by
Patrick McCombe
Wet-Stick Sealant.
A rain gutter
that leaks is about as useful as a wooden nickel. Now you can
seal even the smallest holes and seams with OSI's new
Pro-Series Micro Gutter Sealant. According to the manufacturer,
the substance has great stretch and adhesion, and sticks to
both wet and dry surfaces. A 7-ounce squeeze tube sells for $4.
OSI Sealants, 888/445-0208,
www.osiproseries.com
Gutter Stuffer.
Of the dozens of
methods I've seen for keeping leaves and other debris out of
gutters, the Leaf Defier strikes me as one of the most
promising. This UV-stabilized foam insert — treated with
a fungicide and biocide to prevent mold, fungus, algae, and
moss — fills the gutter, preventing leaves from getting
inside. On new installations, the foam can be inserted while
the gutter is on the ground — a convenience not possible
with aluminum gutter covers. The maker says installation takes
a fraction of the time required by other systems. The insert is
available for both 5- and 6-inch K-style gutters and in custom
profiles. It costs $3.24 per foot. Monzi, 866/795-4770,
www.leafdefier.com
Special K.
Got a client who wants
K-style gutters in a color other than run-of-the-mill white or
brown? Alcoa's DreamColor line of exterior products e.comasses
some 700 baseline hues — or, if that doesn't do the
trick, the.comany can create a custom color. In addition to
gutters, the DreamColor collection includes vinyl siding,
soffit and fascia, shutters, and window trim. Alcoa,
800/962-6973, www.alcoahomes.com
Water Treatment
On Tap.
Providing your customers
with quality drinking water could be as easy as installing
Delta's Simply PUR Water Filtration System. The.comany says
this sink-mounted dispenser removes a variety of harmful
chemicals and contaminants, including heavy metals like lead
and mercury, chlorination by-products, pesticides, and
industrial pollutants. The filter also removes 99.9 percent of
microbiological cysts (cryptosporidium and giardia), says
Delta. An indicator light keeps homeowners abreast of filter
and battery conditions. Prices range from $158 to $283
depending on model and finish. Delta Faucet, 800/345-3358,
www.deltafaucet.com
Drain-Free Membrane.
Unlike
charcoal or carbon filters, which b.com increasingly clogged
with each glass of water, reverse-osmosis systems use a
semipermeable membrane that's continually cleaned as water is
forced through it. The problem is that even the most efficient
reverse-osmosis systems use a minimum of 4 to 5 gallons to
produce a single gallon of drinkable water. However, some
products — like the ZRO-4 from Watts — use
"zero-waste" technology to return the water that would
ordinarily go down the drain to the home's domestic hot-water
system. The ZRO-4 can remove arsenic, copper, iron, lead,
chromium, fluoride, radium, cyanide, nitrates, bacteria,
pesticides, PCBs, benzene — even the gas additive MTBE
— from drinking water, says the maker. It sells for about
$400. Watts, 623/931-1977, www.premierh2o.com
Colorful, Compact Softener.
Water
softeners can take up a pretty large chunk of living space. One
notable exception is Kinetico's surprisingly small 2020c
Compact Water Softener. Besides being the world's littlest
softener, it's the only one that uses block salt instead of
pellets, making refills easier. Plus it.coms in five different
colors, so homeowners can coordinate the unit with their decor.
It doesn't require an electrical hookup, and it backwashes
according to water consumption — not in response to a
mechanical timer — saving salt and water, says the
manufacturer. It costs about $2,000 installed. Kinetico,
800/944-9283, www.kinetico.com
Electrical
Devices
Fine Finish.
If traditional
white or ivory outlets just aren't a good match for your
customer's granite countertops and wood-paneled library, you
might suggest the Elements line of Decora electrical devices
from Leviton. Made to simulate finishes like marble, oak, and
walnut, the switches, outlets, dimmers, and GFCIs feature
screwless wall plates and high-quality construction, says the
manufacturer. Single-gang wall plates sell for $4.35 and duplex
receptacles for $5. Both prices are list. Leviton
Manufacturing, 800/367-5424, www.leviton.com
Safer Outlets.
The Consumer Product
Safety Commission estimates that about 1,300 children are
killed or seriously injured every year when they insert foreign
objects into electrical outlets. Pass and Seymour's new line of
Tamper-Resistant Decorator Receptacles with self-closing
shutters were designed to prevent this kind of tragedy.
The.comany says the devices are easier to use — and look
better — than those little plastic plugs. They.com in
both GFCI and conventional styles; I found the non-GFCI outlet
on the Web for $7. Pass and Seymour, 800/223-4185,
www.passandseymour.com
Trouble-Free Tails.
The best method for wiring a
receptacle is to group the wires and run pigtails to the
device. That way, even if one of the devices in the series
malfunctions, the voltage is maintained down the line. Yet most
residential electricians avoid this method because it's
time-consuming. To speed up installation, Cooper's Prewired
Receptacles and Switches have the pigtails already attached.
They range in price from $7 to $36. Cooper Wiring Devices,
866/853-4293, www.cooperwiringdevices.com