many new geothermal installation costs can be paid off in one to two years when you compare the geothermal price (minus the federal tax credit for geothermal) to a non-geothermal installation. What a no-brainer!
We had a very popular drawing at the show and you can read about the winner on this page. Thanks for stopping by. Especially if you were one of our past satisfied geothermal customers and you just stopped by to say how much you love your geothermal system. We love to hear from you. Thanks!
This is just a quick update regarding our tremendous success at the Indianapolis Home Show. I am happy to report that we have visited with many new home buyers and they simply love the geothermal technology for which Precision Comfort Systems is known. Most new home buyers attending the fair enter our booth with an undecided position and leave with some new HVAC specs for the builder of their new home.
So heads up builders! Here is what you can expect. Your home buyers that have been to the Precision Comfort booth will be requesting a new geothermal heating and AC system for their new home as well as a suggestion that the system be installed by Precision Comfort. To the builders we have already worked with, we look forward to doing another Precision geothermal installation for our mutual customers.
To the builders that we have not yet met, we look forward to meeting you. Your home buyer was smart enough to seek out the most energy efficient new home heating and AC system available, and it is our opinion that they also found the most experienced geothermal heating contractor in Central Indiana. We look forward to meeting you and we are anxious to prove to you that our new home HVAC system design and installation is the best.
If you are building a new home, we encourage you to attend the Indianapolis Home Show (Dates from January 20 to 29) and find Precision Comfort Systems in booth 362. We can show you in just a few minutes why geothermal heating is your best choice for your new home.
If you are looking for honest furnace repair in the Indianapolis area during the Christmas holidays, you would think it should be as easy as reading the advertisements and calling any one of the many HVAC contractors who claim to be the most trustworthy, reliable, honest and overall best heating contractor in Central Indiana. It should be this easy to find honesty, especially during the holidays! But unfortunately, there are a few sales motivated individuals that cause false alarm and thus cast a bit of suspicion across the entire trade.
But first thing is first. If your furnace is not working properly, please have someone check it now. Think about it. What other appliance do you depend on for so much comfort and safety? It must work properly. So if it’s broke, get it fixed!
Now, assuming you have someone in your home for furnace repair, you may be surprised when they say the furnace needs to be replaced. This diagnosis changes a funace repair bill of a few hundred dollars to a funace replacement of several thousand dollars. This is not an uncommon occurrence. But are they telling the truth? Most people never know. What should you do?
Precision Comfort Systems recommends getting a second opinion. Our experienced technicians each have many stories about inspecting a supposedly condemned furnace and finding nothing wrong. This is unfortunate, but there are some individuals who think that any furnace over a certain age is not reliable. These technicians who are pressured for sales quotas, create just enough alarm to pressure customers into a purchase that may not have been needed.
Precision Comfort System has no charge for a second opinion. We have been to many homes in the Westfield, Noblesville, Fishers, Carmel and Zionsville area that did not really have a furnace about to blow up. You would be amazed at how many loyal customers we have acquired by simply giving them an honest answer. We would much rather impress you with our honesty today, and then have the opportunity to impress you with our installation skills in the future.
Precision Comfort Systems has just received another services award and the new badge has been installed on the bottom of our web page. This award reflects Precision Comfort System’s consistently high level of customer service. If you are looking for the heating and air conditioning company that is the best in honest, skilled customer service, Precision is a north side Indianapolis company you can trust.
This award means a lot to us. As a result of our long standing commitment to customer satisfaction, we are, perhaps, the most referred heating and air conditioning company in the City of Westfield and other nearby communities. Our past, satisfied customers are the most powerful and effective type of advertising we possess and we depend on our long standing, “best in the area” reputation to keep our referrals coming in.
Customer referrals are the perfect way for Precision Comfort Systems to be recognized and discovered by new customers who demand the best in heating and air conditioning service. Read the testimonials on our website.
Our customers are the most valuable asset we have acquired over the years and we intend to maintain their trust. We hope we get the opportunity to earn your trust and impress you with our services.
You know from reading my blogs that Precision Comfort Systems in Central Indiana (Westfield to be exact) is the largest geothermal, green heating dealer in the state. But that’s not enough green. This green heating contractor takes it one step farther. After you purchase a high efficiency heating or air conditioning system from Precision, know that your old system did not go to a landfill. As a green heating dealer, we recycle!
Here is a picture of our recycle shop. Each week we bring in dozens of old inefficient air conditioners. First the refrigerant is reclaimed (collected for recycling) by a Precision EPA licensed technician. Then the air conditioner and furnace parts are brought back to our in-house recycle program. Different metal components are processed, sorted and then grouped together. Then they are transported to the recycle centers.
We recognize that the most energy efficient customers are those who are investing in geothermal systems and high efficiency furnaces and high efficiency air conditioners. These are the same customers who would insist in the most environmentally sound, sustainable disposal of the old equipment. Precision Comfort Systems could not agree more. Despite the extra time involved, you can be assured that your old air conditioner nightmare that caused you so many problems, was fittingly dismembered and disposed of properly. Who knows, perhaps your old air conditioner will be part of the next windmill project or a solar collector.
We all want to Go Green in Indianapolis, but which is the best route? Truthfully, the “go green” habit changes that cost nothing and help you consume less are the best. But if you are also looking to go green on a larger scale, a geothermal heating and cooling system is your best investment.
I included a picture in this post of what we have to look forward to with our upcoming Central Indiana winter weather. This is part of a current ad we are running for Precision Comfort Systems, but it also is a great way to get a feel for what geothermal energy really accomplishes.
You wake up on a cold winter morning but your home is probably warm. Even when you go green, you never escape the seemingly endless need for winter heating. It’s automatic. The thermostat clicks on and the home demands heat.
What are your choices? You can go out and harvest some wood. You can move to the tropics. You can purchase heat with traditional gas, oil and electric heating systems. Or, you can can really go green with geothermal and harvest (actually borrow) some heat from your backyard. Of course moving the heat inside will still use some electricity, but only a fraction of the amount compared to a standard electric furnace.
Green Geothermal heating uses the heat stored in the ground. This is actually solar heat since the sun is what warms the ground. Think of your yard as a very convenient, maintenance free solar collector and heat storage device all in one. Talk about going green! It turns out all of us with some kind of yard have a giant solar energy system just waiting for a geothermal system to connect the heat to the home!
Call Precision Comfort Systems the geothermal specialists. We serve Westfield, Fishers, Noblesville, Carmel, Zionsville, Hamilton County and all of Central Indiana.
Are you heating your home with propane (LP) gas? Considering the high propane prices in Central Indiana, you need to read this to save some serious money. The current price of LP gas in Hamilton County, Indiana, is around $2.50 per gallon. This can translate into heating costs of $2000 per year! Imagine how far ahead you would be if you could keep $1500 of this expense every year?
Propane heat is one of the most expensive ways to heat your home. But what alternatives do you have? Here is an easy way to make a quick comparison between different heating systems and fuels. From your past heating bills we can estimate how much heat your home needed last winter. The unit of heat we use is called a BTU. (A BTU is a very small amount of heat so you need several million of these BTUs each winter.)
Let’s say your home needed 65 million BTUs last winter. Your 90% LP gas furnace can make one million BTUs for $30.86 if the gas cost is $2.50 per gallon. So your winter fuel bill ends up being about $2000 because 65 million X $30.86 = $2006. Does this unreasonably high propane bill sound familiar?
Geothermal saves $1000 to $2000 per year!
A geothermal heat pump in your home will not change the amount of heat you need. But the geo system can make (actually, move) the same one million BTUs for a mere $7.53 if the cost of electricity is $.09 per kWh. So now your winter heating bill is 65 X $7.53 or $489. Do some quick rounding and you can see about $1500 per year in geothermal energy savings! In a more extreme example, your furnace may only be 80% efficient and your electricity may only cost $.075 per kWh. Now your geothermal heating savings is over $1800 per winter!
And the geothermal air conditioning savings are added to the winter savings!
Precision Comfort Systems will help you with all your options and even update you on the 30% geothermal federal tax credit. We can help you decide if your next propane furnace repair is a wise decision. Maybe it’s better seen as a good opportunity to invest in a new system. Before you spend more money on your next propane tank refill, or your next furnace repair, or even your next air conditioner service, call the heating and cooling specialists at Precision Comfort Systems. 317-867-2665.
Indianapolis area homeowners with a geothermal heating and cooling system, take note. You were very wise when you decided on the very best energy savings investment. But your need to make wise decisions does not end after the initial investment. Who does your seasonal geothermal service is your next most important decision.
Geothermal service is best when it comes from those most experienced in geothermal technology. When you are tempted to change your service source to someone offering a special tune and clean for a very low price, think again. Many advertising savvy heating contractors are not as familiar with complete geothermal service as they are with traditional furnace cleanings.
A geothermal heating and cooling system, as you know, is very different. This high technology, green energy source needs to be seasonally examined by a trained geothermal technician. But let’s face it, there are probably other techs that could show you their class participation certificate. What you are really looking for is the contractor who deals with geothermal service on a daily basis.
Precision Comfort Systems in Westfield, Indiana has installed thousands of geothermal heating and air conditioning systems in Noblesville, Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers and all of the Central Indiana communities. We are frequently called on to diagnose a geothermal problem that another contractor could not resolve. These customers are lucky that their problem was noticeable enough to warrant a second opinion. But what about the geo systems that are not quite up to their full potential and no one knows the difference? Don’t take chances. Call the pros.
Precision Comfort Systems is a Water Furnace GeoPro Master dealer and we offer geothermal service on all types and brands of geothermal systems. This includes geothermal loop services. Schedule your geothermal service from the most referred geothermal contractor, today!
Here is the 2011 version of my perennial, portable electric heater review. Since Precision Comfort Systems in Westfield is known as the heating and cooling specialists in Indianapolis, we get many questions about the energy savings claimed by full page ads featuring plug in portable electric heaters. Despite giving you enough text for a long breakfast read, most of these claims are not accurate. In fact, for most families, these plug in portable heaters will actually raise their energy bill.
Here’s the truth. When you create heat with electricity, you have only a few options. Most whole house electric heating systems in the Indianapolis area are heat pumps. Heat pumps and especially geothermal heat pumps are fantastic! The only other electric heat option is to put electricity into some type of “resistant conductor” and this causes the conductor to glow warm and thus gives off some type of heat. You are already familiar with this type of electric heat. It’s in your toaster, your hair dryer, electric stove top and oven, electric clothes dryer, incandescent light bulb, heat lamp… you get the idea. I like to call it toaster heat.
Here’s the science. All electric resistance toaster heat is exactly the same (poor) efficiency. You will always get (a relatively small amount) 3413 units of heat (BTUs) for each unit of electricity (kWh) you put in. No variations. Compare this to a heat pump at 2 to 3 times the efficiency or a geothermal heat pump at 3 to 5 times the efficiency. So adding one of these units normally increases energy costs.
There could be one exception. If you can tolerate your home at a low (example) 55 to 60 degree temperature and then use a portable electric heater in a single, small room kept at 70, you might save some money. But this depends on the type of heating fuel and heating system you use. You may only break even for all the discomfort of a cold home.
One more comment. By code, if the advertised portable electric heater plugs into a normal wall outlet, it can only be 1500 watts maximum. So it is never “more powerful” than the same 1500 watt unit you can buy at the local discount store for as little as $12.00. If you really need a little “spot heat” in your home and do not mind a little increase in your energy costs, look over the choices in the discount store and upgrade to a heater that includes several built-in safety devices. Read more on Portable Electric Heater Safety.
Or, your best solution for any home comfort problem, call Precision Comfort Systems. We are the heating specialists that tell the truth.
This has been my annual portable electric heater review and now I will file it away until next year. With the outrageous profits being made in this scam, I’m sure the ads will continue.
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