February 5, 2015

A Checklist for Renovating: Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC Systems

W.E. Brown Plumbing, HVAC, EngineeringA Comprehensive Plan

A seamless approach to home construction or renovation ensures that each detail is handled professionally from design to completion. The infrastructure of your home includes complicated systems that in many cases interact within very tight spaces.

As you develop your renovation budget and design, it is critical to have a comprehensive plan for all of your HVAC, electrical and plumbing before you seal up your walls. Finding an experienced contractor to work with is important. Below is a list of services that will help define your own checklist for interviewing contractors.

Architectural and Engineering Services

The scope of your project may require, by code, an architect and/or engineer drawing. For HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, having the guidance of skilled staff who are proficient in the latest technology and systems’ installations helps your reno move seamlessly through the approval process.  In addition, your final project is designed beautifully, taking into consideration the precise placement of central HVAC equipment, wiring, and plumbing fixtures. The use of computer aided engineering and design software can produce visuals that allow for greater oversight and vision as you move through your renovation.

Modern Plumbing Solutions

Your home’s water fixtures and piping will invariably need to be tweaked throughout the project. Good plumbing professionals will spot issues and ensure your installation meets code at every turn. A bathroom or kitchen remodel may impact other rooms in your home. Proper plumbing experts are able to see the big picture and ensure the structural integrity of all impacted areas. Quality plumbing professionals effectively handle all manner of pipes, fixtures, appliances, and custom requests.

Electrical Contracting

Top notch electrical contractors should have experience in all sizes of remodeling or new build projects. By the very nature of a kitchen or bath reno, electricians know the ins and outs of plumbing as it relates to electrical wiring placement. Knowledge of code is again, very important in an electrical contractor. Skilled electrical engineers will have designs and plans for wiring and fixtures that illuminate your vision. Both design and labor professionals must work in concert to ensure that your whole electrical package, from wires to fixtures are perfectly placed, aesthetically pleasing, and up to code.

Contemporary HVAC Equipment

One of the key features of a new home or a renovated space, is the HVAC and other home comfort equipment. Ductwork and equipment must be carefully placed to ensure your system is constructed to meet the heating and cooling loads of your home. Issues such as ventilation, insulation and roofing structure also affect your home comfort performance. In addition to being code compliant, making sure your system is sized properly and works within the overall electrical framework is dependent upon a certified and licensed HVAC contractor.

A new HVAC design may not simply mean adding an updated handler and twisting some ductwork. A qualified contractor should address renewable resources, indoor air quality measures, and hybrid options that satisfy your distinct concerns.

Qualified HVAC installers work with designer, engineers, architects and other trades to ensure all systems are in sync before walls are sealed. Options such as geothermal heat pumps, which provide opportunities for federal tax credits, can be part of the discussion as can heat pumps, ductless systems and hybrid options. Good HVAC contractors will also be able to address the latest in furnaces and programmable thermostats that can maximize your home’s energy efficiency and minimize operating costs.

Here’s a short list of options to discuss with your HVAC contractor:

  • Optimum heating and cooling solutions – technologies such as hybrid heating make it possible to enjoy optimum comfort management at any given time according to current indoor and outdoor conditions.
  • Easy system programming and monitoring – advanced thermostats monitor for maintenance needs while also allowing precise adjustments through wireless connections.
  • Household health – indoor air quality solutions can be addressed through supplemental system components such as air purifiers, ventilation systems, and humidifiers.
  • Enhanced home environment – careful design and placement allows your system to make the greatest impact with minimal sound and visibility concerns.

The W.E. Brown design, engineering and installation professionals are ready to discuss your project as you look for ideas and gather quotes. W.E. Brown has been servicing the Charlottesville community for more than 90 years and we are always available for repairs, maintenance and energy audits based on your busy schedule. Call us today.

Keep Reading

<strong>Cozy and Cost-Effective: A Checklist to Help Prepare Your Home for Fall Heating Savings</strong>

Cozy and Cost-Effective: A Checklist to Help Prepare Your Home for Fall Heating Savings

Here in Central Virginia, fall is quickly approaching! While the fall season brings many fun activities and autumn treats to look forward to, it also means dropping temperatures and rising heating bills. We’ve gathered our best tips for preparing your home for the fall and winter seasons to help you be as energy-efficient as possible!

Read More  
Electrical Safety 101: Essential Tips for Homeowners

Electrical Safety 101: Essential Tips for Homeowners

As a homeowner, you want to feel safe and equipped to fix common, simple issues. However, when it comes to electrical, many of us don’t know much except where the breaker box is located. If you don’t know where your panel is…this is your sign to go find it! Breaker boxes are often located in

Read More  
10 Indoor Air Quality Tips for the Summer

10 Indoor Air Quality Tips for the Summer

Maintaining a healthy and comfortable indoor environment is essential year-round. However, we’ve found that managing indoor air quality can be trickier in the summer when you’re less likely to bring in fresh air through open windows. Here are 10 tips that will help you optimize your HVAC system’s performance, control humidity levels, and minimize indoor

Read More  
How to Program Your Thermostat for Optimal Comfort AND Efficiency

How to Program Your Thermostat for Optimal Comfort AND Efficiency

Each year, more homeowners make the switch to programmable thermostats. Why? Because these devices can make it easier to stay comfortable and use your HVAC system as efficiently as possible. Here’s how we advise our customers to strike a balance of comfort and energy efficiency:  Make a Small Temperature Change  The Google Nest team recommends

Read More  
What’s Really Better? Central Air Conditioning or a Ductless System?

What’s Really Better? Central Air Conditioning or a Ductless System?

Are you building a home or adding an HVAC system to your existing home? You’ll need to choose either central air conditioning or a ductless system. While there are pros and cons to both systems, the choice depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. Cost Considerations Since ductless systems are less expensive and less complicated

Read More  
Ways to Reduce Allergens and Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Ways to Reduce Allergens and Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Does your family struggle seasonally or year-round with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory difficulties? It may be time to think about ways to improve your indoor air quality. Deep Clean to Get Rid of Potential Allergens To help alleviate allergy symptoms, it’s best to eliminate dust mites and pet dander from your home by cleaning

Read More  
5 Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Never Neglect

5 Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Never Neglect

When life gets busy, it’s easy to forget or ignore routine home maintenance tasks. However, identifying minor problems can keep issues from turning into major, expensive repairs. Here are five home maintenance tasks you should never overlook:  Fix leaky faucets: Fixing leaks is about more than just saving water and avoiding flooring or wall damage.

Read More  
Introducing the 2023 W.E. Give Back Program

Introducing the 2023 W.E. Give Back Program

W.E. Brown has thrived in the Charlottesville area since 1922 and every year, we try to find ways to give back to this amazing community where our customers live. This year, we’re partnering with our friends at NBC29 to host the W.E. Give Back Program. The goal of this program is to recognize and give

Read More  
3 Reasons to Consider Buying a Generator this Winter

3 Reasons to Consider Buying a Generator this Winter

During the cold winter months, owning a generator can bring peace of mind. Being without power in frigid weather can be inconvenient and even dangerous. Here at W.E. Brown, we believe that investing in a generator is a step you can take to ensure that your family stays safe and that you don’t have to

Read More  
Troubleshoot a Tripped Circuit Breaker.

Troubleshoot a Tripped Circuit Breaker.

When a breaker trips in your home, it’s due to overcapacity or a short: The breaker trips, stopping the flow of electricity as a safety measure. A tripped main breaker will cut the power off to your entire house. SOME COMMON CAUSES CAN INCLUDE: too many appliances; appliances that require too much electricity; damaged breakers;

Read More  
Troubleshoot uneven heating.

Troubleshoot uneven heating.

Routine maintenance makes sure your heat pump is working at peak performance. But if one room is typically colder than the rest of your home, here are a few DIY tips you can do to help. Test your thermostat. Affix a thermometer on your wall next to your thermostat. Place a towel behind the thermometer

Read More  
Troubleshoot a clogged toilet.

Troubleshoot a clogged toilet.

To ensure that your toilet doesn’t overflow, remove the lid from the toilet tank and close the rubber flapper—unless you have a pressure-assisted tank. You may also reach behind the toilet and turn off the water supply. (Make sure you turn the supply back on when you’re ready to flush again.) PLUNGER Grab a heavy-duty

Read More  
What is emergency heat?

What is emergency heat?

What is emergency heat—and why do I need it? As a follow-up to our recent blog “My A/C won’t keep my house cool enough on a 95-degree day,” we’re taking a look at how heat pumps use emergency heat to perform adequately during the winter. Emergency or auxiliary heat is a supplemental heating component installed

Read More  
My A/C won't keep my house cool enough on a 95-degree day.

My A/C won't keep my house cool enough on a 95-degree day.

It’s 95 degrees outside, and you can’t get your indoor temperature to go below 75 degrees—even with your thermostat set on 72 degrees. It seems as if the AC can’t keep up. First thing you might think; okay, let’s get a larger AC to keep perfectly cool when summer temperatures hit above 93 degrees. However,

Read More  
After the Flood.

After the Flood.

One year ago in May, severe rain in Charlottesville, Va. caused the banks of rivers and streams to flood; so much so that people lost their lives. I recently sat with Diana and Scott outside their home in White Hall to talk with them about the flood and how it changed their perspective on service.

Read More  
How will the R22 refrigerant phase-out affect me?

How will the R22 refrigerant phase-out affect me?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, an R-22 refrigerant phase-out has been taking place in the air conditioning industry (since 2013) that will affect you—if it hasn’t already. (Some systems after 2010 were manufactured with the use of R-22. You can check the nameplate on your condenser for the refrigerant type.) The R-22

Read More  
Clearing The Air.

Clearing The Air.

There are many steps you can take to create a more air-friendly indoor environment. Some of the devices and claims can make the topic of air filtration confusing. Well, it doesn’t have to be. Read our blog and take a look at the simplified diagram to see if we can help clear the air on

Read More  
Finding value. It starts with a conversation.

Finding value. It starts with a conversation.

Defined as relative worth, merit, or importance: value is different for everyone. The “best” may not always be the right value for your home. And this nuance is important to consider when it comes to replacing your HVAC system. Start with the right HVAC consultant or technician; they will walk you through a series of

Read More  
Snow, ice, and a little peace of mind.

Snow, ice, and a little peace of mind.

Snow and ice are in the forecast for us (again). If you’re off to grab a few provisions, don’t forget to build in a little time to make sure your heat pump is ready for snow. A few simple steps can go a long way in ensuring you stay comfortable and safe during the snow

Read More  
Five Signs it’s Time for a New Heating System

Five Signs it’s Time for a New Heating System

There comes a time in every home owner’s life when they realize their furnace just isn’t what it used to be. Years of wear took its toll, and your once young and powerful heating system is now struggling to keep your room warm. We know it is hard to say goodbye, but delaying its replacement

Read More