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.

Q&A: Which type of pricing plan should I choose for the natural gas I use at my home?

I'd like to try to save money on my natural-gas bill this winter. Can I lock in a price for the season?

You can, but only if locking in a price is an option where you live. If you're in a state where utility companies handle both the supply and the delivery of natural gas, you can't lock in a price since utilities may offer only variable-rate plans, in which you pay the current market price.

But if you live in a state in which the supply and the delivery have been unbundled, you can shop around for the lowest price from natural-gas suppliers, aka marketers.

To determine whether this "customer choice" is available where you live, check the Natural Gas Residential Choice Programs map from the Energy Information Administration or go to the Web site of the public-service or public-utility commission in your state, which might include a list of reputable marketers.

Marketers offer a range of pricing options, including fixed-rate plans, in which you lock in the price for the life of your contract; variable-rate plans; and capped-variable-rate plans, in which the price floats with the market but not above a set limit. Marketers might also offer deal sweeteners to get you to sign on with them, such as 10 percent off your highest gas-use month or a $75 debit card.

"Fixed-rate plans are for the risk averse," says Steven J. Maslak, president and CEO of Gateway Energy Services, a natural-gas marketer with 300,000 customers in eight states. Yes, you'll lose out if the price drops, but, says Maslak, "you'll be singing hallelujah if a hurricane hits the Gulf of Mexico" and prices start to climb. A colder-than-expected winter or geopolitical unrest somewhere in the world could also drive prices up suddenly. (The chart, from GES, shows the recent price drop for natural gas.)

The EIA's recent projection that average U.S. consumers who heat with natural gas will pay 12 percent less this year than they did last winter might tempt you to lock in the price with a fixed-rate plan. But, remember, the EIA's projections, which are relative to the previous year, can change. For example, in September 2008 the EIA projected a 20 percent increase in winter-heating bills. By December 2008, the EIA had projected a 2 percent decrease. So opt for a variable-rate plan if you don't mind rolling the dice and dealing with prices that fluctuate monthly.

That element of uncertainty might make the capped-variable-rate option a good middle ground. You benefit from falling prices without taking too big a hit if the cost of natural gas goes up.

Whichever way you go, consider a budget-payment option, which levels payments over 12 months and eliminates wintertime spikes. You can also save yourself some money by reading the fine print before signing a contract. For example, marketers usually charge an early-termination fee on a fixed-rate plan, so make sure you understand the terms and verify that the termination fee isn't exorbitant ($200 is average).

Also, check that the price you agree to is "to the burner tip." That means it includes any pipeline, storage, and other ancillary charges that an unscrupulous marketer might try to tack on to the price of the actual fuel.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: The best way to save on winter heating costs is to make your home as efficient as possible. Start by installing a programmable thermostat and following our advice for buttoning up your home. For more information on energy pricing, read "How to Buy Green Electricity." Stay on top of the latest news surrounding the cash for clunkers for appliances program.

Q&A: Should we replace our old refrigerator?

We recently moved, and our refrigerator seems a dinosaur. Will we save money by replacing it with a comparably sized new model?

As we covered in "Cash for Clunkers Moves to Appliances. Money Back for Your Old Kelvinator?" now might be a good time to buy a new refrigerator and take advantage of the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. (Read our survey-based report to find the best places to buy appliances.)

With their better compressors, improved insulation, and precise controls and defrost mechanisms, today's refrigerators typically use about a quarter of the energy of similar models built in the 1970s. What's more, motor wear, dirty coils, leaky gaskets, and other issues make refrigerators less efficient over time. While proper maintenance can extend the life and efficiency of your refrigerators, if yours is more than 10 years old, chances are you'll save by upgrading to a more energy-efficient model.
Use the Energy Star program's Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator to get an estimate of how much you can save by replacing an old model with a new one. You'll need to do some legwork to get a more-detailed comparison.

To find out how much energy your current refrigerator uses, check the nameplate, usually located on an interior surface of the refrigerator, say on a door frame. The nameplate will probably list the model number and a manufacturing date. Note that for some brands the date is encoded into the serial number. (For GE appliances, for instance, if the second letter is Z, the refrigerator was made in 2000, 1988, or 1976. The GE Web site has details.)

Once you have the model number and manufacturing date, check the manufacturer's site or do a Web search. After Googling "1989 Sub-Zero 561," one Consumer Reports editor with that built-in found a site with spec sheets for his model. The 20-year-old appliances uses 795 kilowatt hours. A comparable new Sub-Zero 36-inch side-by-side uses 602 kWh.

Otherwise, use an energy monitor, or watt meter, to determine how much energy your refrigerator consumes each day. These devices cost $25 to $100, although you might be able to borrow one from a friend or even your local library.

To compare they energy use of your current model to that of new models you're considering, refer to the EnergyGuide label, which you'll seen in stores and often on manufacturer and retailer sites.

Once you've selected a new model, you can donate your old working one or properly dispose of it. Many retailers offer free haul-away of old appliances, so ask about removal at the store. To find out how to get rid of a major appliance, go to Earth911.com or contact your municipal public-works department. For more details on recycling, go to to this page at EnergyStar.gov.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our refrigerator buyer's guide, which provide shopping tips and ratings and brand-repair history (available to subscribers) of dozens of models.

Q&A: How can I tell a water-based paint from an oil-based one?

I've read that water-based paints are easier to clean up than oil-based finishes. How do I know whether I'm buying a water-based or an oil-based paint?

About 80 percent of paint sold today is water-based; the rest is oil-based. Oil-based paint is considered more hazardous than water-based paint because the solvents used to make it are toxic and flammable. Note that you can recycle both types.

Water-based paint often has the word "latex" as part of the product name. Ingredients include water and ethylene or propylene glycol. Water is indicated for cleanup.

Oil-based paint often has the word "alkyd" as part of the product name, and the label will indicate "caution" and "flammable" or "combustible." Ingredients include petroleum distillates or mineral spirits. Cleanup method indicates the use of paint thinner, mineral spirits, or turpentine.

Essential information: Fall is a great time to tackle interior-painting projects. If you're painting rooms inside your home, read our latest report on interior paints (article and ratings available to subscribers) and visit our paints page for details on specialty paints, tools you'll need for your project, and tips on avoiding common painting mistakes.

Q&A: How frequently do I need to reseal my granite kitchen countertops?

My contractor told me I should reseal my granite countertops periodically to protect them from stains. How do I know when it's time to reseal them?

Granite, limestone, and marble countertops are all different, so check with the fabricator to see what the recommended time period for resealing is. But if your kitchen countertops get a lot of use, the general rule of thumb is to reseal them every six months, according to Andy Graves, of the Fabricator Network trade group. Graves suggests you do a water-absorption test to get an idea of how fast water is penetrating the stone and whether the counters need resealing.

To test, put a few drops of water on the stone in high-use areas, such as around the sink and range or cooktop, and let the water stand for 15 minutes. The water should bead up. If it doesn't, it's time to get the granite resealed.

You can also use this test on butcher block and other wood countertops that have an oil finish. You do not need to reseal a wood counter with a polyurethane finish, however when this finish is worn or damaged, repair or refinish it.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Read our latest report on countertops and check out the ratings (available to subscribers) to find the best material for your home. If you're remodeling our kitchen, use our updated Kitchen-Planning Guide.

Q&A: Is cooking with nonstick pans bad for your health?

I've read reports that say cooking with some nonstick cookware can make you sick. Is that true?

There are some concerns with nonstick coatings. Cooking with nonstick cookware at very high temperatures can break down the nonstick coating, emitting fumes that can kill pet birds and possibly cause flulike symptoms in humans.

Another chemical you might have read about related to nonstick coatings is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), used in making nonstick coating for cookware and many other products, including packaging materials and stain-resistant coatings. This chemical and the family of other perfluorinated compounds have been linked to cancer and birth defects in studies with laboratory animals and might pose a risk in humans.

Some perfluorinated compounds have been found to be accumulating in human blood, but our past tests suggest nonstick cookware is not likely to be a significant source of exposure. Working with an outside lab to learn how much PFOA is emitted during cooking, we found that when new nonstick pans were heated to 400°F—below the manufacturers' recommended maximum of 500°F—tested air samples collected above the pans contained very little PFOA. The highest level was around 100 times lower than published animal studies suggest are levels of concern for ongoing exposure. When we tested aged pans, the emissions were barely measurable.

Health concerns have led to what manufacturers claim is PFOA-free nonstick cookware. For our latest report on cookware, we tested several products marketed as PFOA-free, including the 10-piece Swiss Diamond Reinforced cookware, $500, and the 10-piece Earth Pan With Sand Flow, $190, both of which scored highly in the ratings.

To minimize exposure to any chemicals that might be released from nonstick cookware, ventilate your kitchen well, and to extend the useful life of your pots and pans, don't place empty cookware over very high heat. And as soon as your pans begin to flake, dispose of them.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Check out our free buyer's guide to cookware and the latest cookware ratings (available to subscribers). And if you're concerned about other chemicals that might be lurking in products you buy, read "Toxins in the News: A Glossary," from the Consumer Reports Safety blog.

Q&A: How do I recycle my old cookware?

I just bought a new set of cookware. What's the best way to get rid of my old pots and pans?

Selecting the right cookware is easy, but getting rid of an old set, especially a 10-piece ensemble, isn't so obvious. You can donate usable pots and pans to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or list them on Freecycle. If the cookware is unusable, contact your municipal department of public works to ask about recycling.

Now, if you buy Calphalon's new Unison cookware, you can send your old set, no matter its condition or manufacturer, to Calphalon for free recycling. You pack your old set in a box that comes with your new cookware, attach the prepaid mailing label, and drop it off at a FedEx location.

Calphalon will take nonstick and uncoated cookware. (Glass and plastic items are not accepted.) After sorting, the pots and pans are sent to a company that processes the metal for reuse. 

Among other corporate recyclers, some Walmart stores collect used auto batteries, tires, and motor oil; Costco recycles electronic items; and Home Depot and Ikea take used compact fluorescent lightbulbs.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our latest ratings of cookware (available to subscribers), which covers nonstick, uncoated, and green cookware.

Q&A: Should I buy a stand mixer based on its wattage?

I've read that more watts are better. Is that true, or am I just wasting my money?

Don't buy a stand mixer based on wattage. It’s usually the power used, not produced. A stand mixer with high wattage may be powerful or may just operate inefficiently. But be sure to check the warranty as they vary. Also consider:

• Examining the mixer before buying. Look at the proportion of the beaters to the bowl. If the bowl holds 7 quarts but the top of the beaters only reach half way up the bowl, then the true capacity of the bowl is about 3.5 quarts. This is especially important if you frequently work with lots of flour

• Buying an extra bowl, for around $50, if you make two-step recipes so you won't have to scrape and rinse between steps.

• Checking Websites for rebate information. KitchenAid is offering $40 back on select 5- or 6-quart stand mixers (the KitchenAid Classic K45 has repeatedly been our top-rated model).

Most of the tested models have one beater that spins in one direction and moves around the bowl in the opposite way. The bottom-rated stand mixers have two beaters that spin against each other, just like a hand mixer.

While these models were the least expensive, they were also mediocre or worse at mashing potatoes, mixing cookie dough, and kneading bread. We also found that two hand mixers—the KitchenAid Ultra Power 5 KHM5DH[WH] and Braun Multi Mix 4-in-1 M880—did well at mixing dough when fitted with their dough hooks.

How do you get the most from your stand or hand mixer? Share your tips here.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check our free buying advice and stand and hand mixer ratings (available to subscribers).  

Q&A: When should I replace a carbon-monoxide alarm?

I've heard that carbon-monoxide alarms fail after seven years. Is that true?

Most carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms are backed by a five- to seven-year warranty, but they typically emit a chirping or signal when they're nearing the end of their useful life. This signal differs from the one that indicates a low battery. If there's a problem with the unit, a model with a digital display will show an error message, and one without a digital display might flash LEDs in a particular pattern.

Remember, the test button on a CO alarm checks only whether the alarm is working, not the sensor. To check the sensor, use a test kit that you can purchase at a local home center.

Essential information: Read our buyer's guide to CO and smoke alarms for more information on these important safety devices, and view a quick interactive to determine which alarms are best for your home. We've also got a report on an intriguing study on the effectiveness of a voice recordings versus more traditional loud tone alarms in awakening children.

Q&A: How can I lower the level of radon in my home?

Long-term radon testing revealed that the radon level near our countertops is very low but the level in the basement is 3.6 picocuries per liter. Should I do anything to remediate the problem?

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in this country, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and your risk of lung cancer is especially high if you smoke and your the radon level in your home is elevated.

The EPA recommends remediating radon when the indoor-air level of radon is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. The EPA also says that radon levels below that can still pose a health risk and recommends that you consider remediation when the level is above 2 and under 4 pCi/L. The average indoor radon level is about 1.3 pCi/L, and for outside air its about 0.4 pCi/L.

Radon, a radioactive gas, results from the natural decay of uranium that's present in most soils and can enter the home through cracks and holes in the foundation. The radon level of your neighbors' homes isn't an indicator of the level in your home since levels can vary widely property by property. Read our report on radon test kits, which includes buying advice and ratings of short-term and long-term kits.

You can temporarily reduce radon levels by increasing ventilation—opening windows, doors, and vents in your basement. But once they're closed, the radon level usually returns to its previous level within about 12 hours. The EPA suggests hiring a qualified radon contractor to fix the problem. We advise against taking on this work on your own since you might increase the radon level or stir up other problems.

To find a certified radon-remediation contractor, consult the EPA's list of radon contact information for each state or the National Environmental Health Association or the National Radon Safety Board. Remediation will cost $800 to $2,500, depending on the radon-reduction system used and the characteristics of your home.

For advice on selecting a contractor, use this information from the EPA. Be sure to get several bids and check references.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Learn more about the issue of radon and granite countertops in our latest report on countertops and in this blog entry.