$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.

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