Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise RICHLAND, Wash. How much energy was used to heat the water for your morning shower is probably the least of your groggy, uncaffeinated thoughts.

However, some homeowners are discovering they have even less need to think about early-morning energy use thanks to an increasingly popular alternative to conventional electric water heaters - the heat pump water heater. Results from a new field study are challenging an earlier understanding that heat pump water heaters are efficient no matter how theyre installed. It turns out using ducting for air intake and exhaust impacts both the appliances and an entire homes energy use.

Heat pump water heaters can use up to 63 percent less energy than traditional electric water heaters, said the studys lead researcher, Sarah Widder, of the Department of Energys Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. When water heating makes up about 18 percent of U.S. residential energy use, heat pump water heaters offer a real opportunity for energy savings.

Until now, many have thought those savings would be offset by an increased use in heating systems. Thats because heat pump water heaters work by transferring heat from the air into water, which can lower indoor temperatures. This can reduce energy use during the hot summer months, but lead us to heat our homes more in the winter. But PNNLs field tests showed that, depending on how heat pump water heaters are connected to exterior ducting, they can reduce a homes overall power use. The results also showed heat pump water heaters may not affect a homes heating and cooling systems as much as previously thought.

New water heater in town Due to their high efficiency, heat pump water heaters can be much less expensive to operate than electric resistance water heaters, the large, tall cylinders that warm water in 41 percent of U.S. homes. Heat pump water heaters are increasingly being installed in lieu of their conventional electric cousins. Heat pump water heaters make up about 1 percent of new water heater sales nationwide. The total number of units sold increased from 34,000 in 2012 to 43,000 in 2013, according to ENERGY STAR.

Before PNNLs field study, the only data on the impact heat pump water heaters have on whole-home energy use was from an idealized computer model that didnt draw on real-world data. To take a deeper look at total energy consumption, Widder and her colleagues installed heat pump water heaters in the PNNL Lab Homes, two especially equipped manufactured homes used to evaluate energy-efficient technologies.

A heat pump water heater was installed in one of the homes without any ducting whatsoever. Another, identical water heater was installed in the second home with one of two configurations: ducting that only vented the appliances exhaust, or full ducting that both collected outside air and later exhausted used air back outside. Both homes used the same electric resistance heating, cooling and ventilation system.

Sensors placed in each of the Lab Homes measured energy use, indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity and more. Computers controlling both homes periodically ran hot water and turned on lights to simulate actual occupancy identically in both homes. The PNNL team ran the experiment through the summer and winter of 2013.

Read the original:
Hot Showers, Lower Power Bills with Heat Pump Water Heaters

Preparing for an earthquake is kind of like locking the doors of your house, according to quake preparedness buff Matthew Springer.

Your chances of getting burglarized are miniscule, but you lock your doors anyway. Likewise, the probability of a major earthquake happening on any given day are small, but being ready is still a matter of common sense, Springer said.

Springer is an associate professor of medicine in the cardiology department at UC-San Francisco, but he has a passion for earthquake preparedness. He blogs and gives frequent talks on the topic, most recently on Monday to a group of more than 40 people at the St. Helena firehouse.

Some experts focus on preparing for the big one, like the 7.9-scale quake that hit San Francisco in 1906. But Springer said quakes with an intensity of between 6 and 7 like Loma Prieta in 1989 or Northridge in 1994 are bad enough to cause widespread damage, injuries and deaths, but small enough to still happen semi-regularly. The Aug. 24 quake in South Napa measured 6.0.

The Red Cross likes you to prepare for 1906. I want you to prepare for 1989, Springer said.

Springer said that despite a dubious Triangle of Life chain email thats been criticized by experts, the best thing to do during an earthquake is get under something sturdy, like a dining room table.

People used to be taught to stand in a doorway, but that strategy actually originated in the days of adobe structures, when wooden door frames were the sturdiest part of a building. In modern structures, doorways arent any safer than the rest of the house, Springer said.

Running out of a building is a bad idea, and has led to many people being hurt or killed by falling bricks, masonry and glass, Springer said.

The question of whether to turn off the natural gas right after an earthquake is a controversial one, Springer said. Once the gas is turned off, PG&E advises homeowners not to turn it back on until the pipes have been inspected, which could take weeks to schedule after a major disaster.

Springer said his advice is to sniff for natural gas right after an earthquake, and only turn the gas off if you smell it. Keep an appropriate wrench near the valve.

Go here to see the original:
UCSF professor shares quake preparedness tips

JACKSON The last fire death investigated by the State Fire Marshal's office in 2014 occurred on New Year's Eve, and the cause is suspected to be heating related. With extreme cold temperatures forecasted for the state this week, Commissioner of Insurance and State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney urges all Mississippians to start the new year by practicing heating and fire safety.

Properly using heating sources to stay warm during cold weather and having working smoke alarms in your home is literally the difference between life and death, is the message Mississippi State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney has repeated over and over.

It is a message that he will continue to repeat in order to protect lives in Mississippi

Everyone must use extra precaution when using space heaters or alternative methods as heating sources. Space heating poses a much higher risk of fire, death and injury than central heating, and it cannot be stressed enough that using a stove to heat a home is extremely dangerous, Chaney said.

Every home should have a working smoke alarm. Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of people dying in home fires in half, he added.

Fire safety education and preventing fire deaths continue to be priority goals of the State Fire Marshal's office.

As you prepare for this week's cold weather, the State Fire Marshal's office offers these heating safety tips:

Should a fire break out in the home, have an emergency evacuation plan for the family to follow and have a designated meeting place for all family members. Once everyone is outside the burning home, call 911 and DO NOT RE-ENTER THE HOME UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!

For more fire safety information and tips visit a special State Fire Marshal Heating Fire Safety page on the Mississippi Insurance Department website at http://www.mid.ms.gov

See the original post here:
State Fire Marshal's Office's Heating Safety Tips

Foxboro, MA (PRWEB) January 04, 2015

Flooded homes caused by leaking water heaters, washing machines, sink and toilet hoses and valves, frozen leaking pipes and other plumbing can be a disaster, destroying your property and precious memories.

Leaking plumbing does not give any warning and can fail without notice. Small leaks can create a flooded home if undetected, even for a couple of hours when at work or away for the night or an extended vacation.

Introducing the ValveSentry - the first and only automatic water shut off device that attaches to the water main valve - no plumbing or permits required!

The ValveSentry device bolts to any ball or gate valve and shuts off the water main when a leak is detected.

Installation of the ValveSentry device is simple and doesn't require any plumbing - installs easily in minutes with ordinary hand tools. And it fits on any type or size of water main shut off valve.

If the water main valve can be manually closed by hand, the ValveSentry device can be easily installed on it for automatic shut off.

The ValveSentry device's water sensor can be placed anywhere in the home to detect a water leak and promptly turn off the water main.

Place additional ValveSentry water sensors near water heaters, washing machines, sinks, toilets, and plumbing. If a leak occurs, the sensor sends a signal to the controller, which shuts off the water at its source. Installation is simple. . . Operation is automatic.

Leaks do not give any warning signs. Hot water heaters, washing machine hoses, toilet and sink valves and hoses - can fail suddenly and leak continuously until the owner comes home and discover a flooded house and $1,000's of damage.

Continue reading here:
Prevent Frozen Water Pipes From Flooding the Home This Winter

D-Link announced plans at CES to widen its footprint in the DIY connected-home market with an all-new hub, several new sensors, and a Wi-Fi siren. The company, which manufacturers Wi-Fi routers, adapters, IP cameras, and other networking equipment for the home and SMB markets, shipped its first smart-home products in 2014.

The D-Link DCH-G020 enables you to integrated Z-Wave devices with your Wi-Fi router.

I had a relatively low opinion of D-Links Connected Home Platform when I reviewed it last year, because it was too dependent on power-hungry Wi-Fi devices. These new additions to that platform could change my mind.

The Connected Home Hub (model number DHC-G020, $80) is particularly interesting. The cylindrical device connects to your existing home router and acts as a bridge to sensors and other devices that use low-power Z-Wave technology.

It will eventually control Wi-Fi lighting systems that are compatible with the AllSeen Internet of Things initiative, too. The app [for operating the hub] will only recognize the devices that D-Link is announcing, D-Link marketing VP Dan Kelley told me in an interview last month, but the plan is to open up the API to additional devices in 2015 and beyond. D-Link expects to ship the hub in the second quarter of 2015.

D-Link announced three new sensors that will interact with the hub and other products in D-Links Connected Home Platform.The MyDlink Z-Wave Motion Sensor (model DCH-Z120, $50) sends push notifications when motion is detected in a room.

D-Link expects the battery in its DCH-Z120 motion sensor to last 3.5 years.

It's battery operated, which makes it much easier to deploy than D-Links existing motion sensor, which relies on Wi-Fi and therefore must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Unlike most sensors in this class, the DCH-Z120 is also outfitted with ambient temperature and light sensors. Consumers can configure the MyDlink Home app to trigger one of D-Links Wi-Fi Smart Plugs to turn on a light, and/or one of its Wi-Fi security cameras to snap a picture of what set it off.

D-Link's DCH-Z110 Z-Wave Open & Close sensor is innovative in that it can monitor ambient temperature and lighting conditions as well as the status of the door or window it's attached to.

The MyDlink Z-Wave Open & Close sensor (model DCH-Z110, $40) detects when windows and doors are opened and sends push notifications to the users mobile device. Unlike most door/window sensors, the DCH-Z110 can also monitor ambient temperature and lighting conditions, enabling it to send messages and trigger other devices, such as a smart plug. Kelley told me, however, that D-Links system doesnt tie into any thermostats at this point.

Visit link:
D-Link significantly expands its connected-home offerings

Dubai: The dangers may not be apparent, but malfunctioning electrical equipment in the bathroom faulty water heaters, hair dryers, shaving points can cause electrical shocks and even electrocution.

An electric shock can be extremely traumatic as depending on the voltage of the current. The person can be thrown back, receive burns, get maimed or even die of electrocution. We have had cases of mild to severe electric shocks that people have received in bathrooms and kitchens, said Ajay Chaturvedi, the head of Emergency Medical Services at the American Heart Association, Dubai.

Usually the human body has resistance to prevent damage when exposed to low voltages. However, when your palms are sweaty or when you are wet or damp, this resistance is lowered and can pass on the current directly to your body when exposed to it. The most important thing is to use covered circuits that are not overloaded with electric equipment and get all electrical points regularly checked by a qualified electrician, caution experts.

Modern apartments are equipped with auto switch and whenever there is an electric malfunction usually the circuit trips, switching off the current from the mains.

However, in some of the really old apartments needing a complete change in wires and plumbing, sometimes the problem can pose a serious hazard.

A Dubai resident who used to live in a dilapidated building in Karama but has moved since recalled a bad experience.

This was in the early 2000 and all the residents of our building complained of getting a mild shock whenever we touched the tap in the kitchen sink. Apparently there was some malfunctioning in the kitchen water heater, but it was really scary and I would avoid using the kitchen tap. However, it was not easy to altogether avoid using it and I would touch it with the help of a thick cloth napkin. No one in the building maintenance was heeding our complaints and eventually we moved out. I later heard that the pipes and circuits were changed.

Chaturvedi said that a person received electric shock due to use of an appropriate wire where the connection was not properly grounded.

In bathrooms, it is usually the electric razors or water heaters that are the culprits. When you install these you have to make sure you have proper [grounding] wires. Sometimes people use faulty extension chords or even load extension chords with too many connections that can short circuit. This must be completely avoided. You must not use these when in the shower or bath tub. Switch off the current before you get damp or step into the shower.

Read more:
Hidden electrical dangers in homes

Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romeros radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer systems. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona. Here are questions about home maintenance and improvement from the Southern Arizona area.

Q: I have two 18-year-old air conditioning units on my home. Theyre both operating well, but Im getting ready to replace them because my summer AC bills are going through the roof. Can I do one AC at a time in order to spread out the cost to fit my budget?

A: Its possible to do that, provided that you replace the air handler unit as well as the condenser unit because they need to match up to operate properly. But once you have that new air conditioner youre going to be so excited next summer about how much smaller, quieter and more efficient your new equipment is that you will wish you had done both systems. By doing both HVAC sections at once, you also avoid some of the fuss and upheaval that take place during installation.

Q: The root ball of a pine tree in my yard is beginning to invade the water company meter box in front of my house. The water company says that I have to take care of this problem. Do I have to cut down the entire tree?

A: You dont have to remove the tree. An arborist can cut back the roots and then can install a barrier to stop the roots from invading that part of your yard again. Youll probably need a barrier that will go about 3 feet down into the ground. Workers can probably simply dig a trench and slide in the plastic root deflector to keep roots from heading toward the meter box.

Q: Id like to replace my older gas water heater with a new tankless model? Is that feasible to do?

A: Tankless water heaters keep growing in popularity and their performance has really improved over the years. At one time, you would get a flash of cold water, then a flash of hot, then a flash of cold again when they started up. You still have to run the water a little before hot water arrives at the point of demand. A tankless unit will have high-powered burners that can be fueled by gas or electricity. These units are usually considerably smaller than traditional water heaters and will take up less room in a garage or a closet.

But if you go tankless, you need to have a water softener installed as well if you dont already have one. Thats because our very hard Arizona water can damage tankless heaters. And tankless models are more expensive than traditional water heaters. The installation can also be more complicated in terms of gas and electric lines.

Q: Three months ago, we planted a young red push pistache tree in our yard. It replaced a mesquite that was infested with mistletoe and was slowly dying. I used to water this new tree every day; now I water it every other day. But Id like some advice on how much watering I really have to do. It doesnt seem to have grown very much at this point.

A: You probably didnt need to do all that watering to begin with, and now that cooler weather is here and the tree will soon lose most of its leaves, you should only water it every seven to 10 days. When you do that, you want to give it 7-10 gallons at a time.

Read more from the original source:
You needn't replace both ACs at same time

Updated: 01/02/2015 11:31 PM Created: 01/02/2015 10:35 PM WHEC.com By: Amanda Ciavarri - @whec_aciavarri

The New Year means new rules for some businesses in New York and you might be surprised to hear this rule wasn't already in place.

Starting this year, restaurants and commercial buildings will have to install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors. The law was prompted in part by an incident inside a Long Island restaurant last year where one person was killed and dozens more were hospitalized from CO poisoning.

Carbon monoxide leaks are a public safety concern; it's called the silent killer. You're required to have a CO detector in your home, but until now restaurants and bars were not required to have them.

Gates Fire Captain Gary Finlayson says, "It is a deadly gas, odorless and basically non-detectable without a CO detector."

Jines on Park Avenue has been serving up meals for decades and a few years ago owner Pete Gines put in a CO detector. Not because he had to, but because he felt it was the right thing to do.

"It's a safety issue," says Gines. "Anytime there is a safety issue, we want to be able to protect the customers and staff members. Staff members are here for 6, 8, 10 hours a day. They are here for a prolonged period time and the customers are in for an hour, hour and a half."

Captain Finlayson says prolonged exposure to CO can cause headache, dizziness, and -- if exposed long enough -- loss of consciousness and even death. That's why they keep monitors on the trucks. Hundreds die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning. Last year, a manager died of carbon monoxide poisoning and two dozen other people were treated at the hospital following a leak at a seafood restaurant on Long Island. Investigators found a leak in the hot water heater.

"It is very important to be cautious and those establishments should probably have them," says Captain Finlayson. "They are using much larger appliances whether it is heating systems or cooking equipment. They are putting out larger volumes and heating bigger areas. They could have malfunctions."

Gines says they always keep a close eye on the equipment in the restaurant. He is glad the state now requires bars and restaurants to put the safety of the customers and employees first.

See the original post here:
New law requires restaurants to install CO monitors

Solar water heater install
Short video clips of the installation of a active open loop solar water heating system.

By: Ryan Dugger

Visit link:
Solar water heater install - Video

Created: 01/01/2015 9:16 AM WHEC.com By: Associated Press

Restaurants and commercial buildings statewide will be required starting next June to install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors. The two laws signed this week apply to New York City and the rest of the state. Sponsors say they are intended to extend the requirement for the detectors already in place for apartments and one- and two-family homes. They noted that a carbon monoxide leak from a malfunctioning water heater pipe recently killed a Long Island restaurant manager and sickened nearly 30 people. The colorless, odorless gas comes from incomplete combustion. Milder symptoms from inhaling it include dizziness, headaches and confusion.

News10NBC/WHEC-TV welcomes your opinion and interaction on our website, but please remember to keep it clean. If you're advertising for another business, being profane, vulgar or slanderous your post will be deleted. By commenting on this website, you agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Use. Comments are not pre-screened before they posted.

Go here to read the rest:
NY to require carbon monoxide detectors in restaurants