What are the opening hours?

Monday 7:30am - 5pm Tuesday 7:30am - 5pm Wednesday 7:30am - 5pm Thursday 7:30am - 5pm Friday 7:30am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday 9am - 4pm

The Otter Guys

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Call us for your heating, air conditioning, and plumbing needs! As we grew into JLK, those same values remained at the heart of everything we did.
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Our story began in the 1960s with a simple promise: provide honest, dependable service and treat every customer like a neighbor. Founded as J L Kerley, we earned the trust of families and businesses across the greater Charlottesville community through hard work, integrity, and quality craftsmanship. In 2022, we became The Otter Guys. While our name changed, our commitment never did. For more than 60 years, we've proudly delivered trusted plumbing, heating, cooling, and now electrical services with professionalism and genuine care. We're grateful to the employees, customers, and community who have been part of our journey, and we're honored to continue serving Charlottesville with the same neighborly spirit that has defined us from the very beginning—providing Service Like No Otter.

10/14/2026

🦦🍂 THE ANNUAL OTTER COOKOUT: MORE THAN JUST A TEAM! 🍂🦦

On Friday, October 9th, our Otters came together for our annual Otter Cookout!

This event is about more than good food and a little fun. It’s about taking a step back from the daily hustle, spending quality time together, strengthening our bonds, and celebrating the people who make The Otter Guys what we are today.

At The Otter Guys, we believe that a great team is built on more than just working side by side. It’s built on trust, teamwork, laughter, and looking out for one another. We may come together as coworkers, but we leave as family. 🦦

As the year moves along, we also take time to reflect on everything we’ve accomplished. Every job completed, every customer helped, and every challenge overcome has been possible because of the people standing beside us. We rely on one another, support one another, and work together to deliver the quality service our community deserves. We couldn’t do it without our incredible Otter family!

😂🥧 And of course, no annual Otter gathering would be complete without settling a few grievances the Otter way… WE DON’T FIGHT — WE PIE! 🥧🤣 Sometimes all it takes is a little whipped cream to clear the air and remind us not to take ourselves too seriously!

Our annual cookout is a reminder that even the hardest-working Otters need time to reconnect, share some laughs, appreciate how far we’ve come, and make sure everyone has found their log before we head back out into the water. 🪵🌊🦦

To our Otter family, thank you for the hard work, dedication, and heart you bring to this team every day. And to our Charlottesville community, thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve your homes and families. The relationships we build, both inside and outside the workplace, are what make all the hard work worthwhile.

Here’s to another year of teamwork, family, laughter, accomplishments, and plenty of otterly awesome memories!

Now that we’ve found our logs, it’s time to get back to floating!

Because at The Otter Guys, we’re more than a team — we’re family. And we’re proud to serve our community together! 🦦

10/12/2026

🦦🔧 MEET THE TEAM MONDAYS! 🔧🦦

Meet Brenda Taylor — Our Plumbing Dispatcher! 📞

With over 8 years of experience in the plumbing industry, Brenda brings organization, know-how, and a whole lot of heart to The Otter Guys! She joined the Otter family a year and a half ago and has been keeping our plumbing Otters moving in the right direction ever since! She’s also completed the Dispatch Manager Course through Nexstar, adding even more expertise to her role.

Born in Charlottesville and raised in Madison County, Virginia, Brenda has deep roots right here in the community we proudly serve.

In Her Spare Time: Brenda loves spending time with her family and hanging out with her fur babies! 🐾

🍝 Favorite Food: Italian! You can never go wrong with a little pasta!

🐶 Favorite Pet: Her Chihuahua, Rascal! With a name like that, we’re guessing this little pup keeps things interesting!

💙 Brenda’s Favorite Part of the Job: Making a difference in the lives of the customers we serve, both professionally and personally.

For Brenda, dispatch is about more than scheduling appointments. It’s about making a positive impact on the people who trust us with their homes, and making sure every customer, new or old, is treated like family.

What does SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER! mean to Brenda?

Providing service from start to finish that’s better than anyone else’s, by always doing what’s honest and fair, and showing loyalty and compassion to every customer.

It also means making sure our technicians in the field always know they have our support, with their well-being and safety coming first. 🔧

We’re proud to have Brenda on our team, helping keep our plumbing department flowing, our technicians supported, and our customers in good hands! 🦦💦

10/05/2026

🦦 MEET THE TEAM MONDAYS! 🦦

Meet Terence Mitchell — Our General Manager! 👋

With over 25 years of executive management experience, Terence brings a wealth of leadership, experience, and people skills to The Otter Guys! He joined the Otter family in 2022 and has been helping keep our Otters on course ever since! 🚢 🦦

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Terence has lived and worked throughout the Southeast, from Virginia to Georgia, and now calls Laurens, South Carolina home.
In His Spare Time: Terence is an avid cruiser and traveler and says he could actually live on a cruise ship full-time!

🍝 Favorite Food: Seafood pasta! But Terence loves cooking all kinds of dishes and is always up for trying exotic foods from around the world!

🐟 Favorite Pets: Although Terence doesn't have a favorite pet at home, he absolutely adores his fish tank here in the office and has a pretty special place in his heart for our office puppy, Tilly!

🙏 Terence's Favorite Part of the Job: Being able to use his faith to serve people and make a difference in their lives.

Terence is a licensed and ordained minister in the Christian faith, and serving others is deeply important to him. He strives to make a positive impact on everyone he encounters — whether it's a customer, an employee, a stranger, or anyone else who crosses his path.

🦦What does SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER! mean to Terence?

"Making a difference in the lives of everyone I encounter."

That pretty much sums up Terence! His leadership, faith, and passion for helping others shape the way he approaches every person he meets.
Whether he's helping a customer, supporting a team member, or simply crossing paths with someone who needs a little encouragement, Terence believes in making a positive difference wherever he can.

We're proud to have Terence on our team, helping keep our Otters afloat while making a positive difference in the lives of the people and community we're so proud to serve! 🦦

09/28/2026

🦦🔧 MEET THE TEAM MONDAYS! 🦦🔧

Meet Jade Dennis — Our CSR Manager! 📞🦦

Born and raised in Madison County, Jade brings 6 years of CSR experience to The Otter Guys!

Jade plays a huge role in keeping our team and our customers taken care of every day. Her favorite part of the job is helping make a difference in the community and in the lives of the people we serve.

And when Jade isn't helping customers, you'll find her thrifting or spending time with her family!

🍣Favorite Food: Sushi
🐾Favorite Pets: Her dogs, Duke and Tilly!
🎯Favorite Part of the Job: Helping make a difference in the community and for the people we serve

🦦What does SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER! mean to Jade?
"Not just helping customers but making them part of our Otter family. It means helping, listening, and taking care of our customers and our team. Providing exceptional service from the time they call in to the time our technicians leave their home."

Jade is truly the glue of the team! She's always willing to jump in and help, and she knows pretty much everything about what makes the Otter machine run every day!

And of course, every great team needs someone to keep everyone fueled and ready for the day! That's where Jade's role as our Chief Morale Officer comes in! From birthday cupcakes to a well-stocked Gatorade fridge and the morning brew, Jade makes sure we have it all!

With 6 years of CSR experience, a heart for helping people, and a knack for keeping the entire Otter machine moving, Jade is an essential part of The Otter Guys team! 🦦

09/21/2026

🦦🔧 MEET THE TEAM MONDAYS! 🔧🦦

This Monday, we’re introducing the person behind The Otter Guys — our President and Owner! Aaron Katarya

He has owned The Otter Guys since fall of 2021, bringing a background in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota — SKI-U-MAH, GO GOPHERS! 🏈 — along with a Class A Contractor’s License.

Born in the Chicago suburbs and raised in southeastern Minnesota, his journey eventually took him to Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, and even Australia before landing here in Charlottesville and making Central Virginia home.

Favorite food: He’s a fan of just about anything! Lately, though, you can find him enjoying the nachos at B**r Run or taking advantage of Taco Tuesdays at Brazos.
Hobbies: He’s a die-hard Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Vikings fan, plays in several fantasy football leagues—including one with college friends that has been going strong for more than 20 years! and enjoys chess and board games. 🏈
When he’s not working, he and his wife love exploring Central Virginia’s hiking trails with their dog, Nala, and traveling to visit family across the Midwest and overseas. 🥾
Favorite Pet: Definitely Nala! This 80-pound hound/shepherd mix keeps the household entertained with plenty of shenanigans. 😂🐾
Favorite part of the job:
Two things stand out: happy customers and the Otter Guys team.
There’s nothing better than reading a customer review and seeing how the team’s work made a real difference for someone. He also loves working alongside such a talented, passionate, and high-energy group of people—and seeing team members take pride in their work, grow their skills, and build their careers.

🦦 What does “SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER” mean to Aaron?

We intentionally chose a tagline centered on service. For him, service means taking
care of our customers, our team, and our community.

For our customers, that means doing the job with high integrity, technical excellence, and deep care.

For our team, it means creating a workplace where people enjoy coming to work, continuing learning, and can build a long-term career. In fact, we currently have ten sets of family members working at The Otter Guys! That means a lot—because when employees feel strongly enough about where they work to encourage their family members to join them, that says something special.

And for our community, it means giving back to the people who support us. The Otter Guys sets aside a portion of our revenue to support local youth sports, community events, and holiday drives. Each year around Christmas, we also install an HVAC system for someone in need.

At the end of the day, SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER! 🦦 means taking care of the people who make The Otter Guys what it is—our customers, our team, and the community we’re proud to call home.

Help us give a big OTTERLY AWESOME welcome to the person who started this journey! 🦦

09/20/2026

When was the last time you had your dryer vent cleaned? 🧺

Your dryer's lint trap isn't the only place lint builds up.

Over time, lint, dust, and debris collect inside the vent itself, restricting airflow and making your dryer work much harder than it should. A clogged vent can mean:

🔥 Increased fire risk
⏱️ Longer drying times
⚡ Higher energy bills
🔧 Extra wear and tear on your dryer
⚠️ On gas dryers, exhaust gases backing up into your home

A few signs your vent needs attention:
• You're running the dryer twice to get one load dry
• The dryer feels unusually hot to the touch
• You notice a burning or musty smell
• Little or no air coming from the vent hood outside

Most homes need this done about once a year — sooner with a long duct run, a big household, or pets.

Don't let your dryer get all clogged up! Have questions or want yours checked out? Give The Otter Guys a call! 🦦

09/18/2026

DON’T LET YOUR SUMP PUMP GET CAUGHT WITHOUT BACKUP! 🦦💧

Here's the problem with sump pumps: the storm that fills your sump pit is often the same storm that knocks out your power. Your pump needs electricity at the exact moment it doesn't have any.

That's what a battery backup system is for. Here's a little time-lapse from The Otter Guys as our team installs one — so this pump keeps running even when the lights don't.

Already have a backup battery? Don't just look at it — test it, and know how old it is.Most backup batteries last only a few years, and a battery can look perfectly fine right up until the day it's asked to do its job.

Because the worst time to find out your backup isn't ready is when the power is already out.

Questions about your sump pump or backup system? Give The Otter Guys a call — we're here to help! 🦦

09/14/2026

🦦🔧 MEET THE TEAM MONDAYS! 🔧🦦

Meet Don Gordon — Our Water Filtration specialist and Plumbing field supervisor! 🚰🦦

Born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Don brings an incredible 30 years of experience in the plumbing trade to The Otter Guys!

After three decades in plumbing, Don knows one thing for sure: not everything that comes out of your faucet should go in your glass!
Don has earned his Master Plumber licenses in four states — Texas, Maryland, Arkansas, and Virginia! 🔧
And there's even more to Don than plumbing — he's a proud U.S. veteran who served from 1983–1987.

When Don isn't helping customers, you'll find him fishing, spending time with his wife, or enjoying time with his three sons — all plumbers themselves! Talk about a plumbing family!
🥩 Favorite Food: Steak
🐾 Favorite Pet: His late dog, Feebee ❤️
🎯 Favorite Part of the Job: Customer satisfaction

🦦 What does SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER! mean to Don?
"Providing the ultimate solutions to our customers' plumbing concerns, while making sure they feel heard, valued, and completely taken care of."

With 30 years of experience, four Master Plumber licenses, and a passion for helping people, Don is a great addition to The Otter Guys team!

09/11/2026

🦦💧 WATER FILTRATION TRAINING IN LANCASTER THIS WEEK! 💧🦦

Our team spent this week in Lancaster for hands-on water filtration training! 📚🔧

At The Otter Guys, we believe that great service starts with great knowledge. We’re always investing in our team’s education so we can bring our customers the best solutions, latest technology, and expert service when it comes to their plumbing and water quality needs.

We’re excited to bring this new knowledge and expertise back home and share it with both our customers and our team! 💧💪

We’re learning, improving, and continuing to grow so we can provide the very best service to Charlottesville and the surrounding areas.

Here’s to learning something new, growing together, and bringing even more knowledge to the customers we’re proud to serve!

09/07/2026

🦦🔧 MEET THE TEAM MONDAYS! 🔧🦦

Meet Lee Gormes — Our Fleet & Quality Assurance Manager!
If there's one person who truly knows The Otter Guys from the beginning… it's Lee!

Lee has been with the company for an incredible 42 YEARS — starting back when we were J L Kerley (later known as JLK). and sticking with us all the way to becoming The Otter Guys Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical!

At this point, Lee doesn't just work here… he comes with the office lease!

Lee has spent 42 years in the HVAC trade and earned his Master HVAC License in Virginia in 1996. With that much experience, there isn't much Lee hasn't seen, fixed, or heard!

Born and raised right here in Charlottesville, Lee knows our community inside and out. There's truly no one better to have on our team when it comes to understanding the people and community we serve.

🏁 Outside of work, Lee enjoys:
• NASCAR 🏎️
• Football 🏈
• Baseball ⚾
• Most importantly — spending time with his family

🥩 Favorite Food: Steak
🐶 Favorite Pet: His brother-in-law's dog, Forest!
🤝 Favorite Part of the Job: Meeting new people and getting to know the customers we serve.

What does "SERVICE LIKE NO OTTER!" mean to Lee?
"Leaving every customer with a smile on their face and a unit ready to run all year long."

After 42 years, Lee has earned his place as one of the people who truly makes The Otter Guys what we are today.
Help us give a BIG OTTERLY AWESOME shoutout to Lee!

Address

1224 Monticello Road
Charlottesville, VA
22902

Opening Hours

Monday	7:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 5pm
Thursday	7:30am - 5pm
Friday	7:30am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 4pm
Sunday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

+14342953121

Website

http://www.calltheotterguys.com/

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