Home sweet home show: Owners spend, save on latest products

by Valerie A. Russo
February 27, 2003

If you're having a bad stock day, you may want to head over to the New England Home Show at the World Trade Center in Boston.

You won't be alone. As home values increase 8 percent to 10 percent and many stocks tank, homeowners are investing in their homes for financial security.

‘‘They're spending a lot of money,'' said Rich Castiglione, manager of the home show, which is now in its 53rd year. ‘‘The home improvement industry does not seem to be affected by the poor economy.''

But homeowners are interested in saving, too, - whether it's time, space, energy, water, or money. The show, now in its 53rd year, offers tips for saving and includes more than 600 exhibits displaying the latest ideas in remodeling and redecorating. Lectures and demonstrations are held throughout the day on all aspects of home maintenance, including a talk Saturday and Sunday by Michael Payne, host of ‘‘Designing for the Sexes.''

Here are a half dozen products on display at the show that are designed to offer considerable savings of one kind or another.

SmartStorm Rainwater Recovery Systems

This summer, you can water your lawn and garden, wash your car and fill your swimming pool - even if a water ban is in effect in your community, say the makers of SmartStorm. And you can do it without drilling a well.

‘‘SmartStorm'' has been designed by the Charles River Watershed Association, a nonprofit company in Waltham established in 1965 to help protect the health, beauty and accessibility of the Charles River.

The watershed association has improved upon the concept of the old-fashioned rain barrel by designing a downspout that sends rainwater from your gutters into a 800-gallon tank that can be partially submerged in your back yard. Any excess water passes to a second tank, a dry well, and then goes into the ground water.

Since the first water coming off the roof might contain some contaminants, a device dumps the first 20 gallons per rainstorm on the ground, not into the tank.

‘‘SmartStorm keeps the rain water that collects in your gutters from ending up in the sewers and going into the rivers very quickly, often carrying a number of chemicals,'' said John Carney, an environmental scientist with Charles River Watershed Association.

The product was rolled out in a pilot program last year in Bellingham; it will be available to other homeowners in two to three months. A two-tank homeowner system costs $3,000 plus about $1,000 for installation. Larger systems are available for municipalities and developments. For more information, see the web site, www.charlesriver.org.

Roomba Intelligent FloorVac

If you thought only millionaires could afford to buy a house-cleaning robot, think again. For little more than the price of a human-propelled vacuum cleaner, you can get a Roomba that cleans the house while you're doing the rhumba, or something else.

The Roomba Intelligent FloorVac from iRobot uses navigation technology to automatically clean floor surfaces without human direction. The Frisbee-shaped device is powered by a rechargeable battery. Just press the button and Roomba goes to work, cleaning the floor in a spiral pattern. It has sensors that prevent it from bumping into walls or furniture and a self-adjusting head that adapts automatically when moving from wood to carpet. When it's done vacuuming the room, it stops.

‘‘I bought something similar at Brookstone, expecting that it wouldn't work and that I'd have to return it,'' said Ann Olin Bruni, a Bourne resident who attended the home show. ‘‘But I love it. It vacuums the whole floor by itself. It even goes under the beds.''

The Roomba Intelligent FloorVac sells for $199.95. For more information, see the web site, www.irobot.com.

Four Seasons Sunrooms

Most sun rooms are not used in the winter because they're difficult to heat - heat is lost through the glass. The Sandcastle Group in Marshfield, however, is able to build four-season sun rooms by using a patented multi-layered glass that deflects the infrared rays from the sun and retains the heat of the sun room's interior.

‘‘In the summer, if you don't air-condition the sun room, it will be hot. In the winter, if you don't heat it, it will be cold. But it won't be hot or cold because of our glass,'' said Maurice Campeau, design consultant for the company.

Four Seasons sun rooms cost $10,000 to $40,000, depending on size. For more information, see the web site, www.sunroom.net.

Cedar Impressions

Cedar shingles are beautiful, but they require maintenance. If you want the cedar look without the work, you might consider Cedar Impressions acrylic shingles.

‘‘It's our best-selling siding,'' said Barbara D'Amico, sales associate for Classic Exteriors in Braintree. ‘‘It's popular on Victorians because you can keep the details in the original trim. We also do a lot of work by the water because the product doesn't weather.''

For more information, call 781-848-3600.

Tessera Toilets

Need a small-space toilet that's big on European design? Consider the Tessera toilet system from Geberit. The tank is built into the wall, creating an extra 6 to 9 inches of leg room. And because the tank is insulated, the flush is quieter than floor-mounted models. The bowl measures 22 inches from front to back and can be adjusted to any height. At 1.6 gallons per flush, it's a water saver, too.

‘‘It's been the most popular toilet in Europe for 35 years,'' said Debbie Sevignor, owner of Salem Plumbing Supply Designer Bath in Beverly, a local distributor.

The Tessera toilet sells for about $700. For more information, see the web site, www.designerbath.com.

Phantom Screens

If the view from your ocean-front home is obscured by the screens on your windows or patio doors, you may want to replace them.

Phantom Screens, sold by Reliable Products in West Roxbury, are mounted on the door frame, rolling out of the way when you don't need them. They are made of aluminum with a baked enamel finish and can be custom-sized to fit any window or door. The price for a single opening is $375, including installation. For more information, see the web site, www.phantomscreens.com.

If you go

New England Home Show at theWorld Trade Center Boston, now through Sunday. Weekdays: 1 -9 p.m. Sat: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sun. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Admission: $9 adults, $3 children (age 6-12). Phone: 781-849-0990. Web site: www.newenglandhomeshows.com.

Copyright 2003 The Patriot Ledger