Cold Pack. As a rule, spray foam
doesn’t seal or dispense very well in cold temperatures
— but there’s an exception: Hilti’s CF 512
Cold Weather Foam is designed for temperatures as low as
30°F. The cans screw onto standard dispensing guns.
A case of 12 24-ounce cans costs about $175.
Hilti, 866/445-8827,
us.hilti.com.
Antiperspirant. A sweaty
toilet tank is a maintenance headache and a menace to floors
and framing. A 109-503RP Toilet Anti-Sweat Valve from B&K
can help. The bronze valve mixes a little hot water into the
tank, which raises the overall water temperature and stops the
sweating. It can be connected with threaded, sweat, or
compression fittings and costs about $25. B&K
Industries, 800/782-2385,
bk-ind.com.
Tube Shade. ODL’s remote-controlled
Solar-Powered Dimmer keeps tubular skylights from overheating a
home’s interior. Designed for 10-inch units, the
device’s on-board solar panel powers a remote-controlled
shade during daylight hours and charges the four niMH batteries
that control nighttime shade adjustments. The product costs
$129. ODL, 866/635-4968,
odl.com.
Medium
Range. Looking for a standard-width high-performance
range? Dacor’s new 30-inch Epicure has all the same
features as larger Epicure models, including continuous
cast-iron grates, a high-powered wok burner, and blue LED knobs
that glow when the burners are on. It’s available in
island and against-the-wall versions; pricing starts at $3,800.
Dacor, 800/793-0093,
dacor.com.
Quick Well. Bilco’s new StakWel Window
Well makes it easy to provide code-compliant basement egress.
The 21-inch-high by 48-inch-wide modules can be stacked for
foundation walls of up to 10 feet. Molded footholds and
handholds eliminate the need for a separate ladder. My local
lumberyard quoted me a price of $79 per section.
Bilco, 203/934-6363,
bilco.com.
Slate Substitute. Promising the look of slate
without the weight and installation hassle, Crane’s
Verona Slate roofing — actually interlocking polymer
panels — has 7-inch reveals and Class 4 impact
resistance. It carries a 50-year warranty, satisfies Dade
County wind requirements, and comes in black, brown, and two
shades of gray. The maker declined to provide pricing.
Crane, 800/366-8472,
exteriorportfolio.com.
Modern Look. Clean lines and flat panels give
Armstrong’s Calibra cabinets a sleek, uncluttered look.
They come in five finishes and with a wide variety of hardware
choices. Armstrong, 800/527-5903,
armstrong.com/cabinets.