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Draper Family Gets Heat for Christmas Today

PR Newswire

DRAPER, Utah, Dec. 23, 2011

DRAPER, Utah, Dec. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Olson Family in Draper lost their heat last week and it could not have come at a worse time. A series of very difficult family events have left the Olson’s without money for heat, without money for food and without money to bring their father and husband Brent home for Christmas. But a surprise is coming to the Olson’s today! Action Plumbing & Heating is bringing Brent home for Christmas, dressing him in a Santa Suit to surprise the Christmas out of his family! That’s not all. Brent will be delivering a brand new furnace that Action has donated to the Olson’s free of charge and will install the furnace today! The Olson’s have been making comments of “frost bite” but still have an unbelievably positive attitude! Mother Donna said she has “banged her foot on the ground to distract herself from the pain. But hey, there are a lot more families worse off than us.” They don’t know it yet, but today Action will install a new furnace in their home. It will be a very warm and very Merry Christmas indeed.

Brent had to take a job in California and has had his own rough road recently. Without medical insurance, he found himself $32,000 in debt to a California hospital when he went into a diabetic coma. Donna has been holding down the fort but almost lost it to Foreclosure this year. Her parents took out a loan to save the home and temporarily save the family.

Donna and Brent together have 4 children at home, three just back from college for the holidays. Of course they just came home to a freezing house and offered to “sell their school books” to raise enough money to buy the heater. Their children are Jordan (22) BYU Idaho, Ashley (20) UVU (Utah Valley University), Jacklin (19) UVU and Landin (14) who attends Alta High School.

THE BIG SURPRISE:

Today 11:30am
Meet at: Sprucewood Elementary School
DRAPER Corner of South 1000 East and Hidden Valley Drive (12025S)
Then, we will travel two blocks to their house and surprise them!
Contact: Nate Di Palma 435-640-3856 (cell) nate@conceptmrk.com

Insulation has been with us for as long as man has been building dwellings. Ancient Egyptians used it, so did the Romans. Over time the materials used have changed, but the principles remain the same.

Ancient Egyptians added papyrus linings to insulate their linen clothing. Ancient Greeks knew about asbestos, in fact, they are the ones who named it. Greeks insulated their homes using cavity walls that trapped air and provided the insulation.

Not wanting to be outdone, the Romans also used asbestos cloth on their slaves. They were master engineers, using cavity walls in their structures. They used cork to insulate their hot water pipes so the floors wouldn’t overheat.

Vikings and others living in cold climates used mud to fill in the cracks between the logs their homes were made of. They made warm clothing from wool and used furs to help keep them even warmer. They used cloth and furs to insulate the insides of their walls to keep their homes more comfortable.

During the Middle Ages cloth was widely used among the wealthy as a way to insulate their walls. Tapestries hanging on walls and rushes on floors helped minimize the chill. The Industrial Revolution brought a return to using asbestos as insulation. In the 1940′s and 50′s, mineral wool or rock wool became increasingly popular forms of insulation.

During the Great Depression, city dwellers used newspapers or cloth to stuff in cracks, especially around windows, in an effort to keep their frigid homes more comfortable. Those living in the country would use strips of cloth dipped in a flour paste to fill cracks around windows and doors. My grandfather even mounded up straw and mud around the outside of his house to try to keep it warm.

With the rediscovery of asbestos’s harmful health effects, other materials came into use for insulating purposes. Fiberglass is considered the traditional choice, but Styrofoam sheets and PVC wraps are also widely available. In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, sheep wool, paper cellulose, and even recycled cotton denim are the new insulating rage. Maybe the ancients knew what they were doing after all!

For as long as man has been constructing buildings, he has been using different methods of insulating those buildings. Insulation refers to materials or building methods used to help prevent heat transfer from one area to another. Many different methods of insulating buildings have been used for thousands of years.

The ancient Egyptians and Mayans wanted to keep their dwellings cooler. To this end they built buildings with thick walls that would help keep the heat from penetrating. The thick walls provided a type of insulation that made the inside of the buildings more comfortable during hot weather. During winter, the Egyptians would hang papyrus on the inside of the walls to keep the warmth inside.

Ancient Greeks built a wall within a wall, leaving an air cavity between them. This air cavity provided insulation and lessened the heat transfer between the inside and outside air. They were also the first to use asbestos – used, among other things, as clothing worn by slaves.

Romans were masters of creating amazing bathing facilities. They had hot areas and cold areas for the bathers, and used cork to insulate the hot pipes. They also used cavity walls to insulate their buildings.

Vikings caked the outside of their buildings with “daub” which they made from animal dung, mud and straw. This sealed the cracks and helped insulate their homes from the frigid weather. They used animal furs on the inside of the walls for further insulation.

No matter what part of the world people lived in, they did their best to find ways to live more comfortably. Building practices and the use of insulation helped keep the temperature in their buildings more comfortable. This is still true for us today.

Congress has created tax credits and deductions to encourage homeowners and businesses to purchase energy efficient products. While you improve your home’s efficiency, you might as well take advantage of any of the rebates that apply to you. For more complete information on the rebates you can go to the Tax Incentive Assistance Project web site.

One of the rebates available is for aeroseal duct sealing. Duct cleaning, repair or replacement is not eligible. The rebate only applies to stand alone aeroseal work, not work done in conjunction with HVAC installations.

Rebates are available for residential items such as windows, insulation, heating and cooling systems and water heaters that meet the energy guidelines. New homes, as well as new and retrofitted commercial buildings, that use half as much energy as their standard counterparts are also eligible for rebates. High efficiency refrigerators, clothes washers and dishwashers are also on the eligible for rebate list.

Fuel cells and microturbines are also eligible for rebates, as well as on-site renewable energy systems such as ground-source heat pumps. There are also rebates on room air conditioners, solar water heaters, and photovoltaic (using solar energy) systems. There is a $35 rebate if you turn in your old working refrigerator or freezer.

There is also a $100 rebate available for installing a whole house fan through some electric providers. Good deals are available at select merchants for compact florescent light bulbs. To see what is available in your area, go to the website of your electric company and click on “rebates”.

Most rebates go unclaimed, mainly because we don’t know about them and forget to look them up! It only takes a few minutes to go to your electric provider’s website to see what rebates they have available as you plan and prepare your home improvement project. The rebate can make the more energy efficient product affordable, and you will save even more money down the road by spending less on energy costs.

Have you ever wondered why some toilets seem to flush better than others?  Are you worried that when you purchase your new toilet, once you start using it you will regret your choice? How can you choose the right toilet?

Most toilets use gravity to help pull the water and waste through the toilet. When you push the handle on the toilet tank, it causes a valve to open, allowing the water in the tank to drain into the toilet bowl, either through rim openings or a large jet opening, or in some toilets through both.  The water gains speed, hopefully enough speed to push the waste and water through the drain.

Newer toilets are designed to use less water per flush, thus conserving precious water. Some toilets give you an option of a low water flush or a more vigorous flush that uses more water if it’s needed. Most of the newer toilets also have a way to adjust the amount of water flow.

Besides the standard gravity flushing toilets and the power flushing toilets, there are other toilet styles out there. There is a shower/toilet combination that gives you a wash after you flush. A rush of warm air follows to help dry you off.

Toilets with special heating units are also available to keep the seat warm. There are toilets with air purifiers to keep the air fresh while the toilet is in use. There is also the toilet that flushes automatically when the lid is closed.

Toilets also come in interesting shapes and colors. There is even a triangular shaped toilet for use in corners. Personally, I like toilets that are easy to clean. With all the options out there, there is bound to be a toilet just right for your needs.

PVC Utah plumbing pipes come in different sizes, colors, and types. These differences are usually based on different classifications the PVC pipe may have. Here are some of those classifications.

PVC pipes are often categorized with the diameter they have. These diameter inscriptions help a plumber know what the pipes water limits are. This is known as the “flow rate” of the pipe.

PVC Utah plumbing pipes have categorized limits with how much water can get through the pipe. Knowing the diameter of the pipe helps you know the amount of water that can get through the pipe per minute. Landscapers and farmers would need this type of information when plumbing their landscapes, orchards, or fields.

There are restrictions placed on certain building areas with Utah plumbing, however. These restrictions can sometimes make it so only low pressure systems are used. This would mean that smaller diameter pipes would have to be used to conserve energy and water.

The wall thickness of the pipe is another category used to classify the type of PVC Utah plumbing pipe. The pipe wall thickness is referred to as a schedule. The higher the schedule number is, the thicker the pipe.

The typical schedules used with commercial or residential plumbing are schedule 40 or 80. The schedule classification is there to show how resistant the pipe will be to getting crushed or punctured. So, if you use a pipe on a schedule 80 pipe it is less likely that it will be crushed than a schedule 40 pipe.

The different colors of the PVC pipes also classify differences with the various PVC pipes. A good example of this is with the green pipes. Green pipes are often chlorinated PVC pipes, which mean they can handle hotter temperatures than the typical PVC pipes.

Average PVC pipes can handle 140 degrees Fahrenheit of water flowing through them. Green chlorinated PVC pipes can handle 180 degrees Fahrenheit. These types of pipes are very useful in recreational vehicles and travel trailers.

Homes through out the state have a variety of Utah heating systems. Each home may have different Utah heating systems to keep their homes warm during the cold winters. A popular heating measure is a furnace.

Gas furnaces are heated a few different ways. Older models usually heat the furnace by way of a small gas flame. This flame, called a pilot light, is supposed to always be burning to keep the furnace hot.

The issue with standing pilot furnaces is that the pilot light has a good chance of burning out. If it is located where a burst of wind could blow it out the pilot light can be very unreliable. It also waists energy because it is always burning gas.

There have been developments with technology that allows better Utah heating performances than older pilot systems. Newer systems have a high-energy efficiency. They also have better heating efficiency.

Electronic ignition systems have recently been developed with Utah heating systems. It offers great efficiency savings, both with energy and heating. It offers more efficiency than the already established government’s rating.

Electronic ignition systems can have an intermittent pilot or a hot surface ignition. Intermittent pilot systems have an electrical spark that is controlled electronically by high voltage. That spark is used to ignite the gas pilot and the main furnace burners whenever the thermostat requires heat.

Hot surface ignition systems are the most commonly used electronic ignition system used currently. They are inexpensive and are really reliable systems. The igniter works very much like a light bulb does; except for instead of light it gives off heat.

Thanks to modern technology furnace heating is much more energy efficient and reliable. Standing pilot furnaces, however, can still provide a great support for heating measures. Gas furnaces do a good job keeping us warm.

There is more than one way to heat your home. Utah heating comes in many shapes and sizes. Here are a few different types of Utah heating systems that are used through out the State.

Heated Air System – This is the most typical system for heating or cooling off a home. Air is heated with the help of a furnace. Usually the air is pushed through ducts in to the various rooms to heat it.

Geothermal – Geothermal heating systems use a Geothermal Heat Pump to heat the room. The pump deposits heat from a source into a new location. When a GHP is used through a ground loop system, the heat is used in the ground by a ground loop pipe.

The reason that geothermal systems are becoming so popular is because the technology can save you a lot with energy usage. They are, however, quite a bit more to install than other heating systems. The system is extremely energy efficient, however, which can be a deal breaker.

Radiant Air – This system immediately transfers heat from a hot surface to a cold surface in the home. There usually are embedded either in the floor or on panels in the ceiling. This can also be provided by a boiler or heated stove.

Radiant systems can also be used in other forms. Steam radiant systems that use a radiator that uses steam to heat the home. Hot water baseboard systems use a boiler’s hot water to heat the room by convection heating and radiation heating.

Boilers – Boilers are used with radiant heat or steam radiant systems. Boilers can also be used with heating baseboards. A nice advantage with using a boiler is that they don’t require a lot of maintenance, and are energy efficient because of their small size.

Your home will have its own unique Utah heating system. Each system has its pros and cons. Whatever type you have, it is important to keep up with the maintenance work on it to make sure that it is working correctly for you this fall and winter.

There are a lot of different Utah heating options that you can have this fall and winter. One of those heating options is an electric furnace. When using an electric furnace there are a few safety tips to remember. Here are a few of those.

Make sure you install it correctly. Proper installation lowers the probability that there will be an electric fire or a short circuit. Do not try to install your electric Utah heating system on your own. Use a licensed electrician or plumber instead.

Clean out your filter. I can never stress enough how important a clean filter is with your Utah heating system. Clean out your filter every few months, and when it gets too old replace it with a new one. This will not only keep the air cleaner in your home, but it will also cause your heating unit to be more energy efficient and safe from overheating.

Don’t have a lot of clutter around the furnace. Keep the area surrounding the furnace clear. If you place a lot of things around the furnace, there is a chance a fire can break out. Avoid putting anything too close to the furnace so a fire or accident doesn’t happen.

Only use certified furnaces. Don’t use one that is manufactured by a company you have never heard of. Find a reputable brand that has been tried and tested before and has a good reputation.

Don’t do repairs yourself. If you do not have any training with heating repairs, you can easily do much more damage to your system by trying to fix problems on your own. Contact your Utah heating company or a qualified technician for any repairs.

Have a professional come out to your home every year to check out your furnace. Yearly maintenance check ups are essential if you want to prevent any serious malfunctions from happening with your furnace. A qualified plumber or heating technician will be able to see if there are any repairs that need to be done, or warning signs to look for, so you don’t have to deal with any unsafe or serious problems later on.

While you are cleaning your furnace be sure to have everything turned off. Do not have any power going to the system. Cleaning your system with the electricity on can cause dangerous electric shocks.

Everyone wants the option to pay the least amount of money they can towards a certain bill. This is especially true with the current economy. Below are some tips to help you conserve energy this summer.

Start by unplugging your appliances. Appliances can use just as much energy when they are “turned off” as they can when they are left on. This may be surprising, but it is the truth.

TVs have surpassed refrigerators as the top energy wasters. Refrigerators at least have to be plugged in all the time, while TVs do not. Make it a habit to unplug your TV systems when not using them. Another option is to use a power strip and then turn the whole thing off when not in use. Remember to especially unplug all outlets when gone on vacation.

Conserve energy by only using your AC when you have to. We all know that having a Utah air conditioning system is essential in Utah during the hot summers. Utah air conditioning systems have a lot of benefits with keeping your home cool. There is nothing wrong with using an AC unit, but conserve energy by only using you have to. Use your Utah air conditioners thermometer to see how hot your home is.

You will most likely use the pool during the summer. When you use a beach towel try to re-use them. Beach towels take up a lot of energy because they are more heavy duty and take a long time to dry in the dryer. If the towel is used for the pool, try getting a few uses out of it before laundering it and try to air drying it to conserve energy.

Don’t take forever in the shower! When you take half an hour taking a shower you are wasting a lot of energy. Learn to take fast showers and cut your shower time down.

Remember to weather strip your doors and windows. A lot of people think this is only important during the winter. However it is just as important to do during the summer because you don’t want the nice cool air from your Utah air conditioning system to leak through the door and have to work harder because hot air is leaking in from outside.

Turn off your computer. While the sleep mode is fine when you are taking a quick restroom break, when you actually go to “sleep” you need to shut your computer off completely. Take time to really turn off your computer to stop wasting that energy.