Driving an electric vehicle can help improve air quality and save money. | Unsplash/CHUTTERSNAP

With the new year approaching, Southern California Edison would like to encourage everyone to make clean air and sustainability a priority in 2022. From planting a tree to switching to an electric vehicle – there are countless ways your New Year’s resolution can help make the clean energy future a reality.

Simple and accessible actions that can help your audience make a difference include:

• Plant a tree – Urban trees reduce heat and pollution by acting like sponges that absorb harmful particulate matter. Planting trees is easy and one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce pollution.
• Use a power strip – Save energy by using a power strip to turn off appliances, such as computers, cellphones and televisions, when they’re not in use.
• Turn off the lights – Opt for natural light during the day and turn off the lights when leaving a room to reduce the amount of energy drawn from the power grid.
• Natural cleaning products – Use products that are naturally derived, nontoxic and biodegradable to ensure healthy indoor air quality in your home.
• Combine online orders – Instead of making several small purchases throughout the week, wait to make all online purchases at once, cutting down on air pollution from shipping. 
• Drive an electric vehicle – Emission standards have helped cut pollution from cars and trucks by about 90% since 1998. Electric vehicles help improve air quality and save you money in the long run.
• Energy-efficient appliances – Using a gas-powered lawn mower for one hour creates as much pollution as driving a car for 500 miles.  New electric lawn mowers are healthier, lighter and easier to use.

More information is available online.

Should you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our 24-hour Media Hotline at 626-302-2255 or visit newsroom.edison.com.

Originally Appeared Here

Winter nights in Montgomery, Alabama, can sometimes be quite cold. When the cold air strikes, having a heating system to stay warm is essential. Unfortunately, these units can begin to exhibit problems. When heating issues arise, homeowners need to be ready to call professionals for Furnace Repair. With prompt repairs, homes will stay warm and comfortable throughout the cold season. 

Unmistakable Signs of Furnace Issues

When furnace problems arise, homeowners need to be aware of the signs. If a homeowner notices any of the following signs, they could need Furnace Repair. Getting to the root of the problem and having it repaired is essential for keeping homes warm during the winter. 

• If a homeowner notices odd smells coming from their heater, they need to call a company such as AirNow right away. The heating system may begin to smell musty. It could also emit strong fuel or burning smells. 

• When the pilot light turns a different color, homeowners should be concerned. Normally, the pilot light should remain blue. If there is a problem with ventilation, the light may turn yellow. 

• A furnace that is not warming the air effectively needs to be repaired. If there is insufficient heat or no heat at all, homeowners should take action and call an HVAC technician immediately. 

• Strange noises coming from the heating system should not be ignored. If a system is groaning, whistling, or squealing, multiple issues could be present, including a belt that needs to be replaced or a failing part. 

• Poor air quality is another sign there are problems with a heating system. The furnace of a home plays a big role in the quality of the indoor air. If the furnace is not working properly, there may be more dust, and homeowners may notice increased allergy and asthma symptoms. 

Professional Furnace Repair Services

Heating issues seem to arise at the worst possible times. When a heating system begins exhibiting the above symptoms, it is time to schedule a repair appointment. A professional HVAC technician will come to the home to inspect the heating system and all its components. The technician will pinpoint the precise repair issues and review them with the homeowner. 

HVAC technicians come prepared with the parts, tools, and equipment needed for a wide array of heating system repairs. Typically, the repairs can be carried out right away so a homeowner does not have to be kept in the cold for too long. 

Schedule an Appointment For Furnace Repair

While it may be tempting to save a few dollars with a DIY repair, HVAC professionals caution homeowners to leave heating repair in the hands of professionals, like those at www.airnowhvac.com. Attempting to take care of the repairs themselves can lead to lackluster results and even dangers. When heating issues arise, rely on professionals to take care of the repairs right away. Prompt repairs prevent permanent damage to the furnace and keep it running efficiently.

AirNow is committed to providing homeowners in Montgomery, AL, and surrounding communities with the expert HVAC services they require. With flexible appointment schedules and emergency services available, the company has earned respect in the community. 

Media Contact
Company Name: AirNow Cooling & Heating
Contact Person: Media Relations
Email: Send Email
Phone: (334) 285-7065
Address:3481 Main St.
City: Millbrook
State: AL
Country: United States
Website: www.airnowhvac.com

Originally Appeared Here

Australia has swung from one extreme in pandemic control to the other – having great control of COVID, to now having the world’s highest rise in daily cases.

Across the country (except for Western Australia), COVID cases are exploding.

True case numbers are much higher than official reports, as many sick people cannot even get a test or are only tested with a rapid antigen test, which isn’t counted in statistics.

Frail, ill and vulnerable people have queued for hours at testing centres, only to be turned away. Others find testing centres closed down without explanation.

Instead of rushing to expand capacity, state and federal governments restricted access to testing even more, by narrowing the definitions of who was eligible for a test and of what a close contact is.

State and federal governments have also pivoted to a strategy of using rapid antigen tests, as the traditional PCR testing system is overwhelmed. But these tests aren’t provided free, are exceedingly hard to come by, and there have been reports of price gouging.

The net effect of inaccessible, restricted and expensive testing is falsely low case numbers but exploding transmission, because undiagnosed cases fuel transmission.

Combined with vastly reduced contact tracing, this has toppled two pillars of epidemic control: test and trace. Modelling for the national plan assumed these would be still standing. Without these, it will get much worse.

The public has been left to their own devices as all our previous safeguards collapse around us.

We urgently need to change our approach and follow a “vaccines-plus” strategy to flatten the curve.

We can’t rely solely on vaccines

Available data suggests two vaccine doses provides minimal protection against symptomatic infection with Omicron.

Multiple countries already tried a vaccine-only strategy and failed. OzSage warned this wasn’t enough.

The New South Wales government persevered with the roadmap despite the emergence of Omicron and rising cases in early December – mask mandates were dropped and QR codes abolished.

By late December, cases predictably soared. With Christmas and New Year looming as superspreader events, NSW reintroduced QR codes and mask mandates, both highly effective and minimally intrusive. Then within weeks there was more flip-flopping about QR codes in what remained a chaotic response.

Meanwhile, people in Sydney cancelled restaurant and party bookings in droves for New Years Eve, leaving business and the economy worse off.

We’ve been told we have to live with COVID. In Queensland, the Chief Health Officer went as far as saying: “Not only is the spread of this virus inevitable, it is necessary (for COVID to become endemic).”

But COVID will never be endemic. It will always be an epidemic infection, with recurrent epidemic waves.

Lack of planning

Every government health agency was informed by modelling that cases and hospitalisations would surge when mitigation measures were relaxed.

But there has been inadequate surge planning at all levels of government, leaving us sitting ducks with low third-dose vaccine coverage.

There was no planning for expedited third-dose boosters, expanded testing capacity, rapid antigen tests, hospital in the home, opening of schools or even guidance for people to protect their household when one person becomes infected.

During the Delta wave, hospital in the home was set up to spare hospital capacity, but this time people are on their own and must take “personal responsbility”, according to the Prime Minister.

Read more:
As restrictions ease, here are 5 crucial ways for Australia to stay safely on top of COVID-19

Health systems buckling

The Omicron wave has made health systems buckle in most states, with NSW worst affected currently. Delta was twice as severe as previous variants, so if Omicron is 20-45% less severe than Delta, that’s still no laughing matter with low booster rates.

Daily case numbers across Australia are already 30 times what they were in the Delta peak (and may be 200 times higher soon). The enormous volume of cases means the small proportion needing hospital care will overwhelm the system.

Hospitals are already so overwhelmed that in NSW, infected nurses are instructed to work. If you need to come into hospital for a heart attack or broken leg, the chances are you will catch COVID as a bonus.

“Collapse” of the health system means we move to disaster mode, where the standard of care we expect for any condition becomes compromised. Already, self-caring COVID patients are told to call their GP if they’re worried, with no easy access to the public health system.

General practice is struggling without any additional funding or support, withdrawal of some telehealth support, and the extra load of vaccination of children 5-11 years (from next week) and third dose boosters.

Several people died at home during the Delta wave. And there’s already a death at home of a 30 year old reported during the current wave. People dying at home is a measure of health system failure, and should be tracked.

There are also domino effects of mass illness on all parts of society. Supermarkets are unable to supply fully, because of the amount of illness all the way along the supply chain.

It could go one of two ways from here

If there’s no change in policy, there will be a higher, faster peak that far exceeds available health care, which may then force a lockdown. If people who need simple measures like oxygen cannot get a hospital bed, the death rate will start rising.

The other option is to use “vaccines-plus” to flatten the curve and ease the load on society and the health system.

Such measures include:

• expanding PCR capacity and free rapid antigen tests for all, like the UK, US and Singapore

• building on existing QR code infrastructure for automated digital tracing

• mandating masks in indoor settings and subsidised high quality options like N95 masks

• expediting third dose boosters and ensure adequate supply for fourth doses if required

• expediting the vaccination of children 5-11 years

• ensuring safe indoor air, including at schools.

Taking personal responsibility will be easier for the affluent, who can afford their own supplies, like rapid antigen tests.

For everyone else, some simple measures to prevent transmission in the home is to ensure safe indoor air, use KF94 masks which are much cheaper than N95s, and get your third dose booster as soon as you can.

It’s worth doing everything we can to prevent COVID and the long term burden of illness it may cause. In addition to long COVID, SARS-CoV-2 lingers in the heart, brain and many other organs long after the acute infection, and we don’t know the long term impacts of this.

Omicron isn’t the end – there will be new variants. There are promising new variant-proof vaccines on the horizon, so we shouldn’t surrender.

Originally Appeared Here

There are many ways to measure terribleness: the thousand-plus Boston Public Schools staffers out on Tuesday; the staggering COVID case counts; the virus-ridden wastewater.

But perhaps no statistic can be as telling as the change in the way we have started communicating:

If December was the month that friends reached out with warm holiday wishes — ”Merry, Merry” — January is the month they’re reaching out to cancel plans or to share bad tidings.

“Given what’s going on with this crazy Omicron, it seems wise to postpone your birthday dinner.”

“Just got my PCR results back. I guess we *should* have rolled down the car windows even though we were being pelted by an icy mix.”

January has never been great, but we usually enter its maw after a festive period, when we’ve been fortified by holiday parties and family gatherings and restorative trips. We hit January with positive momentum, and before we know it, it’s February break, and then, well, March and almost time to start complaining about Cape traffic.

But we’re entering this January in a weakened, post-sourdough state, where family gatherings, if they existed at all, were spent swabbing our nostrils, and vacations turned into time on hold with the airline waiting to reschedule the canceled flight.

Given all we’ve been through, and all we have ahead of us, we’re not even in the mood to be in a good mood. The only thing that sparks true joy is misery.

Perhaps that’s why more than 3,000 people retweeted a tweet that Boston University professor Jonathan Levy dashed off on Jan. 2.

“I didn’t do any work over the holidays, but I maintained a high level of stress and inadequate sleep so I could ease the transition back,” he tweeted.

Reached by phone, Levy, whose research includes indoor-air-pollution-exposure modeling, said he spent his time “off” fielding questions about which masks are best and other COVID-safety issues.

“It was not exactly curling up by the fire and roasting chestnuts,” he said.

How bad is this January? Even by COVID winter standards — the lowest bar imaginable — it’s bad, said Lamont Price, an award-winning comedian in Boston and co-curator of comedy for Boston Calling.

“At least last January there was the promise of the vaccine,” he said. “There was a lot of fatigue going on, but people were talking about how this was going to be the roaring ‘20s. There was this promise of getting back to somewhat regular life.”

Now? It’s beginning to feel like “regular life” is COVID.

All of which brings us to a philosophical question to kick off our third COVID year: From a mental health (and wardrobe) perspective, would we be better off now if from the outset we had known how long this haul would be? (As in: Public Service Announcement from March 2020: “Those shoes you’re leaving under your desk for two weeks until this whole thing blows over . . . you’ll never see them again.”)

The Rev. Fred Small, of Cambridge, looked to the MBTA as inspiration for the answer. “It’s like when you’re on the Red Line and the train stops,” he said. “It is so much more helpful to hear an announcement saying, ‘We will be delayed for 25 minutes for emergency repairs,’ than it is to hear nothing, or ‘We’ll be moving in just a couple of minutes, folks.’” (And then not moving for 25 minutes.)

Small and his wife have gotten through this time, he said, by regularly looking into each other’s eyes and saying, “Thank God you’re here.”

“It’s not just the pandemic,” he said. “It’s the climate crisis and systemic racism and voter suppression and authoritarianism.”

Lately, to make it survivable, they’ve given all of the bad stuff a playful, Harry Potter-inspired name: Norbert.

Welcome to Norbert 2022.

Beth Teitell can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @bethteitell.

Originally Appeared Here

Calls for updates to an existing conditions report at the heart of looming General Plan changes were at the center of the Petaluma City Council’s first meeting of 2022, as officials continued shaping their vision for future policy framework and land use options in Sonoma County’s second largest city.

Revolving around a host of factors, including climate action and environment, land use, infrastructure and more, the Existing Conditions Report is made up of 19 separate reports of topics expected to be covered in the General Plan.

It features analysis of conditions in each subject area in order to give a “data-based foundation” for Petaluma’s planning process, planning manager Heather Hines said.

Monday night’s meeting did not include a formal adoption of the Existing Conditions Report, but rather offered an overview and gave the opportunity for council members and residents to express concerns and ideas on what can be included as part of the General Plan’s future outlook.

“This is a multi-year project and we’re still early in the planning process,” said Ron Whitmore with Raimi + Associates, the urban design and research firm that the city hired to help shape the General Plan.

Whitmore said the last time the report appeared on a City Council agenda was in early 2021 as officials launched its initiation phase.

Through the fall months, the General Plan Advisory Committee went to meetings for each of the other city commissions and committees to gather feedback on the existing conditions report, gathering input during other public events as well. Hines said that much of the feedback that officials received will be used as a “great springboard to the upcoming conversations” for planning.

“This is things like ‘Why are so many people commuting into or out of Petaluma? How do we get better jobs/housing balance so we can lessen that? How do we preserve and expand the tree canopy? How do we make sure we minimize development in flood-prone areas?’” Hines said. “These are some of the types of ideas for actions and programs, and feedback that came through as a result of the Existing Conditions Report.”

Throughout the meeting, council members and other residents called for changes to the report’s structure and focus. Council member D’Lynda Fischer kicked off the discussion with concerns that the plan failed to lay out how exactly the city should act to reach its goal to become carbon neutral by 2030.

“When you look at how we consume energy, how we consume goods, while the information is there, it’s not in a format that’s going to serve us with that baseline data as we develop our plans,” Fischer said.

Council member Brian Barnacle called for additions in the transportation section, and sought more information about local music venues in the report regarding the arts. Barnacle also said officials should expand their thinking surrounding environmental hazards.

“We really focused on exterior factors like air quality from vehicle travel,” Barnacle said. “And with the growing renter population and the pressure on landlords for deferred maintenance, we need to start thinking about environmental justice inside the homes, in addition to outside the homes – things like mold, asbestos, lead paint, indoor air quality from gas stoves with no ventilation – because that’s the future, that’s what we need to look at.”

Council member Kevin McDonnell said he didn’t feel the report gave future housing options an equal amount of focus, as more people are becoming more concerned about affordable housing and general housing availability.

“I think the public has a great interest right now in climate, and we don’t really connect that having housing is an equally key priority,” McDonnell said. “I would like to see better mention of trying to figure out more on funding, housing the homeless, subsidies needed for affordable programs.”

Council member Dave King said that planning and policy surrounding retail should take into account the changing conditions throughout the retail industry as more businesses are solely thriving online.

“I see many empty buildings around the city, downtown and elsewhere that were retail,” King said. “And because of the changing nature of retail, at least for the next five to 10 years, policies requiring retail should be avoided.”

Dennis Pocekay, who was appointed as the next vice mayor at Monday’s meeting, felt there is a lack of information in the report on the city’s river, wetlands and wildlife corridors, and built off other council members’ suggestions on land use.

Susan Kirks, on behalf of the Sonoma County Conservation Council, had similar thoughts during the public comment portion of the meeting, as she called for more open space policy.

“I want more affordable housing, access to fresh air and clean water,” Kirks said in a letter to city officials. “In this context, it is equally important to consider the remaining habitat areas that exist in Petaluma along with how our wildlife species move and try and survive.”

Council member Mike Healy said the city should continue to stay within its current urban growth boundary. But at the same time, he felt that would be near impossible in the near future as more pieces of property are off limits to development.

“And I don’t particularly support cannibalizing the fairgrounds for housing or for other needs. So that’s going to be a challenge for us,” Healy said.

Other concerns at hand included the future of Petaluma’s floodplain, as the Existing Conditions Report indicated “land available for development is along the Petaluma River, much of which is also subject to flooding.”

Amelia Parreira is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at [email protected] or 707-521-5208.

Originally Appeared Here

The Wyoming Department of Health on Tuesday reported 46 more coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,572.

The recently confirmed deaths involved the following individuals:

• An adult Albany County woman died in December. She was hospitalized in another state and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Carbon County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Converse County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Converse County man died in November. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Fremont County woman died in December. She was hospitalized in another state and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Fremont County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Fremont County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Fremont County man died in December. He was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Fremont County woman died in December. She was hospitalized in another state and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Fremont County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Goshen County man died in December. He was hospitalized in another state and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Johnson County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Laramie County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Laramie County man died in December. He was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Laramie County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Laramie County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Laramie County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• Another adult Laramie County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• Another adult Laramie County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Natrona County woman died in December. She had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Natrona County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Natrona County man died in December. He was a resident of a local long-term care facility and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Natrona County man died in November. He was a resident of a local long-term care facility and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Natrona County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• Another adult Natrona County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Natrona County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• Another older adult Natrona County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Park County man died in December. He was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Park County man died in December. He was hospitalized in another state and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Park County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Park County man died in December. He was hospitalized in another state and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Platte County man died in December. He was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Platte County woman died in December. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Sheridan County woman died in December. She was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Sheridan County man died in December. He was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Sublette County man died in December. He had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Sweetwater County woman died in November. She was hospitalized and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Sweetwater County man died in December. He had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Sweetwater County woman died in December. She was hospitalized in another state and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An adult Uinta County woman died in December. She was hospitalized in another state and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Uinta County man died in October. He was hospitalized in another state and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Uinta County man died in December. He was hospitalized in another state and had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Washakie County woman died in December. She was hospitalized in another state and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Washakie County man died in December. He was hospitalized and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Weston County man died in December. He was hospitalized in another state and was not known to have health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.
• An older adult Weston County man died in December. He had health conditions known to put people at higher risk of severe illness.

According to the Wyoming COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Dashboard, there have been 642 unvaccinated deaths and 129 vaccinated deaths since Jan. 1, 2021.

As of Monday, 43.6% of Wyoming’s population — 8.1% of children (5-11), 30.5% of adolescents (12-17), 52.6% of adults (18+), and 73.6% of seniors (65+) — had been fully vaccinated.

KEEP READING: 15 Natural Ways to Improve Your Sleep

KEEP READING: See 25 natural ways to boost your immune system

Originally Appeared Here

While Northern California’s climate is largely temperate, it’s still important to maintain a home’s HVAC system regularly. Some people believe that AC maintenance is a summer-only job, but it’s equally essential during the winter. Here, one will learn the benefits of pre-winter Heating Repair.

Preventing Winter Damage

Winter, even a mild one, comes with cold snaps that can cause serious damage to an HVAC unit. Though we don’t use the heat every day here in Northern California, homeowners should take steps to ensure they’re in the right condition all year long. Call or click today to learn how we can help maintain the condition of the home’s HVAC system.

A Decreased Risk of Mechanical Failure

Routine maintenance puts a home’s heating system back into optimal condition and reduces the risk of a mechanical breakdown at an inconvenient time. The risk of failure is elevated after just one missed maintenance appointment, which means it’s important to take heating system upkeep seriously. Any problems during the winter can make for very uncomfortable days and nights, so count on us to keep the warm air flowing.

Lower Utility Bills

A home heating system that’s not well maintained won’t just cost more to service, but it may also bring increased utility bills. By scheduling maintenance before the coldest part of winter, one will get every aspect of that system in working order, ensuring that wintertime temperature control is optimal without driving up utility bills.

Maintaining Good Indoor Air Quality

An air conditioner and heater, as parts of a comprehensive HVAC system, contribute to indoor air quality all year round. Even on the coldest winter days, air still circulates throughout a home. Proper pre-winter maintenance involves changing the unit’s air filter, which ensures that dust-free, fresh air is delivered to one’s family even when it’s cold outside.

Increasing the Unit’s Lifespan

Proper heating system maintenance is essential to the machine’s lifespan, just as with other appliances. Skipping pre-season maintenance may put sensitive components in jeopardy, and it may also create a domino effect that compromises other parts of the system. Don’t put the home heating system and family comfort at risk; call today for seasonal heating service.

Getting Service Scheduled When Demand is Low

Heating and cooling professionals are quite busy during the winter, as families call for repair and maintenance on their HVAC systems. During times of peak demand, it might be hard to get the services a  system needs. It’s important, therefore, to get the work done before the first big cold snap.

Don’t Delay — Call to Schedule Winter Heating Service Today

HVAC maintenance and repairs are crucial during every season, but they’re critically important during winter. Routine upkeep maintains the system’s condition, helping it withstand tough weather and ensuring that it serves your family efficiently all the time.

With regular service from the experts at Eco Pro, one will have plenty of time to learn about the options and plan for seasonal maintenance. Get more information online or go to callecopro.com to schedule a service. An entire team of trained, licensed professionals is available to service your home.

Media Contact
Company Name: Eco Pro HVAC
Contact Person: Media Relations
Email: Send Email
Phone: (925)515-4489
Address:520 GARCIA AVE
City: PITTSBURG
State: California
Country: United States
Website: https://callecopro.com/

Originally Appeared Here

Around this time every year (well, most years), I dedicate myself to purging stuff I no longer use, wear, or need. My general motto is, for every gift I receive for the holidays or otherwise, something I already have needs to go—ideally in the recycling or donation bin. The goal is to at least maintain the level of clutter in and around our house, and especially in my home office … and even more so given how much time I have spent there these past several months. I get a little twitchy when the walls start closing in.

That process is even more poignant this year as I consider the results of a recent study of more than 300 home builders Pro Builder conducted with Home Innovation Research Labs. Simply, we wanted to know which of the COVID-required or -initiated practices builders took up in the early months of the pandemic will remain as restrictions relax and the industry returns to a version of pre-virus normalcy.

RELATED

Like my personal ritual, home builders appear ready to purge a good portion of what they’ve done in the last 21 months or so, whether because they can or they no longer feel the need to keep them.

Case in point: 62% of builders reported adopting virus-mitigating practices on their jobsites to help “flatten the curve,” while 49% said they took similar measures in their design centers and sales offices. Coming out of COVID, only 21% will maintain those practices on jobsites and just 17% will do so in their facilities.

On the flip side, and not surprisingly, the majority of builders that expanded their stable of suppliers due to pandemic-driven supply chain issues and materials price volatility don’t expect to scale back when those crises abate.

62% of builders reported adopting virus-mitigating practices on their jobsites to help “flatten the curve.” Coming out of COVID, only 21% say they will maintain those practices on jobsites.

As for their products, much of what consumers demanded of homes (and what new-home builders were uniquely able to deliver) to meet changing lifestyle needs is likely to remain, including a greater emphasis on indoor air quality and occupant health, floor plans with at least one dedicated office (and likely another), spaces for remote learning, and more and bigger outdoor living areas—results validated by other recent industry and consumer studies I’ve seen.

And while fewer than one-third of the builders surveyed initially adopted measures such as remote or work-from-home options for their employees, video conferencing among internal staff, better pay and working conditions to retain their people, and skilled labor recruitment and training, those that did integrate those practices and policies are likely to retain them going forward.

Of course, the decision to keep or purge is up to each builder and is far more complex than deciding whether that ratty college sweatshirt deserves another year in the closet. I only ask that you consider whether now is actually the right the time to let go of the stuff that got you through the pandemic.

 

Originally Appeared Here

AHR Ready to Welcome Back HVAC Industry After Year Off | 2022-01-04 | ACHR News

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Originally Appeared Here