LG pulls some refrigerators from Energy Star program

The U.S. Department of Energy announced on November 14 that some LG and Kenmore refrigerators are no longer part of the federal government's Energy Star program because of concerns over the energy use by these models.

The LG LFX25950, LFX25960, LFX25971, LFX23961, LFX21960, LFX21971, LFX21980, LFX25980, LMX21981, and LMX25981 (shown) models, as well as  Kenmore Trio refrigerators designed and made by LG with model numbers starting with 795 and through-the-door ice and water dispensers, are affected by LG's agreement with the DOE. Read more details in this DOE press release.

If you own one of the aforementioned refrigerators, you will get a free modification of your appliance to make it more energy efficient and receive a payment to cover the difference in how much you'll spend to run your refrigerator and what was indicated on the Energy Guide label; payments will continue up to the expected 14-year life span of the refrigerator.

To get more details from LG, call 888-848-1266 or go to the company's energy-offer Web site.

Look for our additional reporting on this news in the coming weeks.

Are EdenPure space heaters just a lot of hot air?

Surely you've seen a full-page ad in a major newspaper for EdenPure space heaters, heard veteran radio commentator Paul Harvey tout them on his national radio program, or read the comments—both glowing and negative—from owners of these appliances on Web forums.

The newspaper and radio ads, including one in the October 29, 2008, edition of The Wall Street Journal, promote the EdenPure Model GEN3 500 and the Model GEN3 1000 (shown) as a "new advanced portable heater that can cut your heating bill by up to 50%," promising that you'll "never be cold again." One hype-filled newspaper ad also features a Q&A with Julius Toth, director of product development for BioTech Research, in which Toth espouses the many benefits of these heaters. (BioTech Research, whose slogan is "Better health through technology," offers a slew of other promised-filled products, including the AbGone Pill, Instant Facelift, and the Smellkiller Air Cleanser.)

We have not tested the GEN3 500 or 1000 models, which, according to a customer-service representative at BioTech Research, has seen "major improvements" from the brand's Quartz Infrared 1000, $400, which we tested for our 2007 report on space heaters. Let's just say that our experts were not transported to paradise by the EdenPure we did review.

The unit was the second-lowest-scoring space heater we tested, earning only a 24 out on our 100-point scale. According to the folks in our Tech department who tested space heaters, the EdenPure provided lackluster temperature control and was not particularly easy to use, What's more, it was pricey and lacked an overheat-protection feature (key for safety). The GEN3 models do have this important safety feature, according to BioTech Research.

If you're in the market for a new space heater, be dubious about any heater whose manufacturer claims the appliance will slash your heating bills. Here's why:

For every degree that you lower your home thermostat in the winter, you'll save about 3 percent on heating costs. So the only way to really save with a space heater would be to use the unit in the room you're in and turn down the thermostat elsewhere in the house so that your main heating system would not operate. To save 50 percent on your heating bill, you'd have to lower the home thermostat about 17°F. Also, based on national average fuel prices, using an electric space costs more than twice as much to operate as a natural-gas-fueled central-heating system.

Before you shop for a space heater, read our report, which includes buying advice and ratings of electric convection, electric fan-forced, and electric radiant models. We also tested propane and kerosene models but found a safety risk with that type.

Essential information: Read our recent tip of the day to learn how to save money on heating this winter and, perhaps, boost the value of your home.

Buzzword: Zoning

What it means. Don't confuse this week's Buzzword with school or community zoning. Rather, in the context of heating and cooling, zoning refers to dividing a home into two or more areas where you set different temperatures. Historically, zoning was more common in homes with a hot-water boiler system than in those with a forced-air furnace system. But as houses bulked up in recent years (thanks in part to the McMansion movement), the need to zone even forced-air-heating systems increased. Besides having more interior space to heat and cool, big houses are more likely to have living spaces with different exposures. To keep these rooms from getting too hot or too cold on certain days, multiple distribution systems are needed to control the flow of conditioned air.

Zoning is pitched as a way to not only make your home more comfortable but also to save you money by letting you reduce the heating or cooling to seldom-used spaces. Some manufacturers and retailers also tout zoning by suggesting that you can save by running a space heater or pellet- or wood-burning stove in a frequently occupied room and turning down the heat with your thermostat (see video, right) in other parts of the home.

Why the buzz? Residential heating costs for the 2008-2009 season are projected to be higher than for last season, according to the Energy Information Administration and, says the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the lower 48 states will experience 2.4 percent colder temperatures this winter.

Those figures might make zoning a more tempting proposition. And, in fact, zoning has its place in certain situations, including where one room has very different heating requirements from others in a home. "A room with lots of glass or a bedroom built over a garage could both be candidates for zoning," says Buck Taylor, a heating professional and consultant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

But for retrofit scenarios, the question of whether it pays to implement zoning depends largely on the accessibility of the hot-water pipes (for a hot-water system) or ductwork (for forced-air system). On a forced-air system, if the central air conditioner and furnace share the same distribution system, balancing the airflow correctly can be even trickier and costlier. 

"For homes with a forced-air system, adding zoning is number 11 on the list of things I'd do [to lower energy costs]," says Harvey Sachs, a senior fellow at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. He suggests you put your money into insulation, windows, and other forms of weatherization. (Read our advice for cutting your heating bill and enhancing the value of your home.) Taylor agrees, even for homes with a boiler: "Every dollar should be spent in the shell of the house, reducing how much heat is required in the first place, before you start trying to solve problems with mechanical systems."

Chandler von Schrader, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Home Improvement with Energy Star program, adds ductwork sealing to the steps you should take before zoning your HVAC system. He notes that duct leakage is in the 30 to 35 percent range for many homes. Correcting the problem can lead to significant savings and enhanced comfort. "Unfortunately, sealing ducts is dirty, nasty work, crawling around attic crawl spaces," Schrader says. As a result, it's a lot easier for contractors to simply zone the system. "But that doesn't correct the root cause of the problem," Schrader adds.

As for zone heating with a fireplace, fireplace insert, or wood or pellet stove, that's a smart move only if your home is buttoned up tight and the fireplace is more efficient than your heating system. If your gas fireplace is 70 percent efficient and your furnace is 85 to 90 percent efficient, you're probably better off running the furnace.

Bottom line, zoning is seldom the cure-all that some heating-equipment manufacturers would have you believe. So work with a trained professional to get a comprehensive home-energy audit, including a residential-load calculation, and determine the best approach to improving the energy efficiency of and comfort level in your home. Find a qualified heating pro by reading this story and visiting the Residential Energy Savings Network.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Learn how to save hundreds on your energy costs, and discover the differences between energy savers and every hogs.

Tip of the Day: Simple ways to save energy and money at home

In "Save Energy, Save Money," we focused on big-ticket efficiency improvements, but there are plenty of lower-cost ways to slash your energy bills at home without becoming an energy anorexic, including these and those that follow:

In the bathroom
• Save hot water by taking a 5-minute shower rather than a deep soak in the tub. Replace standard showerheads with low-flow models and turn off any supplemental showerheads.

In the kitchen
• Reheat dishes in your microwave, which likely consumes only about 20 percent of the energy of a typical full-sized oven. On the cooktop, use pans that are the same size as the burner and keep the lid on the pot when you want to boil water.

• Wipe minor oven spills and splatters regularly with a damp cloth so that you don't have to rely as often on the oven's self-cleaning feature. When you do use the self-cleaning feature, start the cycle right after cooking in the oven to take advantage of the preheated space.

• Get the fridge out of the garage. During summer the unit will have to work extra hard to compensate for the 100-plus degrees that a garage can reach. Better yet, consolidate your refrigerator and freezer items into one unit and turn off other refrigerators and freezers.

Around the house
• Unplug your television(s) and most other electronic devices if you use them infrequently or when you're away from home for an extended period. Even when turned off, electronic devices like TVs continue to draw standby power. Also unplug your computer and scanner if they'll sit idle for an extended period.

• To maximize light output, position lamps in the corner of a room, where their light will bounce off two walls. Painting interiors a bright color will also augment light levels, as will regularly dusting lamp shades and lightbulbs.

• Use LED lights for task lighting. In our test of undercabinet lighting, fixtures with LED bulbs were the most energy efficient, even besting fluorescents in the lumens-per-watt department.

• If your existing exterior door is old but still in good shape, install a storm door. During the summer, replace the glass or Plexiglas panels in the storm door with a screen to improve air circulation in the home and reduce the need for air conditioning.

• Buy a humidifier. During heating season, the colder it gets outside, the lower the relative humidity will be indoors. Providing some humidification will help to improve comfort, but don't overhumidify. Use a model with a humidistat to control indoor moisture levels.—Daniel DiClerico

Highlights of the 2008 Green Industry and Equipment Expo

From its roots in the former International Lawn, Garden & Power Equipment Expo trade show, the Green Industry and Equipment Expo has tended to be long on equipment and short on green. But at the 2008 event, held last week in Louisville, Kentucky, many companies, even heavy-gear manufacturers, got in on the green act.

Trumpeting one's claimed pro-environmental efforts is good public relations, of course, but some equipment makers have another motivation to market eco-friendly products: The latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations for curtailing the emissions of small, nonroad engines allow for low- or no-emissions engines to generate credits to offset the emissions of relatively gas-guzzling products.

Here's some of what I saw at the expo:

The first zero-emissions zero-turn-radius emerges. Zero-turn-radius mowers and zero emissions might seem an unlikely couple, but with the electric Zeon (shown), you'll be able to get a no-emissions ZTR mower. Outfitted with a 48-volt, four-battery system and a 42-inch welded-steel deck, this prosumer model will run for 80 minutes on a full charge, claim manufacturer Hustler Turf Equipment and its partner, transmission maker Hydro-Gear. Zero emissions won't come cheap—the Zeon, due out next spring, will likely cost $6,500 to $7,000.

This robot can charge itself. Husqvarna introduced 80 products at the show, with a new version of its Automower robotic lawn mower among the most interesting. The Automower Solar Hybrid, $3,000, can recharge its battery even as it mows, claims Husqvarna. It's designed to handle lawns up to a half-acre, with the odds of its reaching that goal improving if the sun is shining. As with other robotic mowers we've tested, this Automower is supposed to mow within an area you set using wires laid along its perimeter. When it reaches a wire, it turns; when the battery gets low down, the mower returns to its base. In our past tests, robotic mowers have delivered unimpressive cutting performance.

A new oil is "suet-able" for small engines. Manufacturers of equipment such as mowers, snowmobiles, and generators have met the new federal emissions standards by redesigning engines and other components. Green Earth Technologies has introduced another way to run an engine more cleanly: G-OIL Garden & Recreational engine oil, made from beef tallow. One distributor, Dante Terzigni, told me the biodegradable two-cycle oil starts as fat harvested from slaughtered cows and is morphed into usable form through nanotechnology. Terzigni claimed the oil runs cleaner than petroleum-based oil, emits no smoke at its 262°F flash point, and meets industry certification specs. You'll find Green Earth Technologies products at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and other retailers and on Amazon.com.—Ed Perratore

Buzzword: Energy Anorexia

What it means. Rooted in the serious medical condition anorexia, energy anorexia refers to a situation in which people follow an extremely strict carbon-footprint-shrinking regimen. (Carborexia and greenorexia are other names for this approach to living.) The New York Times used the term "energy anorexics" in the October 19 article "Completely Unplugged, Fully Green," which reported on people dedicated to using significantly less energy in many aspects of their lives.

Why the buzz? In these energy-conscious times and in a country where a fad or fashion of the moment can spur significant lifestyle changes or even turn into fanaticism, some folks have become energy anorexics. The Times piece sparked great debate on the Web, with the blog of Sharon Astyk the epicenter of much of the discussion. Astyk, who was featured in the article, took issue with the story in a recent post, noting, for example, that her son doesn't play organized baseball due to scheduling conflicts with her family's observance of the Jewish Sabbath, not because she doesn't want to drive him too far to play. And commenters on the blog defended her energy-minded lifestyle.

Most of our buzzword items highlight trends in industry or society at large, and the terms are generally tame. But energy anorexia and energy anorexics seem harsh and insensitive given the difficult medical issue from which they're derived. Indeed, similar terms like "true greens" and "enlighteneds" might be a better way to get across the idea.

So we'll leave it to you to come up with a catchy, complimentary expression for people who are environmentally impassioned and acting upon their beliefs. Post your suggestion(s) in a comment below, where you can also share information on how you're working to save energy on your own.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: There's no need for extreme measures to save energy at home, as detailed in our October 2008 "Save Energy, Save Money" feature, this tip of the day, and the Buzzword on weatherization.

Vintage Consumer Reports: Fluorescent lighting

"Fluorescent lighting has a sufficient surplus of virtues to make any advertising man delirious with its exploitation possibilities."—Consumer Reports, January 1941

Millions of Americans were introduced to fluorescent lighting at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair. Soon thereafter, our engineers tested fluorescent bulbs and found that this newfangled type of lighting was superior to incandescents and, despite its higher price—a 15-watt fluorescent tube cost 95 cents and produced comparable light output to a 10-cent 60-watt incandesecent—offered consumers considerable long-term savings since fluorescent bulbs used less electricity and lasted much longer.

That 1941 report proves that what's old is new. (Download a PDF of the article: Consumer Reports_Fluorescent 1941.pdf.) As we've found over the last year and a half during our tests of Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lightbulbs, each CFL you install as a replacement for an incandescent bulb will trim your electric bill by at least $30 over its life even though it costs more than an incandescent with comparable light output. We've heard from readers who say their CFLs burned out to soon, yet nearly every bulb we've tested has lasted at least 3,000 hours—triple the typical life of an incandescent—and some much longer than that. (Read our latest testing update.)

We weren't concerned about reducing greenhouse gases in 1941 but today know that energy-sipping CFLs can help substantially reduce carbon-dioxide and mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. (You can find out which power sources provide electricity to your home by reading "Uncover the Source of Your Power.") That environmental upside is not greenwashing but rather another reason to replace your incandescent bulbs with CFLs.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential reading: Read our advice on how to handle a broken CFL and watch our video (above). And stay up on the next wave of illuminations technology, solid-state lighting.

Buzzword: The Tie Goes to the Dolphin

What it means. With the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays under way, you might hear the phrase "the tie goes to the runner" used at some point during the best-of-seven set. Here's hoping there's not a decision as controversial as the blown safe call first-base ump Don Denkinger made during Game 6 of the 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals.

"The tie goes to the dolphin"—more of a buzzphrase than a buzzword—puts an environmental spin on the baseball axiom. It originally referred to canned tuna: When other factors like taste and cost are equal or at least similar, consumers who believe the tie goes to the dolphin will choose a brand with the "Dolphin Safe" logo on the label (shown). But the buzzphrase can be applied to other categories, including all manner of household appliances and gear, when environmental or energy-efficient issues come into play.

Why the buzz? Steven H. Saltzman, the editor of this blog, turned me on to this concept. Saltzman told me that an official from a federal agency had uttered the phrase during a meeting they had to discuss the energy efficiency of and federal standards for appliances. The phrase seems especially apropos at a time when consumers have been greenwashed by marketing campaigns touting the environmental friendliness of products.

Most U.S. consumers don't base their purchasing decisions solely on a product's greenness. They will, however, make green the tiebreaker between two otherwise similar products. In fact, nearly 90 percent of Americans say they would choose an eco-friendly product if it were to cost the same as an equal competitor, according to a report by BBMG, a New York City-based branding and integrated-marketing firm.

That's why we factor in energy efficiency when rating many household products. With refrigerators, for example, we measure not only temperature performance, noise, and usable storage space but also energy efficiency. In a tie-goes-to-the-dolphin scenario, you'd choose the Maytag MFC2061HE[W], $2,250, over the comparable Maytag Ice2O MFI2266AE[W], $2,050, since the former is more energy efficient.

For washing machines, the Whirlpool Cabrio HE WTW6600S[W], $1,000, and Kenmore (Sears) HE2t 4756[1], $900, both provide very good washing performance. But the Kenmore is a front-loader and will use less water than the top-loading Whirlpool. The tie goes to the Kenmore.

In some cases, the energy-efficiency deal maker is not so obvious and becomes apparent only when you calculate the savings you'll generate over their entire lifetime. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs cost more than incandescent bulbs, but because CFLs last significantly longer and use so much less energy, they're the hands-down favorite.

So next time you're choosing among products, opt for the one that will save you money and help the environment.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Use our interactive Home Improvement Guide for room-by-room buying guides.

Q&A: Is it a worth the extra cost to buy windows filled with argon gas?

The replacement windows I'm considering buying come with the option of using argon gas to boost their energy efficiency. Should I spend more to get the argon gas?

It is generally not a good investment to replace windows just for energy-efficiency purposes. But if you need to replace irreparable windows or are undertaking a home remodel, then consider the incremental costs of higher-efficiency replacement windows over models without such features as specialty gas fills, including argon, or low-e coatings.

Large incremental costs for these options generally outweigh their benefit. Argon, for instance, typically increases the insulating R-value of a window by only half a point. (Insulated-glass windows, also called double-pane glass, typically have an R-value of around 2.0 to 3.0. R-value is the measurement of thermal resistance; the higher the number, the more efficient the window. Learn more about the energy performance of windows.)

This small increase in insulating value from the argon gas will get you slight energy savings, but the additional initial cost could significantly extend the payback time for the windows. What's more, the argon does little or nothing to reduce transmission of ultraviolet and infrared radiation. UV light from the sun can damage your furnishings but, more important, infrared radiation transfers heat into or out of a home. Studies have shown that windows with a low-e coating can measurably reduce solar heat gain during cooling season (assuming you do not draw curtains or blinds anyway). However, homes in cold climates tend not to see a benefit from this option.

It's worth noting that many manufacturers of high-quality windows, including all those we tested for our latest report on windows, now use argon-filled glass as the standard for their windows. In fact, some companies might charge you more if you want windows with glass that provides less insulation, including models with only air-filled glass or with no low-e coating.

Essential information: Learn how to choose the best windows, understand the different window types and designs, and find an expert installer.

Tip of the Day: Cut your heating bill, boost the value of your home

Combining no- and low-cost weatherizing tactics with government and utility incentives can help raise or at least maintain the value of your home and slash your energy bills. You'll also help protect the environment.

Several energy-saving projects can reduce your heating bills this winter, according to our calculations. For instance, insulating the attic or basement is typically inexpensive and easy to do yourself. Adding attic insulation can lower your heating costs from 5 to 30 percent, according to a U.S. Department of Energy study.

Another simple measure you can implement right now is to drop the temperature setting on your household thermostat(s). For every degree you lower the temperature, you can save about 3 percent on your heating costs. Also consider lowering the setting 5° to 10°F when no one is home and at night.

Weatherizing you home can save you up to 30 percent on heating. And tests performed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the DOE showed that an aggressive weatherization program at your house can provide a 33.5 percent decrease in natural-gas consumption for space heating.

What's more, every dollar you shave off your energy bills with such home improvements can add more than $20 to the resale value of your home, according to a study by the Appraisal Institute. And a recent study by Seattle-based GreenWorks Realty showed that energy-efficient homes spend 18 percent less time on the market and sell for up to 37 percent more per square foot than conventional homes. (Consumer Reports has been leading the way on home-energy savings for decades, as detailed in "How to Cut Your Fuel Bill," from our August 1941 issue. As you'll see in this free PDF download—How to cut your fuel bill 1941.pdf—what's old is new.)

"We call efficiency the 'first fuel' that a homeowner consumes," says Suzanne Watson, policy director for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. "Once you get that flowing, it cuts down your use of expensive secondary fossil fuels."

Seal holes
Cracks and crevices at all levels of your home allow expensive heated air to escape from your home; in an older house, those nooks and crannies can be the equivalent of a 2-square-foot hole in the side of the house. (Picture that.) But, estimates the DOE, proper weatherization alone can cut energy bills by at least 30 percent. Some utility companies provide free energy audits to pinpoint problem areas at your home; you can also find certified professionals in your area through the Residential Energy Services Network.

If you want to do the work yourself, look for dirty insulation, a sign of air movement that reveals other gaps you must fill. Also install precut foam pads to insulate electrical outlets, an often-overlooked source of cold-air infiltration and make sure you insulate holes in floors where heating and water pipes emerge. If you have steam radiators, place foil-faced insulation behind them to reflect heat back into the room. If your doors and windows are structurally sound there is no need to replace them. But you should replace any worn weather-stripping around doors and windows to cut drafts, which can make you feel colder and cause you to raise your thermostat setting.

"Add Insulation to Lower Your Heating Bills" and "Stay Warm Without Getting Fleeced" offer additional DIY ways to seal gaps.

Buzzword: Weatherization

What it means. Weatherization is the practice of making a building more energy efficient by sealing its exterior against wind and precipitation and protecting its interior from heat and cold. Buttoning up the envelope of a house with insulation and caulk is the first line of defense. But best weatherization practices treat a building as a single energy-consuming system and might include such whole-house measures as replacing old heating, cooling, and water-heating devices with higher-efficiency models.

Why the buzz? In the presidential debate between candidates John McCain and Barack Obama on October 7, 2008, moderator Tom Brokaw asked the candidates what sacrifices Americans will have to make to get the country's economy back on track. One of Senator Obama's points covered energy use: "Each and every one of us can start thinking about how can we save energy in our homes, in our buildings," he said. "One of the things I want to do is make sure that . . . you are able to weatherize your home or make your business more fuel efficient." (Read the full debate transcript.)

This is not the first time a president or a candidate for that office trumpeted energy efficiency. President Jimmy Carter famously wore a beige cardigan during a 1977 fireside chat in which he talked to the American public about the country's energy crisis. Carter's wardrobe choice is remembered more than his message, made explicit in his 1979 Crisis of Confidence speech, in which he warned: "The energy crisis is real. It is worldwide. It is a clear and present danger to our nation."

In today's world, weatherization should remain relevant beyond Election Day. With that, we've pulled together steps you can take to weatherize your home, helping you to save yourself money and reduce your energy use. If your more motivated by money than by patriotism, note that on average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 32 percent and overall energy bills by $358 per year at current prices, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Plug the big leaks first. Start in the basement and attic and seal any gaps around your plumbing pipes, ductwork, light fixtures, and electric wiring that allow air to flow out of your house. Also seal around your chimney and flue pipes, being sure to use products suitable for high temperatures. Lay insulation between attic-floor joists and on the hatch or door, or add more if it's already there. Also look for dirty insulation, a sign of air movement that reveals other gaps you must fill. Insulate ducts running through the attic, basement, or other unheated spaces.

Stop air infiltration. Insulate the ceilings in an unheated basement or crawl space or around the exterior walls if they are heated. Also be sure to insulate ducts and hot-water pipes.

Program thermostats for savings. Lower your heating-system thermostat 5° F at night and 10° F during the day if no one is home, a move that will shave up to 20 percent off your heating costs. Many electronic setback thermostats let you set a different schedule for each day. Many automatically switch from heating to cooling, and some tell you when it's time to change your furnace or air-conditioner filters. (Read more about air purifiers.)

Decades later, concerns about U.S. drinking water still exist

In 1974, Consumer Reports published a three-part series titled "Is the Water Safe to Drink?" The first installment was an indictment of the country's many contaminated water supplies; parts two and three discussed potential remedies. At the community level, Consumer Reports called for a rapid improvement of water-processing facilities. For individual households, the investigation identified two potential solutions: bottled water and home filters. (Download the three PDFs at the bottom of this post to read the series.)

Thirty-four years later, cleaning up the nation's water supplies remains a work in progress. In many states, at least 10 percent of the community water systems reported health-based violations last year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Drinking Water and Ground Water Statistics for 2007. (Nebraska had the highest level of systems with violations: 24 percent.)

Another hot-button issue related to drinking water is bottled water. Bottled water has become hugely popular among U.S. consumers in recent years and is a cash cow for its purveyors. But there's been a backlash against the consumption of bottled water because of the billions of plastic and glass containers created annually by this trend (see our Buzzword on precycling), not to mention questions about the quality and sources of the water in all those bottles.

Manufacturers of home-use water filters likely see an opportunity in the debate, hoping that consumers will abandon bottled water and use water filters instead. Indeed, during the last week of September, I attended a press event in New York City hosted by Zero Technologies, maker of the Z-Pitcher and Z-Bottle (shown). We haven't tested these products, which use five-stage ion-exchange filters and are designed not to clog, claims the manufacturer.

For the "(How) Can We Go Back to Tap?" event, Zero Technologies assembled a panel that included Andrea Beaman, a holistic-health counselor and natural-foods chef; Laura Jana, M.D., a pediatrician who advocates against soda—and, hence, for water; Alex Matthiessen, president of Riverkeeper, an environmental group that works to protect the Hudson River; and Elizabeth Royte, author of Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It.

The consensus among panel members was that tap water is better than bottled water for the environment, noting that your tap water could be contaminated, so you should filter it. (Recognizing the potential negative environmental impact of spent filters, Zero Technologies has implemented a recycling program in which consumers who return their used filters to the company will get a discount on replacements.)

In our latest test of water-filtration systems, we reviewed  carafe, faucet-mounted, countertop, undersink, reverse-osmosis, and whole-house models. Read our report for all the details, including buying advice and ratings of more than two dozen models (available to subscribers).—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: If you're concerned about the quality of the water in your area, check out your Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR. Learn how to obtain your CCR and understand the information in it by reading "Deciphering Your Water Report."

Download Is_the_water_safe_to_drink_part_1.pdf

Download Is_the_water_safe_to_drink_part_2.pdf

Download Is_the_water_safe_to_drink_part_3.pdf

How safe is your drinking water?

Nine states recently filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over a rule the federal agency published in June that, according to an October 2, 2008, report from the Associated Press, "exempts the discharge of pollutants in 'transfer waters' from permitting requirements." The states say the ruling could contaminate supplies of drinking water and harm fisheries.

Reading the rest of the story might raise concerns about how safe your drinking water is. If bottled water is not an option for you—be it for financial or environmental reasons—you might consider getting a carafe, faucet-mounted, countertop, undersink, reverse-osmosis, or whole-house type water filter.

Learn more about drinking water in our review of water filters, find out how to decipher the water-quality report you get from your water company, and refer to our Ratings of more than two dozen models (available to subscribers).

And be sure to watch this video of Home Editor Bob Markovich's recent appearance with Harry Smith on CBS' The Morning Show, during which they discussed drinking water and water filters.

 

EPA sets lower emissions regulations for mowers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently updated its regulations for emissions from "small spark-ignition engines"—that is, your lawn mower or tractor and other outdoor power equipment.

As with earlier phases of these regulations (see chart, below), the latest guidelines, Phase 3, further reduce levels of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, contributors to ground-level ozone and smog, from the exhaust of gas-powered mowers, tractors, and other handheld outdoor gear, including generators. (It also affects in- and outboard engines and other marine equipment.) For the first time since 1997, when the first phase of emissions regulations took effect, the new regulations also limit hydrocarbons that evaporate from the tank, hoses, and other components when the equipment is off.

The new regulations take effect in 2011 for tractors and other riding models and in 2012 for mowers. Eighty percent of Class I (walk-behind mowers) and nearly 70 percent of Class II (riding mowers) engine families from the leading manufacturers would have to be redesigned to be compliant, according to EPA documents. Engine manufacturers won't necessarily have to bring every engine down to the new levels, but the weighted averages of the company's line in a given year will need to comply.

"From an exhaust standpoint, these standards are the most stringent, and probably the most technically difficult, to deal with so far," says Tom Savage, senior vice president of engineering at Briggs & Stratton, which sells engines and also lawn equipment under Simplicity, Snapper, and other lines.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently revamped its own emissions standards for walk-behind mowers built as of model-year 2007 and ride-on mowers starting in model-year 2008; the EPA's Phase 3 standards for Class I and II engines are similar to CARB's.

The EPA estimates that the price of a typical walk-behind mower could rise by $15 to $28 in the near term, though CARB's own estimates are roughly double. The price of riding models, says the EPA, could rise by $50 to nearly $100. The price hikes could be tied into catalytic converters, which the federal government has required on cars and light trucks since the 1970s. Some mower and tractor manufacturers might use catalytic converters to comply with the new regulations.

Mowers and tractors built under the new EPA regulations should use less gas, possibly offsetting the price increase, says Kris Kiser, senior vice president of public affairs for the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, a manufacturer trade group. "There will be some gasoline cost savings over the life of the product," he says. You'll need to follow the recommended maintenance for your yard gear to maximize fuel savings.

Some have objected to the EPA ruling, noting that catalytic converters run hot enough to pose a threat of fire when the engine is used in dry, heavy growth or near lawn debris. The EPA, however, says that the new standards should not pose any additional threat of fire or injury and that compliance with the standards could even reduce the risk to consumers.—Ed Perratore

Essential information: Learn more about the different types of mowers, mowing safety, emissions, and robotic mowers and electric mowers. When you're ready to buy, read our latest mowers review, and refer to our ratings of push and self-propelled mowers and tractors (available to subscribers).
                                                    

		Effective model year	Hydrocarbons + nitrogen oxides (g/kW-hr)	Nonmethane hydrocarbons+ nitrogen oxides (g/kW-hr) [1]	Carbon monoxide (g/kW-hr)	Expected reduction in hydrocarbons (%)
Phase 1	Mowers	1997	16.1	--	519	32
	Tractors	1997	13.4	--
Phase 2	Mowers	2007	16.1	14.8	610	59
	Tractors	2001-2005	12.1	11.3
Phase 3	Mowers	2012	10	14.8	610	34
	Tractors	2011	8	11.3

[1] For products fueled by natural gas

		Effective model year	Hydrocarbons + nitrogen oxides (g/kW-hr)	Nonmethane hydrocarbons+ nitrogen oxides (g/kW-hr) [1]	Carbon monoxide (g/kW-hr)	Expected reduction in hydrocarbons (%)
Phase 1	Mowers	1997	16.1	--	519	32
	Tractors	1997	13.4	--
Phase 2	Mowers	2007	16.1	14.8	610	59
	Tractors	2001-2005	12.1	11.3
Phase 3	Mowers	2012	10	14.8	610	34
	Tractors	2011	8	11.3

		Effective model year	Hydrocarbons + nitrogen oxides (g/kW-hr)	Nonmethane hydrocarbons+ nitrogen oxides (g/kW-hr) [1]	Carbon monoxide (g/kW-hr)	Expected reduction in hydrocarbons (%)
Phase 1	Mowers	1997	16.1	--	519	32
	Tractors	1997	13.4	--
Phase 2	Mowers	2007	16.1	14.8	610	59
	Tractors	2001-2005	12.1	11.3
Phase 3	Mowers	2012	10	14.8	610	34
	Tractors	2011	8	11.3

It's Change a Light Day. Install some CFLs

A simple, inexpensive way to save money and energy at home is to replace incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. A good day to start your bulb-swapping if you haven't already is today, national Change a Light Day.

If every American household were to replace a single incandescent bulb with an Energy Star-qualified CFL, the energy saved would light more than three million homes for a year and reduce annual energy costs by $600 million, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Don't buy just any bulb—there are performance differences among CFLs, so our experts recommend using only Energy Star-qualified bulbs. And as we reported in this story about the myths and realities associated with these bulbs, today's Energy Star CFLs are much better than earlier versions, as manufacturers have addressed the problems of harsh light, flickering, and slow warm-up times. Even the mercury content has been significantly reduced.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Proper recycling of CFLs is important. Learn about Home Depot's nationwide CFL-recycling program. And find out who invented the CFL. No, it wasn't Thomas Edison.

10 Questions for . . . Marianne Cusato

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Marianne Cusato, author, architect, and number four on Builder magazine's "Power on 50" list of the housing industry's most influential people. Cusato talks about the rise of the McMansion, what makes a great neighborhood, and why the green movement still has room to grow, and gives her opinion on "no-maintenance materials.

When did the McMansion era begin?
It all started in the 1980s. McMansions were a natural reaction to other bad architecture: cookie-cutter homes. Someone came in and said, "These houses are ugly. What can we do?" And the answer was, "Let's add this, let's add that, let's make them bigger." Little by little the houses kept growing and growing. There was an "I see your gable and raise you two" attitude. At the same time money and gas were really, really cheap. So it was easy to expand outward.

It's not just the architecture then. It's also the location?
The issue is that the farther out homes get from stores and other amenities, the more we depend on the home to meet all of our daily needs. We used to be able to meet our needs with a 5-minute walk, then a 5-minute drive, now it's a 45-minute drive. That means if you want to watch a movie, you need a media room. A developer in Texas told me recently that he can't sell a home without a room called the "hair salon."

But aren't developers just giving people what they want?
Everybody is responsible. Everybody is held hostage by what they think everybody else wants. I'll have this conversation with a builder, and he'll say, "I agree with you, but I can't sell it." This is why the McMansion movement got so big. It happened a little bit at a time, and nobody stepped in and stopped it. It's taken a major intervention—that being the cost of oil and the mortgage crisis—to shake everything up to a point where we come in and say, "Actually there's another way to build and it's more efficient."

What role can home buyers play?
The key piece of the puzzle is telling home buyers that they can have something other than the default setting. An educated homeowner walking into the builder and saying "I will buy something other than what you are offering" is the key to releasing this endless cycle.

You use the term streetscape in your book The Value of Design. What do you mean by streetscape?
It's the feeling of an outdoor room. When you walk out your front door, you should feel like you're in a place, not just a space. The front door in many American homes is just a giant garage door. A street of garage doors is usually quite wide and is not designed for pedestrians to share. I fully acknowledge that the vehicle is an essential part of our society, but it's not more essential than the people who drive it. What we've done is turned the design of our streets and our homes into 100 percent vehicle-dominated areas.

Is this where the term "snout house" comes in?
Yes, a snout house is a house that looks like a pig. It has a big nose out there—the garage—and nothing else. Who lives in this house: a person or a car? A front-loaded garage is perfectly fine, but make it a secondary element that's attached to one side of the house. Push the garage back a little and you'll even have room for parking. You can avoid a snout house by making the portion of the house that people live in more important than the portion of the house where the car lives.

If people only remember one of your eight components of a valuable home, what should it be?
Common sense. For example, using materials according to their physical properties. Brick and stone are both load-bearing materials, which means historically they supported their own weight. So you wouldn't have vertical strips of either of those materials going up high into a gable surrounded on both sides by siding. Avoid materials that make the house look like a patchwork quilt and design elements that look like they could take flight off the building—enormous gables, three-story entrances, etc. All of this adds unnecessary cost to the home and actually detracts from the value. Real value comes from elements that make sense, like windows on the side of the house that allow cross ventilation, making the home more comfortable and efficient to heat and cool. (Download Cusato's eight_components of a valuable home.pdf)

Shower Cleaners: Powders prevail; one green cleaner shines

We recently pitted a dozen spray, powder, and aerosol shower cleaners against each other to find out which are the best at removing deep-seated soap scum, rust stains, and mildew from shower tiles. See the results you'll see in the video (right) and in our report.

In our tests, powder cleaners like Comet and Ajax proved the most effective (and cost the least). Aerosol cleaners didn't work as well and, despite the no-rinsing-needed claims on their labels, left streaks. There's still no substitute for elbow grease. If you're looking for a green cleaner, Clorox Green Works compared favorably to the all of the cleaners. For more details, see our ratings of shower cleaners, available to subscribers.—Gian Trotta

Essential information: Find out which showerheads provided the most effective, relaxing sprays and join in the spirited debate that ensued from our recent "Shower vs. Bath: Which Uses More Water?" blog posting.

Buzzword: Smart Grid

What it means. Grid is a basic term when it comes to providing electricity to end users, be they homeowners, schools, factories, hospitals, or office buildings. It refers to the infrastructure that delivers electricity from the point of generation to the consumer. Grids consist of a transmission system, which moves electricity from power plants to substations, and a distribution system, which sends it along to the users.

A smart grid uses the same basic infrastructure but overlays it with modern technology. Smart grids are supposed to offer several advantages over traditional versions. They are self-monitoring, meaning they can identify overloads in the system and prevent blackouts; are more secure against human attacks and natural disasters; give users real-time information about their consumption, paving the way for variable pricing, smart appliances, and more efficient usage (leading, in turn, to lower utility bills); and are compatible with sources of green power.

Why the buzz? The gains of smart-grid technology are many, but until recently they've also been mostly theoretical—even after Title XIII of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 called for the construction of a 21st-century electric system. But earlier this year, Xcel Energy announced that it had tapped Boulder, Colorado, to be the first Smart Grid city in this country. Besides being manageable in size, the 100,000-person city sits near several key research institutes and is home to what one Xcel rep termed early adopters, folks who aren't afraid to try something new. (Would that make them alpha geeks?) The announcement was big news for Boulder.

"We're very excited to be a partner," said Jonathan Koehn, the city's environmental-affairs manager. "It promises to be a great demonstration of what smart grids can do to benefit consumers and utility companies."

The project will unfold in phases over the next few years. Two substations have been upgraded with smart technology, and by the end of the year, 15,000 Boulderites will be equipped with smart meters that allow them to monitor their power usage online. The meters are free to anyone who opts into the program, with Xcel and its SmartGridCity partners picking up the tab.

As smart grids spread throughout the country, figuring out who should pay for the smart meters has become a source of debate. Frederick Butler, commissioner of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and cochair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners-Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Smart Grid Collaborative, puts the cost of a meter at $100 to $200, though that price is expected to fall as the technology matures. "It's a work in progress," says Butler. "The smart grid really has potential, so we want to deploy it in a way that doesn't turn people off, but rather gets them excited."

Central to the discussion is determining who benefits from smart grids: utility companies or customers. "Once we fully identify the benefits, we can assign an appropriate cost allocation," says Butler. Any costs covered by consumers will likely be in the form of a surcharge on their bills for a year or two. But not in Boulder, where early adoption has its perks.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Read more about smart meters and check out our Energy-Saving Guide for tips on cutting energy use at home.

Don't shop by the label alone

Appliances and other items that qualify for the federal government's Energy Star program use less energy than other products in their category. An Energy Star-qualified refrigerator, for example, uses at least 20 percent less energy than the maximum amount allowed under the current federal standards.

But in an interesting twist, Energy Star qualification could lead some people to buy a product that uses more energy than one that doesn't. How's that?

A look at snack foods can help explain this conundrum. In recent years, health experts have warned consumers against ignoring the serving sizes of low-fat snack foods, as noted in a study from Cornell University. It turns out that some folks tend to wolf down more of a food labeled low-fat and end up eating as many as or more calories than they otherwise would have. A similar thing happens when people buy a more power-hungry product just because it carries the Energy Star sticker.

"Energy Star, in some cases, can be somewhat misleading for consumers and can even lead to a perverse incentive for people to purchase larger and more energy-consumptive products," says Jennifer Thorne Amann, director of the buildings program for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes energy efficiency. "By buying on Energy Star alone, some people are actually costing themselves a lot—not only by buying a more expensive product but also by spending much more to operate it."

Consider the 48-inch GE Profile PSB48LSRBV built-in side-by-side and the 327/8-inch GE GTS22ISSRSS top-freezer. The $6,950 side-by-side uses 645 kWh annually and is Energy Star qualified while the $1,179 top-freezer uses about 18 percent less energy but does not qualify for Energy Star because it uses more energy than the most efficient top-freezers with similar capacity.

We're not suggesting that these are apples-to-apples comparisons—consumers who prefer the above side-by-side should buy it, knowing that it is among the most efficient built-in side-by-sides on the market. But you don't want to shop based on Energy Star qualification alone since it does not guarantee absolute energy savings.

You'll also need to use the information on the Federal Trade Commission's EnergyGuide label (shown) for the products you're considering and compare their annual energy use. (Before you shop, refer to your monthly utility bill to see how much you pay for electricity and/or gas. That cost will help you determine the annual operating cost of an appliance or other product.) 

And don't forget to do your research on ConsumerReports.org before you head to the store. Not only will you get valuable buying advice, including ratings and brand repair history, but for many products you'll also find our efficiency ratings, which we believe better reflect how you use the products you buy and how much they'll cost you each year. Armed with this information, you'll make wiser choices all around.—Ed Perratore

Home-heating costs projected to rise this winter

While you might be relieved to see prices at the pump drop in recent weeks, your energy-cost euphoria will likely be short-lived.

Not to be a bummer, but home-heating bills are expected to soar during the 2008-2009 heating season, which runs from October 1 to March 31. The average American household will pay $1,182, up 19.8 percent from last year, according to the Energy Information Administration. That's a 65 percent increase from 2003-2004, says the EIA. (All figures here are from the EIA, which revises them every month. You'll find updated information on the EIA site.) It's no wonder one of the most common searches on ConsumerReports.org is for wood- and pellet-burning stoves.

Some regions will be harder hit than others:

People who live in the Northeast and heat with oil are facing the biggest price increase—they'll pay on average $2,725 this winter, up 37.1 percent over 2007-2008. The national average price for heating with oil has grown more than 198 percent from 2003-2004 to 2008-2009.

Southerners who heat with propane will pay on average $1,578, an 18.7 percent increase over 2003-2004. The national average price for heating with propane has soared just over 100 percent from 2003-2004 to 2008-2009.

Residents of the West who heat with gas will pay on average $684, the lowest regional cost in the country. Nonetheless, that's a 23.8 percent increase, even with the stepped-up production of natural gas. The national average price for heating with natural gas has climbed almost 61 percent from 2003-2004 to 2008-2009.

And Midwesterners who heat with electricity will see the smallest hike. It will cost them on average $1,051 to heat their homes, a 4.7 percent climb. The national average price for heating with electricity is up almost 34 percent from 2003-2004 to 2008-2009.

Regardless of where you live or what type of fuel you use, get your heating system checked before the cold weather comes. It's also a good idea to insulate the attic, install a programmable thermostat, and seal leaks and cracks throughout your home. Read more about keeping your energy costs down in "Heating: Stay Warm Without Getting Fleeced."—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Learn more about energy efficiency by reading our "Save Energy, Save Money" feature in the October 2008 Consumer Reports. The issue also contains a review of tankless water heaters, an update on our testing of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and an investigative piece on the federal government's Energy Star program. Finally, learn about heating safety.

EPA finds fault with Consumer Reports Energy Star article

As energy prices continue to rise in this country, it's no wonder that American consumers are shopping for more efficient cars, appliances, and other products.

At Consumer Reports, we h