San Francisco, CA- Two men in upstate New Yorkcaused a natural gas explosion when they tried to install a home water heater.The accident caused the men to be severely burned, destroyed three homes, anddamaged 20 others. The two men, an 86-year-old former handyman who owned theCorning, New York residence and his 38-year-old grandson, had failed to disconnectthe gas line properly. The blast on a Friday morning in August was reportedlyheard throughout the city of 11,000.
The do-it-yourselfer octogenarian had lost his sense ofsmell, and his grandson was suffering from a sinus condition. Thus, neitherdetected the odor of the natural gas seeping into the basement before one ofthem lit a propane torch in order to sweat copper fittings on the gas pipe.
The Corning police chief said the men were pulled fromthe wreckage by neighbors. Authorities said they survived due to having beenworking in a corner of the basement, somewhat shielding them from the blastthat moved up and away from them. The homes walls blew straight out. Its roofwent straight up in the air, according to the local fire chief. When a rescuecrew arrived to airlift them to a hospital, it found wreckage from neighborhoodhomes hanging from trees and floating in a nearby swimming pool.
A veteran plumber on the plumbing board in nearbyBinghamton, New York, points to the incident as the latest proof that tighterstandards are needed for potentially dangerous jobs. The board official calledfor an end to local laws letting homeowners, and in some cases unqualifiedcontractors, perform such potentially dangerous work. The two men whose homerepair attempts turned into a demolition had not violated any local ordinances,the Corning fire chief noted.
Besides the danger of devastating explosion, botchedplumbing work can cause air and water contamination, notes Rudy Gaspar, who has over 40 years experience in the trade. He added, There are so many things thatcan go wrong, and urged local communities to step up site inspections andreview of work permits. Although some local regulations contain loopholes thatless-qualified contractors do the work, Gaspar cautions that potentiallydangerous jobs like installing gas-fired water heaters should only be done byproperly trained and licensed plumbers.
Even before the incident, plumbing board officials andtrade groups had been advocating tighter regulations, to prevent unqualifiedpersons from attempting potentially dangerous plumbing projects. The Binghamtoncity council recently voted to withdraw with an agreement recognizing licensesfrom Oneonta, another city in the area, after finding that some plumbers basedin other cities were getting licensed in Oneonta due to lower licensingstandards there.
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LocalPlumberSaylesbury.com (http://www.localplumbersaylesbury.com)is run by a Gas engineer Aylesbury who serves the Aylesbury region ofBuckinghamshire, England, providing a full range of plumbing and heatingservices of all sizes. Run by a gas safe plumber Aylesbury and a reliableplumber in Aylesbury, the firm offers top-quality 24-hour emergency services atvery competitive rates. The Peter Masons Plumbing & Heating Aylesburywebsite contains a full description of its services, testimonials fromsatisfied customers and a gallery of before-and-after photos from the reliableplumber in Aylesbury, who is a local, trustworthy plumber. Need a plumber? Needplumbing work? Visit us and click here on the URL and get information on how tocall Peter the plumber.
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Home Improvement Accident Causes Natural Gas Explosion Damaging 20 Homes reports LocalPlumberSaylesbury.com
General Pacific: Most homeowners do not give a thought to their water heater until faced with a tank failure. New ENERGY STAR qualified AirGenerate heat pump water heaters, maximizing electric energy savings, are gaining popularity in the continental USA.
Portland, Oregon (PRWEB) October 22, 2012
Many households do not consider energy saving options when faced with replacing a failing electric water heater. According to the ENERGY STAR program, upgrading to an energy efficient heat pump water heater can save households up to $300 per year on their utility bill.
AirGenerate AirTap heat pump water heaters, distributed by General Pacific (GenPac), can maximize the energy saving potential for consumer households who currently have electric water heaters. Most consumers are unaware that water heaters are a major contributor - 15-20% - to a households total energy usage.
Water heaters are often out of sight and out of mind to as long as they continue to function properly to produce hot water. Therefore, consumers are often unprepared when a water heater fails. Consumers faced with a leaking water heater often choose to install the first available water heater. They want to have their hot water back states Roch Naleway, manager of the GenPac Conservation Products Division. New heat pump water heating technology allows customers to save money and energy when they upgrade from a standard electric unit. Heat pump water heaters generate hot water efficiently by transferring heat from ambient air to water that is stored in the water heater.
Consumers can choose between various heat pump water heater models if they decide to upgrade. Most Northwest utilities like AirGenerate AirTap heat pump water heaters. They have been built to maximize electric energy savings in colder climates says Rick Hall, President and CEO of General Pacific. When installed in a garage space the AirTap water heater operates in the efficient heat pump mode all the way down to an ambient air temperature of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Most other heat pump water heaters need to use their backup electric elements at ambient temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and lower.
The ENERGY STAR qualified AirGenerate hybrid heat pump water heater is gaining popularity in net zero homes and passive house (Passivhaus) construction due to their high efficiency ratings. The Airgenerate AirTap placed first in the Hot Water Contest at the US Department of Energys Solar Decathlon further establishing its value as an energy efficient choice for homes.
This model of heat pump water heaters is fairly new on the market and is only available from a few select distributors including General Pacific located in Fairview, Oregon. AirGenerate, located in Houston, Texas, approached General Pacific proposing a distribution agreement for the heat pump water heaters in the summer of 2012. We specialize in distributing energy efficient products. Heat pump water heaters make a lot of sense, so it did not take long for us to make this product available to contractors, retailers, and utilities we serve. Today we ship AirGenerate water heaters just about anywhere in the US, says Roch Naleway. GenPac has been offering product information, installation and sales training for heat pump water heaters to contractors, retailers, and electric utilities since October, 2011.
Utilities are promoting this product through incentive and rebate programs which can add up to $1,900 for qualifying installations of AirGenerate water heaters in the Pacific Northwest. Incentive and rebates are available through Energy Trust of Oregon, Oregon Department of Energy, Seattle City Light, Tacoma Public Utility District, Puget Sound Energy, and many others. The Smart Water Heat rebate, available to residents in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, amounts to $1,000. The out of pocket cost for households comes to $900-$1,600 after incentives, rebates, and tax credits. It is a good option to consider if your water heater fails or you are looking to upgrade towards efficiency says Roch Naleway.
As new technologies for water heaters emerge, the potential for increased energy efficiency in the average household rises. These new energy efficient options are now being made available through retail avenues including General Pacifics online retail site. Trends in home construction are changing to be more energy efficient as evidenced by the increasing popularity of passive solar homes, ENERGY STAR New Homes, Passivhaus and net zero homes which are utilizing this heat pump water heater technology.
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US Households Waste up to $300 Annually Using Inefficient Water Heater Technology