Get up to $1,500 in Tax Credit with the Purchase of any Vertex™ Water Heater from A. O. Smith

Bringing a Vertex™ water heater into your home will help you save moneyon your utility bills. With an incredible efficiency rating of up to 96%, theVertex is an innovative product for environmentally conscious living.

Contact your local plumbing professional for more information. www.hotwater.com

09aosmit373 Vertex_USA Today 6/1/09 7:51 AM Page 1

JUNE 2009 YOUR GUIDE TO IMPROVING YOUR MOST VALUED POSSESSIONJUNE 2009 YOUR GUIDE TO IMPROVING YOUR MOST VALUED POSSESSION

Home ImprovementJUNE 2009 YOUR GUIDE TO IMPROVING YOUR MOST VALUED POSSESSION

home improvement

�

CONTRACTOR

PREVIOUSOWNER

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

USA_Today_V5_RB.pdf 6/5/09 1:11:15 PM

CONTENTS 2Foreword:HomeImprovements

3BeautifyingYourHome

4CaliforniaPointofView

6RetoolingtheHeartofYourHome

6TaxBreaksforCoolingCosts

8WhereisYourEnergyGoing?

8StandbyGenerators

10 CuringYourGardenWoes

10SheddingStereotypes

11BurglariesontheRise

11EnvironmentalSecuritySensors

HOmEImPROVEmENT

Publisher:RoccoGiordanorocco.giordano@mediaplanet.com16469221405

ContributingEditor:JacquilinemcDermottjrmwriter@gmail.comSarahLynch

Design:CarrieReaghcarriereagh@mac.com

Printer:VertisPhotos:©iStockphoto.com

For more information about supplements in the daily press, please contact Kayvan Salmanpour, 1 646 922 1400 kayvan.salmanpour@mediaplanet.com

This section was written by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today News or Editorial Departments.

www.mediaplanet.com

When the economy gets

tight, improving your

home becomes even

moreimportant,butthereisasilver

lining. The best thing about home

improvementtoday,accordingtothe

expertsat ImprovementsCatalog, is

thatitdoesn’thavetocostalot.There

are lots of affordable options, such

asroll-outcabinetshelvesandsolar

lighting,tohelpyoumakethemost

ofwhatyouhave.Thekeyistoknow

yourbudget,thensticktoit.

Onegreatwaytosavemoney?Do

ityourself!Sincemuchofthecostof

home improvement is attributed to

labor, you can save considerably by

handling the project yourself. Easy

fixes includeeverythingfrompaint-

ing and landscaping to changing

outalightfixture.Youcanalsocreate

the illusion of more space by using

efficientstorageorganizers.

Formanyfamilies,thekitchenisthe

home’sfocalpoint.Theygatherthere

formeals,forsnacks,orjusttoconvene.

As more and more forego fancy

restaurantdinnersforhome-cooked

meals,it’simportantwecreateefficient,

attractive kitchens—conducive to

craftingscrumptiousdisheswithout

sacrificing atmosphere. We hope

you’llconsiderupgradingyourappli-

ances(there’snowaslewofenergy-

saving models on the market), or

even justchangingyour lighting,as

Designer Jonas Carnemark recom-

mendsinourarticle“SimpleTipsfor

BeautifyingyourBathroom&Kitchen”

onpagefive.

Perhaps you’re satisfied with the

designofyourrefuge,buthaveyou

considered your cooling, heating

and power sources? A central air-

conditioning system may keep you

cool,butanenergy-efficientsystem

savesyoumoney,addsvaluetoyour

homeandreducesyourcarbonfoot-

print.Giventhetaxbreaksavailable

to those investing in eco-friendly

renovations, there is truly no better

timethannowtomakeachange.See

page 6 for more information. Plus

check out Improvements Catalog’s

great ideas for weatherizing your

homeindoorsandout.

Somaybeyoucan’ttakethatbeach

vacation,butyoucangiveyourdeck

a tropical look with new furniture

cushionsoragarden fountain.Ugly

cement patio? Dress it up with an

outdoorrugandyou’vegottheperfect

setting for outdoor entertaining.

ImprovementsCatalogoffersanever-

changingselectionofunique,stylish

and affordable solutions like these,

from outdoor furniture to indoor

décor.Visit themonlineat improve-

mentscatalog.com.

Thehomeisyoursafehaven;make

sure you keep it that way.We hope

you’ll takeall thenecessaryprecau-

tions to protect your family—from

theelements,aswellasintruders.On

page 11, we discuss home security

—from technologically-advanced

locks and alarm systems to sensors

thatalerthomeownerstopotentially

catastrophic environmental conditions.

Whether you’re rebuilding from

the ground up or just tweaking a

bit, sellingdownthe lineornesting

indefinitely—thereisnobettertime

thannowtoimprovethestyle,func-

tionalityandefficiencyofyourhome.

Our guide to home improvement

aims to inspire you to see an ailing

economy as an opportunity rather

thanahindrance.Fromafashion-for-

wardfaucettoastylishshed,thereare

cost-effectivemeansofmakingmajor

improvements to your living space,

as well as environmentally-friendly

investments that can save you

moneyinthelong-run.Wehopeyou’ll

takeadvantageofourideas,andIm-

provements Catalog’s, too!We urge

youtogetoutthere—orrather,stayin!

—and improve the ambience, func-

tionalityandefficiencyofyourhome.

Home Improvements“Homeiswheretheheartis.”Acliché,butwelike

tothinkittrue.Yourhomebaseprovidesyourfamilyoneoflife’sbasicnecessities—shelter;butideally,italso reflectsyourpersonalstyleandmakeshomelife, fromdailychores tomuchneededrelaxation,ascomfortableaspossible.

Whether you’re rebuilding from

the ground up or just tweaking...

there is no better time than now to improve the style, functionality and efficiency of your

home.

�

home improvement

If you’re looking to breathe some

newlifeintoyourhome,whynot

startbymakingsomechangesto

the kitchen and bathroom? Simple

improvements can make a prodi-

gious impact on the aesthetics and

efficiencyofyourlivingspace.Asan

addedbonus,thesetwoareasgener-

allyprovidesomeofthebestreturns

on home improvement investment,

accordingtoRemodeling magazine.

Start by reviewing your finances

andpriorities.“Ihaven’tmetanyone

whowasn’tonabudget,”saysJonas

Carnemark, a Certified Remodeler

(CR),CertifiedKitchenDesigner(CKD),

andpresidentofCarnemarkSystems

+Design Inc.“Nomatterhowmuch

theycanaffordtospend,theyalways

dreambiggerthantheirbudget.You

need to figure out what makes you

happy,andputthemoneywherethe

smilesare.Whetheritbeanewmirror

ornewlighting,everytimeyouseeit

you’llsay,‘IamsogladIdidthat.’”

Justasanalluringpieceofjewelry

canaltertheentirelookofanoutfit,

home accent pieces can transform

the feel of an entire room, so don’t

underestimate the effects of these

purchases. Maximize functionality

and style by trading in your blasé,

outdated toaster or blender for a

moreattractive,modernmodel.

When making over a kitchen or

bathroom,Carnemarksuggestscon-

sideringcolor.“Sayyoulikethecolor

green.Youcanpaintasinglewalllime

greenanditactslikeanaccent,com-

pletelychangingthecharacterofthe

room,”heexplains.

Healsorecommendsupdatingyour

lighting—boththefixturesandquality

of illumination. “We often wash

kitchenwallswithlightasopposedto

justlightingthemiddleoftheroom.

Itgetsridofshadowsandmakesfora

reallynicelivingexperience.”

Heating,coolingandventilationare

especiallyimportanttothesespaces.

Exhaust fans should be installed to

help control moisture. A surprising

investment that can actually cut

costsinthelong-run—aheatedfloor.

“Itsoundslikesuchaluxury,butthink

aboutit,”urgesCarnemark.“Whypay

to heat the whole house if, in the

morning, you wake up, jump in the

showerandgrabyourcoffeeandgo.

Instead,justsettheheatedfloorsoit

turnsonanhourbeforeyouwakeup.

Thefloorwillfeelniceandwarmand

reallychasethechillaway.”

Both areas present opportunities

for reducing carbon footprints.

Replacing a single toilet with a

water-efficient,dual-flushmodelcan

save up to 6,000 gallons of water a

year. Water-conserving faucets can

alsosavehomeownersmoney.Price

Pfister’s WaterSense certified prod-

ucts use �0 percent less water than

standardmodels.

“Faucets come in all shapes, sizes

andpricepoints,”saysGregWilliamson,

vice president of marketing, Price

Pfister.“They’reeasy to installanda

minimuminvestment.It’snowbeing

seen as a fashion-forward category

becauseofthe impact ithasonthe

overallappearanceofaroom.”

Your family spends a lot of time

in both the bathroom and kitchen.

Simpleenhancementstotheserooms

can save money, boost style and

improveyourdailylife.Mapoutyour

budget, analyze your priorities—

whethertheybestyle,functionalityor

energyconservation—andremember

to heed Carnemark’s advice: “Put

themoneywherethesmilesare.”

Simple Tips for Beautifying Your Bathroom & Kitchen they’re easy to install and a

minimum investment.

home improvement

�

As the editor of California

Home + Design magazine

(www.chdmag.com), I have

heard my share of home-improve-

ment stories; sometimes they are

renovationtalesofwoe,butmanyare

abouthowsimplechangestoourliv-

ingenvironmentcanpositivelyaffect

ourlives.Whetherit’safloor-to-ceiling

overhaulorsimplyanewsetofwin-

dows, refreshing your home is well

worth the effort—particularly in a

toughrealestatemarket.Thedifficult

economyhasmadeuswaryofluxury

purchases and major investments,

but as the market begins to soften,

it’stimetoconsiderafewworthwhile

expenses.Itmaynotbethemoment

togoshoppingforadreamhomeor

embarkonanextrememakeover,but

now is the perfect time to freshen

upyourstyleormakeafewkeyup-

grades.

Inanefforttosavemoney,Ameri-

canshavespentincreasingamounts

of time at home over the past year,

and have held on to their existing

homes rather than sell them in this

trickymarket.Asa result,we’vehad

a chance to take a long look at the

roomsaroundus,makingamentallist

ofthethingsthatneedfixingandthe

annoying imperfections. Updating

akitchenorbath isoneof thebest

investments you can make, offering

considerable returns in thevalueof

your home and infinitely improving

youreveryday life.But if thatseems

toolargeacommitment,considerthe

impactoffreshcoatofpaint—clean

whitewallsoranewexteriorcolorpal-

ettecanbeaneasyupdatenowand

offers a great investment for resale

value. Finally new flooring, whether

it’sinstalledhardwood,carpetingora

vibrantarearug,willmakeyourexist-

ingfurnishingsfeelrenewed.

Now that federal tax credits offer

incentives for eco-friendly home

improvements—up to $1,500 on

upgrades in existing homes—some

ofthesmartest investments include

swapping out old appliances for

new Energy Star–rated products, or

installing solar rooftop panels and

highlyinsulatingwindowsanddoors.

Not only will these improvements

saveyoumoney inenergybillsand

tax rebates, but the extra effort to

implementeco-friendlyelementswill

impacttheenvironment.Ifeachofus

doesourpart,thesumofthepartsis

boundtoaffectthewhole.

Each summer, we put out our

annual“Renovations” issue to offer

inspiration and ideas for the read-

ers of California Home + Design. In

thepast,we’vefocusedondramatic

transformations and what we like

to call “magical home makeovers,”

but this year the issue is all about

simplechanges.Everyhouserequires

maintenance and it’s not hard to

turnanecessaryupgradeintoareal

improvement,allyouneedisa little

inspirationandsomequicksolutions.

BY:SARAHlYNCH

A California Point of View

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1/2 pg Ad - June 2009:Layout 1 6/12/09 2:45 PM Page 1

Water poweredSoyoudon’tthinkanythingabout

gardenhosescansurpriseyou?Well,

Suncast Corporation’s Self-Winding

Hose Reels may change your mind.

Simplyclickaleverandawater-pow-

eredpistonenginecausesthehose

tostartwindingautomatically.

“We manufacturer a lot of lawn

andgardenproducts,butanewand

exciting offering is our water-pow-

ered technology which allows your

hose to be re-reeled automatically,”

explains Suncast Corporation’s Di-

rector of Marketing Nancy Ottosen.

“It’sgoodfortheagingbabyboomer

generation which wants something

easy-to-use and less taxing on the

muscles,andforthegimmicky,gad-

get-yyoungergeneration.”

Suncast Corporation employs

nearly1000Americans,anditsprod-

ucts are made in the USA. In this

economy, that’s something people

ofallagescanappreciate.

The new Hydro Power Auto Rewind™ hose reel.

With one touch of the rewind lever, your

garden hose automatically disappears

into its stylish, yet rugged, enclosure.

Ingeniously powered by the water itself.

The Power of Water...Purifi es and cleanses,quenches and cools,and now, rewinds the hose.

www.suncast.com

Sheds

Deck Boxes

Gazebos

Hose Reels

GarageStorage

Pet ProductsSnow Tools

09-SUN-2_HydroPower_USA.indd 1 6/12/09 12:46:56 PM

home improvement

6

And just as a scientist depends

onproperlaboratoryequip-

ment, your home’s desig-

nated chef needs functional and

energy-efficientappliancestocreate

deliciousmealsandevokeapleasant

andstylishambience.

Thekitchen’sdécorisespeciallyim-

portancesinceit’ssooftenthecenter

ofsocialfunctions.“Alotofmyclients

are tired of being closed off. They

complainthattheyfeeldisconnected

whenthey’recookingorcleaning,so

theywantakitchenopentothefam-

ilyroom,”sharesGilmer,whoadvises

herclientstobesuretheyarehappy

withtheroom’slayoutbeforebuying

newcabinetsorappliances.

TheNationalAssociationofHome

BuildershasprojectedAmericanswill

spend $�17 billion on remodeling

in�009,muchof thaton improving

kitchens. There’s no better time to

upgrade your toolset than now. It’s

easy to find promotions, sales and

price cuts if you are willing to do

thework.Warners’Stellian’swebsite

(www.warnersstellian.com/page.

promotion) allows users to search

downloadablerebatesforavarietyof

appliancemanufacturers.

GEisofferingafreestainlesssteel

upgradethroughJuly6.Selectappli-

ancesareavailable instainlesssteel

forthesamepriceastraditionalfin-

ishes.“Homeownerswhooncemight

havemovedtoalargerhomearenow

decidingtostayandremodel,trans-

forming theirhome intosomething

moresatisfying.Inlightofthistrend,

GEisfocusingonmakingsomeofits

popular,innovativecookingtechnolo-

giesmoreaccessibletoawiderrange

of homeowners,” explains Allison

Gatta,publicrelationsandadvertising

programmanagerforGEConsumer&

Industrial,Appliances.

GE’s new offerings include an af-

fordably-priceddoubleovenrange—

perfect for the times you skip the

restaurant and cook dinner for family

andfriendsathome,instead.

Whenshoppingfornewappliances,

it sometimes makes sense to“bite

the bullet” and splurge for a pricier

model,Gilmersuggests,especially if

youplantostay inyourhomefora

longtime.“Theproductmaybemore

expensive,butitwilllast15years.Just

makesureithasagoodwarranty...it’s

importanttoputmoneytowardsap-

pliances,evenifyouhavetojustbuy

astandardcabinet.”

She recommends liebherr refrig-

erators,explaining,“Theyhavebeen

importingforthelastsevenyearsand

specializeinrefrigeration.”

Whenyouarereplacingyourappli-

ances,considerspaceconstraintsand

functionality.Thedishwashershould

benearthesink,forexample.Energy-

efficient choices can also save you

money.ENERGYSTAR,ajointproject

createdbytheU.S.DepartmentofEn-

ergyandU.S.EnvironmentalProtec-

tionAgency,certifiesappliancesthat

use10-15percentlessenergy.Switch-

ing toENERGYSTARappliancescan

save $75 a year. Multiply that by all

oftheyearsyouplantostayinyour

homeandkeepenvironmentalben-

efitsinmind,andyournextnewap-

pliancemaybeattractive,functional

andENERGYSTAR-certified.

Retooling the Heart of your Home: Kitchen Appliances

Families spend an average of

$1,000ayearonheatingand

cooling their living spaces.

Upgradingtoanenergy-efficientair

conditioner will save you money—

morenowthanever—andcurbyour

family’senergyexpenditures.Totake

advantageofthetaxbreak,yournew

system must meet certain require-

ments, including having a Seasonal

EnergyEfficiencyRating(SEER)ofat

least16.

“TheSEERisbasicallylikemeasur-

ingmilespergallonforacar.Ifyoure-

placeanoldercentralairsystemwith

oneofthesequalifyingmodels,you’d

saveanestimated�5–�0percenta

year,”explainsBobSwilik,managerof

strategicdevelopmentforCarrier.

Consumerswhopurchaseaquali-

fyingcoolingsystemthisyearornext

willreceiveataxcreditcoveringupto

�0percentofcosts,upto$1,500.Tax

breaksalsoareavailableforprojects

suchasupgradingtoaneco-friendly

furnaceor installingnewenergy-ef-

ficientwindows.

Morethan8�percentofAmerican

homesareair-conditioned,andmost

employ central air systems which

circulate air throughout the whole

homeanderadicatethesporadichot

spotsthatsometimesarisewhenyou

usewindowunits.Carrieroffersmore

systemcombinationsthatqualifyfor

thetaxbreaksthananyothermanu-

facturer,andtheseeligibleproducts

oftencomewithadditionalbenefits,

accordingtoSwilik.

“The systems that qualify for

the tax credits typically have other

comfort features. They will be able

todehumidify, so theycontrolcool-

ingandhumidity,andtheycirculate

more air; higher SEER systems have

bettercontrolsandarebasicallybet-

terproducts,”heexplains.

A high-performing central air

system also boosts a home’s resale

value.“Ifyoudon’thavecentralair,it

isprobablygoingtobeaproblemto

re-sellthehouse,”saysSwilik.“Andif

youdoupgradetoabetter-efficiency

model,thatwillimpacttheutilitybills

andthedesirabilityofyourhome.The

other factors that come along with

thesesystems—thebetterhumidity

control,theaddedcomfort,themore

circulationofair—alladdtothevalue

ofthehome.”

TheENERGYSTARdesignationde-

notesairconditionersthatareabout

1�percentmoreefficientthanstan-

dardunits.Foralistofefficientcool-

ingsystemsthathaveearnedENERGY

STAR’ssealofapproval,checkoutthe

databasedevelopedby theConsor-

tium of Energy Efficiency (CEE) and

the Air-Conditioning and Refrigera-

tionInstitute(ARI),availableonlineat

www.ceedirectory.org.

It’simportanttonote,though,that

notallproductsthathaveearnedthe

ENERGYSTARsealofapprovalqualify

forthefederaldiscount.

Tax Breaks for Cooling Costs

“The kitchen is the hub of the house,” saysJennifer Gilmer, CKD, owner of Jennifer GilmerKitchenandBath,ltd(www.jennifergilmerkitchens.com). “People aren’t just cooking there. They’relearningtocreatetheexperiencestheywouldgetwhentheygoout.They’remakingmealstogetherwithfriendsandsharingnewrecipes.It’salmostlikeasciencelab—they’vediscoveringnewthingsandexperimentingmorewiththefoodtheycook.”

The American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act of�009, signed by PresidentObama on February 17,aimstostimulatetheailingeconomy via a variety ofmeasures, including taxbreaks. As part of this ini-tiative, homeowners canreceivetaxbreaksonpur-chases aimed at makingtheirhomesmoreenergy-efficient.

A high-performing cental air system

also boosts a home’s resale value.

home improvement

Save money when you purchase select GE stainless steel models for the same

price as a regular finish. Offer ends July 6th, so visit your local retailer now.

geappliances.com

58413_1_ca_gess_091p.indd 1 6/1/09 4:18:19 PM

home improvement

8

While portable generators

run on gasoline, provide

8–1� hours of electricity

toselecthomeappliancesviaanex-

tensioncord,and,ingeneral,require

moremaintenance,automaticstandby

generators are directly wired to the

home’s electrical panel, are perma-

nentlyinstalledoutsidethehomeand

featureacontinuousfuelconnection

to natural gas or liquid propane for

uninterrupted backup power.When

theelectricitygoesout,standbygen-

erators turn on automatically and

supplyclean,reliablepoweruntilthe

regularutilitypowerisrestored.

MichaelBetker,marketingmanager

forBriggs&StrattonCorporation,the

exclusive licensee for GE-branded

Standby Generator Systems, likens

the differences between portable

and standby generators to the dif-

ferences between window-unit air

conditionersandcentralairsystems.

“Thestandbysystemwillpoweryour

entire house, not just a single area,

justascentralairwillkeepyourwhole

home cool—not just one room,” he

explains.

The standby generator category

appears to be maturing much like

thecentralaircategoryhasdone—

throughhealthycompetitionandin-

novationthathasservedtoimprove

qualityanddrivedownprices.“Asthe

centralairconditioningcategoryma-

tured, more and more people were

abletoaffordtheluxuryofacentral

air conditioning system. Following

the same model, the 10,000-watt

homestandbysystembyGEisfinally

makingstandbypowermoreafford-

ableforpeople,offeringinexpensive

whole-housestandbypowerthatfits

theneedsofabout7�percentofU.S.

households,”commentsBetker.

This new line of residential gen-

erators,launchedearlierthisyear,isa

timelyanswertolastyear’sseeming

surgeinwildweatheranderraticfuel

prices.Thosewholiveinregionsmore

pronetoweatherdisasters,fromhurri-

canestoicestorms,maybeespecially

apttoconsiderastandbygenerator,as

theriskofsufferingfromablackoutis

higher,andportableunitsarenotsup-

posedtoberunininclementweather.

“That’s another nice thing about

standbys. They are professionally

installedand fully-enclosed, so they

willturnonanytime—rainorshine,”

Betkeradds.

Consumerscanchoosetobackup

select circuits or cover their entire

home with whole-house solutions.

Betker recommends visiting www.

ge.com/generatorsystems for more

informationaboutthecategory.“Our

partner, GE, has quite a pedigree in

termsofpowermanagement,andthey

selected Briggs & Stratton because

ofourexpertiseontheengineside.To-

gether,ourextensiveresearchenabled

ustounderstandwhatconsumersare

lookingfor,andtheWebsitereflects

that.Wewanttodemystifythisfairly

unknowncategory.Wewanttohelp

peopleselectthemodelthatfitstheir

needs and educate them on the facts.”

Betker also notes the increase in

“stay-cations” in light of the current

economy,commenting,“Peoplewant

tomaketheirhomeafortress,acocoon

againsttheelements.AStandbyGen-

erator is an affordable insurance

policy. Your home is opera-

tional,regardlessofwhat

happensoutside.”

Standby Generators:An emerging power Solution for home owners

Home water heaters are

powered by natural gas,

propane, oil or electricity.

Conventionalstorageheatershold�0

to80gallonsofhotwaterandarethe

mostcommontypefoundinAmerican

residences, according to the U.S.

Department of Energy. Because the

waterisconstantlyheated,energyis

lostthroughtheflueandtankwalls

whenwaterisnotbeingused.Tank-

lesswaterheaterswastelessenergy,

as they provide hot water only on

demand,buttheyaccountforasmall

percentageoftheresidentialmarket

andtypicallycansupportjustasingle

appliance at a time. One tankless

heater probably won’t be enough

to power a shower on the second

floorandaloadoflaundrydownstairs

simultaneously.

“The conventional natural gas

models are usually about 75–78

percent efficient, so that means

roughly �5 percent of the energy

is wasted,” explains David Chisolm,

brandmanager,A.O.Smith.“Tankless

modelsare80–8�percentefficient,so

theystill typicallywaste�0percent.

Theperceptionisthatbecausethey

are not storing energy, they aren’t

wasting energy, but that’s not the

true measure of efficiency. It’s how

efficiently does it take heat from a

flame and put that heat into the water.”

A.O. Smith’s line of Vertex water

heaters,developedinconjunctionwith

theU.S.DepartmentofEnergy,offer

up to96percent thermalefficiency.

“Yousavemoneyandenergyonyour

natural gas bill, and you don’t have

to alter your life around your water

heater,sinceVertexheaterscanhandle

multipleappliances,”saysChisolm.

Conventional gas models use a

vertical chimney or flue, but Vertex

products have a �0-foot coil bent

throughout the tank.The increased

surface area improves efficiency.

Otheroptionsincludesolar-powered

heaters,heatpumpheatersandinte-

gratedsystemswhichcanbelinked

to a furnace or boiler and also only

heatwaterupondemand.

Most water heater purchases are

replacementbuys,andconsumersfar

toooftenfailtorealizethattheyhave

options.“Ifthewaterheaterfails,the

typicalresponseis‘Ihada�0-gallongas

waterheater,Ineedanew�0-gallongas

waterheater.’Consumersforgetthere

arebetter-performing,moreenergy-

efficientchoices,”explainsChisolm.

Homeowners should consider

space constraints—tankless models

aretypicallysmaller—andtheirfami-

ly’swaterusagewhenshoppingfora

newwaterheater.Thentheycancon-

centrateonfindingthemostefficient

product so they can cut costs and

reducewastedenergy.Regardlessof

whichtypetheychoose, individuals

canreducetheircarbonfootprintby

simply lowering the temperature of

theirheater.

There are approximately 100 mil-

lionwaterheatersintheU.S.—that’s

100 million chances to reduce our

nation’selectricityconsumptionand

carbondioxideemissionswhilesav-

ingconsumersmoney.

Where is your Energy Going?Cut Costs with an Energy-Efficient Water Heater

Waterheatingaccountsforthesecond-largestconsumptionofenergyafterheatingandairconditioninginmostAmericanhouseholds,eatingupasmuchas�5percentofatypicalfamily’sannualenergybudget.Installingamoreeffi-cientwaterheatercansaveyourfamilymoneywhilesimultaneouslyreducingyourenergyconsumptionandcarbondioxideemissions.

TheaverageAmericanconsumerexperiencesmorethanfivepoweroutagesannually,butalltoooftenhomeownerswaituntiltheysufferthroughatrulydebilitatingpoweroutagebeforeinvestinginadequateprotection.Thenewgenerationofautomaticstandbygeneratorsonthemarkettodaymayproveto be an affordable and effective means of insuring one’s home before thelightsgoout.

The Coolest New Thing In Home Improvement.

045890 Home Power Media Planet 9.75 x 10.25

“It was hot outside. Really hot. And after waiting 5 hours in line for gas for my portable generator, I secretly began longing for the central air-conditioning, home-cooked meals, and warm showers I had taken for granted before the power went out.”

The best home improvement you can make is one that keeps you in your home and comfortable when the power goes out. Finally there is an affordable whole house backup power solution that will automatically manage the energy demands of your entire home, including the high power demands of central air-conditioning.

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home improvement

10

Consumers cite kinking and

twisting as their number

onecomplaintaboutgarden

hoses,accordingtomarketresearch

conducted by Teknor Apex, the

nation’s leading manufacturer of

gardenhoses.

The Apex Neverkink hose ad-

dressesthisproblemwithitspatented

NTS Reflex Mesh technology. “The

proprietary technology causes

loopsandtanglestoself-straighten,”

explainsMikeMelo,productmanager

at Teknor Apex. “Throughout our

research,peoplecommentedonthe

annoyance of kinking, twisting and

tangling found in standard garden

hoses.Ourproductiseasytouse,coil

andmaneuver,andguaranteednotto

kinkortangle.Itmeetsaneedinthe

marketplace.”

There are a variety of Neverkink

models, each with its own features

andbenefits.Mostarefortifiedwith

MicroShieldantimicrobialprotection,

whichguardsagainstmoldandmil-

dew,reducingdeterioration.Heavier-

duty versions are outfitted with

materialthatincreasesweatherflex-

ibilitysotheydon’tbecometoobrit-

tle in cool temperatures. All models

arelife-timeguaranteedandcanbe

purchasedinmosthomeimprovement

storessuchaslowesandHomeDepot.

Neverkink’s Reflex Mesh tech-

nology delivers what consumers

seek—freedom from kinking and

tangling. So the next time you

venture to the garden, you won’t

havetocircleback.

Curing the Garden Hose Woes: the teknor Apex neverkink hose

GUARANTEED NOT TO KINK OR TANGLE

MicroShield® protectionfights mold and mildew

Lifetime replacement guarantee

www.apexhose.comMADE IN USA

Ask for NeverKink hoses at your local home improvement center.

®

It’s time to water the garden.You connect yourhosetothespigotandbeginthetrekaroundyourhometothebackyardwheretheflowersreside,butwhen you finally pull the trigger, no water spurtsforth.Soundfamiliar?

Custom Styles. Prefab prices.From garden sheds, home studios and gazebos to workshops, poolcabanas and garages, we have all the styles and options you won’tsee anywhere else.

Create your design online with our drag & drop Custom Design Center,complete with a detailed quote, quickly and easily. For thewhole story, visit our website and browse through hundredsof photos, and other useful tools to give your gardenthe VIP treatment it deserves.

summerwood.com/ut1 800 663-5042 ext. 79design@summerwood.comExpertly crafted kits delivered to your town or country home.

PRODUCTSSummerwood

and plans

Urban Studios | Cabins | Pool Cabanas | Gazebos | Workshops | Garages | Garden Sheds

Shedding Stereotypes: Gone are the Days of the Unstylish Shed

For decades, homeowners have

taken pride in their neatly

kemptlawns—asymbolofthe

Americandream.Gonearethedays

of the purely functional, sometimes

decrepit,gardenorstorageshed.The

modernshedflattersormatchesthe

landscape.

Sheds conveniently provide

additionalstoragespacesanswhole-

homerenovation,buttheydon’thave

to look utilitarian. There’s an array of

woodoptionsonthemarket,which

are often more stylish than metal

structures. Ifyoucan’tfindadesign

that’s to your liking, you can create

your own. Summerwood Products’

onlinedesigncenterallowsD.I.Y.-ers

tomodifypreexistingdesignsordraft

brandnewones.

Ofcourseyourshedisstylish,but

besuretokeepfunctionalityinmind.

Erectitincloseproximitytowhereit

willbeused,andbesuretolookinto

yourlocalbuildingcodestoseeifyou

needapermit.

Sheds conveniently provide additional storage space sans

whole-home renovation

11

home improvement

“People tend not to invest

insafetymeasuresuntil

they come home and

are ankle-deep in water. It really is

necessary to prevent against water

andtemperaturedamage.Theyhave

aburglarlivingwiththem��/7—they

just don’t know it,” says Winland

Electronics’ International Sales

ManagerPaulMachacek.

WinlandElectronics’lineof environ-

mental security sensors alert home

ownerstohazardousconditionssuch

as water leakage, power outages

and dangerous humidity levels on

theirproperties.Thedevicescanbe

connectedtoexistinghard-wiredor

wirelesssecuritysystems—providing

the missing link in complete home

protection.

“A common application is for

vacationhomesorsecondproperties,

sincepeoplearen’tthereallthetime,”

explainsMachacek.“Itprovidespeace

of mind that the property is being

monitored. For example, coastal

condominiumownersdependonthe

ACtopreventthecondofromturning

intoamoldmuseum.Intheeventthe

ACgoesoutduetolossofpower,they

would be alerted. In colder regions,

people need to monitor the tem-

peraturesoftheirvacationhomes.If

thefurnacewentout,theywouldbe

informedbeforethepipesfrozeand

potentiallycracked.”

Water leaks can be caused by

anythingfromwashingmachinesto

icemakerstokitchensinks—common

applications in most living spaces.

Winland Electronics’ WaterBug

devices are specifically designed to

detectadversewaterlevels.

Ifconsumersdon’thaveanexisting

security measure in place, environ-

mental sensors can be installed

through auto-dial systems that call

programmed phone numbers with

arecordedmessageinthecaseofan

emergency.Contactyourlocalsecu-

rity provider or visit www.winland.

comformoreinformation.

Environmental Security Sensors:the missing Link in Complete home protection

Break-in rates typically peak in

thesummer,asmorepeople

are away from their homes.

If you’re going on vacation, make

sure someone brings in your mail

andnewspapers,andturndownthe

phone ringer so it can’t be heard

fromoutside.

Whetheryou’llbegoneforanhour

oraweek,alwayslockalldoors.Jason

Williams,seniorproductmanagerfor

Kwikset, says people are especially

likely to neglect the door between

thegarageandthehome.“It’simpor-

tanttohavethatextralayerofsafety,”

heexplains.“Alsomakesureyouhave

deadbolts on every entry door, and

neverhidekeysundermatsorlabel

themwithpersonalinformation.”

Toavoidthehassleof losingkeys

altogether, you could opt for an

electronictouchpadsystem.Kwikset’s

SmartCode keyless entry deadbolt

system locks automatically, so you

don’t need to worry about keys or

lockingthedoor.

Alarm systems can also prevent

break-ins.A recentstudybyTemple

University found that homes with

monitoredsecuritysystemsarethree

times less likely to be burglarized.

“Youalsogeta�0percentdiscount

on your homeowner’s insurance if

you have one, and they also detect

fire, floods and carbon monoxide,”

explainsBobTucker,anADTspokes-

person.Hesuggestsplantingthorny

bushesunderthewindowstodeter

burglarsandinstallingmotiondetec-

torslightsforadditionalprotection.

A home is burglarized every 15

secondsintheU.S.—takeprecautions

toensureit’snotyours.

Burglaries are on the Risemake Sure your home is protected

Americans file more property insurance claimsdue to water leakage, temperature extremes andhumidity changes than burglary and fire damagecombined.

According to recent statistics released by theFBI,mostmajorcrimedeclinedlastyear,withoneexception—burglaries.

homes with monitored security systems are three times less likely to be burglarized.