Del Beutler, an enterprising sheet metal worker who founded one of the countrys biggest heating and air conditioning contractors, died Dec. 21 at 93, his family said.

Mr. Beutler returned home to Carmichael after serving two years in the Navy as a sheet metal specialist during World War II. He worked in a local sheet metal shop before studying heating systems and starting his own business in the garage at his home on Stanley Avenue in 1947.

The county tried to close him down because he wasnt in a commercial area, and the neighbors objected, said his son Gary. They said, Hey, he just got out of the Navy and hes just trying to make a living. Leave him alone.

Sensing an opportunity for growth, Mr. Beutler built his business installing heating and duct systems in new residential neighborhoods and commercial developments that sprung up during the postwar housing boom. He established business and personal ties with developers who went on to be leaders in the construction industry, including Joe Benvenuti and Buzz Oates.

In the 1950s, he traveled east to learn about air conditioning and returned to install some of the first modern cooling units in Northern California homes. He experimented with ways to improve the efficiency of air conditioning in harsh Sacramento summers, including new fans and insulation.

Not many people bought air conditioning back then because it was very expensive, his son said. He helped find ways to put it in new homes.

With an emphasis on innovation, Beutler Heating and Air Conditioning became a national leader in the heating and air conditioning industry. Mr. Beutler sold the business to his son and retired in 1981.

He really left people alone to do their jobs and be innovative, said Gary Beutler, chairman of Beutler Corp. He respected his employees and let them be who they were.

The son of a railroad worker, Del Simmons Beutler was born June 10, 1920, in Montpelier, Idaho, and moved with his family to the Sacramento area. He graduated from San Juan High School, became a sheet metal apprentice and worked at McClellan Air Force Base before World War II.

He married Norma Dorothy Doady Dickson in 1940 and had two children. He was active in Masonic organizations in his early years and donated his services as a sheet metal worker to build a prominent copper dome atop Carmichael Presbyterian Church on Marconi Avenue.

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Obituary: Del Beutler, 93, founded heating and air conditioning company

Welcome to Ground Source Contractors Inc., a family owned HVAC company. Our service area is a 60 mile radius of Perkasie, PA. That includes Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Delaware, Chester, and Philadelphia counties. Also parts of Mercer, Hunterdon, and Burlington counties in New Jersey.

OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE: We are experts in geothermal heating and cooling systems and can install and design the right system for you at the best price. Unlike many "green energy" companies we have more than 25 years installing and maintaining geothermal systems.

WHAT IS GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING? Geothermal energy is technology that relies on the earth's natural thermal energy to cool and heat a house. The only additional energy needed is a small amount of electricity to spread the heat or cool air throughout the home.

OTHER SERVICES: Our background and services also include natural gas furnaces, air-to-air heatpumps and radiant floor systems. One additional service that we provide is Infiltrometer testing, also known as a "blower door" test. The test will inform you of how loose or tight your house is. A house that is too tight won't have sufficient air alterations for good health. A house that is too loose will produce high utility bills and high levels of dust. Once these issues are identified, you can repair the leaks on your own, or take a quote from us. If you hire us for this job, then retesting will be free after the work is completed. Call us for your residential or light commercial needs.

PHILOSOPHY: Our philosophy is to install a quality job that enhances efficiencies, creates comfort, reduces maintenance by using the best equipment and materials in the industry. We can provide quotes for Waterfurnace and Climatemaster systems.

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Find out by having a BLOWER DOOR test done!

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Ground Source Contractors - Geothermal Heating and Cooling ...

Ground source geothermal heating and air conditioning systems are "the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective space-conditioning system available" - Environmental Protection Agency

Thanks for visiting our site. Located in Annapolis and serving Central Maryland, Earth River Geothermal is your locally-owned, full-service geothermal heating and cooling systems provider.

If you have been thinking about how a geothermal HVAC system would work for you, whether your personal priority is saving money, creating a more comfortable home or saving energy, Geothermal is the way to go!

In fact, there has never been a better time to use a geothermal heating and cooling system to more efficiently heat and cool your home or business. Historic federal, state and local geothermal incentives are in place that can significantly offset the cost of installing a geothermal heating and cooling system.

The economic benefit of harnessing geothermal energy is clear. A ground source geothermal heat pump is the most energy efficient heating and cooling technology available and it can cut your energy bills in half. Learn more about geothermal heating and cooling costs versus conventional HVAC systems.

Under current federal law there is a 30% federal geothermal tax credit for residential geothermal installations with no upper limit. The State of Maryland provides Maryland geothermal heat pump grants of up to $3,000 for residential geothermal heat pumps and up to $7,000 for commercial geothermal systems.

What's more, there are new local incentives such as Anne Arundel County's geothermal property tax credit of up to $2,500. When these geothermal energy tax credits and grants are coupled with the most energy efficient heating and cooling system on the market, your renewable energy investment can pay dividends with a payback period of as little as 5 years, depending on the type of HVAC system being replaced.

The combined price of a geothermal heat pump and geothermal installation rivals that of conventional heating and cooling systems. Read "Geothermal Heat Pump Cost Comparison" to see how geothermal systems fare when compared to conventional electric resistance heat pumps, air source heat pumps, natural gas, propane and fuel oil heating and air conditioning systems:

Geothermal Heat Pump Cost Comparison

"If geothermal heat pumps were installed nationwide, they could save several billion dollars annually in energy costs and substantially reduce pollution."- U.S. Government Accountability Office

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Earth River Geothermal - Maryland Geothermal Heating and ...

By Kathryn Weber Originally published December 19, 2013 at midnight, updated December 19, 2013 at midnight

In winter, the temperature a room that always seems chilly can dip 10 degrees or more below the rest of the house. And if the room is used often, cranking up the thermostat can make the rest of the house feel steamy. Thankfully, it doesn't take a major rework of your heating system or a risky space heater to make a cold room both toasty and attractive.

Cold floors

Some rooms suffer more from cold floors than simply cold air. These are typically bathrooms and kitchens with stone or tile floors. An easy remedy is to add toe-kick heaters. These are small heating units that fit neatly in the space under a cabinet, where they're nearly invisible. If you're handy, you might be able to install the heaters yourself. Such units run about $150, excluding wiring and installation. They're controlled by a small thermostat on the wall.

Room-size heating

Under-carpet heating is another handy option. CarpetHeat by SpeedHeating is a product that goes between the carpet and padding. Using thin wires, the unit heats the room from the ground up. A separate thermostat attached to the wall controls the temperature. Around $600 and up (plus another $200 for a thermostat), these units are not inexpensive but offer an efficient way to heat a room unobtrusively.

Wall-mounted fireplaces

Another heating option that's attractive and stylish while also lending a romantic touch is an electric fireplace. The Touchstone Onyx 50-inch fireplace is black and rectangular, making a great visual statement on the wall whether it's glowing or not. The embers look realistic ($349). Many wall-mounted electric units are plug-in ready and come with timers and remote controls, so you can boost the temperature at the touch of a button.

Freestanding fireplaces

No room on the wall? Choose from a wide variety of freestanding fireplaces and stoves. Designed to fit with almost any decor, electric fireplaces are available in everything from a traditional stove look to units with mantelpieces and faux stonework. Some generate actual flames using a gel fuel or faux electric flames. Gel fireplaces are a better option for looks than warmth. To banish a chill, an electric fireplace does a better job.

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Living Space: Stop shivering in that pesky cold room of your house

When cooler temperatures hit closer to home, medics at Harris County Emergency Corps (HCEC) have a heightened awareness of the potential for patients with carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning mimics other illnesses and can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and/or death. The most common symptoms are dizziness, headache, weakness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and chest pain. Leakages in heating systems, gas ranges, portable heaters, burning charcoal or wood, engines, stoves, lanterns and fumes produced by cars and trucks produce carbon monoxide. When enclosed in a confined space such as a house or garage, carbon monoxide can become lethal for people and animals.

According to the CDC, carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by taking several steps:

Heating systems, water heaters and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances should be serviced by a qualified technician every year.

Do not use portable flameless chemical heaters indoors. Although these heaters dont have a flame, they burn gas and can cause carbon monoxide to build up inside homes, cabins or campers.

If you smell an odor from your gas refrigerators cooling unit have an expert service it. An odor from the cooling unit of your gas refrigerator can mean you have a defect in the cooling unit and could be releasing carbon monoxide.

When purchasing gas equipment, buy only equipment carrying the seal of a national testing agency, such as the CSA Group.

Install a battery-operated or battery back-up carbon monoxide detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.

Have a mechanic check the exhaust system of your car every year. A small leak in your cars exhaust system can lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide inside the car.

Never run a car or truck inside the garage with the garage door shut. Carbon monoxide can build up quickly while your car or truck is running in a closed garage.

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Stay safe and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

Officials are optimistic about the Somerset School Department receiving the lions share of $1.6 million in energy-efficient project funding as part of an April 1 settlement between the former owner of Brayton Point and the federal government.

My understanding is the school department had done everything they were supposed to do and, therefore, they would be rewarded with the whole $1.6 million, state Rep. Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, said Monday night.

She said Fall River did not apply for its share.

Well have an announcement right after the first of the year. I feel very optimistic, said Somerset School Committee Vice Chairman Jamison Souza, who said hes been working closely with Haddad for months.

Were going to receive more than we originally planned strictly through the school department, he said.

Among project criteria are energy efficiency and renewable energy, Haddad said.

The Board of Selectmen are scheduled to talk about the issue at Wednesdays 6 p.m. meeting at Town Hall after Chairman Donald Setters asked Town Administrator Dennis Luttrell last week for an update on the settlement funds.

The April 1 settlement between Dominion owner of Brayton Point until this year and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been widely known.

As part of a 2010 court agreement over three Dominion power plants found to be in violation of 2010 federal clean air standards, the Virginia-based Dominion agreed to about $13 million in payments, including $9.8 million in federal mitigation projects and a $3.4 million civil penalties, including the $1.6 million for Somerset and Fall River to share.

In late August, school officials announced they submitted several energy recovery and energy control system projects to a Dominion manager, Alice Prior.

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Officials say Somerset schools in line to receive all of $1.6 million from Brayton Point settlement

California is raising the bar next year on energy efficiency in new homes and commercial buildings.

Developers will have to ensure roofs can support solar panels, install windows that let in sunlight while reducing heat gain, and add whole-house fans under the more stringent building codes.

The improvements could add a couple thousand dollars to the cost of a home, but could save homeowners nearly three times that in energy bills over 30 years, the state estimates.

The goal by 2020 is for new buildings to use no more energy during the year than they can generate through the use of energy-saving features and solar panels.

Most homebuilders in Fresno already meet or exceed current energy standards and they continue to upgrade the energy-saving features of their homes in anticipation of the 2020 goal.

Meeting next year's code won't be difficult for most Valley homebuilders. For many it's about logistics and planning, not redesigning their homes.

"The code is always in the back of our mind," said Brandon De Young, vice president of operations at De Young Properties. "We're already exceeding current code so clearly we're not in it to just meet code. We want to try and get to the future ahead of time and be comfortable with it already."

Standards hit delay

The California Energy Commission first implemented energy-efficiency standards in 1978 to make buildings more comfortable, to lower energy costs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The standards are updated every few years to allow for new technology and construction methods to be considered in the design of new buildings.

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Valley builders prepare for new state energy-efficiency codes next year

Highly insulating triple-pane windows keep a house snug and cozy, but it takes two decades or more for the windows to pay off financially based on utility-bill savings, according to a report by energy efficiency experts at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

The findings are being presented Dec. 4, 2013 by PNNL research engineer Sarah Widder at the Buildings XII Conference in Clearwater Beach, Fla. The meeting is sponsored by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers).

The report by Widder and senior staff engineer Graham Parker is based on a study at PNNL's Lab Homes, a pair of identical manufactured homes used to study energy efficiency. Researchers replace one item at a time in one home, such as the windows or the water heater, then compare the performance of the homes.

For this study, the PNNL team studied the effect of replacing aluminum-frame double-pane windows, which are common in homes across the country, with newer, triple-pane windows, also known as highly insulating windows. The team found that the newer windows slash energy use in the home by 12.2 percent. But because of the cost of the highly insulating windows, it would take anywhere from 23 to 55 years for the reduced energy cost to make up for the increased expense.

"A savings of 12 percent on whole-house energy consumption is substantial, especially when you're talking about changing a relatively small percentage of a home's envelope," said Parker, a founder of the Lab Homes project. "But the windows are expensive."

The team notes that there are many other factors to consider in addition to money when deciding whether to install highly insulating windows.

"Comfort is also important," said Parker. "The windows cut down dramatically on cold air radiating from the windows and they reduce temperature variations in the home, where some areas will be much warmer or cooler than others. They also nearly eliminate the formation of condensation on the inside of the window which can lead to mold growth and unhealthy indoor air. It's hard to put a dollar value on comfort and health."

The PNNL team found an added value during summer months: The newer windows, which have low-emissivity (low-e) coatings that reduce internal solar heat gain, slashed energy consumption by almost 25 percent during peak cooling times on hot summer afternoons. That benefit is passed along to utilities as less demand on the overall electricity grid at times when demand and price are highest, Widder said.

Lab homes - an energy laboratory in a home environment Each of the lab homes is about 1,500 square feet and is equipped with more than three dozen sensors which hang from the ceiling or are attached to windows, walls, and other areas throughout the home. The sensors record information on temperature, humidity, and the amount of sunlight entering through windows. Instruments outside the homes record temperature, humidity, wind speed, rainfall, barometric pressure, and wind direction.

The house has 196 square feet of windows, including two large sliding glass patio doors and eight other windows.

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Highly insulating windows are very energy efficient, though expensive

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Contributed photo

Governing board, staff and clients of the Graham County Rehabilitation Center celebrate receiving a $30,000 grant from the United Way. The money will be used to install a heating and cooling system in the GCRC facility on Main Street in Safford.

Posted: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 12:00 am

GCRC gets United Way grant Contributed article Eastern Arizona Courier |

SAFFORD The United Way Grant Committee awarded $30,000 to Graham County Rehabilitation Center, which will be used to install a heating and cooling system in the new GCRC retail space in historic Downtown Safford.

This additional space enables GCRC to provide more opportunities for group-supported employment for adults with developmental disabilities. It will also provide additional employment opportunities for after-school and Saturday work for high school students with developmental disabilities enrolled in transition from school-to-work programs.

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GCRC gets United Way grant

TERRE HAUTE Crews from a Wabash Valley heating and cooling business traveled in two different directions one went north and the other south during the early, cold Saturday hours with one mission for the day: to bring warmth to two Terre Haute homes this season.

The technicians at Paitson Bros Heating and Air Conditioning and a representative from its furnace supplier, Lennox Industries, volunteered their time and talents to help keep two families safe and warm this winter.

As part of Operation Warm Christmas, Paitson Bros and Lennox Industries have partnered to provide two families in need with a brand new Lennox heating system. Lennox Industries supplied a high efficiency gas furnace to one home and an electric air handler to the other. Paitson Bros supplied the labor, thermostat, gas pipe and other necessary equipment for installation.

All free of charge to the families.

Paitson Bros General Manager Ethan Rayburn said this is the companys and the employees way of giving back to the community.

Our guys [are] skilled at putting in furnaces. One way we can contribute and give back to Terre Haute is to do furnace work, he said.

Especially during the holidays.

This is the time of year when we are receiving a gift. Its our way of giving a gift back, Rayburn said.

And this gift was substantial.

The retail value of the gas furnace installed at one of the homes was about $4,500, Rayburn said. The electric one cost about $3,000.

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Operation Warm Christmas: Giving warmth