MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Honoring healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, ARS, one of the nation's largest providers of air conditioning, heating and plumbing services, announces its ARS Cares Healthcare Heroes program. Rewarding HVAC systems and water heaters to more than 70 recipients in 24 states prior to the start of this summer, the program is an extension of ARS Cares, which provides a new system to deserving homeowners suffering without heat, A/C or water heaters.

Requesting submissions from the general public to identify healthcare workers in need of a new HVAC system or water heater, individuals can make nominations for the ARS Cares Healthcare Heroes Program via ars.com/ars-cares.

"Everyday thousands of healthcare workers are confronting COVID-19, putting others first and making tremendous personal sacrifices," said Luis Orbegoso, President and COO of ARS. "Our brave healthcare workers deserve to have their homes be an environment in which they can recharge. The Healthcare Heroes Program will help to ensure those most deserving of appreciation are receiving a new HVAC system or water heater to make them as comfortable as possible during this stressful time."

Open immediately, the nomination period will close on Friday, May 29. ARS's national network of brands will then select the recipient in each market and complete installation of the new system the week of June 8.

The ARS Cares initiative was launched in 2016 to cultivate positive relationships with communities where we live, work, and play. Since that time, more than 90 home services makeovers have been completed, donating more than $500,000 of HVAC systems and water heaters to deserving recipients. To learn more about ARS Cares and view official Terms & Conditions, visit ars.com/ars-cares.

ABOUT AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL SERVICESBased in Memphis, Tenn., privately-owned ARS operates a network of more than 70 locally-managed service centers in 24 states, with approximately 7,000 employees. The ARS Network features industry-leading brands including, 4 Eco Services, A.J. Perri, Aksarben ARS, Allgood, Andy's Statewide, ARS, Aspen Air Conditioning, Atlas Trillo, Beutler, Blue Apple Electric, Blue Dot, Blue Flame, Bob Hamilton, Brothers, Columbus Worthington Air, Comfort Heating & Air, Conway Services, DM Select, Florida Home Air Conditioning, Green Star Home Services, Hauser Heating & Air Conditioning, McCarthy Services, Rescue Rooter / Jack Howk, Rescue Rooter, RighTime Home Services, RS Andrews, TempRite Air Conditioning and Heating, Unique Services, "Will" Fix It, and Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing. As an Exceptional Service Provider, the ARS Network serves both residential and light commercial customers by providing heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, sewer line, radiant barrier, insulation, and ventilation services.

Press Contact:Jennifer Hughesjqhughes@ars.comPhone: (901) 271-9878

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American Residential Services (ARS) Network Of Brands To Recognize Healthcare Heroes With Home Services Makeovers Across 24 States - Tullahoma News...

A highly acclaimed vertical in itself, electric water heaters market has received a commendable boost from the exponentially rising awareness regarding limited fuel supply having stimulated the demand for electric-powered alternatives. The growing requirement of electric heaters across the household, medical, and hospitality sectors, on account of the former providing an edge over traditional fuel-based heaters in terms of costs, product design, and shelf life, has led to electric water heaters market gaining substantial proceeds lately. Additionally, these heaters can be efficiently installed pertaining to space conditioning loads and require lesser maintenance, which will propel electric water heaters industry size, pegged at USD 16 billion in 2017.

Electric water heaters function on the principle of thermodynamics and are massively utilized across domestic applications such as cleaning, cooking, space heating, and bathing. These heaters are available in a variety of appliances such as heat exchangers, geysers, hot water heaters, hot water tanks, and boilers, many of which are deployed on a large scale across the hospitality, healthcare, and construction sectors. It is thus rather overt that electric water heaters market share from commercial applications will exhibit tremendous growth over the next few years, driven by the surging demand from hotels, medical centers, office buildings, hostels, and academic institutions. Products used in commercial applications need to be lined with stainless steel, hydrastine cement, regular cement, or glass, since they require to exhibit a high rate of durability and efficiency.

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Residential applications held a substantial proportion of the electric water heaters market share in 2017. Electric water heaters of high capacity are extensively deployed for applications such as cooking, laundry, and bathing. With the exponential growth of the construction sector, the enforcement of building codes and standards have observed a rise, on the grounds of which electric water heater market from residential applications is expected to grow at a healthy pace in the ensuing years. In addition, evolving consumer lifestyle, rise in the per capita income, the necessity for customer satisfaction, and the constant need for product innovation will augment electric water heaters industry share from residential applications.

A pivotal factor that would augment electric water heaters market from the residential sector is the presence of a supportive regulatory landscape that encourages the deployment of sustainable heating systems in most homes. As advancements in technology continue to depict an upsurge and innovative products offering multiple control and management features come into play, electric water heaters market from residential applications will grow at a substantial pace over 2018-2024.

The U.S. is touted to be one of the most pivotal grounds for electric water heaters market growth, on account of the extreme weather conditions and the subsequently growing need for reliable hot water supply. Indeed, in the year 2017, U.S. electric water heaters market size was pegged at USD 800 million. The nation is also characterized by a stringent regulatory landscape that mandates the installation of highly sustainable heating appliances which would further augment the regional industry. Powered by the growing adoption of space and district heating systems and the refurbishment of existing heating systems, not to mention, the incorporation of advanced digital heating technologies, U.S. electric water heaters market size is expected to surpass the billion-dollar mark by 2024.

Electric water heater market is quite consolidated, with the top three companies contributing to more than 90% of the total share. Companies are focusing on strengthening their regional presence, primarily through R&D activities. Corporations such as Ariston Thermo, Bajaj, AO Smith, Havells, Venus, and Haier have a rather significant share in India electric water heater industry. Likewise, AO Smith, Haier, and Midea Group accumulate a major share in China electric water heaters market. Eemax, General Electric, AO Smith Corporation, Havells, Bradford White Corporation, Zenith, AquaMax, Bosch, Ariston Thermo, and Rheem Manufacturing Company are the key players operating in global electric water heaters industry.

Leading companies are also concentrating on product differentiation to score a competitive edge over their rivals in the business. For instance, as of 2017, Haier Appliances launched a premium electric water heater in India that is integrated with shock-proof technology. This heater can provide protection against electricity issues such as power leakage, earthing, or incorrect wiring. Most other players are also engaged in the manufacturing of products integrated with cutting edge technology, thus fueling global electric water heaters market.

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Electric water heaters are designed to eliminate the disadvantages caused due to fuel-fired water heaters. The rising government pressure on companies for reducing carbon footprints have led to major corporations striving to develop low cost, eco-friendly, and efficient electric water heaters. Such strict norms coupled with changing consumer preferences toward electric products are sure to impel global electric water heater industry share over the coming years.

Table of content:

Chapter 4 Electric Water Heater Market, By Product

4.1 Electric water heater market share by product, 2019 & 2026

4.2 Instant

4.2.1 Global market from instant, 2015 2026

4.2.2 Global market from instant, by region, 2015 2026

4.3 Storage

4.3.1 Global market from storage, 2015 2026

4.3.2 Global market from storage, by region, 2015 2026

Chapter 5 Electric Water Heater Market, By Capacity

5.1 Electric water heater market share by capacity, 2019 & 2026

5.2 <30 Liters

5.2.1 Global market from <30 liters, 2015 2026

5.2.2 Global market from <30 liters, by region, 2015 2026

5.3 30-100 liters

5.3.1 Global market from 30-100 liters, 2015 2026

5.3.2 Global market from 30-100 liters, by region, 2015 2026

5.4 100-250 liters

5.4.1 Global market from 100-250 liters, 2015 2026

5.4.2 Global market from 100-250 liters, by region, 2015 2026

5.5 250-400 liters

5.5.1 Global market from 250-400 liters, 2015 2026

5.5.2 Global market from 250-400 liters, by region, 2015 2026

5.6 >400 liters

5.6.1 Global market from >400 liters, 2015 2026

5.6.2 Global market from >400 liters, by region, 2015 2026

Chapter 6 Electric Water Heater Market, By Application

6.1 Electric water heater market share by application, 2019 & 2026

6.2 Residential

6.2.1 Global market from residential, 2015 2026

6.2.2 Global market from residential, by region, 2015 2026

6.3 Commercial

6.3.1 Global market from commercial, 2015 2026

6.3.2 Global market from commercial, by region, 2015 2026

6.3.3 College/university

6.3.3.1 Global market from college/university, 2015 2026

6.3.3.2 Global market from college/university, by region, 2015 2026

6.3.4 Offices

6.3.4.1 Global market from offices, 2015 2026

6.3.4.2 Global market from offices, by region, 2015 2026

6.3.5 Government/Military

6.3.5.1 Global market from government/military, 2015 2026

6.3.5.2 Global market from government/military, by region, 2015 2026

6.3.6 Others

6.3.6.1 Global market from others, 2015 2026

6.3.6.2 Global market from others, by region, 2015 2026

Browse complete Table of Contents (ToC) of this research report @ https://www.decresearch.com/toc/detail/electric-water-heater-market

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Electric Water Heaters Market to Traverse Along a Lucrative Growth Map over 2020-2026 - Cole of Duty

Charming 3bd 2bth hme on corner lot! This hme has been loved for yrs by owners; so many imprvmnts you have to see to appreciate. Upon arrival, wrap around frnt porch is game changer, 41x5 perfect for relaxing w/glass of sweet tea! ML offers MB & full bth, lndry, LR, DR & updated K which fts some lam & wd flrs. K completely gutted & updated w/42in maple cab, crown molding, hidden hinges, 2 lazy susans, slow catch drwrs & drs, Corian cntrs, tile BS & SS appls. You will also find can & pendant lighting in K. Lg BF bar & DR offer rm for entertaining. W/newer dbl-pane vinyl wndws, hme has lots of natural lt as well as taller ceilings. Bkyd is private w/private fence, 14x25 low maint deck, 16x32 above grnd pool, storage shed, & dog run if needed. 2car garage currently serves as ent space w/HVAC-you def want to see this! Other imprvmnts-HVAC '19, back storm dr w/dog dr, & 30yr arch roof. Make your appt soon, we don't expect this to last long! Walking distance to schools, park, & church.

View Listing

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Affordable Starter Homes in the Park Hills Area - Kenosha News

It all starts with a simple question

A few months back we were asked by a developer client what is the best hot water heating solution for new all-electric homes in Victoria. Given the myriad of technology options available, I figured this was a straightforward life-cycle cost shooting match.

Oh, how wrong was I!

It turns out the pathway for selecting hot water heaters for all-electric homes is not a technical consideration but a regulatory one. It is regulated heavily by the National Construction Code and Victorian Plumbing Regulations.

Im generally a fan of regulation, but not when it is botched like this. What I revealed was staggering:

The Victorian regulations are complex to navigate (to the point of legendary), out of date, encumber innovation and are in desperate need of overhaul;

Rather than encouraging 100% renewable energy and decarbonisation, they make gas solutions much more favourable.

Where there is mains gas available for connection and you dont want to install a space-hugging 2000L rainwater tank connected to toilets, the regulated solution for heating water for freestanding and terrace homes is as follows:

A heat-pump hot water system that is not electrically connected to the main grid (our modelling shows this will likely result in a lack of hot water in Victoria).

A solar thermal heater with gas boost.

If youre finding that a bit hard to digest, I dont blame you. But the implications are as follows:

Where there is a mains gas supply, electric hot water systems connected to the grid are all but ruled out. Thats unless you have space for a 2000L rainwater tank in which case, all options appear to be back on the table;

All the electrical benefits that could be had using electric hot water as energy storage systems for solar PV come with big strings attached.

If you dont reticulate gas, then the electric grid-connected options above also appear to be available. While many of our developer clients are considering ditching gas, it is a bold move for most.

For new homes around Australia, hot water solutions are normally regulated by National Construction Code (NCC) Volume 2 (Part B2.6) and Volume 3 (Part B2).

These parts of the code are pretty sensible, with many options on the table. However, Victoria saw fit to ditch most of these sections and replace it with a requirement to comply with the Plumbing Regulation 2018.

The cascade of legal frameworks that are at work is as follows:

In summary, as a new home builder, to satisfy the Building Regulations you must install a rainwater tank OR a solar water heater system.

In Plumbing Regulations 2018, a solar water heater system is defined as:

A solar collector and a container (including an integral, close coupled or remote container) that heats water by means of radiant energy from the sun []. (i.e. a typical solar thermal hot water system);

A heat pump water heater.

In the relevant Schedule 2 Section 11 Standards relating to solar water heaters new Class 1 buildings, there are a bunch of requirements about what is required to satisfy the NCC. One requirement caught our eye:

If a reticulated gas supply from a gas company is available for connection to a new Class 1 building, a solar water heater installed in that building must be

(a) if the solar water heater incorporates booster heating and is not a heat pump water heatera gas boosted solar water heater; and

(b) if the solar water heater is a heat pump water heaterinstalled so that no part of the heater that is capable of heating water can be connected to the mains electricity supply in order for that part of the heater to operate.

In summary, if your home can connect to the town gas supply (and you dont want or have room for a rainwater tank), then comply with Building Regulations, you could install a gas solar thermal hot water system OR a heat pump water heater that is not electrically connected to mains electricity supply.

Bonkers!

My general take away from all this is that the building code and attempts at improving it appears to have been hijacked by the gas industry in Victoria.

In creating this labyrinth of legal frameworks, regulators have just made it all too hard for developers and builders to think beyond installing the simplest possible solutions:

Rainwater tanks connected to toilets Solar thermal hot water heaters with gas boast.

This is a classic case of picking winners rather than setting a performance standard and letting the market figure it out. It just leads to poor outcomes.

In our view, the technology has moved on from 2007 when these regulations might have seemed current. At that time, we had a drought and gas was seen as the bridging fuel to full decarbonisation.

We now have a situation where:

Solar PV is cheap and generally a better solution all-round than solar thermal (a one-trick pony);

Smart home devices and controls mean that hot water can be heated in very high efficiency heat pumps nearly exclusively from solar (as is the case at my house).

Decarbonisation on our grid means loads that can be switched on or off and store energy are a massive benefit;

Victorias grid is rapidly decarbonising so all-electric solutions that leverage solar + heat pump hot water systems + grid connection back-up will be better from a greenhouse gas perspective. (By our count, this setup results in around 372kg CO2-e versus 376 kg for solar thermal plus gas boost at current (2019) carbon intensities of Victorian electricity and town gas supplies.)

Victoria now has a 50% renewable energy target by 2030 so this will only improve as Victorias grid decarbonises.

Clearly its time to update the building code, Victoria.

James Allston is the Managing Director of New Energy Ventures, a management consultancy that specialises in new energy projects and businesses. New Energy Ventures works extensively with property developers, helping them to integrate new energy, create profitable new operating businesses and achieve outstanding outcomes for end customers. As is evidenced by this article, James is also a massive regulation nerd.

Continue reading here:
Building all-electric homes and why ditching gas isnt as easy as it should be - One Step Off The Grid

Connectivity is one of those special buzzwords used across most industries, whether it be for a virtual meeting app, a washing machine, or a car. All companies seem to think we need moreof it. Today we want to know are you a fan of cars that come equipped with over-the-air update connectivity?

It seems a lot of people are in favor of ever-increasing connectivity, and require it even in the most mundane of appliances. I realized this while shopping for a water heater about three years ago. Reading the reviews, I expected most details to be about the quality of the water heater and if it was an efficient user of electrons. Instead, several users marked off a star or two because it didnt feature Wi-fi connectivity. Id never considered before how a water heater mightneed such connectivity, so I bought the model without it.

Since then Ive been utterly devastated on multiple occasions when I couldnt check the status of my water heater from bed, or at work. Or not

This question was prompted by news reported yesterday about the new Ford MustangMach-E and its over-the-air updates. Manufacturers claim the advantages of such connectivity are great: Updates and improvements can be made to your car without your intervention (or knowledge). Patches in the software can fix problems before you encounter them, saving you stress and anxiety about the weak points of your car. And additional features of later software versions can be added to your older vehicle, bringing it up to par with the latest new product at dealer lots. Its a win-win!

The downside here is the potential to charge you up front for tech which never arrives (ahem, Tesla), or to remove software the initial customer paid for when the car is resold to an unsuspecting second party (again, Tesla). A third concern is arising presently in the case of Volkswagenand the not-ready-will-ship ID.3. Because updates are downloadable and limitless, manufacturers will launch their product as an unfinished beta test, asking consumers to pony up full asking price for a car with incomplete software and features.

This consumers-as-testers methodology has occurred in the video game industry already, usually called early access. In many examples (which have escalated in frequency over the past five years or so), a developer put their game out in early access before it was finished. The promise is always that the final game will be completed soon, and released at no additional charge to the early access buyers. Sometimes the game is improved, finalized, and released. But other times it becomes abandonware, after the newly funded developer makes a nice return on their investment and moves on.

I can see this happening more and more in cars equipped with over-the-air in the future. When updates are unlimited and relatively low-cost, theres less incentive to get the productrightbefore consumers go and buy it. Just fix it later, no big deal.

What do you think about over-the-air connectivity? Is it a great way for product to be continually supported and improved by manufacturers? Or is it mostly a way to rush product to market and exercise greater control over access to features?

[Image: VW]

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QOTD: Do You Care for Over-the-air? - The Truth About Cars

In-Tenta designed the Tenzo, an environmentally friendly and foundation-less mobile home that has three bedrooms that can sleep up to six people.

Barcelona-based In-Tenta is a creative "modular design" studio company that specializes in unique urban installation, product, and tiny home designs. The company which was founded in 2012 also has a specific focus on creating designs that reflect In-Tenta's emphasis on "functionality, sustainability, and modularity."

The Tenzo which the company says is Japanese for "master of ceremonies" tiny home on wheels is a direct example of In-Tenta's three cornerstone themes.

The mobile home, which was designed to be both functional and Earth-friendly, comes with all of the typical rooms found in traditional houses, such as a kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and an outdoor space in the form of a shaded terrace.

Tenzo starts at $38,064 and is available in Europe, although one order needs to include a minimum of eight units. Keep scrolling to see inside the tiny home on wheels, which In-Tenta calls a "vacation house on wheels":

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In-Tenta $38,000 modular tiny home on wheels 'Tenzo' with 3 bedrooms - Business Insider - Business Insider

(Photo courtesy of Tentrr) The Utah Division of Parks and Recreation has teamed up with Tentrr to create 48 campsites across five state parks this season, including East Canyon (pictured). Designed as a bridge between a campsite and a hotel, sites are set away from other campgrounds. They feature an already set-up tent, a queen bed set on a raised platform, chairs and a rudimentary shower and toilet, among other amenities.

The camping options at Utahs state parks can be as colorful as the terrain theyre set in. In addition to loops with standard tent or recreational vehicle spaces, campers can choose more creative ways to sleep near pink sandstone cliffs or thick green forests. Tepees, covered wagons and even hammock structures from which up to eight people can sway each night are on the menu.

We in Utah state parks, we like to be on the cutting edge of state parks, said Mike Long, the concessions program manager for Utahs state parks. We like to try to offer things other states arent offering and adopting.

This year, Utahs Department of Natural Resources is experimenting with yet another option, one that may be perfect for conscientious social distancers.

Starting this week, five of Utahs state parks will install a total of 48 canvas tents at new, often remote, sites. The tents will sit on a raised platform. Inside, campers will find a queen bed frame with a memory foam mattress and a heater. Another six-person pop-up tent will be provided for extra guests, along with Adirondack chairs, a fire pit, grill, picnic table with storage, benches, sun shower, and a camp toilet.

Tentrr, a New York-based company that has sprung up as the Airbnb of camping, will furnish and oversee the tents and equipment. Tentrr has made a business of installing similar setups on private land since 2015. It approached Utahs division of parks and recreation last fall about putting its tents in the states parks in part because of the states reputation for being open to ideas as untamed as the lands it manages.

We were told Utah is ready to try new things and excited to try new things, Tentrr spokesperson Anna Sides said. So we said, Lets do it.

Parks carving out space for the tents include Fred Hayes at Starvation, Steinaker, Red Fleet, East Canyon and Wasatch Mountain State Park. Utah will be the second state to experiment with the ready-made sites. Maine first placed some on its public lands last year.

The sites originally were intended to be a gateway camping option for people who otherwise would stay in hotels either because they dont have camping gear or dont want to hassle with hauling in and setting up the equipment they do have. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, however, they may find a different clientele: those dedicated to sheltering in place but weary of looking at their own walls.

For tent campers, traditional campgrounds can contain a host of coronavirus pitfalls. The distance between sites is often minimal and containing kids into one can feel near impossible. In addition, they typically require the use of communal bathrooms and showers. Such high-touch areas are proven hotspots for spreading the highly contagious virus.

Though they are rudimentary the shower is a solar-heated bag of water that can be hung from a tree and the toilet is a stylized seat connected to a compostable waste bag the Tentrr sites give campers private facilities. Most of the new sites are also billed as more remote, though camp managers in Steinaker near Vernal and East Canyon near Ogden said they are better described as an extension of existing campground loops (which could make those showers really interesting).

In addition, Tentrr is hiring someone at each park to manage the sites and clean them thoroughly, Sides said, from the zipper pulls to the bedposts. She said the tents will sit empty for a day between groups of visitors as an added precaution.

Long said all state park campgrounds are undergoing extra cleanings. Otherwise, now that residency restrictions have been lifted, its business as usual.

As far as actual campgrounds, we havent seen the need yet to make any actual adjustments. Most places are spaced so there is some room, he said. It depends on the new normal going forward, we may have to make some adjustments.

But If people can come, we want to welcome them to.

In the current climate, thats a rare invitation.

Utah is one of just 15 states allowing camping in its state parks, according to the camping website Campendium. Of the six states that border Utah, only Arizona is also welcoming campers. Just five national parks are allowing camping, the Beehive campground at Glen Canyon being the nearest exception. In addition all Army Corp of Engineer campgrounds, nationwide, are closed.

In total, Campendium estimates 40% of all its listed campgrounds, which include many in chain campgrounds, national forests and on BLM lands, have shuttered or delayed opening. Thats down from a high of 46% on April 20.

Last weekend at Red Fleet and Steinaker, revenues were 3.5 times greater than during the same week in 2019, according to Josh Hansen, manager of the two parks. Both campgrounds were at or near capacity and day-users were turned away for a few hours at Red Fleet to comply with restrictions implemented late last month to address high visitation.

This year it was [packed], Hansen said. People wanted to get out. Theyd already been home.

He estimated at least half the people who visited the parks, located about 20 miles from the Colorado border near Dinosaur National Monument, had come from out of state.

Utah will likely continue to see crowds at its parks until other states begin lifting their quarantine orders, or even afterward. Demand for campsites has been on the rise over at least the past five years, increasing 6% between 2017 and 2019. So even if the new ready-made campsites dont provide a secluded getaway, they will at very least relieve some of the pressure.

Long said the tents will be evaluated in 2021. If theyve proved popular, other state parks may install them. If they arent, they will be removed.

The tents can be booked through Tentrr or via the state parks website. With a $140-per-night price tag, compared with $35 for a tepee and $15 for a basic tent site at Red Fleet, though, campers who book them will be paying for the novelty.

Adam Tobey, a co-founder of Arcadia Guided Outdoor Education, which often provides guided excursions to children from lower income families, is skeptical they will make camping more accessible.

I think the idea behind it is in the right area. I am just not sure if it will actually increase access, he said. I feel like most people who can go outside, in terms of having the financial ability to recreate in an outdoor setting, if they want to do it theyll just go to Walmart and buy the tent and sleeping bag and Coleman stove.

Read this article:
Camping in Utah's state parks may have gotten safer but the upgrade will cost you - Salt Lake Tribune

The Hamptons summer rental season, which traditionally runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, got off to an unusually early and frantic start this spring.

As New York City and the surrounding region closed down in response to the coronavirus, many residents fled to their weekend houses in the Hamptons or signed leases for properties there so they could shelter in place outside the metropolitan area.

Brokers say the result has been a frantic competition for desirable properties, with some renters fearing they could be left out of the market for the first time in years. On the other hand, some of those fears may be tempered by owners who dont typically rent out their homes looking at the market and deciding to jump in.

Sheryl Carlin Jenks, a sales agent at Douglas Elliman, is currently trying to place a dozen customers in seasonal and summer rentals in the South Fork communities that make up the Hamptons, from Westhampton Dunes to Montauk.

People who are looking for seasonal rentals are concerned there will be less rentals for them to choose from because so many rentals started in March or April, Ms. Jenks said. There is not less inventory; there are just more people looking to rent.

While she is still getting calls for the traditional Memorial Day start, many renters wanted to move east by May 1, and numerous people have already extended their leases, she said.

The pace hasnt let up for landlords or agents, with many of these renters new to the Hamptons and quite happy once they are able to settle in.

This is definitely a health crisis, not a real estate crisis, Ms. Jenks said.

In mid-April, when the coronavirus made living in their Manhattan co-op increasingly untenable, Dan and Jessica Aronson and their two sons, ages 8 and 9, decamped to Remsenburg, a hamlet in Southampton with nary a stoplight. They rented a six-bedroom, three-bath house with a hot tub, pool and tennis court sight unseen for $11,000 a month, planning to stay through the end of May.

Late last month, concerned that New York City wouldnt open up enough to enjoy it, Mr. Aronson, 47, who is working remotely in his insurance brokerage job at Marsh & McLennan, extended the lease for another $10,000 to the end of June.

We didnt get to go on our Turks and Caicos trip in mid-March, Mr. Aronson said. A lot of that got turned into this. A week on an island turned into a vacation home for weeks and weeks. Now, with summer camps unlikely to open for their sons, the Aronsons are considering extending through July.

We are absolutely loving it out here, said Mr. Aronson, who is enjoying the novelty of getting in the car and driving to get groceries. I dont know how I will transition back to city life. Not having to go into an elevator to go outside is life-changing.

OutEast.com, a Hamptons portal, reported that nearly five times more renters contacted agents in April than in April 2019. On hamptonsrentals.com, 1,070 rentals are listed for the Memorial Day to Labor Day period, while 271 rental listings appear on mlsli.com, the multiple listing service of Long Island. At the low end, a one-bedroom cottage with a private yard in Westhampton is available for $24,200 from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At the high end, a 10,000-square-foot, nine-bedroom, fully furnished modern oceanfront house with a tennis court in Quogue is asking $1.5 million for the season.

Cody Vichinsky, co-owner of Bespoke Real Estate, reported a feeding frenzy of rental activity, with transactions up 30 percent from last year, including several million-dollar seasonal deals, some for two weeks and others stretching until the end of the year.

We are definitely in a landlords market, Mr. Vichinsky said, with rental agreements frequently exceeding the asking price and homeowners who previously didnt rent their homes jumping in.

Rather than the usual price negotiations, some renters have increased their budgets several times in order to find a rental that worked for all their needs with all the amenities they wanted, said Aimee Fitzpatrick Martin, an associate broker with Saunders & Associates.

For example, Ms. Jenks said that tenants who love the beach usually dont care as much about having a pool, but with the possibility of social distancing measures or closures continuing to affect beaches, people want pools.

Bidding wars have ensued. Susan Breitenbach, an associate broker with Corcoran, had an offer on an oceanfront home for $300,000 for March and April. Before we got the lease, we had another bid for $400,000, she said.

Dottie Herman, chief executive of Douglas Elliman, compared the current market to the one after 9/11, when there was a big surge out here.

The demand will be great and the supply will be limited, she said. We are searching for rentals. They are hard.

That is partly because some locals who usually rent their houses for a month each summer, counting the rent as income, are choosing not to this year, Ms. Herman said.

While many homeowners were pleased to earn extra income for the usually quiet months of April and May, Ms. Martin said, they were also concerned about the possibility of these renters not leaving their home. That was further complicated by the states new moratorium on evictions, which is in place until at least June 20, as well as new rental laws imposed under New Yorks 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act. Whereas Hamptons landlords are used to collecting the entire summer tally up front, now they can collect one months rent at a time. And the evictions freeze applies to short-term rentals.

Jill-Mandy Voutta and Carlo Voutta of Jersey City, N.J., were tired of being cooped up in a two-bedroom apartment, and signed a lease to rent a Hamptons house beginning May 1.

Then they learned the previous tenant wasnt going to move out on April 30 as scheduled because of the Covid situation, and because of this they cannot be evicted, said Ms. Voutta, 35, an assistant to an interior decorator. Now I started from zero again, she said, hoping an online listing for a $10,000-a-month, renovated 1930s fishermans shack on Davis Creek in Southampton Town, would pan out instead. In the end it did; the Vouttas made a deal on May 2, and moved in. The price will go up to $12,000 a month in July.

Full-season rentals had been on the wane the past few summers, said Gary DePersia, an associate broker with Corcoran, with renters opting instead for two-week stints, monthly or a la carte rental periods, say, mid-July to mid-August, planned around other summer activities. This summer, everyone has been doing full season, July to Labor Day, Mr. DePersia said.

Typically when brokering a seasonal rental, Mr. DePersia might hear from the homeowner a couple of times over the summer, and after the rental ended. This season, with their usual vacations canceled, landlords are realizing they have to stay home and compete for a place in their own local market.

If they are renting out for $400,000, they want a much cheaper place, Mr. DePersia said.

Lori Shabtai had been planning to spend the summer in Los Angeles with her daughters and granddaughter, so she asked Mr. DePersia to rent out her seven-bedroom, eight-bath, shingle-roof home surrounded by 17 acres of wildlife reserve in Water Mill from July 15 to Labor Day.

Along came Covid-19. The renters asked to move in two months early. Ms. Shabtai agreed, then realized she didnt want to fly or even be in an airport. With her children sheltered in place, she wouldnt be able to visit her granddaughter anyway.

Suddenly in need of her own Hamptons rental, Ms. Shabtai scoured online listings. For $50,000 to $70,000 for the season, she couldnt find a three-bedroom house with a heated pool, at least not in towns I want to live in, she said. Donning a mask, gloves and protective booties, she bucked the virtual route and toured around 30 houses.

It was like, Oh my god, what did I do?, she recalled. I didnt rent this house so I could be spending all the money renting an inferior house, she said. (Though she wouldnt divulge the price, last summer her own home was listed online for rent for $295,000 from July to Labor Day.)

One possible rental lacked a pool heater. Ms. Shabtai offered to put one in, but the owner demurred. Ms. Shabtai moved on, only to learn that the owner installed the heater herself, then jacked up the price by $15,000. Another home, asking $85,000, didnt match the chic online photos, filled instead with dusty furniture from their grandmothers garage.

In late April, Ms. Shabtai found an off-market gem in Southampton, a three-bedroom house decorated beautifully, with a heated pool. Its just perfect and I can bring my elliptical there, she said, declining to reveal the tab.

One of the priciest deals so far this year was for $2 million to rent Sandcastle, the 11.5-acre Bridgehampton estate owned by Joe Farrell, a builder, from the end of March to Labor Day. Besides the bowling alley, golf simulator, skateboarders halfpipe, spa and Jacuzzi on the lower level of the 17,000-square-foot house, the property includes a pool, tennis court and baseball diamond.

Mr. Farrell, who moved his family into a newly completed modern home nearby, said he has rented 10 houses this season, some new builds and others that he rents every year. Despite the financial climate, there wasnt a lot of negotiating, and early renters paid summer prices. Some haggled for gym equipment, pool tables and Ping-Pong tables, he added.

With rentals in short supply and people wanting to go places within driving distance, Ms. Herman of Elliman predicted that people will look to buy.

You will see a surge of homes selling this summer, she said.

Mr. Vichinsky concurred. At the ultra high end, rental prices are up 20 percent over last season: It is cheaper to buy and carry a home than to rent a home because the rental rates have gone so crazy.

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As Summer Nears, the Hamptons Face a Feeding Frenzy - The New York Times

STROLLING HIS REMOTE, 5-acre Seabeck property, where it smells like fresh-cut Christmas every single day, Makoto Imai imparts his craft, and the practiced, intensive process behind it, one structure at a time. Though old, noble trees mark the perimeter in most directions, his home and its scattered outbuildings, technically, are not in the woods. Still, its hard to imagine anywhere more woodsy.

The Backstory:The true story finally comes out for a true master craftsman

Makoto (hed prefer we call him Makoto) is a true master craftsman of traditional Japanese woodworking and construction. He uses no nails, no bolts, no screws just precisely aligned, gorgeous joinery, and hand tools carrying 8,000 years of history that he brought from Japan. Over his 50-year career, Makoto has designed and built homes in Japan, in California, on the East Coast and in Washington including a breathtaking guesthouse in Shoreline and a custom tea room on Bainbridge Island along with stunning, singular pieces of furniture. In his work and in his life they, too, are soundly joined hes been an influential instructor; a visionary designer; a quiet, prolific and constant creator; and, underlying everything, a devoted connoisseur and caretaker of wood.

Makoto lives here among the trees and the wood with his wife, Shoko, who makes her own impactful art and greeting cards out of torn paper. They have three children, all grown, but Makotos nurturing duties continue.

If I have a weekend or a Sunday, Im working and taking out lumber and organizing it, Makoto says. It never ends. From this process to making homes is like a parent raising kids from baby to adult.

This process, of selecting, acquiring and fostering lumber to its prime, begins inside a cavernous 35-by-48-foot storage building stacked as tall as a teenage tree with old, drying wood that needs to grow even older and drier. Makoto calls this his cedar inventory. This wood is aging many years at least 10 years, and most over 10 years, he says, tracing a gentle, masterful hand along beams hes come to know personally over the decades. This cedar, Ive had 20 years. Twenty years! And this stuff I bought from California 30 to 40 years ago. I can feel when this should be ready; you can see cracks. You can see this color. Thats how I can tell.

Next door were touring clockwise more drying wood waits to reach perfection along one side of a giant building Makoto uses for straightening out and squaring up with a portable sawmill. These are the round logs I use for natural, round beams, he says. Ive had them for 20 years no joke. Before conditioning, you have to write on each one how much it curved, how much it twisted. I stack them in this environment with no wind and no sun. Everything I can find out by drying it 15 or 20 years is very important.

Across the flattened-grass driveway, the upper level of a two-story wooden building holds the precious, precise, well-worn tools of Makotos trade, all stamped with his name in Japanese. Downstairs, there is yet more wood (a massive maple slab; a hefty chunk of 1,200-year-old Douglas fir from the Olympic Mountains; material for doors, windows and furniture), and a surfacing machine that does a 6-foot-wide-by-16-foot piece, he says. I can flatten it perfectly, for furniture. And then, filling space after space, the wooden furniture itself: intricate cabinets; an in-progress garden bench shaped like a fan; a tea-ceremony table so many pieces, so substantial, that they continue into the furniture-filled garage of Makotos home and, actually, much of its first floor.

Even the woods surrounding this supremely woodsy setting come into play. Traditional Japanese homes typically use white cedar, Alaskan yellow cedar and Western red cedar, Makoto says. But in the United States, I want to use other wood because I build homes on the West Coast. Sometimes Western maple; sometimes yew wood; sometimes wild cherry, but only for certain, small things. Sometimes Im collecting local rhododendron. My neighbor and I used to go walking; in the shade, I found a rhododendron branch. I want to use that. Anything I see is something special to me.

This is a place of exquisite inspiration and creation, and this is the process of an extraordinary creator. Both place and process are personal, pure and completely authentic.

I have to do everything, because no one makes this that I can buy, Makoto says. In America, I have to, I want to, do everything. Thats why I do this system: so its honest. I want to control it myself the quality. The customer should understand the process.

THE PROCESS BEHIND the Shoreline guesthouse Makoto built took years from start to finish and now, nearly two decades later, he still returns to perform maintenance on its weathering exterior wood. You dont just abandon your kids once theyre on their own, you know.

Situated on a serious 100-foot-high bluff overlooking sparkling Puget Sound, and sited amid Zen gardens and a languid pond on a gated 12-acre estate, the one-bedroom Japanese Sukiya Guesthouse was designed with Cardwell Architectsprimarily as an entertaining space, says the owner, who lived in Japan for 15 months in the 1980s. We have dinners here once or twice a year, for 16 or 20 people.

The owner initially connected with Makoto through one of his apprentices, who had installed a Japanese soaking tub in the main home. Discussing the potential of a guesthouse, the apprentice said, Thats above my level; you need Makoto, says the owner. This is all Makoto.

Typical of Makotos work, the materials are natural: clay tile, concrete foundation, Japanese clay plaster walls. And the wood, of course, is perfection: Alaskan yellow cedar posts, Western red cedar beams, entry stairs with bamboo insets with all wooden joints shaped by hand, by Makoto.

He also built the bamboo fencing and garden structures (Marshall Tyler Rausch Landscape Architects of Pittsburgh, now Pashek+MTR, handled the landscaping). His design eye is just incredible, the owner says. Theres a crooked bridge so bad spirits cant follow you, and the hillside pagoda had been crowded, so we took out the pine. Makoto said, Its not happy there.

Design, wood and skill joyfully blend in the guesthouse, where traditional Japanese elements (tatami mat flooring, an art niche, sliding shoji screens, post-and-beam construction) accommodate some modern design adjustments.

Theres a coat closet, for one thing, and a water heater in the basement, with radiant heat through the floors. The bathtub is Westernized, too, the owner says, as is the kitchen. A Japanese house would have a kitchen half this big, and that would be considered a large kitchen. And in a traditional Japanese country house, no one would have any heat other than open fires.

And then theres the soaring central room a veranda with mesmerizing views wraps three sides the true hub, and purpose, of the guesthouse.

Residential construction in Japan is done around tatami mats, says the owner. Theyre a standard size: a six-tatami mat room, or eight [like the bedroom here]. The tatami mat dictates everything. We have 15 tatami mats in the living room. Would there ever be a house in Japan built like this that a family would live in? No. The living room is three times larger than a house in Japan would have. How many people build a one-bedroom house with an enormous living room? Nobody.

But here, for special dinners prepared by noted restaurant chefs, it is ideal. Turns out the guests are notable, too.

Weve had the Japanese consul here, the owner says. Ichiro was here. Makoto sat next to Ichiro.

LIKE ICHIRO, MAKOTO was born in Japan. Unlike Ichiro, Makoto is nowhere near retired and he is 72.

Makoto grew up in the town of Hida Takayama, the youngest of nine children, and lived in a farmhouse his family has owned for 250 years. When he was 15, he started an apprenticeship (while studying at night school) and then sharpened his skills by repairing temples in Kyoto.

In Japan, says Makoto and Shokos daughter, Mai Imai Berman, Makotos profession is referred to as shokunin(craftsman or artisan) but it wasnt until he came to Berkeley in the 1970s and taught traditional Japanese woodworking (with very limited English) to Western carpenters that he started to receive a massive cult following of Americans wanting to see a glimpse of my dad demonstrating construction without using machinery.

Makoto remembers: That time I came, and wow in Japan, there arent that many people doing this. That was a hippie time [in California]: Many people were interested in Japanese architecture and construction. For them, simple post and beam and simple beauty were a nice feeling.

He built a lot of homes and quite the reputation in the Bay Area, Mai says, continuing to teach and demonstrate woodworking in California and on the East Coast. After two years back in Japan awaiting a permanent visa (he built a Japanese shrine for his parents during that time), Makoto returned to California, lived for 10 years in Weaverville and moved his way up the West Coast.

He says he came to Seabeck 25 years ago for the weather but, of course, it really was for the wood.

Oregon and Washington were a great lumber source, he says. Somehow, my personality wanted to keep shifting north. California was too dry for the tools and wood many cracks. I needed to have moisture.

Mai says not everyone understands why an acclaimed master craftsman would settle in such a secluded little burg. But she gets it. That is sort of the fascinating part to me, she says. He has the privacy and space to store and age the wood, no complaints about workshop sounds, and is living a very authentic Japanese lifestyle in the middle of Seabeck. Hes not in touch with internet/social media and quietly keeps to himself.

And he creates. Still. Always.

The Japanese traditional focus is one thing your whole life, Makoto says. Thats what Im doing: wood and homes. Its been 50 years now, but still I will keep going.

MIDWAY OR SO through Makotos career, 25 years ago, Ron Swanson was teaching English in Japan, where he met his wife, Miki, and was introduced to a ceremonial tradition that continues to influence and enrich their lives, and their home.

At the time, I felt I should learn something about Japanese culture, he says. A couple of students happened to have a friend who wanted to teach chado(the Way of Tea), and I became her first student. I studied in Japan a year and a half, and continued here. My wife decided she wanted to study chado as well; its something we wanted to do together.

When the couple bought property on Bainbridge Island in 2010, Ron says, We always had in mind that wed like to include a chashitsu, a traditional tea room, in the design of our home.

Makoto took it from there.

Connected to the Swansons living room by sliding Western red cedar shoji screens, the peaceful all-wood, 4.5-tatami mat tea-ceremony room Makoto built has a red pine tokobashira (pillar), an adjacent yellow cedar tokonoma (alcove), a closet, a shoji screen window to the outdoors, clay walls and a detachable pendant light that Ron removes during events or chado classes (he now is a teacher).

Its incorporated into our lives, so we use it almost every day, Ron says. We hang a scroll in the tokonoma. For tea, the scroll is most often Zen words, calligraphy, oftentimes written by a Buddhist priest. Also, we place seasonal flowers in the tokonoma something we cut from our garden. When these rooms are used, theyre not static. They change with the seasons. The scroll, the flowers, the utensils for different temae [the careful procedures of chado] are seasonal. Its not as if you were walking into someones living room where the furniture is the same every time. It changes with how you use it and the time of year.

Ron says the most important aspect of chado is to make a good bowl of matcha for your guests. Its roots are in ritual etiquette and Zen monastic life. And thats going back a long time. Its very much connected to the seasons and to nature and to traditional craft.

Appropriate, then, that Makoto and Shoko have visited here, too.

We have developed quite a friendship with Mr. Imai and his wife, Ron says. And one thing that I learned I think this is typical for a lot of craftspeople is that he rarely has the opportunity to experience his buildings or tea rooms being used. Our friendship has remedied that.

OVER TEA AND SANDWICHES at his Seabeck home upstairs, given the furniture-storage status of the entry level Makoto and Shoko share an archive of their lives: hand-bound booklets; a copy of Fine Woodworking magazine featuring Makoto; a colorful stack of Shokos greeting cards; papers and photos chronicling their history, their family, their work and their plans.

Makotos most recent homebuilding project returned him to California this spring San Francisco, specifically where his handcrafted work first earned deep appreciation for its most essential element: simple, beautiful authenticity.

Furniture, though, is his future. Its also simply, beautifully authentic and abundant: a trunk in the entry, a giant cabinet topped with glass so it wont scratch, a massive dining table with a movable base. Makoto might have crafted more than one trunk, and cabinet, and table, but each is one-of-a-kind, because each is crafted by a true craftsman.

Every day, I enjoy working with wood and using my technique with hand tools, he says. The modern way is using machinery, because its easy to produce and make a profit. But in my head, I do not think about money. If I do, my passion for my craft will become lost.

Still, Makoto hopes to sell his handcrafted furniture, so, also by hand, he creates meticulous price sheets on graph paper, with drawings and precise dimensions. Items are numbered, listing their types of wood. He stamps every completed project with his name, and the year it was crafted.

People dont realize: Each piece is laying out by hand and figuring out different joints. Its a process, he says. Each piece is a little different. My furniture is unique even in Japan. Im very unique because most Japanese dont have the patience.

Patience is as vital to Makotos process as are the wood, the creativity, the authenticity and the craftsmanship that fuel it. All rely on growth.

People think Im a master, but for me it doesnt matter, because everyone is the same, he says. The only difference is experience and how much youve got the ideas and the skill. Im still learning.

Sandy Deneau Dunham writes about architecture and design for Pacific NW and is associate editor of the magazine. Reach her at sdunham@seattletimes.com. Steve Ringman is a Seattle Times staff photographer; sringman@seattletimes.com.

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Makoto Imai masters Japanese traditional woodworking and construction in Washington and around the world - Seattle Times

Are you an expectant parent and want to know how to baby proof your home? Check out the expert's guide right here.

When expectant parents are all set to bring home the new-born, most importantly, you want to be sure that the home is securely set up to welcome your little bundle of joy. Parents must note that the best time for baby proofing your personal spaces is long before the baby actually arrives. Most parents and caregivers must comprehend the fact that what exactly is baby-proofing homes and why is it so vital. Baby-proofing is nothing but making your home totally baby-safe to avoid any unwanted hazards encountered by the baby, once he or she starts crawling.

Additionally, it is very difficult to gauge what will the baby get into once he or she starts to crawl, walk and becomes capable of climbing. Hence, it is prudent for new parents to make the home absolutely safe and sound for the baby by safeguarding that whatever he or she might try to open, pull on, or play with won't hurt the baby. Parents-to-be can learn how to baby proof your home room-by-room by leafy through the below mentioned ultimate baby proofing checklist:

Make your home safe normally first:

Before you baby-proof your home, you need to consider how normally safe your house is. You must primarily look into crucial aspects like ensuring your hot-water heater is set below 120 degrees F so that you will refrain from scalding your toddler during bath-time. You will require a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and will want to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on each floor of your home. While redoing your home to suit baby requirements, parents must ensure to place safety gates at the head and foot of your stairs, and seal all the electrical outlets with caps. Make sure to store all the chocking and hazardous substances in airtight containers on high shelves which are above the childs reach.Baby-proofing your living area:

Your baby might spend almost the whole day in the living area. Falls and accidents with furniture are the greatest peril to your baby in this room, so you will definitely want to add cushioned corner guards or appropriate edging to coffee and side tables and redo any sharp-cornered surfaces. Once your baby is capable of standing, he or she might also get the inkling to try to climb on the furniture pieces. Hence, as a precautionary measure, responsible parents must consider moving away from everything from your windows so the baby wont be able to climb up and fall out. Always mount bookshelves to walls so that your toddler will not be able to topple over. You must attach the LCD securely to an entertainment center or table so the baby is unable to pull it down on its own.

Always remember all the knickknacks are fair game for baby's play, so if you want to prevent your kid from touching something, you must store it away. While redesigning your family room for the baby, you can consider incorporating items like cordless blinds because the cords on blinds and curtains are usually strangling hazards for babies, hefty picture hooks to avert picture frames from falling off the wall and most importantly electrical tapes to shield electric cords from coming in contact with the baby.

The next stop should be your kitchen:The process of cooking and cleaning tends to keep you engaged; hence you want to rest assured that your child is not getting into any sort of trouble if you turn your back even for a second. Primarily you must consider reorganizing your kitchen once you have the baby on board. If your lower cabinets comprise of detergent powders and cleaning supplies you must without fail to move them to the top-most ones instead. Bottommost cabinets even if you make use of safety latches should hold things that are safe and sound for baby to scout like harmless plastic containers, paper products and pots and pans that are not heavy.

Even your lowermost kitchen drawers must not encompass any kind of plastic and paper bags which are suffocation hazards, these unsafe items must be moved to the upper drawers so that they are out of reach from the children. Place choking hazards and small items like magnets, up high too. Lastly, you must remember to unplug small appliances when not in use, but never allow the cords to dangle. Your kitchen must definitely have latches for cabinets and drawers that comprise of harmful products. This is necessary because once your baby learns to climb, he can reach out to almost anything. You must invest in stove-knob covers, to stop the baby from turning on the burners along with non-skid pads for rugs to avoid slipping and falling.

Finishing Up with the Bathroom:

Being the most hazardous place when kids are around, in the bathroom too you need to shift harmful products by designing high shelves and ensure to remove all electrical appliances and their cords to evade electrical perils.

Designing your babys room:

While setting up your munchkins room, you will surely require plenty of babyproofing to be done. Most importantly you need to take all steps to secure the babys cradle and ensure if it is meeting all the safety standards. For instance, while designing the cradle you must check that the crib bars must be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Always keep in mind till the time the baby is older than 6 months, he could possibly suffocate on the bedding such as pillows and blankets, and you should also make sure his sheets and mattress fit firmly. Additionally, you must consider using UL-listed night-lights and replacement bulbs along with finger-pinch guards for hinges on doors.

Once you have given a tick mark to the bigger aspects while designing your home as per baby requirement, you must now focus on the smaller details. Always ensure to place safety gates at the entrance or exit to any room that will be off-limits to the baby, such as a formal living room. Check your doorstops; many usually have detachable caps that pose a choking risk for babies.

Make use of the above-mentioned baby proofing checklist to facilitate you to keep your new-born safe and sound.

By Hemil Parikh, Founder, Elysium Abodes LLP

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What are the essential ways to have baby proof homes? Expert reveals - PINKVILLA