This section displays the last 50 news articles that were published.

Those who work at the Veterans Outreach Center in Utica strive to serve and honor local service members not just one day out of the year, but every day. Cara Thomas reports about their latest renovations and projects to come.

UTICA, N.Y. -- Food and shelter are two basic necessities that many veterans unfortunately don't have, that's where the Veteran's Outreach Center of Utica steps in.

"We have a full donation room, full food pantry. We have case management services, Internet cafe for veterans and their family members," said Executive Director Vincent Scalise.

Since the veterans center opened in 2009, employees have been making improvements to the building and expanding their services little by little.

Over the past year, they've done renovations throughout the building, including on the sub-level where they're making space for the new Utica Community Food Bank.

"That construction is almost complete. We did major improvements to the first floor with the class rooms, the heating and cooling systems," said Scalise.

The Veterans Outreach Center also has plans to transform their three upper floors into emergency housing. But construction for that can't happen just yet.

"We're going to be putting on a new roof, come the spring. We almost have all the funds secured that we need for that so we're moving forward," Scalise said.

In terms of new services, starting January 15, veterans will be able to receive free legal services. Syracuse University's College of Law is opening New York's first veteran's legal clinic. Utica will be one of their satellite locations.

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Veterans Outreach Center Eyes Free Legal Services, Emergency Housing

You never know when you might have to repair or install your own water heater. In case such an event does occur one must be prepared to do so. Listed below are some useful tips which help you to effectively repair or install your water heater.

When you are going to install a water heater, the first thing that you need to check is whether the appliance is the right one for you. A water heater may be an electric heater or a gas-fuelled one. A gas-fuelled heater is relatively cheaper to operate. But, this may vary depending upon the location of your house. Moreover, if your house does not have a gas connection, then an electric heater is the only available option.

The next thing that you will have to check is the plumbing in the house. The pipes meant for the hot water and the cold water will have to match the dimensions of the water heater. If it does not match then the necessary arrangements need to be made before the installation of the heater can be carried out.

Now when it comes to the actual installation process, one must be very careful to ensure that all the electric or gas utility attachments are switched off. Once that is done, the tank holding the hot water can be drained off in order to connect the necessary pipes for the heater.

Once you have finished draining the old unit, you are ready to install the new one. Install any of the additional fittings that have been provided with the unit. The next step should be to connect the water pipes and the gas pipes and ensure that all the connections have been made correctly. You need to make sure that the gas is let out of the house properly. Once the connections have been completed properly you can safely install the water heater.

It might be a good idea to insulate the unit before you use it. It is a long term advantage as it will help in reducing undue incurring of costs and time.

Water Heaters Repair

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Water Heaters Repair and Installation | Cooling And Heating

(BPT) - A remodeling project is one of the most invigorating lifestyle changes a homeowner can make. However, trusting a contractor with both your home and your money can feel overwhelming. Spare your time, money and sanity by following these steps for choosing the best remodeling contractor:

1. Decide what you want out of your newly remodeled home. Start thinking about goals, amenities and a rough timeline, making sure you can clearly articulate your ideas to a contractor. Idea centers, such asHouzz or the James Hardie Photo Showcase, can serve as inspiration for kick-starting your remodeling project. This phase is also ideal for researching sustainable building products. By using green products, homeowners save money on heating and cooling costs, and builders can decrease constructions carbon footprint.

2. Ask for advice. Youre not the first person to remodel your home, so dont go through the process alone. Talk to friends, relatives, neighbors and coworkers about their remodeling experiences. In addition to collecting referrals, ask targeted questions about how those contractors communicated throughout the process and mitigated any setbacks. If you know a building inspector, ask which contractors regularly meet code requirements.

3. Research and contact businesses. Start gathering information on your referrals and local prospects by visiting their websites or making phone calls. Make sure these remodeling contractors have the required licenses, liability insurance and ability to obtain local permits for your project. Most will also tell you if they belong to a professional association such as theNational Association of the Remodeling Industry or National Association of Homebuilders. For exterior remodeling, theJames Hardie Building Products website includes a contractor locator tool homeowners can use to search for reputable contractors. TheBetter Business Bureau also issues warnings about those that might not be trustworthy. Through your research, select three to five potential contractors.

4. Set up meetings with contractors. After identifying your top candidates, schedule face-to-face meetings with each to discuss your project. Ask questions and make sure communication is fluid and straight-forward. How many projects does the contractor handle at one time? Are his or her past projects similar in scope to yours? More of these questions can be found at theJames Hardie Hire a Pro resource center. If you find a particular meeting goes especially well, ask for references and a bid on your project.

5. Compare bids and references. Think of this step as putting the finishing touches on your selection process. When contacting references, ask them to rate their satisfaction with the project. Did the contractor meet time and budget requirements? As soon as the bids come in, look at the cost breakdown of labor and building materials. The best contractor is not always the cheapest. Nows the time to find out if a contractor uses the best quality products that meet your budget. For instance, does he or she installfiber cement siding on home exteriors, or, opt for the cheaper, less durable vinyl siding? Make sure contractors are choosing long-lasting products that will stand the test of time.

6. Choose your contractor and sign a contract. With all of your research on hand, select the best contractor for your project. After confirming with the contractor, draw up a contract that includes a description of the work, products to be used, cost and completion dates and let the project begin.

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6 steps for choosing the best remodeling contractor

Plants grow around the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park's Education Center, and soon they'll be growing atop it, too.

Installation of the first phase of a green roof began Wednesday on the building at 1501 W. Sixth St. If the last of the necessary funding comes through, the project could be completed next week. Officials said the new roof is educational, economically beneficial and environmentally friendly.

"It was just too cool a project to let go by," said Dave Skellie, coastal land use specialist with Pennsylvania Sea Grant.

He prepared a grant application on Erie's behalf for the green roof on the Education Center, which is owned by the city and maintained by L.E.A.F.

Skellie and L.E.A.F. Director Charlotte Mashyna said hundreds of trays of soil pre-planted with sedums were being hoisted onto the roof, covering an area a little more than 2,000 square feet.

The green roof will retain stormwater and reduce the amount flowing into Cascade Creek, which runs through the park. Additionally, water that does flow from the roof will have been filtered naturally through the plants and soil, improving the quality of the stormwater that moves on to Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.

"We're very environmentally conscious, and it is an environmentally good thing to do," Mashyna said.

The project also is expected to extend the life of the building's roof, and having plants growing there will reduce energy bills.

"They do help with the heating in winter and the cooling in summer," Skellie said.

Mashyna said the roof also is an educational project, showing the community an alternative for keeping water clean and heating and cooling costs down. Information about the green roof will be shared through public workshops and programs for students.

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Green roof planted atop L.E.A.F. building in Erie

Augusta, Ga. (PRWEB) November 04, 2014

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett recently signed a law allowing low speed vehicles (LSVs) on roadways with posted speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less. LSVs are also known as neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs).

This is great news for Pennsylvanians who want to reduce their carbon output and cut their transportation costs, says Mary A. Sicard, consumer marketing manager at Club Car, the manufacturer of the Villager LSV.

Villager LSVs do not use carbon fuel, and they create no carbon monoxide. They get up to 30 miles to a six-hour charge and cost just pennies per day to operate.

Enjoy the Ride of Your Life

The nimble Villager LSV makes it easy for drivers to stop at shops, restaurants and to chat with friends. They foster social interaction and integrate shopping and dining into the fabric of life. They are also easy to park.

Residents of gated, retirement, urban, college and military communities are using their Villager LSVs for neighborhood transportation, shopping, dropping kids off at school, going out to dinner, zipping to the gym or just cruising, Sicard says.

With more than 75 percent of all American vehicle trips coming in at 10 miles or less, these jaunts -- and the savings -- add up quickly.

What is an LVS?

Unlike golf cars, LSVs are classified as motor vehicles and regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. LSVs must have vehicle identification numbers and be titled, licensed and insured. Only licensed drivers may operate them.

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Club Car Welcomes Pennsylvania Law Allowing Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs) on Roads with Speed Limits of 35 mph or Less

Dear Jim: My heating and cooling system is 20 years old, and I think it is time to replace it. I am trying to decide which type of furnace (gas, propane, electric, oil) is best. What do you recommend? Russ H.

Dear Russ: If you are changing out the entire system, you will have the option of many fuel types for heating. There used to be a gas-powered central air conditioner, but now electricity is the only cooling option.

Operating cost and your familys comfort are the primary factors in selecting a new system. System efficiency and relative cost of the various fuels determine the operating cost. Fuel prices can fluctuate dramatically over the life of your system, as we have seen just recently with fuel oil and propane.

For heating, a natural gas condensing furnace generally is the most cost-effective choice. With the fairly recent glut of domestic natural gas from fracking, there should be an adequate supply at reasonable prices for the foreseeable future. Efficiencies are as high as 97 percent.

Many people install a heat pump (heats and cools) instead of a central air conditioner with a fossil fuel furnace. The installed cost of the system with a heat pump is not much more than with just a central air conditioner.

The advantage of a heat pump is that it heats efficiently during mild spring and fall weather. During these times, it runs instead of the furnace burners to heat the house. When it gets colder, the furnace takes over. A heat pump cools as efficiently as a central air conditioner during summer.

A geothermal heat pump heats and cools by using the stored heat from the ground. I installed one in my own home this spring. A variable-speed model provides the best comfort by continuously sensing and matching the heating and cooling output to the house needs.

The initial cost of a geothermal system is substantially more than other complete systems, but the utility bill savings should pay back its cost over its life. A 30 percent federal tax credit is available for geothermal heat pumps installed before 2017.

If natural gas is not available in your area, a propane or oil furnace provides equally comfortable heating. But propane is typically much more expensive to use and was in short supply last winter. Oil furnaces provide excellent heat and oil is readily available, but they require more regular maintenance and cleaning.

Also consider alternative fuels such as firewood, corn, pellets, etc., for supplemental heating. They are convenient to use and renewable. For example, dual-fuel wood furnaces automatically switch to gas when the wood burns out.

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Replacing AC? Add a heat pump

School curriculum is exciting when it teaches students how to program a computer that will machine high precision parts, instructs students in the fine art of creating a banquet menu for one hundred people, install solar panels or replace the computerized braking system on an automobile. And yet, the value of these learning experiences continues to be questioned as equally rigorous when compared to traditional curriculum. This debate has raged across our nation ever since our federal government began funding Career and Technical Education (CTE) in 1917. However, one thing is changing. The debate is receiving greater attention as our global economy is shifting to require a highly skilled workforce capable of executing technical skills in problem based work settings. This conversation has landed at the doorstep of our leaders in Albany, and Albany is listening.

People generally come down on either side of this debate. Listen to the conversations at family graduation parties or discussions around the office water cooler as parents talk about the high school and post-secondary academic track of their children. Then watch the body language change when one parent proudly describes the technical certificate their daughter just earned in heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Perhaps some simple facts may help get the conversation back on track and make direct eye contact at the water cooler a little easier:

We are a nation that continues to want the shiny and wonderful new things being developed but do not have the people to build them, work on them, and fix them and if we do not find them pretty quick the American economy will be in real trouble. (James Brady, Secretary of Maryland Dept. of Business & Economic Development, View From Government, 2001)

Thinking and problem solving is the work of the future no matter what educational environment you develop these skills in. Applied learning environments do it the best. (NAVE Report, June 2004)

In New York, if current trends continue, the state will have a deficit of 350,000 employees by 2020 for mid-level technical skills jobs, which are considered to be those requiring more than a high school diploma but, less than a four-year college or university degree. (Chmura Economics and Analysis, 2013)

Only 12 percent of New York high school students concentrate in a Career & Technical Education field (OECD 2008, Education at a Glance, 2008), yet more than 50 percent of current high skilled jobs require these skills.

Thirty-seven percent of Americas three million annual high school graduates go directly to work after receiving their diplomas; most are not prepared with any technical skills. (NAVE Report, June 2004)

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Despite high unemployment, 600,000 jobs in advanced manufacturing remain unfilled because of a lack of skilled talent, (2014)

The USA ranks well behind a majority of European nations in preparing youth for employment after formal education. (OMabony and De Bair, 2002)

Read more:
Speck: 'My daughter, the HVAC technician' why the new graduation pathways model is so important

Designed and built in just 21 months, a new building on the campus of the South Beach Psychiatric Center will open in the coming months after it was wiped out in Hurricane Sandy. The new structure is designed to withstand even the most ferocious storm. NY1s Amanda Farinacci filed the following report.

The surveillance video above captured water bursting through the basement of the South Beach Psychiatric Center moments before Hurricane Sandy hit.

The water moved with such force that it broke through two doors held shut with dead-bolt locks. The fast-moving flood rose more than 12 feet before it soaked the camera and ended the recording.

"It was devastating. I didn't think that we were going to recover from it, said Robert Giammarino of the center.

More than 300 clients living at the center were evacuated before the storm hit.

When workers returned to survey the damage the next day, they discovered its electrical, heating and cooling systems were destroyed.

It took three weeks to do enough repairs to make the campus resident-ready again, using makeshift kitchens and backup generators.

But now, two years after the storm, the state office of mental health is showing off a new, stronger, more resilient facilities space, called the central services building, or CSB.

Its first floor is 20 feet above sea level, the second, 35 feet.

"You have the boilers, the chillers, the electrical gear, the generators, all that critical infrastructure that was immobilized by the storm, sitting 35 feet above sea level within the confines of the building here. So it really is what's going to allow us to continue to face these storms, said Ed Killeen of the New York State Office of Mental Health.

Original post:
Sandy-Destroyed South Beach Psychiatric Center Close to Opening New, Stronger Facility

Photo by Dean Morrill

Posted: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 7:53 am

'Heat Up Minnesota' helps Walker man get new furnace by Dean Morrill Editor dmorrill@pilotindependent.com The Pilot Independent

Kurt Glassmann of rural Walker received his new furnace last Friday, and thanks to Minnesota Lennox Heating dealers and Ikes Heating in Nevis, it was free.

This is the third year in a row Lennox Internationals Heat Up Minnesota program has been providing free high-efficiency furnaces to those who have had setbacks or have fallen on tough times, and who need heat. And Ikes Heating is one of the participating Lennox dealers in Minnesota that donates their time and tools to install the furnace.

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'Heat Up Minnesota' helps Walker man get new furnace

Since 1975 Area Heating & Cooling, Inc has worked hand in hand with the local contractors in Clark & Cowlitz County. We know what it takes to get your job done on time to keep your project moving. If you are a builder looking for a heating contractor to get your job done right and on time, call us for an estimate on your upcoming projects! We specialize in custom and spec homes.

Dear ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Awardee,

Congratulations! In recognition of your commitment to providing our nations homebuyers with ENERGY STAR certified homes, your company has earned a 2012 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award. This award recognizes your organizations work in promoting energy efficient construction and helping to protect the environment through its partnership with ENERGY STAR.

Despite the downturn in the housing market, it is clear that both home builders and home buyers are continuing to invest in high performing homes. To date, more than 1.3 million ENERGY STAR certified homes have been built with more than 127,000 constructed in 2011. All of this is thanks to the hard work and dedication by more than 5,400 active ENERGY STAR for New Homes partners!

Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR and partners like you, Americans saved nearly $400 million on their utility bills, and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of more than 510,000 vehicles. We appreciate the contribution that your organization has made to help ENERGY STAR achieve this great level of success, and your continued partnership.

This year, EPA is proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ENERGY STAR program. For two decades, ENERGY STAR has helped millions of Americans and thousands of businesses save energy, save money, and protect the climate. Over the past 20 years, Americans, with help from ENERGY STAR, have saved nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Attached you will find a certificate recognizing you for your achievements in energy efficient new home construction. Please accept this as a token of our appreciation for your hard work and dedication to the ENERGY STAR Program. We will also be sending you a separate email that will includes a press-release template and marketing ideas for advertising your Leadership in Housing Award.

EPA is pleased to offer this certificate, in addition to the opportunity for partners to order their own plaques, if they so choose. Sponsoring organizations will also have the opportunity to order plaques on their local partners behalves as well. The organization name to appear on your plaque will be the same as that which is listed on your certificate, unless otherwise specified. Directions for purchasing one or more plaques on behalf of your organization will be sent in a separate message.

The Leadership in Housing Awardee page

The ENERGY STAR for New Homes Team

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Area Heating and Cooling Inc. - Air Conditioners, Heat ...