ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 20, 1997 TAG: 9704220118
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: cut your utility bills
SOURCE: JAMES DULLEY
Q: I have seen so many skylight designs at home centers; what are the newest features and what is best?
A: Adding a skylight reduces the need for electric lights while providing summer ventilation and free solar heat in the winter. New low-profile frames provide more glass area, yet still fit neatly between the rafters.
There are many new skylight designs, shapes and features that make them more attractive, efficient and durable. Pyramid, round and multifaceted shapes are unique. By building a simple lightwell from the roof to the ceiling, a skylight can easily be installed in a room with an attic above it.
Although a venting skylight costs about 25 percent more than a fixed design, it is your best option overall. If your budget is very tight, select a fixed design with just a venting edge (only $30 more). A narrow vent is located under the top frame edge. It can be opened even in the rain without leaks.
With hand-held remote controls, new skylights are as easy to operate as TV's. The control operates a small motor to open or close the skylight, shades or mini-venetian blinds below it. Install a rain sensor to automatically close it if it storms while you are away from home.
One new skylight design doubles as a balcony. On steeply pitched roofs, like on a remodeled attic, upper and lower skylight sections pivot out. The lower half is positioned near the floor and it becomes the balcony with a railing. The upper half pivots out from the top and covers it.
Another unique venting skylight opens by sliding back over the roof in tracks. When it is opened, there is a totally unobstructed screened view of the sky. Other designs pivot in the center for easy cleaning from indoors.
For a buyer's guide write to James Dulley, The Roanoke Times, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. Ask for Update Bulletin No. 918. Please include $2 and a business size self-adressed stamped envelope. To rush delivery or read 150 previous columns - www.dulley.com
Q: Our water seems fine, but I'm concerned about hidden contaminants that may harm my children's physical and mental health. Should I have the water tested? What water purifiers are best and cheapest to run?
A: The water should be tested in every home. Heavy metals, like lead, are known to be especially harmful to children and pregnant women. Lead can leach into your water from your plumbing. Low levels of other chemicals, like nitrates, are fairly harmless to adults, but can be fatal to infants.
There are literally hundreds of other potentially harmful contaminants that may be in your water. Not long ago, thousands of families in the Milwaukee area were affected by parasites in the city water supply.
Simple tests for lead, performed by reputable labs, cost as little as $17. Most testing labs offer many standard water tests depending on your water source and any problems you are having - smell, taste, clarity, etc. Your local EPA office can give you advice on selecting a testing service.
Once you learn from the water tests which water contaminants you need to remove, you can determine the most effective water purifier to install. You may choose point-of-use (one faucet) or more expensive whole-house models.
There are several basic water purifier technologies - carbon, distiller, reverse osmosis (RO), ozone, deionization, ultraviolet light, etc. Many water purifiers on the market use various combinations of these technologies.
The costs to use these range from about 5 cents (large carbon filters) to 25 cents (distiller) per gallon of pure water. Base your selection on which type is most effective for removing the contaminants found in the tests.
The easiest units to install are countertop models. I use a small countertop distiller and an ozone purifier in my own kitchen. You just plug them in and they are ready to use. There are also some small portable models for camping and a purifier water bottle for bikers and runners.
A distiller produces very pure water and the boiling process kills bacteria and virus; however, it produces pure water slowly. Ultraviolet light and ozone purifiers also kill these microbes.
RO purifiers are very effective but some models may use extra water for processing. Deionization purifiers electrically charge the contaminates in the water so they stick to a special replaceable cartridge.
Carbon filters improve water's taste and smell. They also remove many carcinogenic organic chemicals. A block type removes more particles than a granular type. Most distillers and RO purifiers include small carbon elements.
For a buyer's guide of 22 water purifiers and water testing labs, types, features, prices and water problem/purifier selector charts, write to James Dulley, The Roanoke Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. Ask for Update Bulletin No. 423. Include $2 and a business-size self-addressed, stamped envelope.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: 2 illustrations.by CNB