CHESTERFIELD OBSERVER - With summer right around the corner, the Chesterfield County Building Inspection Department has made backyard safety the focus as it recognizes May as Building Safety Month. Building officials are encouraging county residents to take time now to ensure their decks and pools are ready for some safe summertime fun.
Each year, hundreds of people are injured as a result of deck failures or collapses, which can be prevented with regular maintenance. According to the International Code Council Foundation, roughly half of the 40 million decks in the United States are in need of repairs or rebuilding. Chesterfield County building officials recommend the following:
Check support posts and beams for rot, splitting or abnormal movement
Closely examine points at which the deck attaches to the house
Check all fasteners, including bolts and brackets, for any rust or corrosion
Make sure all the rails are sturdy and well-secured
Pools pose obvious safety risks, but there are other risks that may not be as apparent. Like the deck on the back of a house, many pools, especially above-ground pools, have decks beside or around them that require just as much maintenance. How a pool is built or installed, and how a pool is equipped, also can pose risks. Chesterfield County building officials recommend the following:
Make sure that fences, gates and covers that protect the pool from entry by unattended children are operable and in good repair.
Remove access ladders on above-ground pools when the pool is not in use.
Make sure that pumps and other electrical equipment are installed by a qualified individual familiar with the bonding and grounding provisions of the electrical code.
Make sure that pool heaters are installed only by a qualified individual familiar with the code requirements for gas and electric appliances.
Make sure that pools with recirculation filters are equipped with approved entrapment protection.
Should a potential problem be spotted, an inspection by a county building official is recommended. Inspections are free, and most can be completed within a day of when you call. The inspector will know what needs to be done and whether a building permit would be required. They’ll also inspect any work that’s done.
For more information, contact the Chesterfield County Building Inspection Department’s Citizen Assistance Line at 804-748-1779.
Note from Marshall Mechanical: If you are in need of plumbing help related to broken pipes, clogged drains, gas lines or sewer lines, our Master Plumber can help you. Simply call 804.323.0189 today. Same with pool heaters or any type of heating and cooling equipment for your home or outdoor living spaces.
Many Richmond VA homeowners are looking for low-cost home improvements that can make a difference in your home energy bills.
Dominion Virginia Power has a number of suggestions to manage your Richmond home’s energy costs with a new video featuring Bob Fulton, Dominion’s weatherization specialist, who demonstrates how to include a number of energy saving initiatives, such as:
Adding the proper amount of attic insulation and having the proper attic ventilation
Determining the best time of day to use your dishwasher and other appliances
Using a microwave oven or, better yet, an outdoor grill for cooking and why it makes sense in the summer
This is a short video, with great tips. Marshall Mechanical suggests having your heating and air conditioning unit checked twice a year (Spring and Fall) rather than every three years as Bob indicates. Every three years would be the minimum but to maintain your equipment in good working order and have the HVAC units last longer for you, we suggest two times a year.
Many of our clients have annual maintenance contracts and that prevents problems from happening in the first place.
Also, be sure to change your air conditioning filter once a month or once every three months, depending on the type of filter you’re using. Some don’t have to be replaced but need to be cleaned or vacuumed regularly.
If you have any questions specific to home energy savings particularly with your home’s heating and air conditioning units, or you want to know how to save up to 70% with a geothermal heat pump, simply call our office at 804.323.0189. You’ll learn how to save money each and every month with a simple and free home energy analysis.
If your home’s HVAC system is less than 10 years old, it’s best to change your air filter every 90 days and to have your system serviced at once a year.
We tend to remember to have our car’s oil changed every 3,000 miles, but often we don’t take the same maintenance care on our home’s heating and cooling system.
A dirty heat pump or cooling coils means you’re losing money every time the system runs. And it adds up to a lot of cash each year if you don’t call experienced HVAC technicians for proper maintenance.
At Marshall Mechanical, we have the team to maximize your system and get the most out of every dollar you spend on gas or electricity every month.
For a limited time, we will tune-up, service and inspect up to two HVAC systems in your home for just $99! *
This offer is on a first-come, first-served basis. We will perform this service on your schedule any day between 7AM – 5PM. And, yes, we mean Saturday or Sunday at no additional cost.
Want an even better deal?
You can save even more by simply finding a friend, neighbor or family member within 5 minutes drive of your home and we’ll perform the same great service for ONLY $79 each. You both save an additional twenty bucks. This is a limited-time offer and will end soon so book your appointments today.
With the early bout of warm weather in the Richmond area this weekend, it’s not too early to start planning for your HVAC system’s Spring maintenance. As you may know, Marshall Mechanical is an authorized Lennox dealer and we specialize in helping you to maintain your heating and air conditioning equipment so that you can enjoy comfort and energy savings all year long, for many years to come. Below is an excellent Spring HVAC maintenance checklist* and reminders to help you best maintain your HVAC equipment this year.
Keep your cool with simple A/C maintenance
Clear leaves, brush and dirt from inside your air conditioner’s top grille.
Trim nearby shrubs and bushes to allow at least two feet of clearance around the unit.
Set the thermostat to cooling mode and run your air conditioner a few minutes to make sure it’s working.
Schedule an annual checkup of your air conditioning system.
Replace your air conditioner filter once a month. Dirty filters restrict air flow and can waste energy.
If you use a room air conditioner, install it on a north-facing wall to keep it out of the sun.
If it’s time to replace your air conditioner, look for an ENERGY STAR® qualified model to help reduce cooling costs up to 20 percent.
Don’t let April showers bring May mildew
Clear leaves, pine needles and other debris from gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage. Check that they’re stable to avoid flying debris during storms.
Be sure downspouts slope away from your house. They should carry water at least 5′ from foundation walls.
Position lawn sprinklers so they don’t spray your home’s walls.
Examine window and door seals and weatherstripping. Reseal if needed.
Move furniture a few inches away from the inside of exterior walls to increase air circulation.
Check windows for condensation and walls for water stains, which are signs of too much humidity.
Keep your home’s relative humidity between 30 – 50%. A humidity control system such as Humiditrol® can safely control humidity.
Take control of home energy costs
Reduce air leaks in your home by caulking, sealing and weatherstripping around doors and windows.
Use exhaust fans to reduce moisture in the kitchen or bath, but turn them off when they’re no longer needed.
Make sure your refrigerator’s seals are airtight. Test by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar out easily, the seal may need to be adjusted.
Wash only full loads in your dishwasher and clothes washer.
Turn off lights you don’t need to save energy and reduce extra heat in your home.
If it’s time to replace your air conditioner, choose an energy-efficient model with two-stage cooling, such as the XC-21. Two levels of operation allow you to rely on the low setting most of the time and it runs at low speed 80% of the time, which means lower operating costs, more consistent comfort and better humidity control.
Prepare dinner on your outdoor grill to help reduce your air conditioner’s load.
Check ducts for air leaks, including holes or separated sections.
After having such a cold and snowy winter here in the Greater Richmond area, I think we’re all be glad that Spring is not too far around the corner. Remember, Marshall Mechanical is uniquely qualified to handle all your HVAC maintenance needs and we can help you protect your equipment and the investment you’ve made in your home. To schedule your Spring HVAC check-up, simply call our office at 804.323.0189 to schedule your appointment today.
Freezing temperatures have plagued the Greater Richmond area for more than 10 days now and heating systems across the Commonwealth are running on high. That has fire crews and heating experts worried about malfunctions that could be deadly.
Marshall Mechanical’s HVAC technician Gary Dedrick and owner Sean Cantrell appeared on an NBC12 news segment Sunday on the increased threat of carbon monoxide poisoning during the cold Richmond temperatures and what consumers should watch out for.
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas and is highly poisonous.
“Most people don’t even know,” said HVAC technician Gary Dedrick. “They’ll get home after a hard day’s work. They’ll be sitting on their couch, enjoying a little time with their family. They’re feeling tired. They think it’s from the day’s work and it’s not.”
It doesn’t matter what type of system you use to keep your house warm in these chilly temperatures.
To avoid a carbon monoxide leak:
“Don’t ignore your heating systems or your gas-powered appliances,” said HVAC technician Sean Cantrell. “Have them checked out at least once a year.”
In order to help you protect you and your family – and your home – during the cold winter season, Marshall Mechanical is offering a 25% savings of a home carbon monoxide test service and detector.
Normally, this service – along with the detector – is $160 but for a limited time you can save 25%. So for just $120 – a savings of $40 — you can make sure your home is safe all winter long.
Simply mention the NBC12 video when you call 804.323.0189 for your appointment and we’ll quickly set up a time convenient for you to test your home’s carbon monoxide levels and install your CO detector.
A simple call to make sure you and your family are protected from carbon monoxide, often called the silent killer because the gas is invisible, odorless and tasteless yet highly poisonous. Don’t delay – call Marshall Mechanical today at 323.0189 for your appointment and 25% discount. Remember to mention NBC12 when you call.
In Richmond, the weather keeps changing – it’s warm, it’s cold, it’s warm again – but soon the cold days will be upon us for good. Save money this winter and help the environment by winterizing your home. It’s easy to do, and you’d be surprised how these simple steps can make a big difference in your utility bill, and your comfort level.
Get your furnace inspected. Furnaces should be cleaned and tuned by a professional annually. It’s not an expensive service, and it will keep your furnace running efficiently and safely.
Check your home for air leaks. Especially around doors and windows. Adding weather stripping and insulation is one of the easiest things you can do. Add weather stripping around doors and caulk or foam around gaps in windows to help keep the warm air inside. You can also add a door sweep to exterior doors.
Insulate your attic and crawl spaces. A little extra insulation in your home’s attic or crawl space can save you a lot of money in heating bills. You need 11 to 12 inches of insulation in your attic. Since ceiling joists are about that high, you know you need to add more insulation if you can see the ceiling joists.
Get your duct work checked. A home with central heat can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated. That’s a huge waste of money. Your professional HVAC contractor can ensure your ductwork is properly in place and well insulated.
Cover windows with bubble wrap. It’s not just for gift boxes. Plastic wrap works too, but bubble wrap offers better insulation especially if windows are old and not thermo-insulated.
Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans. This pushes hot air down and re-circulates it through the house.
Move furniture off your vents. How easy is that?!
Wrap your pipes. As a plumbing contractor, we’re used to leaks. And we want to make sure you don’t have them. If you’re worried about your pipes freezing and bursting, wrap pipes in areas that are not heated with pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation. Wrapping the pipes leading into and out of your home can help prevent water damage and flooding too, especially in basement or crawl space areas.
Take the hoses off the spigots. Water expands as it freezes, and any water that’s trapped in pipes has the potential to split them as it cools. Store your hoses in the garage for the Winter.
Clean the chimney. Before starting that fireplace, make sure the chimney is clean, and your smoke detectors are working and have fresh batteries. And everyone in the family should know where your fire extinquisher is and how to properly use it.
Shut the door. Have guest or other rooms you don’t use? Close the vents in those rooms and shut the doors.
Clean the gutters. Avoiding water overflows especially in icy or snowy conditions. By November, most of the leaves have fallen from the trees in Richmond although those oak trees sometimes hang around until Spring. Just keep an eye on the gutters and be sure they’re clear of leaves, tree limbs and other debris especially when experiencing windy conditions.
Invest in a computerized, programmable thermostat. Program your heating system exactly the way you want it, so that your house isn’t heating when nobody is at home.
Make your garage a usable space for Winter projects. Check out our blog post about installing a heater for garages or utility spaces so you can complete woodworking or other DIY projects throughout the year.
Remembering these important home winterization tips each year before Winter starts will help you prepare your home to be warm, energy efficient, and safe – even if the weather outside turns frightful.
At Marshall Mechanical, we’re here to help you get your residence ready for the colder weather so if you need your heating system, furnace or duct work inspected, programmable thermostat or garage heater installed, or your lawn irrigation system certified and winterized, simply call us at 804.323.0189. We’ll get your home ready for the cold, even if you’re not.
P.S. Don’t forget to share these great tips with friends, family and co-workers. We’re sure they would appreciate the energy efficiency and safety reminders.
With temperatures rising and energy costs continuing to soar, there are a variety of steps you can take to cut the expenses of cooling your home this summer.
“Cooling and heating equipment use more energy than any other appliance. This inevitably shows up every month on the energy bill, but it’s important to remember that energy costs can be controlled,” said Sean Cantrell, owner of Marshall Mechanical.
Annual Maintenance
One step to control energy costs is to schedule annual maintenance checks to make sure your unit is running efficiently. Most cooling systems require very little owner maintenance. However, operating dirty cooling equipment can result in an unnecessary loss of efficiency and can damage the furnace. You play a vital role in making sure your cooling system continues to operate at peak performance.
High Efficiency Cooling Equipment
If you’re in the market for a new cooling unit, consider purchasing a high efficiency model. They can help reduce your energy costs as well as conserve our natural resources. When selecting an air conditioner or heat pump, pay close attention to the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). This is a measure of cooling efficiency for air conditioners. The higher the SEER, the higher the savings. The minimum SEER rating is 13.
Zoning
Zoning can drastically lower your heating costs. With zoning, you no longer have to pay to heat or cool areas of your home that are rarely used. You won’t have to heat or cool the whole house just to make one room comfortable. Zoning divides your home into separate comfort areas, which are heated or cooled based on your needs.
Programmable Thermostats
Programmable or setback thermostats can make a big difference in energy consumption. These thermostats deliver maximum comfort, efficiency, and energy savings. Setback thermostats are used to achieve the temperatures you want throughout your home. For example, if you’re going to be away, you can set the whole house at an energy-saving temperature to avoid heating an empty house. If you have setback thermostats, you can program them to have your living areas comfortable when you arrive home.
To find out more about reducing your Richmond VA cooling costs, call Sean Cantrell or Mike Smith at Marshall Mechanical today at 804.323.0189.
No matter what the Richmond summer brings you as far as air conditioning or plumbing problems or service needs, Marshall Mechanical has the answers. We’re available 24/7 for HVAC or plumbing emergencies and we offer same day water heater replacement and guaranteed next day HVAC service in the RVA and surrounding counties of Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield.
At Marshall Mechanical, we’re dedicated to solving your Richmond air conditioning or plumbing problems, quickly and easily. When you’re having trouble with any of your HVAC systems or need a Richmond plumber in a hurry, our technicians will assess the situation and walk you through what is necessary to fix the problem as soon as possible. And we often will give you a temporary solution, like a window air conditioning unit for your bedroom, to help you stay comfortable while we take the time to fix the problem right.
If you require a new HVAC system, an additional system, or if you’re planning to remodel, a member of our sales team will come out to your home or business for an on-site consultation at your convenience, offering you options for high-efficiency and high-value systems that will save you money each month on both your cooling as well as heating bills.
We even have options such as the industry’s first solar assisted heat pump by Lennox and we’re installing the first one in the Central Virginia area, which is one family’s first step toward living off the grid!
Or we can explain the benefits of the WaterFurnace geothermal energy heat pump, which is “The World’s Greenest Heating and Cooling Systems.”
And our expert plumbing team, led by master Richmond plumbers, will replace hot water heaters, upgrade faucets, fixtures and toilets, clean drains, even install gas lines and appliances. And you can call us for big jobs, like water line and sewer line replacements too. We are here to service all your Richmond cooling and plumbing needs throughout the summer.
So for all your Richmond Plumber and HVAC needs both now and year round, please call Mike Smith at 804.323.0189 to schedule a service appointment today. Remember, we’re available 24/7 for any cooling or plumbing emergencies so you can easily protect the investment you’ve made in your home or business.
And, yes, we service commercial HVAC design, build and maintenance clients too.
Marshall Mechanical offers homeowners age 60+ a 15% discount off our HVAC and Plumbing labor fees for service or installations. It’s that simple. This is just another way we serve our community and provide extra savings for those in need.
Sean Cantrell or Mike Smith will be happy to answer any questions you have and give you the best advice based on our years of experience. Please email or call Mike to schedule an appointment at 804.323.0189.
The Environmental Protection Agency has a great resource on educating yourself about the quality level of your indoor air. It’s called “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality” and it covers all aspects including causes, identifying problems and measuring pollutant levels. It also provides a complete reference guide for certain types of pollutants such as radon, tobacco smoke and formaldehyde, as well as certain types of stoves and heaters.
Another article chocked full of explanations and references about indoor air quality is one that appeared on MSN Green recently by Barbara Card Atkinson entitled “Sweet Green Air.” In the article, she sums up information published by the American Lung Association about how typical household products such as cleaning solutions, pesticides and paints contribute to having toxins in our living spaces. Trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene and formaldehyde seem to be the ones lurking most often in common products or building materials.
In the same article, Atkinson also lists the top 10 houseplants that naturally help fight off formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air. They are:
Marshall Mechanical can also help you improve your indoor air quality by taking simple measures of regularly cleaning air ducts, providing recommendations on the right air cleaner for your home’s size, and ensuring that your heating and air conditioning systems are set up for optimum performance. It’s yet another reason why scheduling regular preventive maintenance on your HVAC systems makes good sense.
If you believe you are experiencing problems with your indoor air quality, please contact Sean or Mike at 804.323.0189. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and/or schedule an inspection visit at a time convenient for you.
