Weekend Project: The best ways to deal with leaves

Whether your yard is covered with leaves or you're still waiting for them to carpet your property, you're probably looking for the easiest, most-effective way to deal with fall cleanup. As you'll see in The Great Rake-Off: Man vs. Machine video, using a leaf blower can provide faster, more-efficient leaf-wrangling than raking.

To help you find the right leaf blower for your needs, check out our free buyer's guide and watch our new video buyer's guide to this outdoor power equipment (right), which details the pros and cons of the four major blower types and the features to look for.

Corded electric models have their upsides—they tend to be lighter and quieter than gas-powered models and don't produce emissions at the point of use their own—and the best electric blowers can rival gas machines in performance. But as Senior Ed Perratore knows all too well, the power cord can limit your mobility. Ed traded up to a handheld gas-powered model, but since he's got a bum shoulder, he's considering a backpack blower, which distributes the weight more evenly than a handheld.

No matter which kind of blower you use, nozzle type is key. Our tests have shown that a thin, narrow opening is better when dealing with leaves alone, while a wider, round opening works better when you need to clear other yard debris.

A final tip: If you do go the raking route, follow this expert advice to avoid injury and minimize soreness.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our "Fall Lawn and Yard Checklist" for details on tending to all facets of your property, and keep your power equipment in shape with our "End-of-Season Lawn-Equipment Guide." You'll find other tips on our Fall Cleanup Guide page.

By the Numbers: Energy Star homes reach major milestone

1 million

Number of Energy Star-qualified homes built nationwide since the program debuted in 1995. These homes have saved Americans $1.2 billion in energy costs, reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 22 billion pounds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The top 10 markets for Energy Star homes are Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York City, Tucson, San Antonio, Sacramento, and San Diego.

To qualify for Energy Star, says the EPA, a new home must be at least 15 percent more efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code and include other features that make them 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard home, such as effective insulation, high-performance windows, and efficient heating and cooling equipment, appliances, lighting, and ventilation. (The image below, from Energy Star, shows typical locations of air leaks in a home. Check out our recent Weekend Project on weatherizing your attic.)

"This is an amazing achievement for the Energy Star program, but the real winners are the 1 million American families who have the chance to save money and keep harmful pollution out of the air. That's great news for anyone who wants to cut costs and protect our planet," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in a press release. "We're going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable."

To boost the energy efficiency of your home and save some real money, start with these simple, inexpensive steps and follow our overall advice for using less energy at home.—Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you haven't done so already, get your heating system tuned up and install a programmable thermostat. Also refer to our buyer's guides to furnaces (more details here), water heaters, pellet stoves, and solar water heaters, and find the best compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Remember, some projects might qualify for federal tax credits. If you want energy-efficient appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

Q&A: Why are some of the Kilz exterior paints you tested no longer in stores?

I referred to your magazine and ConsumerReports.org when shopping for exterior paint, but at my local Walmart I can't find the Kilz Exterior Semigloss paint from your June 2009 ratings. What happened to it, and do you recommend the Kilz Casual Colors I saw at Walmart?

Manufacturers frequently change the formulation of their paints and stains for a number of reasons, including to improve performance, lower production costs, or meet updated environmental standards, as we covered in our March 2009 report on interior paints.

The Kilz Exterior Semigloss paint we tested is no longer available at Walmart, exclusive retailer of the brand, because Kilz recently discontinued the satin and semigloss versions of its interior and exterior products. The company has replaced those paints with the multipurpose interior/exterior Kilz Casual Colors paints you saw in the store. For more information, read our June 2009 report on exterior paints and stains and see our ratings of exterior paints and stains (available to subscribers).

Although Kilz products have generally performed well in our past tests, we can't predict the performance of these new finishes. We plan to test the interior- and exterior-use versions of the new Kilz Casual Colors this year. Given our test cycle, we won't have initial results on the performance of the exterior paint until 2011 but should have initial results for interior paint by March 2010.

Among alternatives to the Kilz semigloss paint to consider for exterior application are the Kelly-Moore Acry-Shield Semigloss ($37 per gallon), available in the Southwest, and the Valspar Ultra Premium Semigloss ($26), sold at Lowe's nationwide. And while testing is not complete, the Behr Premium Plus Semigloss ($26), sold at Home Depot, and the Ace Royal Shield Semigloss ($25) look very promising after the equivalent of six years of use.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Visit our paints page for details on specialty paints, tools you'll need for your project, and tips on avoiding common painting mistakes.

By the Numbers: Home-buyer tax credit gets new life

2 million

Estimated number of Americans who will take advantage of the federal government's home-buyer tax credit this year, according to projections from the National Association of Realtors. The Internal Revenue Service has reported that 1.4 million families have already taken advantage of the credit, which took effect in January 2009.

The home-buyer tax credit was scheduled to expire at the end of this month but received a one-time reprieve last Friday when President Barack Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009.

The credit had been limited to first-time buyers and those who hadn't owned a home in the past three years. Under the updated version of the credit, first-time buyers who purchase a home or have one under contract by April 30, 2010, can qualify for a credit of up to $8,000. And a credit of up to $6,500 is available to people who have lived in a home for at least five years and buy a new home or have it under contact by April 30, 2010. (Members of the uniformed services who have been stationed overseas can qualify for a similar credit until May 2011.) The maximum price for a qualifying home is $800,000.

The updated credit now covers individuals with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) between $125,000 and $145,000, up from $75,000 to $95,000; for joint tax filers, the qualifying MAGI is $225,000 to $245,000, up from $150,000 to $170,000.

The new version of the credit also contains measures designed to prevent fraud, a topic we covered last month.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Learn the details of buying a foreclosed home and get a thorough inspection of any property you're considering. Once you've moved in, refer to our Kitchen-Planning Guide and Home Improvement Guide interactive.

Save money by replacing incandescent holiday lights with LED versions

If your holiday lights have seen better days, you might want to replace incandescent versions with more-efficient and more-durable LED lights.

Our tests of mini, C7, and C9 holiday lights showed that while incandescent versions did burn more brightly than LEDs, the LEDs were much more durable, ran cooler and posed a lower fire risk, and cost less to operate. While the initial cost of LEDs is higher than that of incandescents, we found that LEDs used 1 to 3 kilowatt hours of energy compared with 12 to 105 kWh for incandescents, generating savings of $1 to $11. Watch the video for more details.

Home Depot is offering an added incentive to trade in your played-out strings. For each string of used or broken incandescent holiday lights you turn in through November 15, Home Depot will give you $3 off any new LED lights you buy. The retailer says it will recycle any lights you turn in.

Remember, LED lights are not foolproof, as evidenced by this March 2009 recall issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The lights presented a fire hazard and lacked an easily verifiable label from Underwriters Laboratories or any other recognized testing laboratory indicating that the product had met all safety and construction standards. To keep things safe at your home, follow these precautions for holiday lights:

• Buy only products certified by a recognized testing laboratory, including UL, ETL, or CSA. For UL-listed products, look for the silver- or gold-foil UL label on the cord itself. Labels with the green holographic UL logo indicate the lights are for indoor use only, while those with the red holographic UL logo can be used indoors and out.

• Before you hang them, inspect light strings carefully for loose connections, bare or frayed wires, missing bulbs, and cracked sockets.

• Don't use indoor string lights for more than a 90-day season without inspecting. Don't use outdoor lights for more than three holiday seasons.

• Don't connect more than three strings of push-in bulbs or up to 50 screw-in bulbs together. There are no specific limitations for LED light strings.

• Since the lights' electrical cords might contain lead, refrain from eating while hanging lights and wash your hands after handling them.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Save money on lighting elsewhere in your house by using Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Read our latest report on CFLs and check out the ratings of these energy-saving bulbs (available to subscribers).

Inside Consumer Reports Tests Labs: New front-loading washing machines from Whirlpool and Maytag

Reviews of the Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W] and Duet Sport WFW9150W[W] and Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W]

What's the biggest laundry-related gripe Americans have? The musty smell that befouls clothes left to sit in the washing machine after washing is the top "unmet consumer concern in the laundry room," according to a Whirlpool Corporation survey.

To address the odor problem, Whirlpool has equipped some of its front-loaders with low-energy fans to circulate air and also programmed the machines to tumble periodically. As part of the testing for our continuously updated ratings of front-loading and top-loading washing machines (available to subscribers), we recently reviewed three washing machines* with these odor-fighting features.

Note that none of the loads we washed in any machine had an odor, either when the cycle ended or even after the load sat for hours. Further, there were no odors evident for these tested models regardless of whether the odor-fighting feature was turned on or off, so we cannot report on the claimed odor-preventing ability of these machines. Whirlpool is careful to indicate that these features do not remove an odor but can help prevent one from forming. Our experts suggest that some odors could be from residual soil and bacteria in the clothing or the machine that under the right temperature and moisture conditions are able to propagate.

The Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W], $1,300 (shown), has what the manufacturer calls FanFresh, which is designed to prevent odors by circulating air with a fan and tumbling wet laundry every 15 minutes for up to 10 hours. This front-loader did an excellent job overall in our tests. It proved very good at our washing, gentleness, vibration, and water-extraction tests. The WFW9750W[W] also aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests, has a large, 21-pound capacity and was relatively quiet over its 65-minute normal cycle. Its NightQuiet option reduces noise by using a lower spin speed, though this mode also slightly reduces the amount of water extracted from loads.

The Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW9150W[W], $700, has an option, called TumbleFresh, that circulates clothes every 15 minutes for up to six hours. This front-loader, with a sizable, 18-pound capacity, performed very good overall. It aced our gentleness, energy- and water-efficiency tests and was very good at extracting water and in the vibration tests but was only mediocre in our washing tests. It also proved relatively noisy over its 55-minute normal cycle.

The Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W], $1,300, is made by Whirlpool and is basically the same machine as the Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W], with a similar 21-pound capacity. Its Fresh Hold option tumbles wet laundry every 15 minutes for up to 10 hours and uses a fan to circulate air. The MHWE950W[W] was top-notch overall and excelled in our tests for energy and water efficiency and extracting water. It earned very good scores for washing, gentleness, and vibration. This model operates relatively quietly over its 65-minute normal cycle; its "quiet" option slows the spin speed to dampen noise, though this mode slightly reduces the water extracted from clothes.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: If you need new laundry equipment, check out our free buyer's guide to washers and buying advice for dryers. If you're in the market for new appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

*We purchased these appliances from the manufacturer before they were available in stores; we will confirm the test results below on versions that we buy at retail.

CBS' 60 Minutes looks at vulnerability of U.S. smart grid

Last year, we told you about how vulnerable a smart grid could be to cyber-attacks. Last night on CBS, 60 Minutes ran a report by correspondent Steve Kroft called "Sabotaging the System," which looked at the country's vulnerability to cyber-attacks.

"If I were an attacker and I wanted to do strategic damage to the United States, I would either take the cold of winter or the heat of summer, I probably would sack electric power on the U.S. East Cost, maybe the West Coast, and attempt to cause a cascading effect. All of those things are in the art of the possible from a sophisticated attacker," Mike McConnell, a retired Navy admiral, told 60 Minutes.

Watch the 60 Minutes report. And if you're worried about Internet security, check out our Guide to Online Security. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're concerned about losing power at home during an emergency—be it caused by hackers or by Mother Nature—check our our report on and ratings of backup generators (ratings available to subscribers). e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Ethics schmethics. For lawn-tractor care, it's a matter of scheduling

The latest installment of Randy Cohen's The Ethicist column in The New York Times Magazine featured the following question, under the headline "Waiting for the Lawn Tractor":

"The shop that services my lawn tractor told me to expect its return in a week. I want it back sooner and am considering giving the workers an up-front cash bonus to put my tractor at the head of the line. But this feels worryingly like covert bribery. Other customers wouldn't know about it nor could they bid against me with higher bonuses. Is such a payment ethical?"
 
Cohen replied that the notion of giving a bonus is "fishy" because the shop's workers would be "cheating their boss by undermining the shop's first-come, first-served policy for their personal gain, and you'll all be cheating honest, patient customers." In the end, reported Cohen, the question asker, from Pennsylvania, didn't offer up any cash for priority service.
 
Seems like a reasonable outcome, but I'll leave it up to you to decide for yourself on the ethics of the matter. The crux of the issue seems to be scheduling. Instead of bringing your gear in for routine service during a busy season, wait until a time when the shop is more likely to be quiet. I usually bring my mower and leaf blower in for routine service in early winter when the local shop is quieter. So don't hold off until next spring to get your outdoor power equipment serviced.
 
Now if the question asker's tractor suffered a sudden problem and he needed it fixed ASAP even this late in the season, it's understandable that he'd want it back with little delay. But given the likelihood that the shop is crowded with ailing equipment from landscaping pros trying to finish off their fall jobs, the consumer couldn't have expected priority service, bribe or no bribe. My advice: Borrow a tractor or mower from a neighbor or rent one, or hire a local landscaper to do the work.
 
Of course, the other key piece of advice here is to keep your equipment in tiptop shape. So follow our end-of-season maintenance tips for your mower or tractor and this start-of-season help for tractors.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
 
Essential information: Make easier work of fall cleanup and read up on the latest mowers and tractors.

What's new in Consumer Reports: Home content from the December 2009 issue

The December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports is loaded with coverage of items that will make practical gifts or spectacular additions to any household. (Some items below are available only to subscribers.)

Low-cost, high-performing coffeemakers. We found excellent coffeemakers that cost $20, $40, and $70; the top-rated model topped out at $100. And for $80, you can buy an excellent brew-station type that lets you fill cups directly from the machine.

Lack of versatility dogs pet-hair vacuums. Many vacuums are specifically marketed as the solution to pet-hair problems, but we found none provided a universal panacea. Instead, two mainstream Hoover models stood out for being excellent against pet hair, very good on bare floors, and excellent at cleaning carpets and limiting emissions.

Microwaves that do more. Want convection and speed cook modes? Countertop models from Kenmore and newcomer-to-the-field Cuisinart and an over- the-range model from Samsung offer both; the Cusinart and Samsung also offer grill modes for a taste of summer during the cold months. We also took a look at the innovative Sharp SuperSteam Oven AX-1200[K].

Ranges that make the grade. Induction models are hot, but our tested ones remain pricey at $3,000. Instead, we found four under-$800 ranges from Kenmore and GE that outscored pricier ranges from Dacor and Viking. Move up to the $1,500-to-$2,000 price point, and you'll get a range with a second oven or cooking drawer.

Paper towels in store. Our tests confirmed a similar trend among foods, where store brands outperformed national brands. So you might want to pick some up when you're buying wrapping paper. We also found something for greens to celebrate: One brand of recycled paper performed very well overall. Watch the video on how we test paper towels (above).

Light's (you should toss) out. Discard holiday lights after three seasons. Here's a checklist of things to look for and safe practices to follow when hanging holiday lights.

The evolution of Frigidaire's logo and brand identity

Frigidaire's new look gets a cool reception from one blogger

If you're into graphic design and/or appliances, you might enjoy "Ninety Years of Refrigerators, and Logos," an interesting post on Brand New, a site that covers corporate-brand-identity strategies. In the item, author Debbie Millman focuses on Frigidaire, tracing the appliance maker's logo from its original crown design with embedded "F" through cursive versions to the current all-caps iteration (shown right).

The latest look doesn't seem a winner for Millman: "The placement of the red triangle results in breaking the word Frigidaire into two separate words: Frigid and Ire. Given that these products are specifically marketed to moms, this messaging system is likely not going to appeal to anyone."

Logo design aside, product performance and brand reliability are what probably matter most to you. Like other brands, Frigidaire has gone up and down in these departments through the years, no matters its logo design. I can't help but think of this quote from renowned quipster Will Rogers: "Let advertisers spend the same amount of money improving their product that they do on advertising, and they wouldn't have to advertise it."

If you're in the market for new appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances. And see how Frigidaire stacks up against the competition across all appliance categories, using our ratings and brand-reliability data.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check our Kitchen-Planning Guide for expert advice on remodeling your kitchen.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Putting carpet shampooers through their paces

Last week we told you about a scary-looking tool our technicians are experimenting with to embed pet hair into carpeting as part of vacuum testing. This week, for our scheduled March 2010 report on carpet cleaners (online and on newsstands in early February), other testers have been using a big roller that grinds topsoil into panels of off-white carpeting. This device is designed to replicate the abuse the carpeting in your home might be subjected to by a gaggle of dirty-sneaker-wearing kids.

The testers let the dirt set for 24 hours then vacuum the panels with a conventional upright vacuum. Next, they use a carpet cleaner (shown) filled with the manufacturer-recommended solution. To determine how well each appliance cleans the carpeting, testers use a colorimeter to measure the color change from the cleaning process.

Known by a variety of names—carpet shampooers, extractors, carpet cleaners, deep cleaners—the 11 different machines we're testing include a rental model and two handhelds. Among the messes these cleaners have to tackle in the lab are coffee, red wine, and tomato sauce. And since wet carpeting can develop mold or mildew, testers also weigh the panels before and after each test to find out how much moisture remains. Beyond that type of quantitative analysis, testers also look at how convenient each machine is to use and which features matter most.

We're aware that many of you are deeply interested in carpet cleaners, so we'll continue to update you on our testing.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our free buyer's guide to carpet cleaners offers helpful shopping advice. If you're looking for a new vacuum, check out our ratings of canister, upright, and stick and handheld models (available to subscribers).

Congress proposes extension and expansion of home-buyer tax credit

Legislation to extend and expand the federal home-buyer tax credit, which is scheduled to expire on November 30, passed by a 98-0 vote in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. The U.S. House of Representatives could vote on the measure as early as today.

Under the proposed legislation, first-time home buyers or those who haven't owned a home in the last three years would continue to receive the $8,000 tax credit that's been in place since January 2009. The tax credit has been a major boon to existing home sales, spurring five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtors.

In an effort to stimulate even wider sales, the legislation would also extend a $6,500 credit to buyers who have owned their current home for at least five years. Both credits would be phased out for individuals with annual incomes above $125,000 and for joint filers with incomes above $225,000. The credit would be available for principal (read: not vacation) homes that cost $800,000 or less, and to qualify, buyers would have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010, and close on the home by June 30, 2010.

"Tax credits like this only work by creating the sense of urgency to take advantage of them," said Senator Johnny Isakson, the Georgia Republican who's former real-estate executive. "This is the last extension of the home-buyer tax credit, and I urge all Americans, whether they're first-time buyers who've always dreamed of having a home of their own or someone who's been gridlocked in the failure of our move-up market, to take advantage of this opportunity."

As we reported in "Questionable Claims for $8,000 First-Time Home-Buyer Tax Credit Spawn IRS Investigations," allegations of fraud related to the credit have arisen. (Bloomberg reported the other day that about 1.2 million home buyers have claimed $8.5 billion in tax credits in 2009 year, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.) The new legislation includes antifraud language that would give the Internal Revenue Service greater oversight during the processing of returns.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Get all the details about buying a foreclosed home and avoiding foreclosure-related scams. Be sure to get a thorough inspection of any property you're considering. If you'll be fixing up your new home, refer to our Kitchen-Planning Guide and Home Improvement Guide interactive.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Latest tests of string trimmers

In the market for a new string trimmer for next spring or even now? If you live in the Sun Belt, you're still likely actively tending to your property, with those of us in northern climates taking one or two last passes at overgrown areas of the property during fall cleanup. Here's what's new from our tests of more than two dozen new string trimmers.

One interesting new battery-powered model, the Black & Decker NST2036, is intended to be the first such trimmer capable of handling the tougher cutting jobs normally reserved for gasoline-powered trimmers. Powered by a very large 36-volt nickel-cadmium (NiCd) battery and equipped with a dual-string head, it's capable enough to rival some of the less-powerful gas models at trimming, including on tougher tall grass and weeds. But at 14.5 pounds, the NST2036 is among the heaviest string trimmers we tested, and with a price tag of $250, it's among the most expensive. What's more, recharge time for the NiCd battery is 12 to 16 hours, and a replacement costs $100. (Visit the Call2Recycle Web site or call 877-2-RECYCLE to find a local recycler of spent rechargeable batteries.)

New this year are propane-powered string trimmers with cleaner-burning, environmentally friendly fuel. But at $210, the Lehr ST025DC (right in photo above) and $290 Craftsman 79212 (left) are among the most expensive we've tested. And at 16 and 17 pounds, respectively, these trimmers are 4 to 5 pounds heavier than most gasoline models, and that doesn't include the nearly 2-pound screw-on propane tank you have to use.

Using pressurized propane gas, which come in containers sold at hardware stores, home centers, or sporting-goods stores, you might expect near-instantaneous starting. What we experienced, however, is that these engines often required one or two more pulls of the starter cord than did most two-cycle gasoline engines we tested. Also, the hose connecting the propane tank protrudes from the trimmer and can bang or catch on anything you brush past.

An additional concern, especially if you tend to ignore instructions, is that the owner's manual for these trimmers and a sticker on each product instruct you to disconnect the fuel line from the propane tank after each use. If you don't, the trimmer might leak and create a safety hazard.

When considering string trimmers, buy a model that not only feels right in your hand but also does the best job, considering your property's needs and your budget. For the most power against the toughest growth, the Stihl HomeScaper Series FS 45, $150, and FS 45 C Easy2Start, $170 (full ratings available to subscribers) remain among our top picks.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guide to string trimmers and make easier work of fall cleanup and end-of-season equipment maintenance.

Stanley Works and Black & Decker plan to merge in multibillion-dollar deal

The tool world saw some big news on Monday with the announced merger of Stanley Works and Black & Decker, venerable companies with 265 years of business between them. While the new company's brand recognition should remain high, the name of the $8.4 billion combined companies—Stanley Black & Decker—sounds more like a white-shoe law firm than a powerhouse tool maker.

The New Britain, Connecticut-based Stanley Works, which specializes in tools and hand tools, doors, and storage equipment, will own 50.5 percent of the company. Towson, Maryland-based Black & Decker, known for its power tools, small appliances, outdoor power equipment, and more, also owns Porter-Cable and DeWalt, two companies whose products did well in our latest report on cordless drills. The 18-volt Porter-Cable PC180DK-2, $100, outperformed models costing twice as much. The 18-volt DeWalt DCD 940KX, $280, topped the ratings of heavy-duty drills. Full ratings of drills are available to subscribers.

Three of the lower-scoring general-use drills carry the Black & Decker nameplate. Perhaps the new combined company can tool a change in that performance.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

By the Numbers: Where electricity prices are highest, Energy Star shines

38 percent

Market share of Energy Star-qualified appliances in Connecticut, Hawaii, and New Hampshire, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. As we reported yesterday, consumers in those states pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country.

“Market share for Energy Star qualified appliances is generally higher than average in states and regions with longstanding or very active energy efficiency programs (e.g., California and Vermont) and those with particularly high electricity prices (e.g., Hawaii, Connecticut, and New Hampshire),” reads the U.S. Department of Energy’s Refrigerator Market Profile: 2009 (PDF).

The state average market share for Energy Star-qualified appliances is 30 percent, but the share in West Virginia, Louisiana, and Kentucky is the lowest in the country, ranging from 23 to 25 percent. Residents in those states pay about 4 cents less per kilowatt hour than the national average of almost 12 cents and about 15 cents less than consumers in Hawaii.

If you’re in the market for new appliances, read up on the U.S. Department of Energy’s $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances, and find the best places to buy appliances.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: “Energy Star Has Lost Some Luster” details some issues we found related to the Energy Star program.

Getting Their Goats: Another town turns to four-legged creatures for outdoor cleanup

The Men Who Stare At Goats, the new comedy starring Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and George Clooney (shown below holding a cast member), is about a secret U.S. Army unit. But based on some news reports we’ve seen since spring, it could be a tale about landscapers who use goats instead of gas-powered equipment ton the job.

The latest town to go goat is Andover, Massachusetts, which has accepted one resident’s offer to use her goats to control weeds and undergrowth at a local nature preserve, according to this Boston Globe report. The six goats could handle a half-acre of grass, brush, and other growth every three days. Another benefit is that what the goats leave behind “will help the grass, as long as it doesn’t smell so bad that people won’t use it,” as one resident observed.

The news comes on the hooves, er, heels of the town of Hempstead, New York, and Google also deploying goats and some property owners in England using wallabies for landscaping work.

Goats might not be for you, but if you’re hoping to minimize your involvement in yard work, note that our tests have shown that some robotic mowers aren’t good performers. And if you’d like to go greener when tending to your property, keep in mind that some reel lawn mowers have not shined in our tests, though the top-performing electric lawn mowers and string trimmers  can rival some gasoline-powered models in performance and also produce no exhaust emissions. If you’d like to replace your gas-powered mower with an electric model, take advantage of a mower-exchange program.

At this time, we have no plans to test goats or other herbivores for next May’s report on lawn mowers and tractors.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Tap into the yard-care tips in our Fall Cleanup Guide.

Paradise Cost: Hawaii's not a better place to live than West Virginia or North Dakota . . . at least when it comes to electricity prices

Cutting down on how much electricity you use at home is a good move for your finances and the environment. Some steps to using less energy are simple, like choosing energy-efficient appliances and using and maintaining them properly—read about the U.S. Department of Energy's $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, otherwise known as cash for clunkers for appliances—and replacing incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs, like those covered in our new ratings-based report on CFLs.

One area where you have limited options in terms of saving money is the kilowatt-hour price you pay for electricity. In our stories we always refer to the national average price for electricity—currently almost 12 cents per kilowatt hour—but the price you pay could be a lot more or a lot less. Here are the states with the highest and lowest average per-kilowatt-hour costs for electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration:

Highest electricity rates
Hawaii: 22.99 cents
Connecticut: 20.24 cents
New York: 19.74 cents
New Jersey: 17.83 cents
Alaska: 17.82 cents
Massachusetts: 16.63 cents
New Hampshire: 16.41 cents
Maryland: 15.95 cents
California: 15.91 cents
Maine: 15.19 cents

Lowest electricity rates
West Virginia: 7.87 cents
Washington: 7.93 cents
Louisiana: 8.24 cents
Idaho: 8.44 cents
Kentucky: 8.58 cents
Oklahoma: 8.79 cents
North Dakota: 8.86 cents
Tennessee: 8.97 cents
Wyoming: 9.07 cents
Oregon: 9.07 cents

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Review of the Sharp SuperSteam Oven AX-1200[K]

Sharp says that its SuperSteam Oven AX-1200[K], $900, can cook food in four different modes—microwave, steam, convection, and SuperSteam convection—and deliver healthful meals without compromising taste.

Using the steam mode on this countertop microwave, which can also work in a built-in application, we found that the Sharp did a good job cooking mussels, while steaming in a conventional microwave oven turned the mussels chewy. This oven draws the water for steam from an integral refillable reservoir.

The SuperSteam convection mode delivered a dish of pork loin with vegetables that was steamed and tasted like it. Cooking the same food using this Sharp's convection mode took about the same time as the SuperSteam mode and produced better-tasting, nicely browned food.

In traditional microwave mode, the Sharp was very good at evenly heating food and defrosting, though with only 700 watts of power, it was the slowest microwave we tested among more than five dozen models. This microwave was also relatively noisy. The Sharp has 43 preprogrammed settings and a sensor that automatically shuts off the oven when food is ready. Unlike most microwaves, it lacks a turntable.

Sharp touts the AX-1200[K]'s "unique combination of the healthiest ways to cook," but you can steam food in any microwave. Wrap the food in wet paper towels or place it in a microwaveable glass dish and cover or use microwave steam bags. To keep the calorie and fat count down, don't add fats and sauces before or after cooking.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Look for our new report on microwave ovens in the December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands today. Also check out our buyer's guide to microwaves (ratings available to subscribers) and watch this video on shopping for a microwave.

When a "refrigerator" might not actually refrigerate

Interesting item on the Consumer Ally page over at WalletPop about a 1.7-cubic-foot compact "refrigerator" sold by Sears. Wondering why there are quotes around the word "refrigerator"? According to the post, the "Galaxy White 1.7 cu. ft. Compact Refrigerator" (model #91772), which Sears calls a "thermoelectric refrigerator [that] chills your food without noise and vibration" and describes as having "no harmful refrigerants," isn't really a refrigerator after all.

Consumer Ally writer Mitch Lipka notes that a complaint he received from a consumer about this compact appliance "brought to the surface issues with the idea that this is really not a refrigerator. It's really a place to keep your lunch or a soda cold for a while. Purchasers, even on Sears' own site, shared concerns for its lack of cooling power."

Check out the rest of this story on Consumer Ally, a good read by Lipka, the Boston Globe's Consumer Alert columnist.

And if you're in the market for a compact refrigerator for home, work, or a college dorm, use our free buyer's guide to these appliances. Remember, the largest compacts we tested hold only about one-quarter as much as a typical full-sized refrigerator; the smallest hold one-tenth as much. And none were tops at both refrigerating and freezing.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: See our ratings of compact refrigerators (available to subscribers) to find the right model for your needs. And learn about the federal government's $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

10 Questions for . . . Jon Strimling, President of WoodPellets.com

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . ., Associate Editor Gian Trotta speaks with Jon Strimling, president of WoodPellets.com about the pellet market. Strimling also addresses some of our readers' concerns about wood pellets and their delivery.

Last year there were reports of pellet shortages. What are the prospects for pellet supplies this winter?
We're clearly in a better position now at the macro level than we were last year, when oil prices shot through the roof in May, June, and July and caused a run on pellet supplies. The industry usually has until November to provide enough fuel for a winter season, but last year many people saw prices going up and thought that they should get their pellets early.

The sudden surge in demand was challenging, and there were times last year when one coast or another would go into back order. But the country has never been short of supply; it was just a case of the product sitting in the wrong place. We were able to keep a flow, but pellets were traveling farther and cost of transport was higher.

A fair bit of additional capacity has also become available. Over past few years 20 new mills have started producing pellets in U.S. and Canada, and new capacity has been added to existing plants. This year, a major boost to raw-material supplies consists of lodgepole pines in Colorado and British Columbia. Because of beetle infestations in recent years, there is an enormous quality of dead standing timber being removed for forest-fire mitigation, and the highest-value use of that resource is pellets.

Will all those factors offset the reduction in pellet raw materials from lumber and wood-flooring production?
Certainly, housing starts are down, and that has reduced capacity of some mills that rely on that stream of dry residual wood. But most of the newer mills can employ "green chips" that enable them to continue to produce premium pellets, and in some cases even superpremium pellets. These clean, debarked chips are cut before wood is dried, for example from the lumber cut from side of logs to square them.

How vulnerable are pellet-producing plants to supply interruptions?
Fortunately, production is dispersed among several areas and companies to reduce chance of shortages. Individual pellet-supply facilities can go down, especially if they are linked to a particular lumber mill. The network of 80 to 100 plants is as a whole pretty robust, so if someone goes down, someone else will pick up that volume.

One of our readers noted that when he began using pellets five years ago, pellets were $110 a ton, now he's paying $265. What is your long-term forecast for pellet prices?
It may be that this consumer got a very unusual deal in 2005 through some sort of a clearance event, because that price is much lower than even typical wholesale pricing was in 2005. If you look at when we started this business in 2006, our retail price was right about what it is now. In 2008, pricing went up about 10 percent.

If you go back five to 10 years ago when crude was cheaper, pellets cost less. Wood and pellets are typically moved by trucks that use diesel fuel, which has gone up since then; so there's no avoiding that pellet prices will rise as oil rises, as diesel fuel is an element of pellets' cost. Normally, when the price of oil doubles, it results in an increase in transportation costs for pellets of about 25 percent.

How do sales of pellet-burning appliances affect your demand forecast?
Last year, sales of pellet-burning appliances were up 180 percent. We won't see sales like that repeat this year—probably not until the next spike in oil pricing. But every heating system sold creates an incremental increase in demand, and people who have systems are continuing to use them, even with oil at lower price levels.

What we're seeing this year is that demand for pellets is coming later. There hasn't been mad rush to go out and buy supply, so we're seeing a later buying season with strong demand. There's not a feeling of panic of everyone this year like last year with the continued growth in the industry. Folks with stoves and inserts are telling friends to go out and buy a pellet-burning stove.

What's the difference between premium and superpremium pellets?
The Pellet Fuel Institute just released a new standard for superpremium pellets and is working out the statistical data around the new methodology. Ash level is a major distinction. Premium has a maximum of 1 percent ash content while superpremium has less than one-half of one percent. That's a big deal to a stove owner because you're cleaning your stove half as often.

Other things tested by the PFI include Btu content, length and diameter of the pellets, and durability. The heating value and ash level are of primary interest to a consumer. The range of variation for the heating value can be 10 percent, but ash level can vary by a factor of three. Moisture level is inversely proportional to heating performance also.

At opening of Florida solar-energy facility, President Obama focuses on smart grid and renewable energy

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama promoted the smart grid and renewable energy at the opening of Florida Power & Light's DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center (shown). The facility consists of more than 90,500 solar panels, making it the largest solar-photovoltaic plant in the country and, according to FPL, its annual estimated generation is about 42,000 megawatt hours.

The president outlined how the federal government is making a $3.4 billion investment from Recovery Act funds to modernize the country's electric grid with a goal of creating a more-reliable, more-efficient system. "But getting there will take a few more days like this one and more projects like this one," said the president. "And I have often said that the creation of such an economy is going to require nothing less than the sustained effort of an entire nation—an all-hands-on-deck approach similar to the mobilization that preceded World War II or the Apollo Project."

If you're interested in using solar power at your home, read our report on solar water heaters from the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports and look for ongoing coverage of these devices on this blog, such as this testing update from earlier this month.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: The president referred to World War II the other day, and it was during this era that George Löf undertook his first experiments with solar power. Löf, a solar innovator who died earlier this month at the age of 95, is credited with creating one of the earliest solar-heated homes in this country, according to his obituary in The Wall Street Journal. Löf's system consisted of a large glass roof panel that heated a pile of gravel in the basement, which in turn warmed the house.

Official White House photo by Chuck Kennedy

Latest news on Chinese drywall

"This is a complicated problem, and we have several studies and other activities underway to help bring the best possible science to bear. The first sets of data released today start to explain differences between Chinese and non-Chinese drywall, but more remains to be learned. We are sharing what we know at this point and are outlining the next steps as we continue to work to answer homeowners' questions about what is causing the effects reported and observed."
 
That's how the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in a press statement released yesterday in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, described its ongoing investigation into Chinese drywall.
 
On its Drywall Information Center, the CPSC says it has received almost 1,900 reports from people in 30 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., "who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in their homes are related to the presence of drywall produced in China." (In the photo, the small gray section directly under the thumb is drywall removed from a home.)
 
Read more about yesterday's news in this post on the Consumer Reports Safety blog and sign up for Chinese-drywall alerts from the CPSC. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
 
 

Weekend Project: Weatherize your attic to save money and boost comfort at home year-round

Properly weatherizing your attic can cut 10 to 30 percent off your heating and cooling bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. And while you might not want to spend the money (or the time) to do the work, keep in mind that the federal government offers a 30 percent tax credit up to a maximum of $1,500 on weatherization materials, and utilities and states in place like Massachusetts, New York, and Washington offer additional incentives that sometimes cover labor costs.

There are some simple things to remember when weatherizing your attic, such as never using duct tape on, well, ducts. Also know that if some conditions are present, such as if your insulation is wet or there's mold or knob-and-tube wiring, you should hire a contractor to do the work.

Otherwise follow this advice from the DOE's do-it-yourself guide to attic insulation (PDF) and our own Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs to seal up your attic and start saving money now. Download this PDF from the book for more details on insulating your attic and/or basement: Insulate Basement-Attic, and watch our video.

1. If you see dirty insulation . . .
It means air is passing through the insulation from the heated space below because most thermal-insulation products are not air barriers. Search for the source of airflow, such as a large open chase or smaller gaps around an electrical wire or junction box or plumbing pipes or vents

2. If you see narrow gaps less than 1/2 inch wide . . .
Seal gaps with the appropriate caulking. If the crack is deep, use flexible backer rod before caulking. (Gaps around heating-system flues, chimneys, or recessed lights should be handled differently to avoid a fire hazards; see the precautions below.)

3. If you see gaps more than 1/2 to 2 inches wide . . .
First, close up large openings using scrap wood or metal flashing that you screw in place. Then caulk all seams and small gaps or seal using expandable, spray-in water- or foam-based sealant. Remember, foam-based sealants can expand to several times their original volume, crush flexible vent pipes, and cause structural damage if too much is applied. Water-based foams expand less; you can also use fiberglass insulation stuffed in a plastic bag. When working, wear gloves, long sleeves, and a dust mask specifically marked as being for fiberglass insulation. And remember, foam-based sealant is also nearly impossible to remove if you get it on your skin, and fiberglass insulation can irritate skin.

4. If you see uninsulated areas around light fixtures or where chimneys and furnace flues penetrate through floors . . .
Most recessed light fixtures that protrude up into the attic should not be covered with insulation, which could cause them to overheat. Instead, use a similar barrier made of sheet metal, wire mesh, or lumber to keep the insulation away from the light housing. These fixtures also allow air to flow, but unfortunately most cannot be sealed directly. You can build a larger box enclosure around each fixture that can serve as the air barrier, or you can have the fixtures replaced with a version that is an air barrier type rated for insulation contact as well.

For chimneys or flue pipes, use a heat-resistant caulking or follow the DOE's instructions to create a sheet-metal insulation dam that will keep insulation 2 inches away from the heat source.

5. If you see joist edges showing above your current attic insulation . . .
Add another layer of roll insulation perpendicular to the joists. Use a piece of scrap wood to push the first line into place under the eaves but don't block airflow from the eave out into the attic space. While the attic floor surface should be insulated, an air gap should exist between the roof rafters so air can flow between the eave and the rest of the attic. Don't use foil-faced insulation. The layer of insulation below should have an existing vapor barrier.

In general, good building practice requires three barriers of protection on the surface that separates the heated and cooled living space of the rooms below and the unconditioned attic space above. These barriers are the thermal insulation to slow the heat loss (or gain), the air barrier to stop uncontrolled air exchange between the two spaces, and the vapor barrier to prevent moisture migration. Typically, the vapor barrier should be on the warm side of this dividing surface, so in a warm climate it would be on the attic side of the thermal insulation, and in a cold climate it would be on the living space side of the thermal insulation. The air and vapor barrier can be provided by one product or separate products or approaches.

Detroit house to be turned into giant ice cube

You might have heard about or even had to deal with ice dams, those frozen build-ups around the eaves of a home that can damage roofing and siding during winter (see illustration). In Detroit, two artists are taking the concept of the ice dam to the extreme, and perhaps that's appropriate in a city known as Hockeytown, USA.

Architectural photographer Gregory Holm and architect Matthew Radune plan to encase one of Detroit's thousands of abandoned homes in ice this winter, according to this Associated Press report. Through their Ice House Detroit project, Radune and Holm want to draw attention to the staggering number of foreclosures in the city.

(Michigan saw the eighth most foreclosure activity in the third quarter of 2009, says RealtyTrac. And according to the latest Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, the August 2009 price index in Detroit is at 71.59,which is the lowest of the 20 cities tracked and 22.6 percent lower than it was a year earlier.)

Holm and Radune plan to spray the house with water until it is gradually covered with ice. Come spring, after the ice has melted, the house will be demolished after crews salvage building materials.

Is this a cool concept or a cold-hearted gesture exploiting a recession-ravaged city? Leave a comment below.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Learn more about ice dams and how to prevent and deal with them. And check out our reports on roofing and siding.

Illustration courtesy of National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office.

Shale gas holds promise, but drilling for it is controversial

As we covered in Buzzword: Shale gas, this natural gas contained within fine-grained, sedimentary rock is a topic of much interest for the energy industry. There are vast reserves of shale gas nationwide, and energy companies are working hard and fast to tap these natural-gas sources through what's called water fracturing, also known as hydraulic fracturing or hydrofracking. (The graphic below details how hydrofracking works. It was created by Al Granberg and is being used courtesy of ProPublica: Journalism in the Public Interest, a site that features lots of coverage of shale gas and gas drilling.)

As you might expect, there's more to shale gas than the promise of abundant supplies of natural gas and lower prices for consumers. There's also concern that the process used to tap into the shale-gas reserves presents serious environmental and health risks.

Today's New York Times features an interesting story, "Gas Company Won't Drill in New York Watershed," on the decision by Chesapeake Energy not to drill for natural gas in upstate New York after the Oklahoma City-based corporation's plans met with strong opposition. If you're interested in the topic of shale gas, give it a read.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you haven't already, get your heating system tuned up. And to save money on your utility bills, install a programmable thermostat, read our buyer's guides to furnaces (more details here), solar water heaters, and pellet stoves, and follow our overall advice for using less energy at home.