Rob Wright Named Master Certified Remodeler

Behind owner Rob Wright's name are the abbreviations MCR, GCP, and UDCP. You may have wondered what those things mean, and why you should care about them. 

Essentially, these letters stand for credentials Rob has earned from coursework through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. NARI is the most respected association in the remodeling industry. Rob's goal in gaining and maintaining these certifications is to serve our clients better by seeking out new technologies and learning best practices.

MCR: Rob is a Master Certified Remodeler through NARI. A master certified remodeler not only must possess skill and knowledge in a broad range of technical aspects, business management, and ethical conduct, they also must be dedicated to the industry and involved in the community. Certified Remodelers must have attained the Certified Remodeler (CR) designation and maintained it for a minimum of ten years, as well as hold at least one additional NARI certification. In addition, they must adhere to NARI's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.

GCP: Rob has trained to become a Green Certified Professional. While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the GCP training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction. 

UDCP: Rob has trained to become a Universal Design Certified Professional. The goal of the UDCP training is to allow a remodeler to design accessible spaces for all people, not only those who wish to age-in-place, but also families with special needs and families that are forward thinking. For example, a lever handle in place of a typical door knob is more easily opened by someone whose hand is arthritic, but also by a small child whose dexterity isn't fully developed, or an adult with an armload of groceries. 

It's Easy to Be Green

Green Building is not just a catch phrase for us at Cabinetry & Construction. We have always believed that remodeling is inherently greener than building a new house. Moreover, the close-in Richmond neighborhoods in which we work are the opposite of sprawl.

And by incorporating the latest green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices, we are in the unique position of truly ushering the modern era into the historic beauty of the homes in the Richmond area.

Green products include those that may consume less energy during use, those that produce less waste or use recycled products in their manufacture, or those that contribute to a healthier living environment.

Certainly, some options for ecologically responsible construction are more expensive than others, but even small investments can have a great impact on the performance of your home, improve its efficiency, and reduce the lifetime operating cost of your home.

In the spirit of "going green," we'd like to share some information about our environmentally aware repertoire.

Read below for more information on the green innovations we use not only to enhance the aesthetics of your home renovation project, but also to improve its performance.

We welcome your questions and concerns about our green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices. We can tell how they will help improve your home's performance and how they work with historic renovations.

Let us help you help the environment and your pocket book. Give us a call or send us an email today about how you can "go green" by making your home more environmentally efficient.

***

Operating and maintaining a home correctly is the only way to make sure it "lives green," and Cabinetry & Construction can explain the hows and whys of green building and help you decide the aspects that are appropriate for your project -- from helping you choose the right products to advising you on how to ensure everything works the way it is designed. 

Some options for green building products that we like to provide our clients include:

• Energy star rated appliances
• Energy star windows
• WaterSense plumbing fixtures
• Richlite counters
• Concrete countertops utilizing recycled content
• James Hardie siding products
• Whole house ventilation
• Rinnai tankless water heaters
• Slant Fin high efficiency boilers
• NuTone ecoLogic high efficiency HVAC systems
• Cabinetry made with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood
• Upgraded insulation packages
• Marmoleum flooring
• Recycled, natural floor products
• Paperless drywall
• Solar heating
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints
• Radiant heated floors

You can learn more about these products and our green practices on our website.

Certified Green

  

At CCI, we can help you help the environment and your pocket book.

Rob is certified as a  Certified Green Professional (CGP) through the National Association of Home Builders. This certification identifies builders and remodelers who are committed to making your home green and who are trained to incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects. 

While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the CGP training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction. CGPs understand that combining good, cost-effective building science with the right products and materials can help create a home that's healthier and more efficient-while being kind to the environment.

Rob has also trained to become a Green Certified Professional through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). This certification recognizes and identifies remodelers who apply green or sustainable principles to their remodeling projects.  These principles include indoor air quality, resource conservation, and renewable energy. 

Rob Wright is certified as a Lead-Safe contractor, as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency, for following appropriate practices to prevent lead contamination while performing renovation on structures built before 1978.

Give us a call or send us an email today about how you can "go green" by making your home more environmentally efficient.

National Fix-A-Leak Week

Fix a Leak Week is celebrated in March of each year as a time to remind Americans to check their household fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

If you suspect you have a leak and need a plumber, call Cabinetry & Construction. Rob is a licensed plumber and can help you address all of your plumbing needs.

The Facts on Leaks:

• The amount of water leaked from U.S. homes could exceed more than 1 trillion gallons per year. That's equivalent to the annual water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined.
• Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
• Common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. All are easily correctable.
• Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills.
• Keep your home leak-free by repairing dripping faucets, toilet valves, and showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts don't require a major investment and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers.
• The vast majority of leaks can be eliminated after retrofitting a household with new WaterSense labeled fixtures and other high-efficiency appliances.

Leak Detection:

• A good method to check for leaks is to examine your winter water usage. It's likely that a family of four has a serious leak problem if its winter water use exceeds 12,000 gallons per month.
• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
• One way to find out if you have a toilet leak is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. Make sure to flush immediately after this experiment to avoid staining the tank.

Faucets and Showerheads:

• A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A home with WaterSense labeled toilets could use that water to flush for six months!
• Leaky faucets can be reduced by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them if necessary. 
• A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. That's enough water to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher.

Toilets:

• If your toilet is running constantly, you could be wasting 200 gallons of water or more every day.
• If your toilet is leaking, the cause is most often an old, faulty toilet flapper. Over time, this inexpensive rubber part decays, or minerals build up on it. 
• If you do need to replace the entire toilet, look for a WaterSense labeled model. If a family of four replaces its older, inefficient toilets with new WaterSense labeled ones, it could save more than 16,000 gallons per year. Retrofitting the house could save the family approximately $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the lifetime of the toilets.

Outdoors:

• An irrigation system should be checked each spring before use to make sure it was not damaged by frost or freezing.
• An irrigation system with pressure set at 60 pounds per square inch that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
• Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench. 

Get more information on how to detect and repair leaks at: www.epa.gov/watersense

Certified Green

Rob Wright, owner of Cabinetry & Construction, Inc., continues to hone his craft in an effort to best meet the needs of our clients. In March he attended a three-day training on best green building practices.

Rob is certified as a  Certified Green Professional (CGP) through the National Association of Home Builders. This certification identifies builders and remodelers who are committed to making your home green and who are trained to incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects. 

While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the CGP training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction. CGPs understand that combining good, cost-effective building science with the right products and materials can help create a home that's healthier and more efficient-while being kind to the environment.

Rob has also trained to become a Green Certified Professional through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). This certification  

recognizes and identifies remodelers who apply green or sustainable principles to their remodeling projects.  These principles include indoor air quality, resource conservation, and renewable energy. 

Rob is also certified as a Lead-Safe contractor, as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency, for following appropriate practices to prevent lead contamination while performing renovation on structures built before 1978. 

Remodeling your home may be the single biggest investment you make outside of its purchase. You need to rest assured knowing that the remodeling contractor you choose is a professional.

Is It Time to Repair or Replace Your HVAC?

According to Energy Star, certain telltale signs indicate it's time to consider replacing heating and cooling equipment, or improving the performance of your overall system. It may be time to call a professional contractor to help you make a change if:

Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.

Consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.

Consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace, which is 15% more efficient than a conventional furnace. If you have a boiler, consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified boiler that is 5% more efficient than a new, standard model.

Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.

Your cooling or heating equipment my have become less efficient.

Some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.

Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be the cause.

No one is home for long periods of the day and you do not have a programmable thermostat.

Install a programmable thermostat or have a good contractor install one and instruct you on its use - to start saving energy and money while they're away or sleeping.

Your home has humidity problems.

Poor equipment operation, inadequate equipment, and leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer.

Your home has excessive dust.

Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts may be a solution.

Your heating or cooling system is noisy.

You could have an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.

Your score on the Home Energy Yardstick is below five.

That means your energy use at home is above average and you're probably paying more than you need to on energy bills.

Green Heating Products We Love

Green products include those that use less energy, produce less waste, contain recycled materials, or contribute to a healthier environment. At CCI, we are committed to using these products whenever we can. We are proud to offer and install Slant/Fin high efficiency boilers. Slant/Fin makes its boilers, providing heating for water-based (as opposed to forced-air) home heating, here in the USA. Cabinetry & Construction is the only Slant/Fin Certified Hydro-Master in Central Virginia. Rinnai as certified CCI as a dealer and installer of Rinnai tankless water heaters. Conventional water tanks store hot water, heating and re-heating, and constantly losing energy up the vent and through the walls of the tank. Tankless water heaters run only when you use hot water, shutting off immediately when done, saving energy. NuTone has certified us as a dealer and installer of their heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning products. The NuTone ecoLogic product line includes split-system air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, self-contained air conditioners, and dual-fuel units. With NuTone products you can find total home comfort with accessories such as humidifiers, electronic air cleaners and filters, and ultraviolet lights. NuTone also makes control accessories, zoning products and programmable thermostats. See www.nutonehvac.com for more information about their product line, including the highest efficiency heat pump on the market, the NuTone iQ drive.

Top Home Remodeling and Interior Design Trends of 2014

Angie's List recently published the results of its survey with remodelers and interior designers about the trends they are seeing in 2014. They found that homeowners are most interested in making strategic improvements to boost functionality, increase efficiency and take advantage of existing space. Opening up the kitchen. Removing a wall between the kitchen and an adjoining room remains one of the hottest trends in home remodeling. The project appeals to homeowners because it instantly creates more space and dramatically changes the look and feel of the home. Installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen. Although hardwood usually costs more than other flooring options, it offers durability and a cozy, timeless look that never goes out of style. Customizing the home. Homeowners are making targeted improvements to ensure the home is a good fit for their lifestyle and family size by turning unused rooms into offices, dens, hobby rooms and children's play rooms. Separating the shower and tub. The days when the shower-tub combo reigned supreme are long gone. Home remodelers say the latest trend is to ditch the tub altogether, or to keep it separate from the shower. Combining old and new styles. A hot design trend in 2014 involves juxtaposing old and new concepts. In today's trendy home, a stainless steel refrigerator might sit next to a farmhouse sink or an antique chandelier might illuminate an IKEA bookcase. Remodelers also report an increased demand for recycled building materials, which they say can enhance old-meets-new design. Going greener. Green home improvements have been trendy for years, but remodelers and designers say homeowners continue to strive to improve the efficiency of their homes - from installing home automation systems that prevent energy waste to replacing outdated light bulbs and shower heads.

Remodeling Your Home? Make It More Energy Efficient!

Remodeling is a great way to make your home more comfortable and attractive. It also provides an opportunity to improve energy efficiency, helping to reduce energy costs and protect the environment. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

Kitchen. Save energy in the kitchen by installing ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, such as refrigerators and dishwashers. Consider high-efficiency, light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures and lamps for under-cabinet lighting. LEDs not only use less energy than conventional lamps; they last much longer and are more durable.

Bathrooms. Conserve water and reduce water heating costs by adding low-flow showerheads and aerated faucets. While you are at it, seal air leaks and install the appropriate insulation in the walls behind tubs and showers. Finally, control moisture and save energy by installing ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fans. 

Room additions. Use advanced framing techniques to lower costs and improve energy efficiency, and to reduce the amount of materials needed and minimize waste. Advanced framing replaces lumber with insulation material, increasing the overall insulation value of entire walls. Install ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights, and make sure outside walls are insulated to recommended levels to maximize energy efficiency.

Basement. Finishing your basement not only adds living space for your family, it is an opportunity to reduce energy costs as well. Add insulation to basement walls and crawl spaces based on the levels recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy. Seal air leaks around all plumbing and wiring holes on outside walls and in the crawlspace. Replace older, single-pane windows with glass block or ENERGY STAR certified high-performance windows.

For more energy-saving ideas and remodeling tips, see Home Design & Remodeling from the U.S. Department of Energy.

This article previously appeared in the Richmond DPU The Gas Advantage newsletter, and is used with permission.

May is National Remodeling Month

Spring is the time of year when many Americans make plans to remodel their homes. Increasing home value, completing needed maintenance, and improving energy-efficiency are just some of the reasons to remodel now.

May is National Home Remodeling Month, and the NAHB Remodelers reminds you to only trust your dreams for your home to a qualified professional remodeler.

A home is a big investment, so take the time to do the research. Working with the right remodeler can take a lot of the stress out of improving your home.

CCI is the premier remodeling company for the distinct needs of home renovation projects in Richmond. Give us a call or send us an email today and we can provide a free estimate on the project that interests you. 

Certified Green

Cabinetry & Construction's Owner and President, Rob Wright, is certified as a Certified Green Professional (CGP) through the National Association of Home Builders. This certification identifies builders and remodelers who are committed to making your home green and who are trained to incorporate energy, water and resource efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and sustainable and locally sourced products into their projects.

While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the CGP training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction. CGPs understand that combining good, cost-effective building science with the right products and materials can help create a home that's healthier and more efficient-while being kind to the environment.

Rob has also trained to become a Green Certified Professional through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). This certification recognizes and identifies remodelers who apply green or sustainable principles to their remodeling projects.  These principles include indoor air quality, resource conservation, and renewable energy.

Rob is certified as a Lead-Safe contractor, as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency, for following appropriate practices to prevent lead contamination while performing renovation on structures built before 1978.

Learn More about Ecologically Responsible Construction

Green Building is not just a catch phrase for us at Cabinetry & Construction. We have always believed that remodeling is inherently greener than building a new house. Moreover, the close-in Richmond neighborhoods in which we work are the opposite of sprawl.

And by incorporating the latest green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices, we are in the unique position of truly ushering the modern era into the historic beauty of the homes in the Richmond area.

Green products include those that may consume less energy during use, those that produce less waste or use recycled products in their manufacture, or those that contribute to a healthier living environment. Certainly, some options for ecologically responsible construction are more expensive than others, but even small investments can have a great impact on the performance of your home, improve its efficiency, and reduce the lifetime operating cost of your home.

We'd like to share some information about our environmentally aware repertoire. Read below for more information on the green innovations we use not only to enhance the aesthetics of your home renovation project, but also to improve its performance.

We welcome your questions and concerns about our green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices. We can tell how they will help improve your home's performance and how they work with historic renovations. 

Let us help you help the environment and your pocket book. Give us a call or send us an email today about how you can "go green" by making your home more environmentally efficient.

***** 

How You Can Go Green

Operating and maintaining a home correctly is the only way to make sure it "lives green," and Cabinetry & Construction can explain the hows and whys of green building and help you decide the aspects that are appropriate for your project -- from helping you choose the right products to advising you on how to ensure everything works the way it is designed.


Some options for green building products that we like to provide our clients include:             

• Energy star rated appliances
• Energy star windows
• WaterSense plumbing fixtures
• Richlite counters
• Concrete countertops utilizing recycled content
• James Hardie siding products
• Whole house ventilation
• Rinnai tankless water heaters
• Slant Fin high efficiency boilers
• NuTone ecoLogic high efficiency HVAC systems
• Cabinetry made with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood
• Upgraded insulation packages
• Marmoleum flooring
• Recycled, natural floor products
• Paperless drywall
• Solar heating
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints
• Radiant heated floors

You can learn more about these products and our green practices on our website:
www.cabinetry-construction.com

Fix a Leak Week: March 17-23

Fix a Leak Week is celebrated in March of each year as a time to remind Americans to check their household fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks. 

If you suspect you have a leak and need a plumber, call Cabinetry & Construction. Rob is a licensed plumber and can help you address all of your plumbing needs.

The Facts on Leaks:

• The amount of water leaked from U.S. homes could exceed more than 1 trillion gallons per year. That's equivalent to the annual water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined.
• Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
• Common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. All are easily correctable.
• Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills.
• Keep your home leak-free by repairing dripping faucets, toilet valves, and showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts don't require a major investment and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers.
• The vast majority of leaks can be eliminated after retrofitting a household with new WaterSense labeled fixtures and other high-efficiency appliances.

Leak Detection:

• A good method to check for leaks is to examine your winter water usage. It's likely that a family of four has a serious leak problem if its winter water use exceeds 12,000 gallons per month.
• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
• One way to find out if you have a toilet leak is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. Make sure to flush immediately after this experiment to avoid staining the tank.

Faucets and Showerheads:

• A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A home with WaterSense labeled toilets could use that water to flush for six months!
• Leaky faucets can be reduced by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them if necessary.
• A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. That's enough water to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher.

Toilets:

• If your toilet is running constantly, you could be wasting 200 gallons of water or more every day.
• If your toilet is leaking, the cause is most often an old, faulty toilet flapper. Over time, this inexpensive rubber part decays, or minerals build up on it.
• If you do need to replace the entire toilet, look for a WaterSense labeled model. If a family of four replaces its older, inefficient toilets with new WaterSense labeled ones, it could save more than 16,000 gallons per year. Retrofitting the house could save the family approximately $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the lifetime of the toilets.

Outdoors:

• An irrigation system should be checked each spring before use to make sure it was not damaged by frost or freezing.
• An irrigation system with pressure set at 60 pounds per square inch that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
• Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.

Get more information on how to detect and repair leaks at: www.epa.gov/watersense

How You Can Go Green at Home

Green Building is not just a catch phrase for us at Cabinetry & Construction. We have always believed that remodeling is inherently greener than building a new house. Moreover, the close-in Richmond neighborhoods in which we work are the opposite of sprawl.

And by incorporating the latest green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices, we are in the unique position of truly ushering the modern era into the historic beauty of the homes in the Richmond area.

Green products include those that may consume less energy during use, those that produce less waste or use recycled products in their manufacture, or those that contribute to a healthier living environment. Certainly, some options for ecologically responsible construction are more expensive than others, but even small investments can have a great impact on the performance of your home, improve its efficiency, and reduce the lifetime operating cost of your home.

In the spirit of "going green," we'd like to share some information about our environmentally aware repertoire.

Operating and maintaining a home correctly is the only way to make sure it "lives green," and Cabinetry & Construction can explain the hows and whys of green building and help you decide the aspects that are appropriate for your project -- from helping you choose the right products to advising you on how to ensure everything works the way it is designed.

Some options for green building products that we like to provide our clients include:             

• Energy star rated appliances
• Energy star windows
• WaterSense plumbing fixtures
• Richlite counters
• Concrete countertops utilizing recycled content
• James Hardie siding products
• Whole house ventilation
• Rinnai tankless water heaters
• Slant Fin high efficiency boilers
• NuTone ecoLogic high efficiency HVAC systems
• Cabinetry made with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood
• Upgraded insulation packages
• Marmoleum flooring
• Recycled, natural floor products
• Paperless drywall
• Solar heating
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints
• Radiant heated floors

We welcome your questions and concerns about our green building products and ecologically responsible construction practices. We can tell how they will help improve your home's performance and how they work with historic renovations. 
 
Let us help you help the environment and your pocket book. Give us a call or send us an email today about you can "go green" by making your home more environmentally efficient.
How You Can Go Green

You can learn more about these products and our green practices on our website:
www.cabinetry-construction.com

Make Sure You're Ready for Winter

Winter has arrived in Richmond, and the time has come to make your home is ready. Here are some items to check on to make sure your house is prepared for the change in weather.

Inspect Your Home's Exterior
Walk around your home and visually inspect the exterior. You'll want to replace any missing roof tiles or fix any other damage. When checking your gutters and drains, you'll want to be sure these are free of leaves and other materials that might cause a clog as leaves and tree debris may have fallen into your gutters during autumn.

Examine Your Foundation
Inspect your property's foundation. Check for any holes where pests may be hiding as even very small holes can allow a tiny mouse to get inside. While performing this inspection, clear away any dead or dying vegetation from your foundation.

Check for Drafts
Check each of your home's windows and doors looking for any gaps that create drafts, as these will reduce your home's energy efficiency causing you to pay more each month for heating. You can use sealants, such as caulk and weather-stripping, to stop the drafts.
 
Service or Replace Your Heating System
By now you've probably turned on your heat to combat the wintry temperatures outside. You'll want to change your filters and have your heating system serviced to ensure it is operating efficiently. You'll also want to have your boiler serviced, which should be done once a year, to minimize the chance of a breakdown when you most need it.

If your system is over 10 years old, you should consider an upgrade. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the tax credits made available for energy-efficient heat and cooling upgrades to your home. These tax credits are only valid for systems installed through December 2013. (You can read a description of these tax credits on the Energy Star website.)

If you have an outside air conditioner, you'll also want to winterize it by removing debris and dirt and covering it to protect it from collecting dead leaves. If you have a window unit, remove it and clean it before storing it for the winter months.
 
Insulate your attic and pipes
As you know, heat rises. This winter you'll want to make sure it doesn't escape from the top of your house by ensuring that your attic is insulated adequately. If your attic hasn't been insulated in a while, check the thickness of your insulation and replace or top it off if needed.

It's also important to insulate your water pipes to protect them from freezing in winter, ensuring you don't cut off your water supply and preventing pipes from bursting and damaging your home. Pipe insulation is easy to install and repair, especially for any pipes that are exposed. But even a water pipe that is close to an external wall can freeze in cold weather, so it may be sensible to check all of your pipes and insulate them.

Prepare Your Fireplace
These rainy, wintry days are great for a fire. Be sure the fireplace damper mechanism is working properly. If your fireplace has not been cleaned recently, hire cleaners to remove old soot in the chimney. Make sure the fireplace damper mechanism is working properly.

Clear Your Yard and Outdoor Living Spaces
Even though you won't spend much time outdoors this winter, you want to make sure your yard is prepared for the cold months too. Put away hoses, gardening tools, outdoor furniture and barbecues. If you notice that any trees are touching your house, trim them back to protect your property from breaking branches during windy storms. Also be sure to clear leaves from your patio and deck as they will become slimy and slippery as they disintegrate during the winter.  

CCI is the premier remodeling company for the distinct needs of home renovation projects in Richmond. We are a Class A licensed contractor for the complete renovation project, including plumbing, HVAC, and gas fitting, as well as building. Give us a call or send us an email today and we can provide a free estimate on the project that interests you.

Upgrade Your Heating and Air Conditioning

This summer we saw heat waves with the heat index registering over 100 degrees, as well as fall-like conditions.  Who knows what the weather will have in store for the Richmond area over the next few weeks and months.   

If your HVAC system is at least 6 months old, schedule a tune up to ensure maximum efficiency for year-round savings.

If your system is over 10 years old, you should consider an upgrade. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the tax credits made available for energy-efficient heat and and cooling upgrades to your home. These tax credits are only valid for systems installed through December 2013. (You can read a description of these tax credits as described by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute here.)

The benefits of either a tune-up or an upgrade include:

• lowering your energy bill,
• increasing your home's energy efficiency, and
• improving your comfort.

As a licensed HVAC contractor, CCI is able to offer you several options to take advantage of this optimal time to invest in a quality heating and cooling system.

What do all those letters mean?

Behind Rob's name are the abbreviations C.R., C.G.P., and C.A.P.S. You may have wondered what those things mean, and why you should care about them. Essentially, these letters stand for credentials Rob has earned from coursework through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the National Association of Home Builders. NARI (www.nari.org) and NAHB (www.nahb.org) are two of the most respected associations in the construction industry. Rob's goal in gaining and maintaining these certifications is to serve our clients better by seeking out new technologies and learning best practices.

C. R. : Rob is a Certified Remodeler through NARI. A certified remodeler "must possess skill and knowledge in a broad range of business management and technical skill areas." Certified Remodelers must have a minimum of five years experience in the remodeling industry; be committed to earning continuing education credits on a yearly basis; pass a written exam assessing twenty areas of knowledge; and adhere to NARI's code of ethics.

C.G.P. : Rob has trained to become a Certified Green Professional through the NAHB. While everyone is interested in protecting the environment by utilizing technologies that are good for the planet, most people don't have the luxury of being able to pay top dollar to do so. The purpose of the C. G. P. training is to help incorporate green building principles into our projects without driving up the costs of construction.

C.A.P.S. : Rob has trained to become a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist through the NAHB. The goal of the training is to allow a builder or remodeler to design projects better to meet the needs of people who are or may become mobility challenged. While the NAHB promotes the certification with a mind to meeting the needs of the elderly, the training can be applied more broadly. For example, a lever handle in place of a typical door knob is more easily opened by someone whose hand is arthritic, but also by a small child whose dexterity isn't fully developed, or an adult with an armload of groceries.

Upgrade Your Heating and Air Conditioning

The heat of summer is here, and with it come the additional stresses upon your air conditioning equipment that translate into additional stresses on your pocketbook. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the new tax credits made available for heating and cooling upgrades to your home. As a licensed HVAC contractor, we are able to offer you several options to take advantage of this optimal time to invest in a quality heating and cooling system.






Robert Wright, CR, CGBP, CAPS
804-497-3491

Our Greenest Option

If you are interested in a system with the the highest possible efficiency, we offer WaterFurnace geothermal heat pumps. Geothermal heat pumps use the consistent temperature of the earth rather than the ambient air temperature to heat and cool your home. The tax credit for a geothermal heat pump is 30% of the total cost, without a cap of $1,500. Please call us if you would like more information.

Tax Credits & You

The recently passed American Reinvestment and Recovery Act allows homeowners to claim tax credits for new high efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. You can claim a tax credit of up to thirty percent of the cost to install a new system, not to exceed $1,500. We carry Amana and Goodman HVAC systems, which use 410-A refrigerant, which is chlorine-free and environmentally friendly. If you already have central air in your home, replacing your existing system typically takes two days. You'll be able to reap the benefits of an air conditioning system that is more economical to run this summer AND get a tax credit. There's never been a better time to upgrade your HVAC system than now.