Popular wood-fired boilers spur pollution concerns Nov 19, 2008
Critics also say that smoke pollution increases when green wood is used instead of properly aged fuel, and when owners toss yard waste, trash, and even tires into the furnaces ... According to a 2006 report from the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, the average emission from one wood-fired boiler was equal to 22 federally certified wood stoves, 205 oil furnaces, or as many as four heavy diesel trucks ... The US Environmental Protection Agency has recommended only voluntary... (Boston Globe)
SQUARE FEET: A more environment-friendly form of concrete Nov 19, 2008
Slag, which is left over in blast furnaces when steel is made, can make up more of the concrete mix than ash without requiring extra chemicals, but it is harder to obtain locally. (Developers like to buy supplies locally to reduce travel times and to gain points in the LEED rating system, which certifies a building's environmental friendliness. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Tips For Saving Money When the Temperature Drops Nov 19, 2008
Change furnace filters every month- Forgetting to change the filter is the number one reason home furnaces break down. You should also have a professional check and clean furnaces once a year. (WTVR.com, VA)
BBB checklist for winterizing your home Nov 19, 2008
Furnaces older than 15 years might be due for a replacement. For younger furnaces, BBB recommends making sure the furnace filter is clean, the thermostat is working properly and the pilot light is functioning. (Belmont Citizen Herald, MA)
Charity group still serving flood, tornado victims Nov 18, 2008
There are still people out there without furnaces ... They have helped flood victims get new furnaces, refrigerators and washers and dryers. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
FEMA recommends thinking ahead for natural disasters Nov 17, 2008
He also recommended elevating furnaces, water heaters, even washers and dryers. Anything that could get wet structurally and cost a lot of money, elevate, he said. (DeKalb Daily Chronicle, IL)
WINTERIZE: \'Tis the season for blankets, coats and furnace efficiency. Nov 17, 2008
Furnaces are like cars, they just need to be maintained, said Gary Bemboom of Bemboom Heating and Cooling in Jefferson City. See the STYLE section, page 45. (Jefferson City News Tribune, MO)
* China wants to make bricks from toxic milk: report rsj Nov 17, 2008
Guangzhou officials are looking into the viability of dumping the toxic products, found to have been tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, into furnaces that make bricks and cement. City officials are having a hard time ensuring the milk is disposed of properly. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Decorating with Christmas Lights: S... Nov 14, 2008
Keep cords away from metal, moisture and hot places such as heaters, fireplaces or furnaces. Also, keep them away from places where people will walk. (Suite101.com)
Home heating and cooling: Alternative, hybrid systems gain popularity Nov 14, 2008
Dual-fuel wood-burning furnaces can automatically switch to gas or oil when the wood burns down over night. Send inquiries to James Dulley, Carroll County Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244; or visit. (Carroll County Times)
Home Warranty May Come in Handy Nov 14, 2008
The plans differ from company to company but, generally speaking, the home warranty covers major mechanical systems and appliances such as furnaces and air conditioning, plumbing and electrical items, and appliances. "It's a repair or replacement warranty," says Sobel. (RealtyTimes)
Briefs (Nov. 13) Nov 12, 2008
In cooperation with the manufacturer, a voluntary recall was announced of the Rinnai Energy Saver Direct-Vent Wall furnaces, Models RHFE 431 and RHFE 556. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (Needham Tab, MA)
Nuclear scrap contaminating consumer goods Nov 12, 2008
Smelting such items contaminates recycled metal used to make new products and the furnaces that process the material. The danger increases when metal prices rise, pushing scavengers to pick up and sell more material, said Martin Magold, who led a UN team that tracked radioactive metal shipments in Europe. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Winterizing Your Home? Save Even More by Renting DIY Tools Nov 12, 2008
Furnaces need to be serviced annually by a professional to be sure they are working at maximum efficiency. But there are also a few tasks you can do yourself. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
Radioactive Beer Kegs Threaten Public, Boost Costs at ArcelorMittal, Nucor Nov 12, 2008
Smelting such items contaminates recycled metal used to make new products and the furnaces that process the material. Cleanups cost as much as $30 million, according to the Brussels-based Bureau of International Recycling, which represents metal, paper and glassmakers. (Bloomberg)
Police rule out murder in orphanage search Nov 12, 2008
He suggested that the island's former deputy chief officer, Lenny Harper - who has now retired - was wrong when he suggested that young children may have been murdered, dismembered and then burnt in the furnaces of the Victorian home. He said: "There is no suggestion there has been murder or any bodies destroyed" and added that the burnt bone fragments found deep inside the basements could be hundreds of years old. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Evict a bug, insulate your ducts Nov 11, 2008
Viewed from the outside, most furnaces are divided into two major sections: a sheet-metal box with a removable front panel that houses the burners and mechanical equipment; and a second, closed sheet-metal box with heat ducts attached to it, known as the plenum. The plenum is the chamber that collects the hot air from the furnace and distributes it to the ducts. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
• Choosing your heat: Recent developments complicate the comparison Nov 11, 2008
Dual-fuel wood-burning furnaces can automatically switch to gas or oil when the wood burns down overnight. To compare the cost to use various systems of your home, use the following heat contents: natural gas - 1,025 Btu/cubic foot, oil - 138,700 Btu/gallon, propane - 91,000 Btu/gallon, electricity - 3,414 Btu/kilowatt-hour, firewood - 22,000,000 Btu/cord, and corn - 448,000 Btu/bushel. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Wood, I Wouldn't Nov 11, 2008
But while the new versions cut down on emissions by more than two-thirds, they can still produce particulate matter concentrations about than oil or gas furnaces. And outdoor wood boilerswhich have become more popular in recent yearsare typically than stoves. (Slate)
Xstrata-Merafe shuts six furnaces Nov 11, 2008
Johannesburg - The world's largest ferrochrome producer, the Xstrata-Merafe Resources joint venture, yesterday reacted to slowing demand, and followed major steel and iron ore producers in slashing production by halting six of its local ferrochrome furnaces ... Xstrata's smaller rival, African Rainbow Minerals, last month shut two ferrochrome furnaces because of the slowdown in demand for ferrochrome and chrome ore ... The suspension of the six Xstrata-Merafe furnaces will mean a reduction of... (Business Report, South Africa)
A more efficient US? Energy agency prods only a bit. Nov 10, 2008
For example: On the same day the DOE rejected the boiler standard, for example, it also rebuffed a tough proposed standard for home furnaces ... Instead, the DOE proposed a standard that 99 percent of furnaces sold in the US already meet. (Yahoo News -- Energy Policy)
Winterizing home can cut costs Nov 10, 2008
FURNACE. Furnaces older than 15 years might be due for a replacement. For newer furnaces, BBB recommends making sure the furnace filter is clean, the thermostat is working properly and the pilot light is functioning. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Public housing in city going geothermal Nov 10, 2008
" Perhaps the most dramatic change in Northview, Homewood North and Arlington Heights will be the drilling of 5-inch-wide geothermal wells near every building, and installation of heating and cooling systems that use them. In the summer, heat pumps will transfer the warmth from the air into water, which will then flow through underground tubes into the wells. There, the earth's near-constant 55-degree temperature will cool it, and it will flow back to carry off more heat. The resulting cooled... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
74 comments Nov 10, 2008
While much of Bush s spending has funded defense and the War on Terror, most of it vanished into the furnaces of No Child Left Behind, the 2002 Farm Bill, the 2003 Medicare drug entitlement, the 2005 highway bill, the 2006 ethanol mandate, at least 69,341 earmarks, and much, much more. In 2001, Bush launched federal embryonic stem-cell research. (Human Events Online)
Every size, shape or decorated domicile right here in city Nov 9, 2008
After the War, families added pipe-fed oil floor furnaces, electric water heaters and second baths. Thousands of such houses created the big and well-known suburb of Shandon in Columbia, and are still popular with second- and third-generation residents. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Dozens get flood relief help in Waverly Nov 9, 2008
The goods ranged from coffee mugs and dishes to refrigerators and furnaces enough material to fill a semitrailer. "It was packed," said Dan Kittle, chairman of the Bremer County Recovery Coalition. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Operating on a wing and a prayer Nov 9, 2008
There are four furnaces, none of them working. The kitchen was declared off-limits by city inspectors after the ceiling collapsed. (Globe and Mail)
A proven success — Girl Scouts learn fire safety tips for their families Nov 9, 2008
CO can be released from backed up furnaces, improperly cleaned fire places, portable heaters or gas appliances. Before and after Klugo s presentation, the older Girl Scouts were sitting at tables around the perimeter of the Fire House; some were assisting younger scouts in making cards to send to soldiers overseas. (Hudson Register Star, NY)
What To Do Before You Turn On Your Heater Nov 9, 2008
"I was actually doing the heater at my mom's house this morning, said Greg Ayala, who lives in West El Paso. She has two furnaces but I didnt check the carbon monoxide. I don't have a tester.". Zimmerman said not testing for carbon monoxide is not the step to skip. (KFOXTV.com, TX)
More of this story» Nov 8, 2008
By investing millions of dollars in new equipment and furnaces, National Copper boosted its capacity to 35 million to 36 million pounds. Copper melted in a casting furnace that was a three-story operation. (Dowagiac News, MI)
Second reading of building code ordinance passes Nov 7, 2008
Livengood also pointed that the city had passed an ordinance banning outdoor wood burning furnaces based, in part, on a petition containing around 80 signatures. He challenged supporters of the ordinance to circulate their own petition and see how names the could collect. (Atlantic News-Telegraph, IO)
Big Coal fights compliance Nov 7, 2008
Van Dyke states "Currently, there is no federal standard for reducing carbon dioxide from coal-based power plants, natural gas turbines, cars, furnaces or other appliances that use fossil fuels." In fact, Big Coal, the EPA and the Bush administration are actively fighting federal and state standards for carbon dioxide. The Bush EPA has been sued for violation of the Clean Air Act by 10 states, according to the New York attorney general. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Baoshan Steel, Hyundai Plunge on Concern Economic Slowdown to Curb Demand Nov 6, 2008
The company has cut back output on four blast furnaces, which account for 30 percent of annual production, Chairman said. To contact the reporter on this story: in Seoul at. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Piramal Glass announces layoffs Nov 6, 2008
Right now we do not require two furnaces in operation because of the lack of business, Winder said. The economic events that took place in October have had a big impact on us. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
ArcelorMittal to cut steel output Nov 6, 2008
ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel maker, said Wednesday that it would temporarily idle a dozen blast furnaces - and their employees - in Europe as part of a move to cut production sharply because of shrinking global demand ... The company, with 326,000 employees in more than 60 countries, plans to temporarily idle 12 of its 28 European flat carbon blast furnaces, said Haroon Hassan, an ArcelorMittal spokesman in London. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
ArcelorMittal slashes output again, shares slump Nov 5, 2008
Welcome to The Sydney Morning Herald. November 6, 2008 - 12:53AM. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Coffee break Nov 4, 2008
Back to business: InSpec cut its teeth expanding a soy-sauce tank farm for Yamasa Corp. in Salem and adding production furnaces at a company now called Epson Toyocom Corp. in Longview, Wash. InSpec introduced Japan's Maruha Restaurant Systems to McCormick & Schmick's, helping the companies put together The Oregon Bar & Grill restaurant in Tokyo. (OregonLive, OR -- Business)
Ripple Effect: Uncertain prices 'fuel' return to heating basics Nov 4, 2008
Tony Gunderson (above) of Hurlburt Heating and Plumbing in Durand points out that outdoor wood-burning furnaces can heat both a house and a garage and provide a hot water source as well ... And so it is with the booming business of pellet and wood-burning stoves and furnaces ... Indoor wood-burning furnaces remain popular as well. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
High Voltage: After years of cheap energy, rising costs are forcing changes Nov 4, 2008
The poor, who typically live in older homes with outdated furnaces, inadequate insulation and inefficient appliances, will be the most vulnerable this winter to those increases, Clark said. The worse the condition of house you live in, the more money you have to spend to keep it warm and keep it cool, he said. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Steel production halted at Cleveland mill Nov 2, 2008
Both blast furnaces were idled this week, and the company plans to offer voluntary layoffs with partial pay starting next week. About 1,450 union members work at the plant. (Anchorage Daily News)
Home Heating Survival Guide - Part Two Nov 2, 2008
Hybrid furnaces, the latest and most efficient way to heat your home. Mike Rudolph of Family Danz says, "the system can use different fuels and gives the consumer the choices of fuel.". (FOX23 News, NY)
Officials warn of carbon monoxide dangers Oct 31, 2008
In their letter, the town officials advised residents to have chimney flues, venting furnaces and other appliances inspected by a licensed plumber or gasfitter every few years. The letter also pointed out that Massachusetts law requires carbon monoxide detectors be installed in all homes. (Scituate Mariner, MA)
Vectren Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2008 Results Oct 31, 2008
Elements of the conservation programs, totaling up to $5 million annually, include: rebates on high-efficiency natural gas appliances, such as furnaces, programmable thermostats and water heaters as well as other tools and resources to help customers lower natural gas usage; and the continuation of Vectren Ohio's Project TEEM (Teaching Energy Efficiency Measures), which offers free home weatherization services to income-eligible customers. These programs will be monitored, reviewed, and adapted... (PR Newswire)
Ghost hunters search for spirits Oct 31, 2008
Some of his employees at North Iowa Heating & Air, who replaced furnaces above the Rose Bowl lanes, do not. One of my workers swears up and down that there s a ghost up there, Daskalos said. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Maximize your furnace efficiency Oct 29, 2008
Right now, however, when we desperately need to conserve resources, cut greenhouse emissions and economize, most homes in the western United States are heated by forced-air furnaces that use natural gas, a nonrenewable fossil fuel ... Since a variety of conditions can cause incomplete combustion inside your furnace without your awareness, furnaces separate the burnoff air from the air that enters your house ... Most furnaces are equipped with a disposable filter that traps airborne dust, mold... (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Vitro Reports 3Q'08 Sales Up 8.9% and EBITDA Up 11.4% Oct 29, 2008
Vitro's rating placed on negative watch by Standard s On October 14, 2008, the Company's B foreign currency long-term corporate credit rating was placed on CreditWatch with negative implications by Standard s ("She 'mxBBB-' national scale long-term corporate credit rating was also placed on CreditWatch with negative implications, meaning that Sd either lower or affirm the ratings following completion of its review. The rating action reflects Sncerns about how the more challenging economy and... (PR Newswire)
Senators push home heating relief Oct 28, 2008
Daily and Stillman voted with the majority to enact "An Act Concerning Home Heating Relief," which includes a provision to provide rebates of up to $500 to income-eligible homeowners who replace older, less efficient furnaces and boilers with new, more efficient ones. The Loprestos are among many Connecticut residents already participating in the program to save fuel and money. (Pictorial Gazette, CT)
Annual Beecher Lecture evokes Cole’s English heritage Oct 27, 2008
As a young boy he witnessed the dark clouds of industrial smoke and red of the furnaces slither into what was once a lush forest and natural landscape. Perhaps this violent transition to urbanization and industry was emotionally traumatic for Cole as a child and adolescent, in turn imbuing in him a resentment for the devastation of nature and industrialism in general. (Catskill Daily Mail, NY)
* World News Quick Take Oct 26, 2008
State television showed boxes and packets of milk powder and baby formula being shoveled into giant furnaces in Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province, where the scandal broke last month. The goods were being burnt in four cement factories and two iron and steel factories. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Orange cop saves life Oct 25, 2008
The fire chief said it's important for all residents to have their oil furnaces inspected or serviced once a year, and to have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to prevent similar situations from occurring. James Tinley can be reached at jtinley@nhregister. (Orange Bulletin, CT)
Biomass - vegetable matter used to generate electricity Oct 25, 2008
Her employees already toss bits of dead plant into Drax's coal furnaces. But the firm is so keen that it is set to invest 2bn with Germany's Siemens, on power stations fired entirely by biomass. (This is Money)
ArcelorMittal furnaces go cold in Europe Oct 25, 2008
Brussels - Smelting furnaces in a number of European countries run by steel giant ArcelorMittal are to be shut down in coming weeks, according to Belgian trade unions ... Other furnaces in Dunkirk, France and Bremen and Eko Stahl, Germany, are also due to be shut down, unions said. (Business Report, South Africa)
Recession alarm rings around the world Oct 24, 2008
ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steel producer, also decided to shut smelting furnaces on a temporary basis in France, Germany and Belgium, according to union chiefs who met with management. New figures showed industrial confidence in both France and Italy had fallen to the lowest level since 1993. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Exposing an Invisible Killer: The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide Oct 24, 2008
CO gas can come from several sources: gas-fired appliances, charcoal grills, wood-burning furnaces or fireplaces and motor vehicles ... Have a qualified professional check all fuel burning appliances, furnaces, venting and chimney systems at least once a year. (KFOXTV.com, TX)
Assmang has plans for two furnaces at Cato Ridge Oct 23, 2008
Ferromanganese smelter Assmang had submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on two furnaces it wanted to build at its Cato Ridge plant, executive director Jan Steenkamp said last week. The KwaZulu-Natal department of agriculture and environmental affairs suspended the EIA process eight months ago after six people died in an explosion at the plant, which already has six furnaces ... The furnaces were originally expected to cost at least R1 billion, but costs are likely to have... (Business Report, South Africa)
Hatch Ltd. Honored with Project Management Institute's 2008 Project of the Year Award Oct 22, 2008
Nine furnaces feed several interconnected production lines. Smelted ore is either transformed into titanium dioxide and iron or transported to plants for further processing. (PR Newswire)
Improving Indoor Air Quality At Home Oct 22, 2008
Furnaces can easily be inspected to make sure they're not leaking dangerous gasses. And keep in mind that newer units usually have far fewer problems than older ones. (RealtyTimes)
Just don't call him an envirofreak Oct 22, 2008
They're typically so full of cracks they replace all their inside air with cold outside air at the rate of four to five complete exchanges every hour, forcing furnaces into overdrive. At the front line of this housing change are people like Mr. Braden, 58, who says he believes he has one of the most energy-efficient homes ever built in Canada. (Globe and Mail -- National)
Green Tax Breaks, and a Government Site Named DSIRE Oct 20, 2008
Top-efficiency furnaces or boilers that go beyond the government's Energy Star standard will qualify for a $150 credit. Some super-efficient tankless or electric heat-pump water heaters will qualify for a $300 credit. (Washington Post -- Technology)
Firefighters Give Out Free CO Detectors Oct 20, 2008
Nebraska has the highest rate of carbon monoxide deaths in the United States and firefighters want to provide detectors to homeowners before they turn on furnaces, generators and gas stoves for the winter. Since August, Operation Safe Outreach has installed more than 600 combination smoke and CO detectors in homes. (7 KETV Omaha)
Chilly Weather Returns Oct 20, 2008
"The really astute consumer is thinking long term because there's no indication that energy bills are coming down. They're not just thinking of present values now. They're thinking of what energy bills are going to be two, three, four years from now...There's a lot of 25 and 30-year-old furnaces out there that are probably operating at about 60 percent efficiency. We can come back and replace that with a 95 percent efficient furnace and you can save hundreds or maybe even thousands of dollars a... (W-USA News, DC)
Get furnace serviced for warmth, safety and efficiency Oct 19, 2008
While I was working on the Sept. 28 Homelife story about using space heaters in the home, several local fire officials said they were concerned that homeowners struggling to meet their day-to-day expenses would not have their furnaces serviced this year ... Consumers Energy offers an appliance-service plan for home appliances including furnaces. (Kalamazoo Gazette, MI)
Loyal fans keep Fenton Glass afloat Oct 19, 2008
To the surprise of company officials, orders kept on coming, generating enough cash to pay off some debt, make arrangements with suppliers and keep plant furnaces fired ... The company also owed "sizable'' debts, although Mr. Fenton wouldn't say how much. But the startling wave of orders bought time to strip down and revamp operations, he said. Some salaried and support employees were laid off, but most glass-producing workers remained in the plant. To cut costs, the company nixed sending glossy... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Too cold for comfort? Oct 19, 2008
spanky50401 wrote on Oct 19, 2008 1:46 AM:" I'm sorry, I too work nights. But guess what, I also am up during the day. I try to sleep in the evening. I also have my weekends off. If the heat is that much of an issue; I would be willing to either let the furnance guy work on the furnace while I was home sleeping or I would be willing to adjust my sleep pattern for a day/ evening. Maybe the repair tech would understand the situation and maybe willing work on Saturday for a little cash on the side.... (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
ANDREW P. MORRISS: McCain will tap our oil reserves and speed construction of safe nuclear plants Oct 17, 2008
Expanding oil and natural gas production by eliminating bans on offshore drilling as McCain proposes would provide access to the equivalent of 30 years of our oil imports from Saudi Arabia and enough natural gas to fuel Americans' natural gas furnaces for 17 years. Similarly, McCain's plan recognizes the vital importance of coal, which we use to produce half our electricity, to America's energy future. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
