What is a Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator?

A Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator (PVE) uses air pressure to move the car up and down through the floors in a residential home using air pressure, just like the tubes that are in use at banks.

With a simple push of a button, a person can transcend to any level in a home in a sleek, stylish elevator that takes up half the room as a traditional home elevator.

What advantages are there between a traditional residential elevator and a PVE elevator?

Traditional residential elevators require a shaft to be constructed to accommodate the elevator. This generally takes up to 25 sq. feet of space on each floor. A PVE elevator requires no shaft, as it is free standing, and only requires a 30”, 37”, or 52” (depending on model chosen) hole to be cut in your floor to accommodate the elevator. Without having to build a shaft, and only having to cut a hole for the PVE elevator, the homeowner could save anywhere from $18,000 to $34,000 by choosing a PVE elevator over a traditional residential elevator.

A PVE elevator installed by Mobility Lifts can be an affordable and practical solution to gain access to your entire home. The PVE elevator can be installed in virtually any home, and are very eco friendly using power only in the up direction. The entire PVE elevator provides the user with a transparent 360 degree view during the elevator ride. So there is no dark, confining feeling while inside the elevator. The PVE elevators require little maintenance, which could save the homeowner thousands by not needing costly maintenance contracts.

Interested parties can call Mobility Lifts for an in home consultation and design guide. Let Mobility Lifts help design an accessible home by installing a Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator!

“We are committed to keeping our reputation as a customer service leader in Manufactured Steel Buildings.  We simply were not confident we could continue to provide that industry leading customer service with recent changes in the marketplace from both our suppliers as well as consumers,” stated Bruce Brown, CEO of Rhino Steel Building Systems.  “Rhino will continue to set the standard in Metal Building Manufacturing with our industry leading Rhino Standard Features,” stated Mat Brown, Director of Online Sales.  Rhino provides a set of “standard features” that are not commonly found in other metal buildings.  Some of these features include Self Drilling Fasteners, Rhino PBR Panels, Formed Base Trim, Rhino Ridge Caps, and the Rhino Eave Sealing System, among others.

“The Craftsman brand’s spirit of innovation can be seen throughout our entire product line, from power and hand tools to garage storage units and lawn and garden equipment.  We constantly search for new ways to provide consumers with technology and solutions to solve problems and simplify their life,” said Kris Malkoski, vice president and general manager of the Craftsman brand. “Anyone who has a garage can relate to that ‘oh no’ moment when you can’t remember if you closed your garage door before leaving the house.  With the new Craftsman Assurelink Garage Door Opener and a simple click on your smartphone app you know the garage door is closed and your home is secure.”

In addition to the Assurelink Garage Door Opener, the Craftsman exhibit features remote control lighting, wireless garage storage, new-to-the-world power and hand tool innovations, and more. Booth highlights include:

The Garage Gets Connected

• Craftsman® Assurelink™ Garage Door Openers
  Assurelink™ Gateway technology is incorporated into two garage door opener models - Assurelink™ DC Chain Drive Garage Door Opener and Assurelink™ DC Belt Drive Garage Door Opener with DieHard® Battery Back-up - allowing homeowners to monitor and operate their garage door from virtually anywhere* with an internet connection using  a smartphone, computer or tablet.  Even from thousands of miles away, users can check open/close status and then operate the garage door as desired. The Assurelink Garage Door Opener provides the peace of mind, convenience and freedom of remotely controlling entry to the home when not present.
• Craftsman® Assurelink™ Lighting
  Making their first appearance at the show are the Craftsman® Assurelink™ Remote Light Control and the Craftsman Assurelink Remote Light Switch.  The former is a plug-in light control for table and floor lamps and the latter an installed light switch.  When paired with the Craftsman Assurelink internet gateway**, each allows users to operate select household lighting on their smartphone, computer or tablet from anywhere, at anytime*; providing added safety and security in and around the home.

Consumer Electronics, Meet the Garage

• Craftsman® Contour Powered Series Tool Storage
  This three-chamber, ball-bearing tool storage hub is designed for the multi-tasking Do-It-Yourselfer looking to amp up their workspace. The central project station not only stores, organizes and protects tools, but also connects consumers with their music and mobile phone through a built-in stereo system with 220W twin-speakers compatible with iPod® and Bluetooth® enabled devices.  In addition to enjoying their favorite music and managing phone calls without wires, users can keep up to four tools or personal electronic devices juiced up through the built-in power charging station.
• Craftsman® V4^™ Headphones
  These lightweight headphones feature noise suppression to lower harmful sounds such as jackhammers or chainsaws for use around the home or worksite – even in extreme conditions such as rain and dust.  Speech Amplification Technology incorporates built-in microphones to continue conversations even in a noisy work environment and the auxiliary input allows the user to plug in a media or MP3 player – so users can listen to tunes while mowing the lawn or sawing in the workshop.

Shine the Light on Tools  

• Craftsman® Lighted Pliers
  The new Craftsman Lighted Pliers feature a patented center hub with an LED light that illuminates the work surface, providing a solution for low-light conditions.  The sealed LED module is waterproof, oil proof and chemical proof and has an extra-long battery life.

“Especially in this economy and housing market, it’s necessary to offer a competitive picture of how clay brick stacks up to other exteriors in terms of its growing role in green building design, cost, durability, longevity, maintenance, lasting colors, enduring beauty and curb appeal,” said Gregg Borchelt, P.E., FASTM, FCSI, BIA’s president and CEO. “Glossy brochures with gorgeous photography and few facts aren’t enough to offer a real narrative on brick,” he said.

BIA’s new booklets include:

• The Facts: Brick vs. Vinyl Siding
• The Facts: Brick vs. Fiber Cement Siding
• The Facts: Brick vs. Manufactured Stone
• The Facts: Brick vs. EIFS
• The Facts: Brick vs. Concrete Masonry Veneer

Eliminating technical jargon, content areas for each product include major myths, strengths and weaknesses in all areas (aesthetics, initial cost, design flexibility, installation, maintenance and repairs, water management, color fading, fire resistance, wind damage, moisture resistance, insect infestation, damage resistance, environmental concerns, insurance issues); physical properties and construction basics; cross-section diagrams; the differences between brick and each product; sustainability comparisons and product performance.

The Company has done a tremendous job creating product awareness and branding of the Eco Red Shield product line throughout the past year. With very strong momentum in the Southern California market our movement into a retail outlet will give the Company’s inventory a visible heartbeat providing cash and carry sales to all contractors and homeowners who desire the protection from mold, wood-rot, termites and value added fire.

“A lot of planning went into our retail operation. We think our timing is perfect because now we have Eco Red Shield homes going up in many towns across San Diego. This year we are planning to sell JELD-WEN® windows and doors, SUV vinyl fencing and Decra® Roofing Systems “Class A fire rated” roofing from our showroom with highly trained professionals providing a lot more knowledge about lumber and building products than the big box stores,” stated Steve Conboy, President and CEO of Eco Building Products.

With more than 20 years of professional experience, Restoration Systems provides water restoration, carpet cleaning, and air duct servicing to customers in Baltimore MD, Washington DC, and Atlanta GA. They also offer both commercial and residential services.

If left untreated, indoor air pollution can actually be worse than that found outside the home. Vents and ducts accumulate dust, dirt, mildew and mold, all of which can be harmful if released into the air where it may be inhaled. As a result, it becomes important to have ducts and other HVAC elements professionally cleaned to ensure the highest level of sanitation and safety for family members.

Restoration Systems Inc utilizes an organic, non-toxic solution to properly clean air vents while protecting the value of the home and the health of the customer.

Restoration Systems Inc also mobilizes emergency response teams for cases of water damage, allowing for same day emergency service (usually within two hours or less).

Water damage services include:

•     Residential & Commercial water damage treatment and restoration.
•     Contaminated indoor air quality testing.
•     Water and fire damage cleaning and restoration.
•     Sick building syndrome contamination detection and treatment.
•     Toxic mold abatement and decontamination.
•     Emergency water and fire damage service.

They also offer cleaning and restoration for carpeting, area rugs, and luxury rugs, as well as carpet installation.

Joyce and her six children are working to rebuild their lives after two devastating events, the loss of their home and Cecilia’s cancer diagnosis. The family’s contribution to building a house with asthma-healthy features is particularly important because two of the daughters, Cindy (11) and Amara (13), suffer from asthma and have been hospitalized on numerous occasions. Despite these challenges, the children excel in school and Joyce is pursuing a degree in human services, hoping to someday work with children of domestic abuse.

The 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season officially ended yesterday after producing seven hurricanes, including three major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Late this summer, Hurricane Irene swept up the east coast causing extensive damage from North Carolina to Maine estimated at more than $4 billion.

“Hurricane Irene was a wake-up call for New England that each and every year, there is a strong likelihood that a hurricane will hit communities far away from the Southeastern U.S. or Gulf Coast,” said Julie Rochman, IBHS president and CEO. “These powerful storms can, as Irene did this year, travel very far north and cause damage quite far inland.”

Rochman noted that the 2012 hurricane season begins on June 1, leaving plenty of time for home and business owners to prepare their property against damage. According to IBHS, sealing the roof deck offers extremely effective and relatively low-cost protection against water damage caused by driving rain during a hurricane.

“Sealing the roof deck can significantly reduce the chances of catastrophic loss due to water damage that occurs when roof cover is compromised or blown off during a high-wind event. Taping the seams on an average-sized roof costs about $500 – a very good investment that could pay huge dividends when a storm hits,” Rochman said.

IBHS offers details on how to seal your roof deck, as well as additional roofing retrofit information for homes and businesses in its guide, Roofing the Right Way.

Exterior opening protection is also critical to a property’s ability to survive a hurricane. Wind-borne debris can smash through windows and high winds can blow in doors (including garage doors) resulting in major damage. In addition, if the structural elements of a building (for example, the roof, walls, floors and foundation) are not tied together, winds can easily pull them apart, resulting in partial or total destruction. Unique, full-scale testing at the IBHS Research Center has vividly demonstrated how houses fail in seconds when exterior openings are breached and when structural elements are pulled apart by hurricane-strength winds.

“As recovery continues in states affected by Hurricane Irene, this is the time – from now until the next hurricane season – to ensure that homes and commercial buildings are repaired or rebuilt stronger and safer. By doing so, people, jobs, and communities will be more resistant to hurricanes and other disasters,” Rochman added.

Research from M&S Money reveals the number of home insurance claims as a result of winter weather have risen by 200 per cent^[2] over the last three years. The total cost of damages, from both insured and uninsured homes, now exceeds £600m per year.

M&S Money is alerting homeowners of the need to prepare for the onset of winter, while the majority (71%) understand the onus is on them to ensure their property is in good repair, less than a third have carried out basic maintenance in the last two years,^[3]such as checking for loose tiles, cleaning chimneys or cutting back plants.

Overall, the most common damage during the winter season is caused by wind, but in the last couple of years snow and heavy rain has been a real problem for homeowners.

The average cost to repair storm damage is nearly £600, although some claims run into tens of thousands of pounds. While many homeowners will have sufficient home insurance to cover the cost of damages, around 30 per cent of households aren’t covered, either because no policy is in place or the claim has been invalidated due to a lack of basic maintenance.^[3]

M&S Money also highlights that other common winter hazards around the home include burst pipes; which have escalated in the last couple of years with freezing winter conditions, and chimney fires caused by neglected and dirty chimneys.

Fleur Carruthers, Home Insurance Manager at M&S Money, said: “We recommend homeowners make time over the next couple of weeks to check their homes are in a good state of repair and ready for winter. Carrying out basic maintenance can prevent damage from occurring, and should the worst happen, ensure a claim is valid.”

Follow Fleur’s top tips for preparing your home for winter

• Check your roof for loose tiles that could be dislodged in heavy wind, causing damage and leaks
• Keep your gutters cleared of autumn leaves to avoid blockages and resultant flood or rain damage
• Prune trees close to the home to prevent branches snapping and damaging the house
• Check plants growing up the house are not growing into the brickwork which could allow frost damage to infiltrate
• If you have a chimney, make sure it is swept regularly and clear of debris that could start a chimney fire
• Insulate pipes and leave heating on a low setting at all times in freezing conditions

The show, which will run from Thursday, January 19th to Sunday, January 22nd, will be called The 2012 NARI RemodelOhio Home Improvement Show, presented by Sherwin-Williams.

“We are proud and elated to be affiliated with an internationally known corporate powerhouse in the Cleveland community,” said Kathy Masterson, Executive Director of NARI Greater Cleveland (www.naricleveland.org), formerly Professional Remodelers of Ohio (PRO).

NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) Greater Cleveland is the Remodeling Industry Resource in Northern Ohio for information and advocacy for consumers, the community and its members.

Masterson says the company will also help promote the show at its nearly 85 stores throughout Northeast Ohio.

“We treasure the opportunity for Sherwin-Williams to be an integral part of the vibrant Northeast Ohio remodeling community,” said George Diver, senior vice president of sales and marketing of Sherwin-Williams Paint Stores Group.  “What better way to stay involved than to sponsor NARI’s Greater Cleveland Chapter and the RemodelOhio Show, representing an industry we have been a vital part of for more than 145 years.”

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial and retail customers.  In addition to the Sherwin-Williams brand, the company manufacturers Dutch Boy®, Krylon®, Minwax®, Thompson’s® Water Seal® and many others.

With its global headquarters in Cleveland, Sherwin-Williams products are sold exclusively through a chain of 3,390 company-owned stores and facilities. With almost $8 billion in sales, Sherwin-Williams is America’s #1 paint and coatings company and #3 in the world.