Each year on October 15, Global Handwashing Day highlights how consistently washing hands with soap and water is an effective and affordable way to prevent viruses and diseases, and ultimately save lives. This year’s theme, “Clean hands are in reach,” accentuates the important link between good handwashing practices and disease prevention. According to the Global Handwashing Partnership, creators Read more
Industry News
Each year on October 15, Global Handwashing Day highlights how consistently washing hands with soap and water is an effective and affordable way to prevent viruses and diseases, and ultimately save lives.
This year’s theme, “Clean hands are in reach,” accentuates the important link between good handwashing practices and disease prevention.
According to the Global Handwashing Partnership, creators of Global Handwashing Day, great strides have been made in hygiene commitment and action in the past few years, but globally, better access and more practice is needed to achieve hand hygiene for all.
Less than a fifth of people worldwide currently wash their hands at critical times. Even in areas where handwashing is an established practice – and soap and water are accessible – people still fail to wash their hands often enough.
As for school-aged children, more than a million children globally die each year due to diarrhea but handwashing with soap could prevent two-thirds of those deaths. Further, children lose 443 million school days each year because of water-related illnesses. Without handwashing facilities in schools, children are more susceptible to illness, and less able to learn, grow and thrive.
Medical experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization agree that developing a habit of consistent and thorough handwashing with soap and water is the best prevention of cold and flu germs and the spread of other contagious illnesses seen around the globe like diarrhea and pneumonia.
Survey Reveals Handwashing “Disconnects” in America
With a similar goal of stressing the health importance of regular handwashing, Bradley Corporation, an international manufacturer of commercial restroom fixtures, has conducted its annual Healthy Handwashing Survey. For 14 years the survey has highlighted Americans’ self-reported handwashing beliefs and behaviors, sometimes revealing disconnects in handwashing follow-through.
For example, the 2023 survey revealed that 93% of adults believe handwashing is essential to maintaining their overall health and 75% wash their hands more diligently during flu and virus outbreaks. However, Americans’ handwashing activity has dropped 30% over the past three years returning to pre-Covid levels. There has also been an increase in people taking handwashing shortcuts. 45% admit to just rinsing with water and skipping soap.
“The aim of our survey is to keep the health benefits of handwashing with soap top-of-mind, especially as we head into cold and flu season. Celebrating Global Handwashing Day is a natural outgrowth of that mission,” said Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and strategy for Bradley Corporation. “Connecting handwashing with our daily habits or rituals is an effective way to form good handwashing practices.”
Medical experts emphasize it’s important to wash your hands whenever the risk of spreading germs is high. For example, before and after eating or handling food, caring for someone who is sick, or after using the restroom, sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose.
“In addition to advocating for better handwashing practices, Global Handwashing Day is a great reminder for businesses and facilities to provide clean, well-stocked and maintained restrooms that support handwashing,” Dommisse said.
RectorSeal, a leading manufacturer of quality HVAC/R and plumbing tools and accessories, has announced a sales territory expansion for manufacturing representatives EDOS and United Components. EDOS currently represents RectorSeal in the New England and Northeast markets primarily through the plumbing division. Those roles and responsibilities will be expanded to encompass RectorSeal’s HVAC division. United Components Read more
RectorSeal, a leading manufacturer of quality HVAC/R and plumbing tools and accessories, has announced a sales territory expansion for manufacturing representatives EDOS and United Components.
EDOS currently represents RectorSeal in the New England and Northeast markets primarily through the plumbing division. Those roles and responsibilities will be expanded to encompass RectorSeal’s HVAC division. United Components currently represents RectorSeal in the Mid-Atlantic region and will also expand into the Northeast HVAC market. The Northeast territory comprises New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
Since 1975, EDOS has conducted business with the same fundamental guiding principles upon which EDOs founded the family-owned and operated business. The company name continues to pay tribute to the founder’s name. Moreover, it reflects a continuing promise to its customers: Exceptional, Dependable, Outstanding Service.
United Components, Inc. was established in 1984 by Steve Mironenko Sr., and the company now covers over 15 states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The professional sales team specializes in new product introductions, sales training, merchandising, and providing profitable product solutions to customers.
“Both ED OS and United Components demonstrate a high level of professionalism and a legacy of serving customers that reflect the same values as RectorSeal,” said Jeff Underwood, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at RectorSeal. “By expanding their sales territories, we look forward to providing our customers with the best representatives and the best HVAC products.”
Since 1937, RectorSeal has offered products that have built a steadily growing and loyal following among contractors due to differentiated and proven product performance. Further, the company is often the first to tackle and solve challenges professional trade contractors face. In 2015, RectorSeal became part of CSW Industrials, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSWI), and it now plays a leading role in CSWI’s Contractor Solutions segment.
Uxbridge, Mass. — Heat-flo, Inc., a leading manufacturing company headquartered in Uxbridge, announced its 25th anniversary. Since its inception in 1998, the company has been at the forefront of innovation, providing high- quality products and services to its customers while contributing significantly to the local economy. Over the past quarter-century, Heat-flo has grown from a Read more
Uxbridge, Mass. — Heat-flo, Inc., a leading manufacturing company headquartered in Uxbridge, announced its 25th anniversary. Since its inception in 1998, the company has been at the forefront of innovation, providing high- quality products and services to its customers while contributing significantly to the local economy.
Over the past quarter-century, Heat-flo has grown from a small startup into a strong player in the stainless-steel water heating business. The company’s commitment to excellence, dedication to its employees, and its focus on customer needs have been the cornerstones of its success.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this remarkable milestone,” said George Celorier, Founder of Heat-flo. “Our journey over the past 25 years has been characterized by growth, innovation, and a dedication to exceeding customer expectations. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our entire team.”
Heat-flo specializes in design and manufacturing of stainless-steel water heaters and storage tanks, serving a diverse range of industries, including plumbing, hydronic heating, and renewable energy. Their dedication to quality assurance, sustainable practices, and customer satisfaction has earned them a reputation for reliability and excellence.
George Celorier added, “As we look forward to the next chapter, we are excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. We remain committed to innovation, sustainability, and exceeding customer expectations. We are grateful for the trust our customers have placed in us, and we look forward to many more years of success.”
Washington — The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is celebrating the second annual National Propane Day on October 7, 2023. National Propane Day is an opportunity to celebrate all the ways propane keeps America running and to highlight all the benefits propane offers to users everywhere, including homeowners, businesses and construction professionals. “Propane is Read more
Washington — The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is celebrating the second annual National Propane Day on October 7, 2023. National Propane Day is an opportunity to celebrate all the ways propane keeps America running and to highlight all the benefits propane offers to users everywhere, including homeowners, businesses and construction professionals.
“Propane is energy for everyone, ensuring resiliency, energy equity, and reducing carbon emissions in communities throughout the nation,” said Tucker Perkins, president and CEO of PERC. “On October 7, we are celebrating National Propane Day by reminding people about the benefits of propane—it’s a clean, reliable, available, and versatile energy source.”
Millions of Americans use low-carbon propane for heat, hot water, cooking, and power generation at home and at work. It is also a popular energy source for school buses, emergency first-responder equipment, high-end restaurants, agriculture operations, and numerous other applications.
As a highly efficient and reliable energy source, propane is also an ideal choice to ensure homes, businesses, and construction crews stay resilient. Propane generators ensure homes and businesses can power essentials when weather strikes or the electric grid goes out. For construction crews, portable propane generators ensure energy is always within reach to power tools and lighting.
As part of National Propane Day, PERC is also celebrating the continued growth and production of renewable propane—an ultra-low carbon option that further moves the propane industry down the path to zero carbon emissions. Renewable propane is made primarily from plant and vegetable oils, animal fats, or used cooking oil. It offers the same great features as conventional propane—reliability, portability, and power—with the added benefit that it introduces no new carbon into the environment.
To learn more about how propane can help construction professionals, visit Propane.com.
After Successful Connected Home Pilot, Resideo Solutions now Available to all USAA Members Through its PERKS Program Resideo Technologies Inc. (NYSE: REZI), a leading global manufacturer and developer of technology-driven products and components that provide critical home comfort, energy management, and safety and security solutions, has been added to USAA’s PERKS program to help its Read more
After Successful Connected Home Pilot, Resideo Solutions now Available to all USAA Members Through its PERKS Program
Resideo Technologies Inc. (NYSE: REZI), a leading global manufacturer and developer of technology-driven products and components that provide critical home comfort, energy management, and safety and security solutions, has been added to USAA’s PERKS program to help its members protect against water damage and optimize home efficiency. USAA members can purchase Resideo’s Honeywell Home smart thermostat and its First Alert® WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector at a discounted price through the PERKS program and eligible Homeowner policy holders can enroll those devices for a connected home discount.
“Resideo has been honored to help USAA Homeowner Policy Holders protect what matters most since 2018,” said Linsey Miller, Senior Vice President Business Development & Services at Resideo. “With our inclusion now in the PERKS program, we can provide all of USAA’s 13 million members with access to a safer, more comfortable and efficient home that can optimize resources. Our connected insights can help inform USAA’s ongoing analysis of property claim concerns, and together we can help pioneer the future of the insurance and connected home industries.”
In the U.S., water-damage claims are among the most filed residential property insurance claims and represent an estimated $26 Billion1 in damages for single-family homeowners. Previously, USAA offered Resideo’s WiFi Water Leak and Freeze Detectors to its Homeowners policy holders in select markets through its Connected Home Platform, a technology-enabled loss prevention program. The Water Leak and Freeze Detector is installed near appliances and if a leak is detected, the user is alerted. After the success of the initial program, USAA has extended the offerings to all USAA members, who can then control the comfort of their home and be informed of water leaks through the Resideo app.
“USAA is committed to providing industry-leading connected home devices to help our members in their everyday lives,” said Ryan Rist, USAA Assistant Vice President Innovation. “We have worked closely with Resideo Technologies to help launch USAA’s Connected Home Program so our members can adopt new protective technologies, like the First Alert WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector, to help secure their homes against water damage.”
Resideo’s Honeywell Home smart thermostat and First Alert WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector are now available to USAA PERKS members. USAA members can view additional products and discounts here.