I don't have an opinion (first time in 58 years) about which type of insulation to use, but I cannot emphasize enough the importance of leaving an air space and providing ventilation between the insulation envelope and the sheathing. I've designed and built homes since 1978 and that is one of the most important lessons I've learned. Failure to do so will result in destruction of your roof within a few short years! Regards, Mark

I've been using a Billy Goat KD512SP for about 5 or 6 years now. It makes quick work of my 1.1 acre yard cleanup for the most part. For someone with a relatively flat yard, I think it would be ideal. I have a very uneven, hilly yard, so it makes it more of a challenge - the front end tends to dig in when set low to the ground. The self-propel comes in handy on the uphill parts. It can get a bit cumbersome when it's fully loaded. Very noisy, very dusty to operate. The B&S Quantum has been good to me, although it can be a bear to crank over on cold days. Nothing a little spritz of starting fluid can't handle though. It was an expensive unit, around $1000 at the time, but well worth it IMO. I've never used the Craftsman model, but from what others have mentioned, for larger yards, the BG, DR, Little Wonder seem to be more capable. Good luck!

rhome410 - thanks again! I didn't see your link until this morning. It looks like the Evolution 500 SHE45M05UC that I ended up getting is nearly the same dishwasher you have with a different door. If I had seen your link yesterday, I might have changed my order, but it was a one day sale so I had to act fast. I think I will be jut fine with the Evolution door panel. It's certainly not that obtrusive and my kitchen is definitely not a designer one - yet! This is just a mini-upgrade because we really needed new appliances. I was able to also use a 10% off coupon and got the free delivery special as well, so I am really pleased that I got my DW for $600 +tax delivered! Roger - I believe that the model I bought has an end of cycle beep. Several of the reviews I read actually mentioned the beep specifically saying it was annoying!

Probably too late for your specific question, but I wanted to add a reply to help others who may be looking at either brand - Trane and Americans Standard. 1st - as you may have found out, the companies are the same. Am Std. is the "economy" brand for Trane. They manufacture both lines in similar factories. American Standard is their economy brand. It is essentially the same main components, but with fewer features, bells&whistles. Similar to you, I was evaluating both options when replacing my system last year. In the end, I needed a few features that were available only on the Trane models, the Am Srd installer quoted me a higher price than the equivalent Trane model (which instantly told me he was gouging on the install price) and the Trane installer has an impeccable reputation. The net - I chose Trane. Unfortunately Trane and Am Std are having problems with their design, even after identifying the problem back in 2014. Here's what happened In 2014, compressor companies began adding a "rust-inhibitor" additive. This additive separates from the compressor oil and begins to clog the TXV valves. I did a lot of research on this while I was preparing to replace my AC last year. A lot of companies were hit with the same problem since many of them buy the same compressors from 1-2 companies. Copeland compressors were the worst offender. As mentioned, I waited an entire year to replace my system, hoping Trane would have time to fix the bad design and sell through all their old units with the additive problem. I didn't wait long enough. My system lost 30% of it's cooling power in less than 1 year. I called my dealer who quickly came out today (July 27, 2016) and replaced the TXV. They told me they have replaced 100s of TXVs on units they installed in 2015! And the problem could happen again - to delay the problem, the installers add a product called AC-Renew to help the additives remix with the compressor oil. Studies show this does reduce TXV clogging, but for how long, and by how much!?? It's anyone's guess how long before our systems go down again. Even more troubling, the "fix" is still not 100% - my measurements show it's operating about 85% of what it was brand new. My Trane air conditioner is 15% less efficient than what it was new - just 1 year ago !! That means I am paying 15% more for any electricity used by my AC. Now I'm not sure which brands have switched compressors/additives in their new units, but this would definitely give me a reason to wait another year to replace my AC with either a TRane or Am Std. btw - there is a class action suit for Trane owners. Just use a google search for Trane TXV lawsuit One more note for anyone installing a new AC. ASK your installers these 3 questions: 1 - Do you vacuum the line set? (copper piping between the outdoor and indoor units) 2 - Do you nitrogen braze the copper piping? 3 - Do you flush the copper piping with coolant before charging? RUN away from any installers that hesitate, answer "no" to any question, or tries to tell you why they are not important. These are the most important steps to ensure the coolant lines stay clean while installing. Missing these steps are the most common reason air conditioners fail within a few years. A "very good" installer will take all 3 steps to ensure nothing remains in the coolant line that will plug the AC (note - it doesn't happen right away and can take years for the effects to stop an AC -- most people blame the AC manufacturer, but generally its a plugged line due to poor installation)