Scrolling
Screens. Phantom Screens now offers retractable
screens for double French doors. The PVC-coated fiberglass mesh
screens roll into low-profile housings when not in use.
Housings, slide-bars, and tracks are made of extruded aluminum
for smooth operation. According to the maker, the screens can
be adapted to virtually any door size. They come in eight
colors and cost $800 and up installed. Phantom
Screens, 888/742-6866,
www.phantomscreens.com
Weathertight. Do your clients want a little
extra protection from the elements? Simpson says its new
WaterBarrier option helps the company's Performance Series
French doors stand up to severe weather. The upgraded units
have a one-piece acrylic-latex-primed medium-density overlay
with a PVC glazing bead on the exterior. Simpson backs them
with a five-year warranty; prices start at around $1,200
without hardware. Simpson Door Co.,
800/952-4057, www.simpsondoor.com
More for Less. Andersen's new 200 series
hinged-panel doors deliver high performance without a high
price, the company says. They come with full-perimeter weather
stripping, three different tempered-glass options, adjustable
hinges, and a choice of three exterior colors (interiors are
white). Prices start at $1,830. Andersen Windows, 800/426-4261,
www.andersenwindows.com
Heating & Cooling
Stay Cool.
With oil pushing $100 a barrel, energy conservation is on
everyone's mind. One way to cut consumption and lower cooling
costs is to turn off the AC and use a whole-house fan like the
AirScape 1.7. Features include automatic dampers to prevent
heat loss in the winter and a housing that fits inside 16-inch
on-center framing. The two-speed motor produces a maximum of
1,700 cfm, yet consumes only 140 watts of electricity. Prices
start at $770.
AirScape, 866/448-4187,
www.airscapefans.comCool Customer.
Conventional air-conditioning systems are limited by the length
of their refrigeration lines; if lines get too long, the system
loses efficiency — or won't work at all. This can be a
real problem in large homes, or in cases where the homeowner
wants the outdoor unit far away from the house. Chiller systems
like Unico's UniChiller RC offer a solution. These products use
a refrigeration cycle to make chilled water, which can be
pumped greater distances than refrigerant; the water is sent to
one or more air handlers and the cool air is distributed by
conventional or mini ducts. The system can also be used for
heating (the refrigeration cycle is simply reversed). Prices
for the UniChiller start at about $5,000 for a 3-ton unit.
Unico, 800/527-0896,
www.unicosystem.com
Small Package. Need an air conditioner for a
tight spot? Sold in 1- to 3-ton sizes, Coleman's new 13 SEER
[mc]2 MicroChannel Mini-Cube is the smallest 13-SEER air
conditioner available and uses less refrigerant than other
models, says the maker. Its footprint measures 213/4 inches
square; heights range from 22 1/2 inches to 30 3/4 inches. It
costs $640. The Coleman Co., 877/726-5362,
www.colemanac.com