SECCO Home Service Technicians

Earn Elite NATE Certification

SECCO Home Services, Harrisburg’s premiere HVAC provider, has announced that seven of its technicians can now add the elite NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certification to their credentials.

Harrisburg, PA –Central Pennsylvania-based SECCO Home Services has a long-standing reputation for ensuring its technicians are the best-trained in the business.  Consequently, in November, seven of the company’s HVAC technicians earned the right to add the prestigious NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certification to their credentials.

NATE, founded in 1997, is the largest heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration nonprofit certification organization in the country.  The NATE exams, developed by industry experts, are highly rigorous, using real-world situations and issues to test technicians’ experience, logic and expertise.

The seven team members who received certifications include: Skip Poust, Brad Lemieux, Nick DeMuro, Chris Roles, Joe Misner, Andrew Berry and Todd Ruch.

Barry Kindt, president, SECCO Home Services, feels this achievement is directly related to the strength of the company’s core culture of continuing education.  “We believe that having the most advanced information translates to superior experiences and outcomes for our customers,” he says.  “That’s why we strive to provide our team members with opportunities to advance their knowledge bases.  We congratulate these seven gentlemen for their desire to provide our community with exceptional service.”

About SECCO Home Services
Based in Camp Hill since 1969, SECCO Home Services offers electrical, heating and air, plumbing, and remodeling and repairs for residential, corporate and industrial customers in central Pennsylvania.  More information about SECCO Home Services can be found at www.SECCOhome.com.

It’s that time of the year in central Pa.  The air is chilly, the leaves are falling and… unfortunately… colds and flus are rearing their ugly heads!

Though this is to be expected to a certain extent, there ARE measures you can take to make sure your home is “healthy”.  Check out our top eight ways to keep your home from becoming a sick environment this winter.

#1: Get your ductwork cleaned

Guess what?  All those germs, pollen/dust particles, mold/mildew and additional “fun” stuff has been collecting in your ductwork all spring, summer and fall.  This will circulate throughout your house, creating an environment conducive to sickness, UNLESS you get your ductwork professionally cleaned.

#2:  Regularly clean surfaces that are shared

Did you know that studies have found that surfaces like phones and doorknobs can contain many times more germs than your toilet seat?  Wow!  Make sure everyone in your home knows that they should clean and disinfect communal areas regularly.

#3:  Clean up all food

Yeah, it’s tempting to leave that pizza lying out all night… but that’s just an invitation to critters and insects.  And those critters and insects leave droppings and other nasty “calling cards” behind, creating the perfect environment for you and your family to develop reactions.  Therefore, it’s wise to bag, box or pitch all uneaten food.

#4:  Increase the humidity in your household if it’s dry AND decrease the humidity in your household if it’s moist

Too dry or moist air can create problems for many individuals, so if you increase or decrease the humidity in your house, it may help keep your family from getting sick as much (or at all).

#5:  Have your furniture items and carpets cleaned

What could be better than a clean sofa or carpet?  Don’t allow pollen, dust, mold, dander and dirt to make those spaces “home”.

#6:  Get all your drafts taken care of now

Have areas in your home that allow your heat to be sucked out?  Take care of those drafts ASAP by calling SECCO.

#7:  Make certain your family gets fresh air

Don’t stay cooped up inside for the entirety of winter.  Physicians recommend fresh air for staying healthy, so don your warmest outfit and head out into the coolness for a brisk walk, jog, run or hike.

#8:  Change your furnace filter

When you make this kind of change in your furnace filter, you’ll be ensuring that the filter is working at optimal levels and screening out the air particles that would otherwise enter your rooms.

Honda EU2000i Generator Recall

Many Central Pennsylvanians purchased emergency back-up and portable generators after the extreme weather that Hurricane Sandy brought. If you recently purchased a portable generator from Honda, please read this important recall to make sure your generator is safe to run at your home. [Read more…] about Honda EU2000i Portable Generator Recall

Always buy the freshest live tree you can find. If it’s losing needles when you purchase it, the issue won’t improve as it stands in your home.

Broken ornaments and decorations should be rapidly cleaned up to avoid human or pet skin lacerations.

Christmas trees (live) are the source of around 240 home fires each year. Make sure yours is kept watered and away from any open flames and/or heating sources.

Deep-fried turkey is becoming a tradition among many Americans, whether for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. But be careful and only use deep fryers after reading the safely instructions. They can cause serious damages to people and property.

Electrical outlets should not be overloaded. If you need extra sockets, invest in a good surge protector instead of plugging your lights and holiday decorations directly into the wall. Alternatively, hire a professional electrician to add outlets to your home.

Falls from ladders increase during the holidays (when individuals are hanging lights and other decorations.) Never use a “rickety” ladder, and always make sure someone else is available to help you decorate when using a ladder.

Get rid of debris, ice and other items from walkways.

Have your fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected before using it this year.

Inspect your holiday lights each year before hanging them. Discard any that no longer work or are inappropriate for your intended usage (e.g., indoor-only lights being used outside.)

Just say “no” if your family starts to get stressed out with holiday commitments. Remember – this is a time of year to have fun together, not to become exhausted.

Keep choking dangers (e.g., small ornaments, tiny decorations) away from children and pets.

Lit candles should never be left unattended. All it takes is a moment for a candle to tip over and an item to catch fire.

Make certain any items purchased (e.g., for presents, for decorations) have not been recalled.

Needles that have fallen from the Christmas tree should not be allowed to pile up, creating a fire hazard. Remove them each day.

Only flame retardant and non-flammable decorations should be used in your home. This will help avoid any kind of fire hazard.

Poinsettias are beautiful, seasonal plants; however, they can be poisonous to pets, as can holly and mistletoe. If you have dogs, cats or other animals that might find a way to eat your plants, it’s best not to have the plants in the house.

Quickly put up any foods (especially chocolate or alcohol) within reach of nosy pets, both of which can be poisonous to cats and dogs. (Don’t give in to “begging” behavior, either.)

Refrigerate any leftovers promptly to lessen the risk of food poisoning.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be in proper working order for maximum security this holiday season.

Turn all your holiday lights out, turn your decorations off and blow out all candles before you leave your house or head to bed.

Undo any knots in the strings of your lights before plugging them in.

Verify that any holiday party houseguests are at least 21 years old before you allow them to drink alcoholic beverages.

Wrapping paper should be discarded properly. It should never be thrown into the fireplace, as the inks on the paper can cause toxic fumes.

eXits should be accessible at all times, so don’t decorate in such a way as to make them unavailable in an emergency.

Yuletide goodies are tempting, but try not to overeat. Gaining weight will only create problems.

Get your Zzzzzs. Sure, holidays are fun, but everyone – kids AND adults – need to stay on track with sleep schedules!

30 Companies Converge in Virginia

30 Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, Drains & Home Improvement Companies met in Virginia last week to review a prominent Plumbing & Air Conditioning company called My Plumber. Participants came from California to New Jersey, even Toronto, Canada!

A Peer Group Meeting is a service of our Member-owned Nexstar Network, www.NexstarNetwork.com, all to promote sharing through education and to set standards for ethical Customer Service in the Home Services business.

Day 1

We started the day by meeting My Plumber Technicians – checking the neatness of their truck inventory and tools, asking questions about their skills and experience and proceeding to ask about the communications level of their Call Center with their Technicians – we wanted to know that their Customers were understood, so the right Tech arrived as they promised and the Customer was happy.

We proceeded to tour their Dispatch Center, review their Marketing, and visit their Inventory re-order procedures to make sure their trucks were stocked and ready to handle the Customer’s service request promptly. We reviewed their Heating & Air Conditioning Installation procedures to know that their Comfort Consultants were well-educated and informed on all the latest and greatest advances in heating, air conditioning and indoor air cleaning. Very impressive!

Day 2…

[Read more…] about My Plumber hosts Peer Group…

If you’re fortunate enough to have friends and family to gather with you this holiday season, you owe it to them to make certain your house is as safe as possible. 

That’s why we’ve amassed a variety of ways that you can create an environment that’s secure, cozy and wonderful for your houseguests.  Enjoy the revelry!

• If your guests are staying overnight, clean all mattresses, bed sheets, pillow cases, etc., with hypoallergenic detergents.
• If you expect to have children at your house, childproof where possible, paying special attention to any poisoning or electrical safety hazards.
• Do not use candles unless you’re awake in the room where the candle is burning.
• Make sure you alert your guests to any smoking policies you have, such as no smoking in the house or garage.
• If you haven’t already done so, replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Schedule a cleaning of all your ductwork so there aren’t nasty particles of pollen, mold, mildew, dander, dirt, etc., in the air.
• Have your carpets professionally cleaned.
• Have food on hand that your guests are able to eat, especially if they have special dietary needs.
• Turn your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less to minimize the risk of scalds.
• Ensure the lights inside and outside your house are in good working order.
• Clean the bathrooms and place no-skid mats in the bathtub/shower area (if applicable.)
• Put food away in a safe amount of time to avoid food poisoning.
• Add nightlights to all sleeping areas to make bedtime more inviting.