Need a Plumber in the RVA? Professional Plumbing Service starts with a call to Marshall Mechanical.

With over 20 years’ plumbing experience helping Richmond homeowners and general contractors, we provide our customers with a wide range of expert advice, quality service and plumbing installation services. We diagnose the work quickly and accurately, making it possible to provide our customers with a reasonable estimate before any plumbing service is performed. And, of course, we’re available 24/7, 365 days a year, for all your plumbing emergencies.

We install and service all types of plumbing faucets and drains, sewer systems, water and gas lines and hot water heaters. We also complete plumbing inspections in both existing homes and new construction.

Sewer Service. Our sewer service includes video inspections, repair and replacement of sewer lines, installation of fail-safe access cleanouts and all household drains, including those for washing machines. Our customers love our video inspections because we are able to give them an informed diagnosis of the problem, which they can see for themselves on the video screen, before we begin work. That way, there’s no waste of time and money spent guessing on what might be the problem – we know up front what needs to be done, whether a pipe is broken, a tree root is in the way, etc.

Remodeling. We install and repair all brands of faucets and we help you with recommendations for upgrades to existing fixtures and make provisions for new water lines for home additions. We provide all the plumbing services required for remodeling your kitchen and bath including installation of faucets, drains, toilets, appliances or other plumbing fixtures.

Water Heaters. We install and repair all brands and types of water heaters, including conventional storage and tankless water heaters. And we assist with upgrades and resizing requirements as needed by the homeowner.

Water/Gas Lines. We find and repair all water and gas line leaks, replace faulty lines, install brand new lines and reroute lines as necessary for home additions or other needs such as installation of pools.

Inspections. We handle all gas inspections for both residential and commercial buildings, as well as attic piping, and interior and exterior drains.

We recommend high efficiency and state-of-the-art Green Home plumbing products by Toto, Delta, Rinnai and Bradford White. We also offer plumbing products by State, Kohler, Moen, Grohe, Hansgrohe, Peerless, Elkay, and Eljer and many others.

Lastly, our uniformed plumbing service technicians are professionals. We use drop cloths on bathroom and kitchen floors and take care to protect your home while plumbing service is being performed.

Call the expert and professional Plumbing team at Marshall Mechanical today at 804.323.0189 for all your Residential and Commercial Richmond VA Plumbing needs.

All new buildings, starting in 2010, to be 30% more energy efficient, according to Alliance to Save Energy.

Historic Preservationists are becoming the true pioneers of the green building movement. The Alliance to Save Energy is calling for all new buildings starting in 2010 to be 30% more efficient.

Take a look at this Green Buildings video from the beta site, Clean Skies, The Energy and Environment Network. A great resource. If you can't play the video above, here's the link: Green Buildings cleanskies.com

Brought to you by Marshall Mechanical, your Richmond VA Green Building and Energy Efficiency Experts, for all your residential and commercial building HVAC and plumbing needs.

Want to learn more about energy efficient heat pumps, including solar?

We often receive questions about energy efficient products, particularly heat pumps. As you know, the Richmond summers can be scorchingly hot and extremely humid so it's important to keep your home cool and comfortable all year long with the right heat pump for Richmond area homes.

It's also important that you have the right products that fit your home size and give you the desired energy efficiency. A list of Energy Star qualified heat pumps are found on our website, including the first integrated solar-assisted residential heating and cooling system -- the Lennox XPG20 SunSource™ Comfort System.

If you want to know more about the Dave Lennox Signature® Collection XPG20 SunSource™ Comfort System, here are the energy efficiency specifications:

• Efficiency ratings of up to 18.20** SEER and 9.70** HSPF—can save you hundreds of dollars a year, compared to a standard heat pump
• Single solar panel—provides freely available renewable energy to offset the electric usage of the heating and cooling system
• ENERGY STAR® qualified—meets or exceeds EPA guidelines for energy efficiency
• This product qualifies for a tax credit under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.***

You can even download the full consumer brochure.

If you have any specific questions about the technical specifications or the energy efficiency of heat pumps, please call the Marshall Mechanical office at 804.323.0189. We would be happy to take your call and, if you'd like, set up an appointment to provide you with an analysis of your current HVAC system compared to newer, more energy efficient products, both from the standpoint of energy and cost reduction.

We're here to help you reduce your carbon footprint as well as to save you money each month on energy costs on your Richmond area home.

$28 million in Stimulus provides RVA Homeowners with Energy Efficiency Rebate of up to $2,000; Federal Tax Credits of 30% of purchases

If you caught NBC WWBT 12's new story this morning, you already know that Virginia is receiving $28 million from the Federal government to help homeowners become more energy efficient in the form of an energy rebate of up to $2,000. According to the news story by Laura Geller, if the stimulus program is successful, Virginia is apt to receive another $35 million.

These Virginia state rebates are in addition to the Federal Tax Credits we told you about earlier this year.

If you own an existing home, you can qualify for Federal Tax Credits of 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 and 2010, for replacement windows and doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, water heaters (non-solar) and biomass stoves. For HVAC, this means energy efficient air conditioners, heat pumps, climate controls or programmable thermostats, etc. Sure, up to $1,500 credit is really good but listen up.

Here's the unbelievable news... If you are a homeowner of an existing home OR if you are building a new home, Federal tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, WITH NO UPPER LIMIT for the following: Geothermal Heat Pumps, Solar Heat Panels, Solar Water Heaters, as well as small wind energy systems and fuel cells.

This is in addition to the Virginia State rebate on energy efficiency just announced, of up to $2,000. As soon as the details of the stimulus rebate are posted on the VA Stimulus website, we will post again to give you that link.

Marshall Mechanical is experienced in installing Geothermal Heat Pumps by WaterFurnace and is a WaterFurnace HVAC dealer right here in Richmond VA. WaterFurnace has helpful information on their website to educate the home owner about using the 30% tax credits.

Like to know more about what the U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has to say about the Return on Investment of Geothermal Heat Pumps? You can read the full article right here. What you need to know is that while the installation price is of a geothermal unit is higher than that of traditional air-source systems of the same heating and cooling capacity, the additional costs are returned to the homeowner in energy savings in as little as 5-10 years. System life is estimated at 25 years for the inside components and 50+ years for the ground loop.

At Marshall Mechanical, we are your Richmond VA Green Home and Energy Efficiency experts. We will help you navigate through the Virginia State Stimulus Rebate for Energy Efficiency and we will help you get the paperwork right to apply for the Federal Tax Credits. Most of all, we will work with you one-on-one to take the time to answer all your questions about what HVAC units or programmable thermostats are best for your home. We can even give you a estimated calculation of Geothermal heat pump monthly savings for your home in just minutes.

Your Richmond area home is an investment. Let us help you maximize it. Call Sean Cantrell or Mike Smith at 804.323.0189 today to help you take advantage of the Virginia energy efficiency stimulus rebates and Federal tax credits. And then enjoy your comfortable home and your energy savings for years to come.

Is it too hot and your air conditioning isn't working? Or got a water leak and need a Richmond plumber? Are you remodeling your kitchen or bath?

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 we'll explain how you can may qualify for Energy Efficiency Federal tax credits too.
  

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.

Celebrate Earth Day and save over $150 by installing a Lennox programmable thermostat in your home!

In celebration of Earth Day, Marshall Mechanical is making it very easy for you to do your part to not only save energy but also save money for years to come.

From now until April 30, 2009, you can purchase the Lennox® ComfortSense(TM) 5000 Series Touchscreen energy-saving Thermostat for $25 off the retail price with free installation! That's right, for just $199 installed, you can have an effortless and efficient temperature control that automatically controls your energy cost all year round. This is a savings of $150 off our regular price!

We can help you calculate your specific savings by using the EPA's Energy Star Lifecycle cost estimate worksheet for a quality programmable thermostat. What you need to know is that an average home can save up to $269 per year every year, compared to a regular thermostat.

Summary of Benefits for 1 Programmable Thermostat(s)* Heating Energy Cost with Energy Star T-stat:

• Heating Savings: $210 yr
• Cooling Savings: $59 yr
• Life cycle savings 15yrs: $2,989
• Life Cycle energy saved (MBTU)-includes both Heating and Cooling: 195
• Simple payback of additional cost (years): 0.3
• Life cycle air pollution reduction (lbs of CO2): 27,287
• Air pollution reduction equivalence (number of cars removed from the road for a year): 2
• Air pollution reduction equivalence (acres of forest): 3

So get a great Earth Day deal -- save money now with our free installation offer, begin saving both money and energy immediately after installation and reduce your carbon footprint for years to come!

This is yet another way Marshall Mechanical is your full service Richmond heating, cooling and plumbing partner. We know your home is an investment and we help you maximize it. And we help you give back to the environment at the same time.

But hurry, this Earth Day offer expires April 30th, 2009*. Call or email Sean Cantrell or Mike Smith today at 804.323.0189.

*This offer is for the Lennox brand of 5000 series thermostat. If customer prefers, certain models of the Honeywell brand of thermostats can be installed in place of Lennox. Call Mike Smith for details.

How to GREEN UP your next Easter: great suggestions on how to reduce your environmental impact!

Low Impact Living » Blog Archive » How To Make Your Easter Green

Yep, even us HVAC guys love this article from Low Impact Living because of all the creative suggestions on how you can reduce your environmental impact and still have a great time celebrating the Easter holiday. Everything to make your spring celebration eco-friendly -- from eggs, candy, food and even the egg hunt -- and teach your children to be "Green" in the process. Chances are, your kids will have a few ideas of their own.

You can buy organic eggs, use natural food dyes, use reusable and biodegradeable wicker baskets. You can even grow your own grass inside your easter basket which then doubles as a great springtime decoration. Using fair trade, organic chocolate is pretty cool too.

And even for the holiday meal, you can check out a local organic farmer or farmer's market, or maybe consider a vegetarian feast (ok, maybe not for us HVAC guys but we do like to eat healthy when we can).

Bridgette Steffen, who posted the article, also went so far as to talk about how Easter is a time of the celebration of regrowth, renewal and life. And what better time to reduce your environmental impact by growing new plants, cleaning up the neighborhood, using more national ingredients.

This article is just filled with tips and links to help you have a greener Easter and Spring season. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

At Marshall Mechanical, we're here to help you keep your home green and healthy all year long. Don't forget to hit the tell-a-friend button and bookmark this article for future use!

You've got to see this: The 2009 HGTV Green Home!

The Grandest Green Giveaway Ever : Special : Home & Garden Television

You've gotta see HGTV's Carter Can explore every room in this eco-friendly home that will be awarded to one lucky viewer.

Starting April 17, you can enter once a day for your chance to win the 2009 HGTV Green Home Giveaway — a grand prize package worth $750,000.

The grand prize includes:
- A custom-built "green home" in Tradition Port St. Lucie, FL.
- A 2009 GMC® Sierra Hybrid
- Eco-friendly appliances and furnishings

Find out details about how to enter, the show's sponsors as well as airing dates right here. Good Luck!

Right-sized HVAC units and Geothermal or Solar Heat/AC options for your home.

News : Trends : Heating and Cooling Go Green : HGTVPro.com

Right-sizing of HVAC system

I heard a story through a friend of a friend that a homeowner in Chesterfield had to replace his HVAC unit. The house was about 14 years old and, from what I understand, the unit just wore out. The homeowner had four HVAC contractors give him an estimate for the replacement and all four of them said the original HVAC unit that the builder installed in the home was definitely too small for the square footage of the home.

In fact, one of the HVAC contractors was from the company that originally put the unit in the home for the builder. So when the contractor told him that the unit was too small, the homeowner asked him why his company installed it that way. The HVAC contractor swore that there was no way they would have put that unit in that sized house but the homeowner had the original paperwork to prove it. The HVAC contractor then said it must have been installed prior to the time he was personally working for the company.

Mis-sizing of heating and cooling equipment is an all-too-common occurance, especially if homeowners are buying spec houses in which the builder wanted to save money. Or perhaps his builder didn't order accurate load calculations from the original contractor. In addition, it is tempting for homeowners to purchase replacement systems that are too small because they cost less. On the flip side, sometimes both builders and homeowners can install units that are too large for the home. Since recent technology has improved, new smaller units can often be more energy efficient and therefore the appropriate solution. In this article from HGTVPro, writer Rob Fanjoy clearly states how the right-sized HVAC equipment can save homeowners money and can create a more energy-efficient and comfortable home. An excellent write-up that all homeowners should read.

Geothermal heat pumps: Digging deep for green

The HGTVPro article goes on to talk about the benefits of using the new geothermal HVAC units. While more expensive at retail cost than a non-geo unit, they come with energy tax credits up to 30% with no limit and "they have the biggest upside in terms of energy savings and environmental consciousness. They use the earth's natural below-surface temperature of about 55 degrees to provide heating or cooling to spaces above ground." The article goes on to say that the EPA "estimates annual heating savings of as much as 70% and cooling savings of close to 50%." These are significant savings for the homeowner, especially when annualized over the life of the unit.

Need assistance?

If you're a homeowner in the Central Virginia area, specifically Richmond, and you find yourself in the position of having to replace your HVAC unit, please call us to discuss your needs. First, we'll make sure that your unit requires replacement -- that may not be the only solution. Second, if it is determined that your unit does need to be replaced, we'll make sure that you not only get the right-sized unit for your home but that you also are presented with options including geothermal units and even the new Lennox solar-assisted units. These may not only make your home more energy-efficient and "green" but also more appealing to a home buyer in case you need to sell your home in the future.

I am a licensed professional mechanical engineer and started Marshall Mechanical in 2005 to service both residential and commercial clients. Previous to starting Marshall Mechanical, I worked for 15 years at the premier architecture firm in Richmond, designing HVAC systems for some of Richmond's largest companies, including the Dominion Energy Trading Floor, MCV's Gateway Building and Owens & Minor.

You deserve to call someone you can trust to help you make the right decisions to protect the investment you've made in your home. Call or tweet us anytime -- even if you just have a simple question about heating, cooling, plumbing, air filtration or moisture control. We're here for you and we pledge never to forget that.

- Sean Cantrell, 804.323.0189. You can find both me and Mike Smith on Twitter and LinkedIn