Here's a gift-buying idea you may not have thought about this holiday season -- gifts for your house. I've come across a few unique products that your house just might love having installed and used on it. Okay -- so I'm grasping for an emotional appeal, but these are some pretty neat products that, in addition to other services, can help you determine your energy use and humidity level, and protect your home from flooding.

Guys -- while you might get excited about these gadgets, don't think that the woman in your life will share the same enthusiasm. Put them on your wish list and next time you see Santa, ask him to add it to your stocking.

They are available from various sources online and in retail centers. Use your favorite search engine to find shopping options by plugging in the product name.

Kill-a-Watt meter

Have you been wondering why your power bill keeps creeping upward? The Kill-a-Watt meter from P3 International tracks total power consumption by the hour, day, week, month or year for any standard household appliance that plugs into a 110 volt outlet. Find out just how much power it's taking to operate your new electronic gadgets, table lamps, and most other devices that plug into standard wall receptacles. The Kill-a-Watt meter displays voltage (V), line frequency (Hz), and power factor (PF). There are no batteries required. From $35.

Hygrometer

The Bemis hygrometer is a calibrated digital humidity and temperature gauge. It measures humidity in a range from 10 to 99 percent and temperature from -50 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Some health problems can stem from the humidity level in your home and a hygrometer can help you determine whether you may need a dehumidifier or a humidifier in your air supply system. From $24.

FloodStop

Prevent major water damage with FloodStop. This gadget attaches to your water supply line, and it will automatically shut off the water to your washer if there is a leak. It takes just five minutes to install. FloodStop shuts off the water at the appliance. It protects against broken hoses, bursting hoses and many of the failure-prone components within the washing machine. There are other systems available for icemakers, toilets and hot water heaters. From $69.

Home Office Wireless Network

This would be one of the best gifts for the entire household. Though it might not be very exciting, a wireless network can reduce clutter in your office and release your computers from being locked in one room to share online, printer, and scanner access. For less than $200, you can have all your computers talking to each other, printing to the same gadgets and using your broadband Internet simultaneously. I've begun the transition over and it's been a great experience -- especially when my kids want to do homework using the Internet and I have to write. My laptop goes to the basement with me and they get the desktop -- we're both surfing without interfering with each other's tasks. Starting at $50 (and the prices keep dropping).

Home Address Plaque

Does your house number look just like everyone else's on the street? Consider sprucing up your curb appeal, starting with your home numbers. Brass, bronze, carved numbers can add a touch of class to your front door. Home address plaques (bronze, painted) can look pretty spiffy, too. Plaques start around $59 and can move into the hundreds, depending on your taste. Numbers start as low as $4 each.

Garden Gifts

Now is really the time to get all those items for your garden you put off last summer. If you can find the special wind chimes or iron bench now during the off season, you'll save a bundle. Waiting for springtime shopping sales will actually mean higher prices. The savvy garden shopper can come up with some fantastic deals now.

Online resources for home products:

www.RepairClinic.com
www.Hometips.com
www.SafeHomeProducts.com
www.epinions.com

Published: December 19, 2003

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Mr. Carr is an award-winning real estate broker in Northern Virginia and authored "Real Estate Investing Made Simple: a commonsense approach to building wealth." He also contributed to Donald Trump’s book, "The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received," and is an active trainer and coach of top producers in the Washington DC market. As a sought-after expert on real estate, Mr. Carr has been featured on CNN, various broadcast outlets and was the former real estate editor for The Washington Times. He accepts questions at his blog www.RealEstateOlogy.org.