Attention countertop shoppers! Lowe's is offering to throw in a FREE sink with a purchase of at least 25 feet of a Formica, Corian, LG Hi-Macs Solid Surface or Zodiaq Quartz countertop. The sink can be valued up to $480. The offer is good until 12/31/08 and is available both in-store and online.
My wife drives me crazy the way she wastes water while waiting for the shower to get hot. She'll turn on the shower and start brushing her teeth, make the bed, dawdle and do everything beside jump into the water until it's good and warm. According to the evolve™ showerhead Web site, this type of behavior wastes two and a half gallons of water per minute. But now evolve has come up with an answer. Their patented technology slows the flow of the water to a trickle when the water reaches 95 degrees. This prevents hot water from being wasted down the drain and the sound of the trickle tells the person his or her shower is ready. Evolve estimates a family of three can save 2,700 gallons of water and shave $75 off their annual water bill using this showerhead. They offer a wide range of styles to fit most bathrooms and can be ordered online from their Web site.
What are your water saving tips? Tell us in the "Comments" section below.
Here's a collection of sinks that will get your attention. The most striking, in my opinion, is the amber sink lit from below, pictured here. Rachiele of Florida builds custom sinks out of semi-precious gemstones such as turquoise and jasper. They do beautiful work and were recently profiled on HGTV. Their products can only be found in selected luxury kitchen dealers, but you can contact the company directly at 1-800-881-9044.
A.O. Smith is recalling about 1,500 gas water heaters because the flue gas temperatures can exceed safe limits and produce excessive temperatures in the venting unit, posing a fire hazard. The water heaters were sold nationwide from November 2007 to January 2008 for $1,000 to $2,500. The recall affects heaters with brand names A.O. Smith and State with model numbers FCG-75 300, FCG-75 301, GS6 75 XRR S and GS6 75 CRR S and serial number ranges L07A071460 through L07A144966 and M07A009387 through M07A072884. If you have one of these water heaters, stop using it immediately and contact A.O. Smith at 1-866-800-4661 for a free repair.
Kids are sure to love this faucet that changes the water color based on the temperature. It's so straightforward a child can understand it: blue means cold, red means hot (over 89 degrees). It's certainly useful for preventing scalding and accidents. The faucet light replaces the aerator on the end of an existing faucet. The patented device is 2.5" long x 1.25" in diameter and includes a set of two universal adaptors that fits virtually every U.S. faucet. It can be purchased online from the Hogwild Toys web site.
The idea of a composting toilet is not that appealing until you consider the potential savings. Sun-Mar composting toilets are installed without any septic system and can reduce home water use up to 50 percent. It's also great for the environment, sparing the world's drinking supply from human waste. The biggest selling point to me is that it stores waste odor-free. Let me repeat that...odor-free! Over time, liquids are evaporated from the waste and converted into compost for your garden. The only maintenance needed is for the owner to periodically add peat mix and turn the handle to spin the bio-drum. Did I mention it's odor-free? Sun-Mar composting toilets are ideal for homes looking to reduce water consumption; seasonal properties such as cottages, workshops and barns; and work sites. More information can be found on the Sun Mar web site.
My wife is going to light up when she hears about this one. Ventex Systems has what it's calling the world's first odorless toilet. Its patented exhaust system draws the contaminated air from the toilet bowl, preventing it from spreading throughout the room. I've been in a couple of gas station restrooms that would benefit from this technology. The toilet is apparently the result of 10 years of research based in Canada. I didn't know so much energy was devoted to this vexing problem. Ventex's toilets also use less water per flush, so you're not only saving the air from your stinky fumes but you're also saving the environment. It can be ordered online from their web site.
