Generator Sales Increase in U.S.

After a string of natural disasters occurring year after year, many Americans are finally wising up and purchasing electric generators for their home. This will help keep the lights on in the face of disasters such as this fall's Hurricane Sandy that left thousands of people without power for months. Homeowners that own a generator will be prepared in a crisis.

Owning a generator has never been more ideal either. Not only have emission outputs decreased in most newer models, the technology advancements make using one easier than ever. For instance, models that were recently seen at the 2013 Builders' Show  can be primarily operated from a cell phone to run electricity in any room of the house.

Homeowners are not the only ones getting smart about generator purchases. Those in the oil and gas, industrial, and telecommunications industries are now renting electric generators to end-users to help minimize downtime. This has led to an increase in rental sales, which are predicted to further increase in the next several years – especially if they decide to rent out generators that produce lower emissions.

For anyone considering purchasing or even renting a generator, there are a few different kinds. It is best to know what the generator will be operating to ensure it works properly and does not get worn out too soon.

Types of Generators

• Inverter Generators – These generators will typically run on gasoline and they are best suited for recreational use. This makes them great for camping. They also provide the cleanest power for electronics.
• Portable Generators – These are smaller generators that are ideal for moving around the home in a blackout. They are also great if you need to take them outside to use electrical tools. These normally run on gasoline, but there are models that will use L.P. or natural gas.
• Standby Generators – These are stationary generators found in homes. They will power most or all of a home during a blackout and are capable of starting automatically when the power goes out.
• Industrial Generators – These generators are either portable and run on gas or are stationary in which case they are more than likely diesel. They can power electrical, welding, and other construction tools.
• Two-Bearing Generators – These are often found on service trucks and are operated by various power sources using a pulley-system.
• PTO Generators – These generators are powered by tractors to provide portable power around a farm or yard.

Sources: Frost& Sullivan: Need for Backup Power and Increased Developmental Activities across the   U.S. Raises Demand for Generator Set Rentals

Builders' Show: New features make generators easier to use

Typesof Generators

Gehringer Mechanical has been a premiere service and construction company for 25 years. They provide electrical services in the Burks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania. These consists industrial, construction, and repair in industrial and residential areas as well as 24 hour emergency service. They have a full line of electric generators to serve as backup energy source.

Keep the Winter from Drying out Your Home: Get a Humidifier

When winter hits it can cause you and your home to feel the wrath of dry air. This causes minor problems such as dry skin, chapped lips, and unexpected shocks when you touch doorknobs (or people). Dry air is also the cause of much more serious conditions such as sinus infections that leave you congested or dry nasal passages that can lead to nosebleeds. The frigid dry air can also increase allergy and asthma symptoms.

So, is there any cure to these dreaded annoyances and ailments. Of course there is, and you already know the answer if you read the title. A humidifier is the best appliance you can own during the winter if your suffering from dry air. They not only give your home that needed 30 to 50 percent air moisture, but they let your sinus cavities relax and quit attacking you.

Another great thing about owning a humidifier is about the warmth they add to your home. Dry air can make your home feel much colder – sometimes even colder than outside in some areas. When a humidifier gives you back that long missed moisture, it also heats up your home in the process.

To see if your home is in need of a humidifier, it is a good idea to purchase a humidity sensor. This is important because if your home has more than 50 percent humidity, it could actually cause your home to go in the opposite direction and cause mold, condensation, and bacteria. Sometimes your whole house might need a humidifier and sometimes just one room or floor will need one.

Types of Humidifiers

• Central Humidifiers - humidify whole house
• Console Humidifiers – built into cabinets
• Portable Humidifiers – can be moved from room to room
• Sub Categories
  • Steam Vaporizer Humidifiers – boils water and releases steam or moisture into the air
  • Evaporative Humidifiers – most common
  • Impellar Humidifiers – flings water at a diffuser, which releases droplets of water into air
  • Ultrasonic Humidifiers - ultrasonic frequency creates water droplets that silently exit the humidifier in the form of a cool fog

Sources: Winter might be less miserable with a humidifier

How Do I Use Humidifiers in Winter?

Humidifier

 

Gehringer Mechanical has been a premiere service and construction company for 25 years. They provide electrical and plumbing services in the Burks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania. The provide 24 emergency service for all of their specialties including humidification and ventilation.

Tips to Being Energy Efficient in the Winter

When winter time sets in, most areas have one thing in common, and that is how to keep their utility bill down while remaining warm inside their home. To get this outcome, it requires you to follow specific regimens when it comes to your thermostat and furnace as well as checking up on various parts of your house.

Heating the Home

It should be your first goal to have a programmable thermostat added to your home when worrying about energy efficiency. It should be placed in an area that will house the average temperature on the inside of your house. After it is installed, you will need to schedule the thermostat to set the temperature 10 degrees lower than normal at night and when no one is home. This will help to reduce your utility bill by up to 20 percent.

To compensate for some of the heat at night, try wearing sweaters and warm socks. This will help to keep your body heat in. Every time the thermostat is lowered by just one degree Fahrenheit, it will save you 3 percent.

If you have a forced air furnace, your filters should have been inspected at the beginning of the season. Upkeep will require you to check them every month afterward, and if they are dusty, they should be replaced or cleaned at the least.

Humidifiers are also a good way to stay warm. By adding moisture back into the air, they can actually make you feel warmer despite the lower thermostat setting.

Air Leaks

Most commonly air leaks are found around doors and windows, but there are other areas such as electrical outlets and washer and dryer hoses where cold air can get in also.

Keep all windows and doors leading to the outside closed as much as possible. When possible close off unused rooms (unless the thermostat is located in the room) and shut any air vents in the rooms to keep warm air more localized to the rest of the house.

Plastic film that can be found at local hardware stores are great for placing around windows. You might also have to seal and caulk and areas where leaks are noticeable. Doors with leaks (check with a flashlight or piece of paper) should be sealed with weatherstripping. Electrical outlets should have foam insulation gaskets placed behind them, and it is a good idea to switch the plate cover if the original has been damaged or is old.

Hot Water

Start with your water heater when worrying about hot water increasing your utility bill. Set the temperature to normal (120° F) unless you have a device that requires it to be hire such as a dishwasher. This should save you 7 to 10 percent on your hot water heating. You should also pick up pipe insulation from your local hardware store. Insulate the first five feet or until the pipe goes into the wall if it is shorter than five feet. It is also a good idea to wrap your actual water heater in insulation if it is older than five years old.

Next, when actually using hot water be sensible. When you take a hot shower, set the temperature to what you can absolutely tolerate as far as cold is concerned. Also, try not to just hang out in the shower but do what you have to do and get out. If you own a dishwasher only run full loads, and when washing dishes normally, try to only do it at most once a day and rinse as many dishes as possible at once to keep from having water running needlessly.

Unnecessary Energy Loss

To keep from having the thermostat set on high during the day, open your curtains to let the sun come in and warm your home. Close them when it starts to get dark.

Place your furniture in areas where it will not be drafty. This means placing pieces on inside walls as those facing the outside and where windows sit will typically be drafty. This could keep you warmer and help you fight the urge to turn the thermostat up.

If you have a traditional fireplace in your home, make sure the damper is closed when it is not in use. It is also a good idea to close the doors, if there are any, to protect against any leaking air. It is also not a good idea to use this type of fireplace very often, if at all, as they typically let out more warm air than provide warmth.

Hire a Professional

If you are unsure what needs to be sealed or how to do it, or if you find no change in your utility bill, it is often a good idea to hire a professional. There are companies that will make sure your furnace is working properly, your home is completely insulated and weatherized, and they can check up on a variety of other issues that may be keeping your home from being energy efficient. A few places where a professional may be needed are:

• Attic Insulation
• Broken Windows
• Large Holes in Attic, Crawlspace, or Basement
• Seal Exposed Ductwork
• Replace Older or Loose Fireplace Dampers

Gehringer Mechanical offers plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical work to customers in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, and Montgomery Counties.