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If you’re like most homeowners in Indianapolis, your heating & cooling system is the last thing on your mind.  With work, kids, laundry, dishes, pets, and a hundred other things screaming for your attention, that old furnace is an afterthought as long as it’s still 68 degrees.  But, as these things tend to transpire, your furnace goes out at the worst moment possible.  10pm the night before a big presentation, 3am and you wake up to a 50 degree house, it’s never when it’s 55 and sunny when your furnace decides to quit.

At Homesense we have the novel idea of actually caring about the fact your heat is out.  When you’re in the cold, you don’t want to sit around waiting for a HVAC technician to arrive.  Even worse, you don’t want to sit around not knowing when the HVAC technician may or may not come out because you can’t get a call back from the company.  Sure, you can call the “be there in an hour” guys, but you know you’ll pay triple the normal rates.  Not to many people we know in Indy are anxious to spend lawyer rates on their HVAC techs.

So, if you’re looking for fast heating repair in the Indianapolis area without price gouging, give Homesense Heating | Cooling a call today.

Tags: Fast heating repair Indianapolis, Furnace repair Indianapolis, Furnace Service Carmel, Great Prices for Heating Repair, Heat Pump Repair in Carmel, heating repair carmel, heating repair indianapolis, Top Quality Heating Repair Indianapolis

We often hear from homeowners in Indianapolis, calling because they are having issues with their Honeywell Heating and Cooling system.  We decided to write a short piece on it, because Honeywell doesn’t actually make the HVAC systems that are likely causing the issue.  Since most homeowners interface is primarily with the thermostat, and Honeywell is the largest thermostat maker, homeowners think they have a Honeywell HVAC system.

Chances are you have a Honeywell thermostat that’s paired with one of the many brand of mechanical systems that are out there.  Carrier, Trane, Lennox and most others all use Honeywell products.

If you’re having trouble with your HVAC system, whether the furnace has stopped working, or it’s just too cold, give us a call at 317.670.0171

Tags: honeywell humidifiers indianapolis, honeywell hvac indianapolis, honeywell thermostats, indianapolis hvac

As technology has seemed to develop with smart phones, iPads, and interactive TV’s all communicating with one another, thermostats have continued to be a bit behind the curve.  Don’t get me wrong, our Honeywell line and Carrier Infinity thermostats have some great functionality and really support their mechanical equipment.  The aesthetics, however, have lagged a bit behind the more handheld devices.

This is no longer the case with the advent of The Nest thermostat.  The creators claim that it’s a learning thermostat, that will program itself for you, based upon your usage.  Another great feature, is that it can be adjusted from you phone or handheld device.

Homesense is working with The Nest to become a certified provider of this equipment.  Interested?  Stay tuned.

Tags: Nest thermostat, Self Programming Thermostat, The Nest Thermostat Indianapolis

Honeywell is a brand most everyone is familiar with.  As the most popular thermostat brand in America, Honeywell products are currently in over 120 million homes.  With quality engineering, and great warranties, Homesense is proud to offer Honeywell products for installation, service and repair.

If you find yourself in need of repairing your Honeywell system, please give us a call.

If you’re looking for some of the newest and highest quality thermostats, humidifiers, outdoor sensors, and other quality HVAC products, we have their full line of equipment available.

Tags: honeywell humidifiers indianapoli, honeywell hvac indianapolis, honeywell thermostats

Story Time…

If you read our blog or subscribe to the ASI newsletter you know that I start a lot of my post that way. I love when I have a story to share with our readers. Especially a success story. An ASI success, a client success, or both. This post falls into the first category.

A little background information…

Part of a grant given to the city of New Castle was allocated to build new homes in low-income areas to provide affordable housing to low-income families. The new homes are currently being marketed by realtors. The homes have each been victim to multiple crimes. The most prevalent being HVAC copper theft. Criminals were taking the copper out of the Air Conditioners to sell for scrap. When the city sought out a solution, they turned to ASI. We secure multiple locations for the city and county currently. We installed security systems, including HVAC monitors, at all of the locations.

I guess he didn’t see the sign…

The new ASI sign in the yard didn’t deter a criminal from once again trying to steal copper from an AC unit. He set the alarm off, and the police responded immediately. He was arrested. We are very happy to have assisted law enforcement in apprehending a thief.

“We had another theft at the 16th Street property.  The alarm notified dispatch, and one of our officers caught the thief.  He didn’t get away with the air conditioning unit, but he did cause damage to it.  I am very thankful for ASI and how they handled this situation.”  Jeana L. Davis, Director Public Works

A growing problem…

Unfortunately, many people don’t realize just how prevalent copper theft has become. This problem is growing. Many of our clients have requested adding HVAC sensors to their systems. Most of them do this as a preventative measure. Others call after they have experienced copper theft first hand. As I was writing this post I decided to check The Courier Times to see if there had been any other thefts in the same area reported on Monday morning. Here is what I found.

Monday, 7:54 a.m. – Copper was removed from an air conditioning unit in the 700 block of South 14th Street in New Castle. Damage was estimated at $2,000. Police have no suspects.

Monday, 9:15 a.m. – Copper was removed from two air conditioning units in the 900 block of South Main Street in New Castle. Damage was estimated at $4,000. Police have no suspects.

Monday, 9:33 a.m. – An air conditioning unit was stolen from the 400 block of North 12th Street in New Castle. Loss was estimated at $2,000.

An HVAC Sensor is a very inexpensive add on to a security system. In the months of December and January we will be offering HVAC sensors to our current customers for 15% off, and we will be including an HVAC sensor with a new system purchase (not valid with other offers). Contact us to learn more.

Have you or someone you know experienced copper theft? If you’re not from the Henry County area, I would be interested in hearing your opinion on this problem in your area. Is it as prevalent? I would love to hear your thought in the comments below.

Jake Anderson is the marketing director at ASI. ASI has been providing security, surveillance, access control, home automation and more to homes and businesses in Indiana for nearly two decades. Visit about.me/andersonjake to learn more about Jake, and for links to connect with him on facebook, twitter, or linkedin. To learn more about ASI visit www.asiontheweb.net 

Tags: hvac copper theft, Indiana home security expert, indianapolis hvac, investment property hvac security, new castle indiana home security

Chances are if you’re reading this, you’ve had a technician out to your home and they’ve told you you have a crack or rupture in your heat exchanger.

As furnaces age, they can and do develop these issues that can cause serious health consequences from carbon monoxide leaked into your home.

The issue that we see in Indianapolis HVAC, is that many companies use this very real threat as a means to force customers into buying new furnaces, when it may not really be necessary.

First thing to know: whenever you get a cracked heat exchanger diagnosis, the technician should be able to show you the crack.

If they say it’s not a visible crack, but they have a CO detection device that found a crack, ask them to show you.  It’s not that you’re questioning their credibility, you’re just wanted to see for yourself.

Either way, you should get a second opinion from another company before moving forward.

Let’s say you do have a cracked heat exchanger, this is what your next steps would look like:  The reality is that most heat exchangers have a 20 year or lifetime warranty anymore.  However, even with the part under warranty, your labor cost can be very prohibitive, because most of the furnace has to be disassembled and reassembled, as the heat exchanger is a major part.  Since we don’t usually see cracked heat exchangers until the furnace gets up in age, and most people don’t see the benefit of replacing a $1k + part, on an old system, we end up recommending replacing the entire furnace.

Once you talk about replacing the furnace, you have plenty of options.  And, unless the crack is very prominent, don’t feel pressured to make an immediate decision, though we encourage you to do some within 24 hours of the initial diagnostic, and to have a CO detector in the home to ensure you’re not at any major risk.

Tags: Carrier furnace cracked heat exchanger, Cracked heat exchanger Indianapolis furnace, furnace replacement indianapolis, gas furnace cracked heat exchanger, Goodman furnace cracked heat exchanger, Lennox furnace cracked heat exchanger, Trane furnace cracked heat exchanger

While the weather outside hasn’t been too frightful, it definitely getting colder every day.  As the temps get into the teens, single digits, and eventually below zero, Indianapolis homeowners need an HVAC company to trust.

So, why would you trust Homesense Heating | Cooling?

• Only experienced technicians.  When you call a company out of the yellow pages, or one from a money mailer, you don’t know who’ll show up.  More than anything else when your furnace breaks down, you want someone who knows their craft doing the diagnosis.  At Homesense, we have technicians with a minimum of 25 years experience, so you know you’re getting top quality service every time.
• The highest integrity in Indianapolis HVAC.  Experience means little, if it’s not coupled with high integrity.  Having strong roots in the Indianapolis community, our leadership and technicians know that Indianapolis is a small town at heart, and it doesn’t take too long for bad things to get around.  More than that, each of us strive to uphold daily our personal commitments to faith, and that flows into how we work and interact with customers.  We don’t like to flaunt this fact, but it’s something that we know sets our company apart.
• Top quality third party reviews for Indianapolis HVAC.  We can say how great we are all day, but we know that no one can say it better than satisfied customers.  That’s why we always encourage new customers to go online and look at what past customers are saying.  Go to Google, and looking at how Homesense stacks up to other Indianapolis HVAC companies.  Look at Angie’s List and Better Business Bureau, wherever you look, we know that our customers telling our story will mean more than anything else.

Tags: Furnace Repair Carmel, Furnace repair Indianapolis, Furnace service Indianapolis, heating repair carmel, heating repair indianapolis

Fresh off our visit from the Carrier furnace manufacturing plant on Indianapolis’ west side, I wanted to pen a quick note for those interested in the best furnaces on the market, it’s the Carrier Infinity line.

I’ll tell the whole story of meeting the engineers behind this great equipment & the top thermostat on the market, and seeing the highly efficient assembly line in action, but suffice it to say that I walked away more impressed than ever in our decision to carry Carrier products.

These Infinity furnaces have the highest levels of R&D in the HVAC market, done locally, and tested more thoroughly than any competitors products, to provide the highest efficiency heating options anywhere.  If you’re looking for quiet operation, check that box.  If you’re looking to save on gas & electric bills, the Infinity has you covered.  If you’re looking for seamless adaptation into an older home, with possibly suspect duct design, the Infinity line can adapt to its surroundings.

These furnaces incorporate much of the technology advances that have made the rest of our lives easier.  We’d love to talk to you more, and answer any questions you might have.  Give us a call 317.670.0171

Tags: Buy local HVAC, Carrier Infinity, indianapolis hvac, Infinity furnaces manufacturing

Like Angie’s List and Google Local, Better Business Bureau is a great resource for customers who are looking to find third party verification that contractor is what they say they are.  We’ve been on the Better Business Bureau since 2009, and have earned an A+ rating with the agency.

If you’re looking at hiring a heating & cooling contractors in the Indianapolis area, we hope you consider Homesense!

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.  ~William Faulkner

Thanksgiving might be the most uniquely American of all our holidays.  We all know the story of the Pilgrims, only with the help of some native American Indians were they able to survive the torturous New England winter.  The American-ness extends beyond just this foundational story, but is woven throughout our history.  While American’s are known as individualists, the reality is that no one achieves any level of success in isolation.  And, unlike many other countries, with built in hierarchies established over centuries of caste and pseudo-caste systems, America is still a land of opportunity (no matter what people maybe occupying).

It is in this proud tradition of American business, that we take a moment to say thanks. There are many in the Indianapolis area that have been supportive of our growth this year, but we want to highlight a few.

In guidance, support, and friendship the following people have made this year the best one yet for Homesense: my wife Tiffany Schutt (@TiffanySchutt), besides being the coolest person I know, is also our biggest cheerleader, friends and business advisers and supporters: Seth & Jackie Morales (@smorales84), Mark Riggle, Kyle Lacy (@kyleplacy), Mason Hughes, ( Joe Dudeck (@joetography), Jeremy Dearringer (@PapaSlingshot), Drew Schroeder (@drewschroeder), Randy Stocklin (@RandyStocklin), Mike Morris, Andrew Dick, Eddie Sans (@EddieMetSalad), Gabe Young (@GJCYoung), Brent & Jen Whaley (@whaleyb0) (@whaleyjen), Paul Poteet (@PaulPoteet), Cody Rivers (@bcrivers), Lauren Kriner (@laurenkriner), Judy & Mike Cohen, Allison Steck (@alsteck), Eric & Kelly Smith (@esmith14nd), Adam & Cara Weber (@adam_weber) (@cara_weber)… there are likely many more of you that helped throughout this year, and I’m sure I’ll be embarrassed when you remind me.  Know that it’s more of a consequence of rampant ADD, than any intentional omission.

If our Thanksgiving table was big enough, or if by some act of God we became John Madden and were able to distribute turkey legs, you would all be receiving one from us.

Thank you!