New York, NY (PRWEB) January 09, 2015

Over the past five years, solar investment tax credits have helped mitigate the decline of the Solar Water Heater Installation industry, which otherwise suffered from reduced demand due to the real estate markets collapse and tepid recovery. Although an assortment of federal and state investments into solar energy have subsidized the cost of industry services, they have been insufficient to restore the industry to its prerecession heights. Since first being introduced in 2006, the tax credits have been extended through 2016 and caps on subsidies to residential customers have been removed. Despite economic challenges, these policies have underpinned moderate growth over the past five years.

According to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Edward Rivera, Most of industry revenue comes from residential installations; therefore, the health of the housing market plays a large role in determining the fate of solar water heater installers. The industry has benefited in recent years from a rise in housing starts and increased home renovations. This resulted in more solar water heaters installed in new construction projects, says Rivera.

The industry is highly fragmented, with low barriers to entry and a prevalence of independent operators that service local markets. Participation in the industry is expected to expand in the coming five years as construction companies increasingly offer solar water heater installation services. Revenue is also expected to grow at a faster pace through 2019, though its uncertain whether the federal policies that have been so favorable to the industry in recent years will continue. Regardless, technological advancements in solar water heaters and rising demand from the corporate sector are expected to drive the most demand for industry services.

For more information, visit IBISWorlds Solar Water Heater Installation in the US industry report page.

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

Operators in this industry install solar water heater systems as part of general residential and commercial contracting services. These operators are contracted either directly by the customer or by solar marketing companies that arrange a buyer for solar thermal systems and contract an industry operator to carry out the work.

Industry Performance Executive Summary Key External Drivers Current Performance Industry Outlook Industry Life Cycle Products & Markets Supply Chain Products & Services Major Markets Globalization & Trade Business Locations Competitive Landscape Market Share Concentration Key Success Factors Cost Structure Benchmarks Barriers to Entry Major Companies Operating Conditions Capital Intensity Key Statistics Industry Data Annual Change Key Ratios

About IBISWorld Inc. Recognized as the nations most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772.

Excerpt from:
Solar Water Heater Installation in the US Industry Market Research Report from IBISWorld Has Been Updated

As the city continues to deal with bitterly cold temperatures, one Brooklyn tenant battles to get heat in his apartment. NY1s Susan Jhun filed the following NY1 For You report.

"It's just inhumane, said Bed-Stuy tenant Tracy Berkley.

Cold to be precise, just plain cold. That's the condition Berkley has been living in for the past couple of months.

"Since November 1, I've been without heat. There was a fire in the building, said Berkley.

Which has left the asthmatic renter in the cold using any means to stay warm.

"During the day I've got the oven on and I've got the electric heaters on and I've got blankets, said Berkley.

And at night, Berkley says he gets little sleep since he worries about the electric heaters catching on fire.

Berkley says the building's manager refuses to turn the new boiler on to provide heat. Tenants have an order to vacate at the end of the month due to unsafe conditions but until then they say they n eed heat.

"I want the heat on until I have to leave. If the owner is not interested in turning the heat on for the sixty days that he's giving me then pay my broker's fee and pay my first and last months security and I'll move out tomorrow, said Berkley.

We contacted the manager for the building and he told us even though a new boiler was installed and heat can be provided, the pipeline size is not big enough for the boiler, cooking gas and hot water heater. He says he knows that it's cold and that's why he's encouraging tenants to move out.

Read more here:
NY1 For You: Heat Restored for Freezing Bed-Stuy Tenants

Tammie Millen reacts to the cold wind as she takes an exercise walk around the track at Blacksburg High School on Wednesday.

Weather forecasters are predicting blustery temperatures, prompting officials to issue heating safety tips and recommendations for residents to protect pipes, animals and to check on the elderly.

The National Weather Service is predicting an overnight low Wednesday of 13 degrees, with wind chills at zero or 5 below zero. Thursday, temperatures aren't expected to get above freezing with a high of 30 degrees and an overnight low of 19 degrees.

The weather service has issued a wind chill advisory from midnight Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday.

Most local hardware and department stores are sold out of outside faucet covers and cedar shavings used in dog houses. Store owners also said kerosene and space heaters are selling fast.

Charlie Patton, of Ace Hardware in Gaffney, said plenty of pipe insulation is available to protect exposed pipes and a few kerosene heaters remain in stock. Irwin Ace Hardware officials said they will likely receive a shipment of outdoor faucet covers Thursday morning.

The state fire marshal issued fire and heating safety tips Wednesday, urging people to check smoke alarms to make sure they work. People who can't afford a smoke alarm can call their local fire department to have an alarm installed, said Spartanburg Fire Chief Marion Blackwell.

State Fire Marshal Bert Polk said fire deaths increase 63 percent in the winter months.

Last year, there were 14 fire deaths in Spartanburg County a grave spike from prior years and twice as many as any other county statewide.

If you have a space heater, it's important to keep it at least 3 feet away from any furniture or equipment, Blackwell said. Many times, people want to put them close to the bed, but it can catch fire. A dog or cat can accidentally knock them over, too, so it's important to watch them carefully.

Continued here:
Spartanburg County prepares for extreme cold weather

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

As the snow piles up and temperatures hit below freezing, the heating systems in our homes start to put in some serious work. Everything from water heaters and vents, to generators and warming up cars. As Brian Dwyer reports, you have to be very careful to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, which can cause sudden illness and death. Find out more on how to prevent CO poisoning on the CDC's website.

It's called the silent killer. You can't see carbon monoxide. You can't smell it. You can't even taste it in the air.

"Our body has an affinity to use carbon monoxide to replace the oxygen in our body," Herman said about why it's so dangerous.

It can hit you in minutes. That's the danger. In the winter months, that danger can be anywhere. As we crank up the furnace and the hot water heaters, one bad pipe, one gap or rust hole and that gas gets into our air.

Watertown Fire Department officials said a professional should take a look at least once a year.

"I don't think it's that expensive. It's a good insurance policy that number one, your furnace is going to work when you need it and number two, they'll pick up those issues that you typically wouldn't," Watertown Fire Captain and public education officer Theodore Kolb said.

You also need to check the outside vent that gas goes to. If it's not a chimney, there's a chance it's lower on the outer wall of your home. Any blockage and that gas gets shoved right back in your air.

"Now that the snow has been pushed up against the home, you've got to make sure those vents are kept clear for incoming air and exhaust air," Chief Herman added.

See original here:
Winter Cautions with Carbon Monoxide

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