| 2007 Builders Show |
| Product Reviews |
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By Bob Gatton
I am not a home builder; my work involves the installation of technology in both new and existing homes. However, I went to the 2007 International Builders Show just to see what's going on with technology in the home-building industry in general. As it turns out, that's quite a lot! In addition, there were products that appealed to me because of things I've learned about since writing for HGTVPro.com for the last couple of years, as well as stuff that I liked because of my own personal interests. Here's a line-up of products that really stood out for me.
Sound Barriers from Acoustiblok
Acoustiblok
Want to reduce the amount of sound coming in from the outside, or going from your house to the neighbors, or from one room in your home to the rest of the house? Take a look at Acoustiblok. The company's main product is a very heavy — 1.1 PSF (pounds per square foot) — U.L.-approved, loaded vinyl sheeting, but it is only a little over a tenth of an inch thick. When properly installed behind the sheetrock on a 2 x 4 stud wall, it is a slightly better sound barrier than 12 inches of poured concrete. Install it under the carpet and behind the ceiling sheetrock and create your own bunker.
Acoustiblok
Ridgid SeeSnake Micro
Ridgid SeeSnake Micro
The SeeSnake Micro is a handheld 2.5-inch color display with a camera on the end of a three-foot flexible cable that allows you to see into areas that you normally couldn't. You can use it to see around corners, into wall cavities, ducts, pipes, etc. And you can add up to nine more three foot extensions, for a total of 30 feet. With those extensions properly attached, the camera even can be submerged in 10 feet of water. Systems with this type of capability have been available for several years, but are usually priced beyond the budgets of many. The Ridgid SeeSnake micro will be available this summer at Home Depot and through Ridgid distributors. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $239.00; extensions are $52.50 each.
Check out the website and my complete review. After you see it, you'll want it.
Ridgid
Concrobium Mold Control
Concrobium
I used to think that mold was just an unsightly nuisance that needed to be cleaned, but a couple of years ago a friend of mine had to leave the loft where she was living in because of the high concentration of mold spores. The mold was making her very ill, a few times to the extent of being hospitalized. My first thought was to go to her loft with several gallons of bleach and start wiping down the walls, but with a little research I discovered that bleach does not kill many kinds of mold and that bleach, like many other products that are often used to get rid of mold, can be as harmful as the mold. At the convention, I stopped by Concrobium's booth. Their odorless, non-toxic liquid Mold Control product encapsulates the mold spores, preventing their spread and growth. And Concrobium claims that it works just as well in preventing new mold growth. There is a wealth of information about mold control and prevention on their web site.
Concrobium.
I'm a car guy, and by extension, a garage guy, despite the fact that garages traditionally have been the ugliest part of the house. The last several years, however, have seen an increase in products for the garage not only for aesthetics but also for the functionality of this oh-so-very-important space. (Am I showing my slightly biased priorities?) Among the many companies that were displaying products for the garage, two especially got my attention:
SnapLock RaceDeck Garage Floors
RaceDeck
This quality, easy-to-install product looks great and is very easy to maintain. The square tiles snap together very quickly. Most customized garage floors are done with a black and white checked pattern, maybe with red trim. This can look great, but RaceDeck has a huge palette of colors, including metallics. Why not go crazy? I think that I might do my garage with a big orange 'T' on a white background, or a big white 'T' on an orange background. Decision, decisions. (I do live in Knoxville, Tenn. Go, Vols!) By all means take a look at the gallery of garages. You'll notice that the tiles work well in other applications, too.
www.racedeck.com
Gladiator
Gladiator Garage System
After you are done with the floor, the next steps are the cabinets, wall systems for hanging tools, workbenches and — why not put in a refrigerator? The Gladiator by Whirlpool line of garage products are the way to go. At the website, select "Plan Your Garage," an easy-to-use tool for figuring out the placement of Gladiator products in your garage.
Gladiator
There were plenty of cool products in the home-technology category to keep me duly impressed with all the ways contractors can go high-tech — or even medium-tech — in the houses they build.
Sony for New Homes
Sony System for Builders
Sony was showing its new line of whole-house audio/video systems specifically designed for home builders. The customizable home-entertainment systems have a surround-sound system for the home theater and can distribute audio and video to multiple other rooms throughout the house. The equipment rack comes in a large box. All of the components are installed and connected to each other. Each system has been designed and tested to work seamlessly. Since there is no on-site programming or troubleshooting, Sony claims dramatic labor-cost savings. Read my full review of this innovative product.
Kwikset Smart Scan
Kwikset SmartScan
Meet the Jetsons. Kwikset launched its new SmartScan biometric dead bolt door lock at IBS. You can lock or unlock the dead bolt by either a key or by swiping your finger across the bottom part of the lock, assuming your finger is in the lock's memory. The SmartScan can store 50+ fingerprints and offers three levels of security: 24/7 access for family members; temporary access for contractors or visitors; and time access for baby sitters or housekeepers. For instance, the homeowner could program the lock so that the housekeeper's finger print will only be valid from 8 am to 1 pm Friday. If they try to unlock the door at any other time, access will be denied. The retail price for the lock is $199.99. It is currently available in Orlando, San Diego and New York. It will be available nationally in June. For more information, go to Kwikset.com.
Wayne-Dalton
Wayne Dalton
Like many other manufacturers, this one continues to introduce new home automation products that are Z-Wave-enabled. These products can work as a system not only with the manufacturer's own products, but also with other manufacturers' Z-Wave-enabled products. At IBS, Wayne-Dalton introduced seven new kits. The top-of-the-line kit includes 10 in-wall dimmer modules; four lamp modules; two small-appliance modules; two deluxe remote controls; two basic remote controls; a wireless gateway module; and a keychain remote control. Not bad for a company that's primarily known for garage doors, huh?
These kits are available through the company's website or through participating Wayne-Dalton dealers. The retail prices for the kits range from $112 to $850. (For more information about Z-Wave technology, read these HGTVpro.com articles:
Z-Wave of the Future is Here (2005) and Monster's Central Control AVL300 (2007).
Lutron AuroRa
Lutron AuroRa
Lutron recently introduced a new line of products – AuroRa – to complement their already extensive line-up of electrical products. These systems are simple to install and use, providing control over five lighting areas. With a suggested list price of $950, the AuroRa security package contains:
- Five wall dimmers, styled like a traditional toggle light switch
- Five designer wallplate inserts, to allow for use with designer-style wallplates
- One tabletop master control for lights from inside the home
- One wireless controller to control lights from inside the car
- One security interface links AuroRa system to a security system.
The AuroRa is available now.
Key Digital
Key Digital
Need to distribute a high-definition or standard-definition video signal to several rooms? Need to convert a computer output so that you can display it on a television? Need distribution amplifiers, switchers, cables or adaptors? Need to know what products you need to convert or distribute AV signals? Check out Key Digital. Not only can they supply the right products; they have a great support team to help you decide which products will solve your needs.
Lifeware and Best Buy for Business ConnectedLife Home Solution
 LifeWare
Best Buy and LifeWare (by Exceptional Innovation) have teamed up to offer home builders a turn-key home-automation package. The $15,000 package includes hardware, software and installation. It is expandable now or in the future.
This system includes:
- An HP z560 Digital Entertainment Center (Media Center PC) with LifeWare software
- A 32-inch HDTV, which becomes the dashboard for controlling lights, climate, security and digital entertainment throughout the home
- An Xbox 360, which serves as a game system and a media center extender
- One networked thermostat
- Two Panasonic surveillance cameras
- Ten Insteon Remote light switches with two keypads
For more details, go to Best Buy For Business.
H-P Products Hide-A-Hose for Central Vacuum Systems. Dirt Devil and VACUFLO, both manufactured by H-P Products, introduced the Hide-A-Hose Retractable Hose System This system offers homeowners a simple solution for using a central vacuum system without having to lug the hose around the house. With the Hide-A-Hose, simply pull out the length of hose needed, connect the vacuum handle, and begin vacuuming. When finished, the system uses the suction from the central vacuum power unit to draw the hose back into the PVC tubing hidden within the walls, attic, and floor joists of the home. Click here to watch the video.
I didn't see the whole show. I was there for less than two days, and the exhibit area covered more than 1 million square feet of exhibits with 1,800 exhibitors. However, I hope that these highlights will help not only those that did not have the opportunity to attend, but the people who did attend but might have missed these products while trudging the aisles. I'm already looking forward to next year — even if my feet are not.
DoorSaver
DoorSaver
Have you ever installed one of those door stops with the two bumpers on a door hinge, only to have someone swing the door open just a little too hard and pop a hole in the hollow-core door? The developers of the DoorSaver did, so they developed a clever product that uses one bumper to brace against the door frame and a flat metal "wing" that hits the hinge instead of the door. No part of the DoorSaver touches the door. Simple, clever and only $1.99 each.
Doorsaver
Tenvera Fiber Optics for the Home
Tenvera
This truly falls into the category of "today's luxury, tomorrow's necessity." Here's why: In 2007, cable and DSL are adequate for browsing the Internet or watching streaming videos, but the demands of high-definition video and other rich content soon will surpass the capability of copper wire.
According to Tenvera, fiber-optics cables have about 100 times the data capacity of standard copper wires. That means we'll see fiber-optic cable coming on strong — and fast, In fact, approximately 1,000 new communities are installing or already have fiber to homes. But homeowners will not totally benefit from this increase in bandwidth (speed and capacity) if you have fiber to the home, but copper in the home. Tenvera offers a solution with a complete line of products to run fiber-optic cables throughout the home. If you want to be future-proof the houses you build, check out the company's website.
Tenvera
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