The bathroom fan has come a long way in just the past year. With the introduction of the dual-sensor fan that monitors both humidity and motion, the bathroom fan has become mostly automatic. For many years the bath fan was turned on like a light with a switch or a timer. Now the Panasonic WhisperSense fans come on only when moisture or motion in the bathroom is detected. It saves energy by not working when it is not needed. Why operate the fan when there is no moisture, and you are not there? By... more

The kitchen sink is evolving. Gone are the days when your only choice was between a single or a double bowl. The number of bowls is only one of many options the sink buyer has to consider in the 21st century. Sinks from a century ago were nearly all made of cast iron or ceramic materials. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Hydrotherapy has come a long way since its inception in the 1800s. Until the Jacuzzi Brothers came out with the first home unit in the 1950s, hydrotherapy was used in hospitals, mostly for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The first unit was revolutionary in its day but primitive by today’s standards. It was a pump that hooked onto the edge of an existing bathtub to create the whirlpool effect. In the 1960s Jacuzzi came out with a whirlpool similar to the ones we know today. That unit had integral... more

In case you have not noticed, there is a race going on in the toilet industry. Over 20 years ago the low flush (1.6 gallons) toilet became the standard and low flush also became synonymous with poor performance. Every toilet needed a plunger to help it along because the manufacturers didn’t know how to make them work without the 3.5 gallons of water they were used to working with. About 10 years ago Toto, a Japanese company, began selling toilets that outperformed all the other low flush toilets.... more

For the true gourmet the kitchen’s plumbing fixtures are extremely important. Inadequate faucets and sinks can hinder the best kitchen layout. The best cooks have their sinks, appliances, and cabinets designed in a manner that is efficient and makes the hard tasks easier. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

In some respects lighting for the home is much like listening to music. What good is a sophisticated music system with poor speakers? Music to your eyes is light. The secret is to have exactly the right light where and when needed. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →