What's new on ConsumerReports.org: October 2009 home-related content

Tests that reveal the pros, cons and long-term costs of pellet-burning stoves and solar water heaters headline the new Energy Saving and Green Living Guide that we've published in tandem with these stories from our October 2009 issue. Among the key findings:

• Pellet stoves and solar water heaters. Our Alternative Energy overview reveals how both pellet-burning stoves and solar water heaters could reduce heating costs. But their high prices ($1,300 to $3,900 for pellet stoves; $2,200 to $6000 for solar water heaters, not including installation) and in the case of pellet stoves, higher operating costs (burning pellets is more costly and more polluting than burning natural gas) can lengthen payback times. Both also require upkeep and maintenance. Ratings of pellet stoves and an interim report our solar water heater testing are available to subscribers.

• Simple energy savings. Cut your Energy Bills lists more low-cost and cost-effective ways to reduce your utility bills, including specific tactics for heating and cooling, water consumption, and electricity use.
 
• Tracking federal incentives. See qualification criteria, installation costs, and annual monetary savings from the many energy-savings products and projects eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit. We also describe how energy audits (done by private firms or on your own with help from government Web sites) can spot home energy wasters.

• CFLs now offer savings and style. Choosing the right compact fluorescent lights is another great way to cut your electric bills. They've been showing up in more and more fixtures, and our ratings (available to subscribers) include models that will work in conventional lights and recessed and track lights, outdoor and flood lights and porch/post lights.

• Readers share mattress ratings. When it's lights out, tap into the wisdom of 17,444 Consumer Reports readers who shared their ratings of the best mattress brands and retailers.

• Vacuums for tough times. Our report on Vacuums rates the performance of both the high-powered high-end and low-priced (but still well performing) models that manufacturers are rolling out during this recession.

• Standout shower towers. Our tests of shower towers revealed three models that could provide an invigorating spray while staying within federal water-consumption regulations and avoiding surcharges imposed by some utilities for heavy water use.

• The scoop on a robotic gutter cleaner. We unleashed the iRobot Looj 155 robotic cleaner on some sections of leaf-clogged gutters and found its promise exceeded its performance. Subscribers can read the full report here.

• Snow blower problem. We found a Toro snow blower that lacks an essential safety feature and gave it our Don't Buy: Safety Alert rating. But safe and cost-effective blowers did abound in our new ratings of 17 models (available to subscribers).

• Green dishwasher detergents wash out. Our tests of three phosphate-free dishwasher detergents also proved disappointing, although you can find capable phosphate-free performers in our August 2009 review of dishwasher detergents.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Find our more about upcoming increases in federal incentives for energy-efficient appliances.

CES Product Previews: iRobot Looj, PlantSense EasyBloom

Michael DiLauro, a product-information specialist for Consumer Reports, attended the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Here's his report on a couple of noteworthy home gadgets he saw at the Digital Experience event on Wednesday, January 7. Note that we have not yet tested either of these products.

iRobot Gutter Cleaner
Manufacturer of robotic home vacuum cleaners, iRobot, introduced the second generation of the Looj, its robotic gutter cleaner (shown). The company says improvements over the previous model include a flexible auger, designed to clean better as it moves through gutter; a slower forward speed that's supposed to provide more thorough cleaning; and a faster reverse speed, intended to return the robot to you more quickly when the job is done. done. The new model is expected to be in stores this spring and sell for $130.

PlantSense EasyBloom
Gardening has gone high tech. One of the most interesting products at the Digital Experience was the EasyBloom from PlantSense. This sensor ($60) is supposed to save you money and produce better results by taking the guesswork out of gardening. You place the EasyBloom in the soil for 24 hours to measure soil conditions, light, and temperature of outdoor or indoor plants. Next, you plug the EasyBloom into your computer via USB; the device then correlates its readings with a plant database to determine what you should in grow in that spot. The database uses algorithms to match its 5,000-plant database with the collected data and the weather based on your ZIP code. The EasyBloom is also designed to monitor the heath of plants in your garden. You place the sensor in the ground near a plant for one watering cycle and then hook it up to your computer. The EasyBloom will produce care recommendations for the plant.

10 Questions for . . . Robert Lenney, Gutter Expert

In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Associate Editor Gian Trotta talks with Robert Lenney, a cofounder of California-based Gutterglove and a former certified arborist. In December 2007,  Lenney and partner John Lewis received a patent for their Gutterglove gutter-guard system, which uses a fine stainless-steel mesh stretched across anodized aluminum panels.

You've cleaned many gutters in your time. How should a homeowner start planning the task?
Always think about safety first; don't just go jump on the roof and start tossing out handfuls of gunk. Pick a day when it hasn't rained for a few days; if that's not possible, wait until midmorning, after the sun has dried out the roof.

Do you recommend any special clothing?
I recommend wearing durable pants like jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. Tuck your shirt into your pants—when you're up on a ladder or on a roof, balance is everything, and if a loose end of clothing catches on something, it can cause a fall. Tucking the bottom of your pants into your socks also protects against wasps crawling up your pants leg.

I certainly agree about the wasp hazard; I got stung on my last gutter-cleaning foray. What about gloves?
Leather rather than cotton or rubber gloves give better protection—there are a lot of sharp edges in a gutter. Also, you might encounter some very distasteful substances—pigeon droppings are a prime example—that can cause bacterial infections or leave a lingering smell on your hands. I also recommend some kind of eye protection, either goggles or safety glasses.

When it comes to ladder safety, what precautions do you observe?
There are some precautions to observe with all ladders. Try to set an extension ladder so about 3 feet of it extends above the roofline. While the ladder might feel secure when you step on it, there might be a gopher hole or loose soil under the leg and it could cave in as you climb up. So very lightly jump up and down a few times on the first rung to seat the ladder well before climbing up. If the ladder has a shelf, you can keep a five-gallon bucket on it, securing the bucket with a lanyard.

Inspect the ladder carefully to make sure it's working properly. Be sure the hinge arms on a stepladder and spring hooks on an extension ladder are fully locked. Check that the ladder's rungs and sides aren't  split or bent or loose and that screws and bolts are secure—ladders held together with rivets are usually better in this regard.

(Here are some additional guidelines from the experts at Consumer Reports: Ladders are categorized by weight ratings; we recommend that you get a heavy-duty type 1A. For gutters above 17 feet you should use a conventional extension ladder. Choose a fiberglass or wooden ladder where electricity is a factor, and remember that any ladder can conduct electricity when it’s wet. Extension ladders should be set up with the base 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet the ladder reaches up—that's 3 feet at the base for a 12-foot ladder, or roughly a 75-degree angle. For lower gutters, you can use a stepladder or multiuse ladder. No matter which ladder you have, always follow manufacturers directions for setup. For more ladder-safety advice, read our safety tips.) 

What other specialized tools should be used?
Don't use that heavy metal planter scoop from your garden kit or an old spatula. They can scratch steel gutters and give rust and opportunity to form. They can also damage the caulking used on seams of other types of metal gutters.

Those plastic orange gutter scoops sold in stores have one nice quality: Their tips are thin and flexible, so they conform to the contours of your particular gutter style. The downside is they're not as strong as a metal tool, so we go through a lot of them in a season. But the average homeowner should get a few years out of a scoop.

Of wasps and gutter guards

As evidenced by the comments to this September 2007 Q&A on fall cleanup, we receive lots of requests from readers to review gutter-guard systems. You'll be happy to know that we've added gutter guards to our list of products to test.

I've lusted after gutter guards, too, no time more strongly than when I recently hauled out my ladder to clean some debris from my gutters and the area under my elevated deck.

I had a willing helper in my 4-year-old daughter, Thea, who loves to work with me on household chores. But as soon as I propped the ladder onto my deck and rested it against the gutter, Thea let out a sharp cry; she'd been stung by a wasp. I carefully removed the stinger ASAP (some good advice I remembered from our summer-safety quiz) and dashed into the kitchen to mix a paste of baking soda and distilled vinegar to apply to the sting.

As I was searching for the wasp's lair, three of his cohorts dive-bombed me from above. I swatted away one, but two stung me on the chest. Fortunately, some of the baking soda-vinegar mixture was left over. Having had enough of these stinging pests, I ushered Thea inside and donned my sailing anorak, drew the hood and the face mask tight, slipped on some work gloves, and got back to cleaning the gutters—very carefully.

You see, several years ago while cleaning a friend's gutters, I put my hand directly into a wasp nest and got stung on four fingers; it felt as if a lit cigarette was being applied to each one.

So like you, I'm awaiting our tests of gutter guards. I know I'm not the only weekend warrior to suffer injuries—read more in this blog entry—but as they say, once bitten, er, stung, twice shy.—Gian Trotta

Essential information: It's not too late to check out our Guide to Summer Health & Safety, including a review of the best insect repellents.

JANUARY 2009 UPDATE: We will be testing gutter systems for a report that we expect to publish in the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports.