Press Releases Archive - Bedell Home Services

How to Prevent Burst Pipes Around the Home

Avoiding the Damage Caused By Burst Pipes

It may be hard to believe, but winter is coming. That means the threats posed to the home from the plumbing will change. Most people don't realize it, but many plumbing problems are seasonal, and burst pipes become more common with cooler temperatures.

While most people understand that frozen pipes commonly cause pipe bursts, they aren't the only cause. When conditions are right, Burst pipes can be a threat all year. When pipes burst, they can quickly flood a home with thousands of gallons of water or sewage and take months to recover. Luckily, there are easy ways to prevent these plumbing disasters. Here is a quick guide from local plumbing contractors that can help owners take action to stop burst pipes.

Prevent Clogs

One of the causes of burst pipes that can occur at any time of the year is a burst sewer pipe. When sewer lines are installed they are never intended to handle much pressure. They are simply meant to be a thoroughfare to flush away waste. Unfortunately, clogs can occur in sewer pipes that aren't properly cared for. A clogged pipe causes sewage to back up, which in turn causes pressure to build in the pipe. Since the sewer pipe was never intended to handle that pressure, the pipe can burst.

The best way to stop clogged pipes is to prevent them with good drain habits and preventative maintenance. First, pay attention to what goes down the drain. Discard all kitchen waste in the trash, and never flush anything other than waste and toilet paper down the commode. Secondly, scheduling drain cleaning, especially hydro jet drain cleaning, can prevent clogs by removing the root cause, namely, buildup on the inside walls of the pipe.

Protect Pipes From Freezing

No discussion of burst pipes would be complete without mentioning frozen pipes. Frozen pipes are a very common problem, but they are all preventable when the right measures are taken. To start, always make professionals ensure plumbing repairs. Plumbing codes are designed to protect pipes from freezing, so most frozen pipes are prevented simply by having professional installation done.

In some cases, good installation practices aren't enough to protect pipes from freezing. In those cases, pipe insulation is probably all needed to prevent frozen pipes.

Stop Corrosion

Corrosion is a problem in any kind of plumbing that uses metal pipes. Copper and galvanized pipes that carry fresh water and steel or iron sewer pipes tend to rust. When corrosion occurs inside a pipe, the innermost layer of metal is oxidized and can start to flake off inside the pipe. This creates the perfect opportunity to interrupt the flow and cause a loss of water pressure and a spike in the internal pressure inside the pipes.

The best way to stop corrosion is to ensure chemical drain cleaners are never used. These dangerous chemicals quickly corrode metal pipes, making them much more likely to burst. Leave drain cleaning to the professionals and simply schedule a drain cleaning visit from a local expert.

About Bedell Home Services

Bedell Home Services has nearly 40 years of experience preventing and responding to frozen pipes. They offer flat-rate pricing on most repairs. Call today for regular or emergency plumbing service in Carmel, IN.

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Want Better Indoor Air Quality? Read This In Time for National Wellness Month

Understanding Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality, often referred to as IAQ, describes the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially concerning the health and comfort of the people living and working in these enclosed spaces. Homes and places of business with excellent indoor air quality are great places to live and work, as they allow occupants to breathe easily and comfortably without encountering any respiratory issues.

Places with poor IAQ, on the other hand, may be hounded by some of the most common indoor air pollutants, which may include things like asbestos, biological pollutants (such as viruses, pollen, dust, and bacteria), carbon monoxide, lead, pesticides, secondhand smoke, and other indoor particulate matter.

There is a long list of pollutants that can adversely affect the health of residents, and even more possible causes or sources of these pollutants, but the good news is that awareness of their existence as well as what causes them can help homeowners prevent their spread indoors to keep all who live there safe and healthy.

How Poor Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Health

Keeping indoor air at its highest quality should be a top priority for homeowners, seeing as people spend a lot of time indoors, in their own homes, especially in extreme weather that drives people to shelter at home. If indoor air quality isn’t kept at an optimum level, a home’s occupants may start to experience health effects that can be minor irritations at best or cause severe reactions at worst.

Some of the ways poor indoor air quality affects a person’s health include:

Irritation of eyes, nose, and throat
Constant and recurring headaches
Feeling dizzy or fatigued
Aggravated asthma
Worsening symptoms of allergies

Benefits of Replacing and Maintaining Air Filters Regularly

Despite the prevalence of indoor air quality, homeowners should rejoice in the knowledge that poor IAQ doesn’t have to be something they can take lying down. There are many things homeowners can do to keep air quality levels at their highest, the easiest of which is to simply engage in regular HVAC maintenance. This means conducting air filter replacement regularly to prevent indoor pollutants from building up.

Air filters improve indoor air quality by trapping solid particulates, pollutants, and microorganisms in a fibrous or porous material that would otherwise float in the air and cause respiratory irritation. Changing the air filter at least once every 3 months and contracting professional indoor air quality services to maintain the HVAC in its best and cleanest condition can keep IAQ at its optimum level.

Best Devices To Help Clean Up The Air

Aside from regular HVAC maintenance, homeowners can also augment their efforts at keeping indoor air clean by investing in devices that perform this specific function. Most of these devices will fall under either the air purifier or UV sanitizer category, both of which perform the job of cleaning indoor air in two entirely different ways.

An air purifier cleans the air by passing it through a series of filters that trap airborne contaminants, while UV air sanitizers do the same thing using UV-C light or aerosol vapors. While they both do a great job of cleaning the air, homeowners may want to take note of their specific strengths to address a home’s specific needs. Homeowners prone to allergies may find the air purifier better captures larger allergens. At the same time, those who want to get rid of germs and other smaller particles like viruses and bacteria may want to invest in an air sanitizer, which does this job better.

About Bedell Home Services

Bedell Home Services has been providing expert plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services to the communities of Carmel, IN since 1988. This family-owned and operated company is licensed, bonded, and insured, employing highly trained and trustworthy professionals who can get any job done right the first time. They also offer competitive pricing and easy financing options for their customers. Call them today for HVAC services in Carmel, IN.

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Routine Plumbing Maintenance is Crucial

Reasons to Schedule Plumbing Maintenance

There is never a wrong time to do the right thing, especially when it comes to plumbing maintenance. Plumbing maintenance is a standard service practiced by most plumbers, but unfortunately, too few homeowners know its benefits.

Take preemptive action instead of paying high water and energy bills and dealing with short-lived and routine plumbing emergencies. If a home's plumbing seems less reliable than usual, maybe it's time to let a professional take a look. Here are three direct benefits of plumbing maintenance in the home.

Keep Things Running Smoothly

The plumbing in a home is usually reliable. With modern building codes and advanced materials, plumbing problems infrequently pop up. However, when plumbing problems arise, they can be catastrophic.

Plumbing maintenance is just as important as protecting the home as keeping fire extinguishers around. When sewage leaks occur, or pipes burst, the damage can be very expensive and inconvenient. Luckily, homeowners can avoid nasty situations like clogged drains and toilets that won't flush away waste when they choose to have their system inspected and maintained.

Increase the Lifespan of Plumbing Materials

The plumbing system in a home is made up of various materials and fixtures. One of the benefits of plumbing maintenance is that it allows the homeowner to know what is going on with the infrastructure in the home. Since most plumbing is hidden underground or behind walls, outdated materials can exist in a home for decades without the owner knowing. Understanding the lifespan of different plumbing materials can help homeowners make smart decisions about upgrading to protect their homes from potential damage.

The shortest-lived component of a plumbing system is probably the water heater. Without routine maintenance, water heaters are only expected to last around seven years. After this point, they are subject to leaks and major inefficiencies.

Next on the list are the fixtures. Plumbing fixtures can be reliable for decades, but many will show problems like leaks. Usually, these can be quickly repaired during a plumbing maintenance visit.

Finally, piping is the long-lived component of a plumbing system but also the most crucial. With modern building codes, there are no situations where iron or galvanized piping is reliable. Early PVC installations can also be out of date. Discuss upgrading options with plumbing system maintenance plumbers to understand how to proceed.

Lower Bills

This may be the most popular choice on the list. Plumbing maintenance can lower bills in three different ways. First, allowing professionals to inspect the plumbing and correct any minor deficiencies can stop problems from growing and becoming more expensive. This can save a lot of money on unexpected repair bills.

One of the downsides to plumbing is that when a problem occurs, it can continue to waste money until it is repaired. Leaks are the perfect example. When leaks occur in fixtures and piping, they slowly waste water and money until repairs are made. Allowing professionals to do plumbing maintenance prevents wastage and lowers bills by reducing water usage.

Finally, plumbing maintenance lowers bills and saves money by maintaining the water heater. Water heaters are huge portions of monthly bills, and when they run inefficiently, the cost is obvious. Flushing and draining the water heater is an important part of plumbing maintenance that can drastically lower energy bills.

About Bedell Home Services

Bedell Home Services are local experts that add a personal touch to their service. With comprehensive plumbing, HVAC, and excavating services, they are reliable providers for thousands of local homes. Call today for flat-rate pricing on plumbing repairs in Carmel, IN.

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Why Should You Install A Ductless Heating & Cooling System?

What You Need To Know About Ductless Mini Splits

Most homes have traditional HVAC systems to meet both cooling and heating requirements. These traditional HVACs are usually connected to air ducts that distribute cooled or heated air throughout the home. However, central HVAC systems are not the only option for residential heating and cooling.

An alternative to traditional HVACs is the ductless mini split, a heating and cooling system composed of two separate units - an outdoor compressor and an indoor air handler connected by a conduit line. Aside from the ductless mini split system’s advantage of taking up less space and requiring zero ductwork, this more modern HVAC alternative also has the following benefits:

Less Energy Consumption

Unlike traditional HVACs, the ductless mini split is designed with advanced control algorithms and heat exchangers that maximize energy consumption. These ensure homeowners save at least 30 percent of their electricity costs, significantly reducing their energy bills.

Homeowners could further maximize their energy savings by opting for models equipped with inverter technology, which uses variable speeds to turn down the unit’s motor when demand is low. Bringing down a motor’s speed reduces the amount of energy used and consequently lowers electric bills.

Because ductless mini splits don’t require ductwork, common problems that result in energy wastage, such as heat loss along the ducts or air leaks, are also eliminated.

Easy to Install

Eliminating the need for lengthy ductwork makes installing the mini split quicker and easier. Instead of laying down several hundred feet of air ducts and trying to find where these will fit into the home, all that needs to be done is to find the ideal spot to install both the indoor and outdoor units and connect the two. This design is great for old homes without ductwork or homes that don’t have enough space for the length of ductwork required. It is also perfect for homeowners who don’t want the complexity of a traditional air conditioning installation or heating installation procedure that may take up to two days to complete when a ductless mini split can be installed within hours.

Customizable Zones of Comfort

Customizing temperatures in different parts of the home with mini-splits rather than having one set temperature for the whole house can improve home comfort dramatically. Having different air handlers for different rooms in the house allows for greater control and flexibility since these rooms can be set at different temperatures that are ideal for the preferences of the people who use them most, as well as the activities conducted in these spaces.

Ductless systems can also greatly improve indoor air quality. Without air ducts, the probability of harboring dust, dirt, and allergens in these hard-to-reach places that may be redistributed throughout the house is greatly reduced.

About Bedell Home Services

Bedell Home Services has provided expert plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services to Carmel, IN, since 1988. This family-owned and operated company is licensed, bonded, and insured, employing highly trained and trustworthy professionals who can get any job done right the first time. They also offer competitive pricing and easy financing options for their customers. Call them today for all HVAC services in Carmel, IN.

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Benefits of Remembering Spring HVAC Maintenance

Prepare for Summer with Air Conditioning Maintenance

Springtime is the perfect time for home maintenance and improvement projects. Not only is the weather better than in months, but taking care of things earlier always leads to more positive outcomes. This means that right now is the best time for spring cleaning.

Of all of the necessary tasks on the spring cleaning checklist, one of the most important ones is AC maintenance. Spring air conditioner tune-ups prepare the air conditioner for summer, but it also has a couple of financial benefits that interest every homeowner. Here is a list of reasons to encourage every homeowner to remember air conditioner service during the spring.

Protect Energy Efficiency

One of the biggest complaints from homeowners during the summer is high energy bills. The air conditioner is one of the most expensive appliances in the home. When temperatures rise during the summer, the air conditioner spends more time working and racks up some massive bills in the process.

For homeowners looking to save money during the summer, why not invest in the air conditioner? AC maintenance is designed to do just that. By spending a little money upfront with qualified technicians, homeowners ensure that their air conditioner runs at peak efficiency. The higher the efficiency, the lower the bills. By allowing experts to clean and lubricate cooling equipment, owners can be assured they save monthly money on cooling bills.

Save Money with Fewer Repairs

Apart from the operating cost of the air conditioner, other hidden expenses can break the bank during the summer. To add insult to injury, skipping the spring AC tune-up is a recipe for high energy and repair bills.

Manufacturers recommend spring AC maintenance because technicians can review the equipment and look for potential problems. This allows homeowners to save money by:

Finding potential problems before they crop up
Allowing homeowners to skip emergency repairs later by making repairs now
Ensuring the system is cleaned and lubricated so it can handle another summer
Preventing problems from spreading to different parts of the unit

Instead of taking chances during the summer, call for an AC maintenance visit from local experts today and stay cool all summer without it costing too much.

Enjoy a Longer Equipment Lifespan

Every air conditioner has a life expectancy. In most cases, 20 years is the average. What most people don’t take into consideration is the fact that the 20-year life expectancy is based on good, professional maintenance. When air conditioners are neglected, they can start to have problems much sooner, which means their equipment is less likely to last as long as it should.

With spring AC maintenance, homeowners can be sure they will get the most out of their cooling equipment for years. Owners can roll back the clock on their unit by allowing professionals to handle air conditioner maintenance. With consistent yearly maintenance, every homeowner can ensure their system is ready for many more summers.

About Bedell Home Services

Bedell Home Services has helped local homes stay cool for over 30 years. With comprehensive maintenance services, their customers enjoy low bills and fewer repairs. Call today to prepare for summer in Carmel, IN with AC service.