The Nuts and Bolts: April 30, 2014
Federal Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act Prompts New Educational Piping Video
The Copper Development Association (CDA), a trade association representing the U.S. copper tube and fittings industry, recently announced the launch of the latest video in its ‘Do it Proper with Copper’ series: Soldering of No-Lead Copper Alloy Fittings, Valves and Components. The educational video serves as a valuable resource for plumbers, contractors and technicians installing or working with new copper alloys.
With the new Federal Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act, which went into effect on January 4, 2014 and limits the amount of lead that can be contained in plumbing components that come into contact with drinking water, CDA has developed a new DIY video demonstrating how to properly solder copper tube and fittings to the newer, no-lead, brass and bronze copper alloys.
To view Soldering of No-Lead Copper Alloy Fittings, Valves and Components simply go to CDA's YouTube Channel.
ProCleanse Next-Gen Home Water Filtration Unit Ready for Global Use
ProCleanse LLC, a subsidiary of environmentally focused soil, water and vegetation management solutions company Profile Products LLC, has developed a next-generation home water filtration device that produces safe drinking water on the first day of use without the need for frequent maintenance, chemical additions, component replacement or other drawbacks associated with alternative products.
The patent-pending ProCleanse filtration process exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) "protective" classification for household water treatment and offers a practical solution for the more than 1 billion people around the world who are vulnerable to diarrhea, cholera and other life-threatening illnesses because they lack access to clean drinking water.
Utilizing a proprietary blend of porous ceramic particles that trap and neutralize contaminants through an ion exchange process, the ProCleanse unit processes enough water to support a family of six, includes built-in safe storage for up to 18 liters of clean water, and lasts more than 10 years at a cost of less than $0.001 cents per liter of water over the life of the system. That is more than twice as long and a fraction of the lifetime cost of most other point-of-use (POU) water filtration options.
More information is available at www.procleansefilters.com.
Sears® Kicks Off Heroes at Home Campaign, Will Mark 1,500th Rebuild for Veterans
Sears has launched its seventh annual Heroes at Home spring renovation and fundraising campaign, during which it will celebrate a milestone 1,500th rebuild, honoring America's military heroes. Teaming with Rebuilding Together, the program provides home modifications and repairs for low-income and disabled veterans and their families.
Now through July 26, Sears asks Shop Your Way members and customers nationwide to donate to Heroes at Home at their local Sears store or online. All funds raised go to Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit with a vision for a safe and healthy home for every person. The Heroes at Home program has raised more than $18 million over the past seven years.
"With Rebuilding Together's help, we've turned $18 million in donations into more than $28 million in home value," said Ron Boire, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer and president, Sears and Kmart Formats. "Our Shop Your Way members, customers and associates should be proud of the positive impact they've had on the lives of more than 19,000 veterans and military families, yet the need is still great."
Today 1.5 million veterans live below the poverty line and 38 percent have a disability. Additionally, one million veteran homeowners spend more than half of their monthly income on housing.
For more information visit RebuildingTogether.org.
Indoor Air Quality: What You Can't See Can Hurt You
The Environmental Protection Agency has named indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health – indoor air may be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside. With Americans spending 90 percent of their time indoors, purifying indoor air is paramount to keeping families healthy – especially those with family members suffering from asthma and allergies.
"Poor indoor air quality has been linked to a host of health issues such as headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea, fatigue, heart disease and chronic respiratory disease," says Megan Leick, spokesperson for Aprilaire. "For individuals that suffer from asthma or allergies, air particulates such as pollen, dust and dust mites are known triggers for asthma attacks and allergic reactions."
You can improve indoor air quality with a few simple steps:
- Prevent Irritants from Entering the House. Simple activities like removing shoes before entering the household, closing windows during high pollen days and not allowing smoking indoors help keep dirt and other irritants from entering the household.
- Install a whole-home air purification system. Whole-home air purification systems remove up to 98 percent of airborne contaminants down to one micron in size and are 40 times more efficient than a standard furnace filter.
For more information visit www.aprilaire.com.
