HEPA is not a brand; it is a designation defining a standard of particulate removal efficiency. "By government standards, a HEPA air filter must remove 99.97% of all particles greater than 0.3 microns from the air that passes through." It is a proven standard that is reproducible and is not dependent upon the design of a central vac system that would be inherently variable depending on home design and quality of installation and implementation (actual suction of a central vac is dependent upon run length, tubing diameter and turbulence from non-straight runs) HEPA vacuum filtration has been proven in controlled trials (funded by the NIH) to mitigate allergen exposure specifically in asthmatic subjects. In fact, regarding vacuuming with a HEPA filtered vacuum: "The intervention was effective in improving measures of lung function, reducing the frequency of coughing, reducing the proportion of children requiring unscheduled medical visits and reporting inadequate use of controller medication." In order to claim that a central vacuum would be superior one would have to show that the act of vacuuming with a central vac would aerosolize fewer respirable particles than a portable vacuum and more effectively remove allergen from the environment. I can find no evidence of this and it is counterintuitive that it would, given that the suction of a vacuum is not the primary determinant of aersolization of particles; the act of vacuuming stirs up particles from the leading and trailing edges of the head while suction is directed perpendicular to the direction of movement and aerosolization. So, if they both aerosolize particles equally which one is better? I'll take the one that uses a standardized method of particle removal over one that is installation-dependent. I'll take an evidence-based, proven intervention over a "seems like that should work" intervention any day. Interestingly, HEPA-rated portable vacuums are also the standard for asbestos abatement and nuclear remediation. And I'll state most importantly that the person with the allergies should not be the one doing the vacuuming. Particles can remain suspended for 60-90 minutes after they are aerosolized so the allergic individual would ideally not be in the room for that length of time as well. Obviously the allergic person should not be emtying the bags or canisters whether in a central of portable vac. I always recommend that portable vacuums should be emptied outside as well.

Living in California can be very expensive, especially when you are on or near the coast, which Berkeley is. I can't tell you about the Berkeley lifestyle in detail, as we are on the Monterey Peninsula, about 90-100 miles south (by CA standards that's an easy drive). As far as I know, earthquake insurance is not a standard inclusion in one's homeowners insurance. It must be bought separately, at least down here, and it is very expensive. Most people we know don't have it. Instead, we retrofit our homes, things like bracing the foundation if necessary, and bracing and belting the water heater, and avoiding buying brick homes. I use museum putty to hold decorative items that are more than a few feet off the floor, and never hang anything heavy over beds. Coping with quakes is a way of life that you learn to take for granted and actually rarely worry about. I don't know how electricity and water compare to the East Coast. A real estate agent could tell you. But most of California is in a perpetual water crisis/drought and we are constantly exhorted to save, save, save water. Probably a bit different in the Bay Area and the Sierras, though. But you will still hear plenty about saving water. Remember that most of this state, except for the redwood and mountain regions, is a natural desert. California is notorious for its taxes. The sales tax is 7.25% and the state income tax is from about 8%-9.30% for most working couples. I pay our federal income tax without complaint, but constantly grit my teeth over the state income tax because, frankly, outside of our immediate area I don't see much bang for my buck. In fact, the state is under a constant threat of bankruptcy. Many Californians are fleeing to Washington and Nevada (no state income tax) and Oregon (no sales tax). Popular tourist destinations are well-cared for, though, places like Monterey, parts of the Bay Area, the southern CA beach/resort communities, the area up to Lake Tahoe. This is a very beautiful and remarkable state and DH and I don't regret for a minute our moving here. But life, especially for newcomers and especially on a modest budget, is not always easy. If I were making a move this drastic, I would come out and rent for awhile. We rented for almost two years before we bought; it allowed us to get to know the community really well, and to learn how to budget keeping a mortgage in mind. Good luck!

I live on the East Coast and I see them all the time...I guess this is why I am so adamant about avoiding the countertop air gap. No GW-ers probably don't notice, but I think we are all TKO and totally observant. Thank you everyone for your posts. Very helpful. After reading my kitchen aid brochure for installation, I see that there are two options 1. with air gap 2. without air gap Theres no mention of a situation/why you could install without an air gap. Davidro- thanks for clarifying that it is not model specific and more personal preference. I'll speak with the plumber and determine what our true options are. I have no idea what our code stipulates. If the plumber doesn't know, then I guess we have bigger issues than an air gap :)

It's a Kohler Entree tile in, but was in its last year of production. I wouldn't be surprised if it's still out there somewhere, though. I saw it at the local plumbing supply and kind of loved it before I started thinking about my kitchen, and I didn't see anything I liked better while shopping. Same for the faucet and the faucet in the laundry. They were all just there. :) The store is small, but they have great displays. :) Here it is on an overstock plumbing supply. This place has it too. It's the opposite of the apron sink, though. It's deep, and, being tile-in, is set back a few inches. I think the problem you've been having with the apron sinks is that the look they generally call for is a three hole faucet. The Kohler Alcott comes with a corner hole for an airgap, but still has the three centered holes for the faucet (it also comes in 3 and 5 hole). Have you thought about doing a tile faucet deck? Get a long tile or several short ones (and spares because creating the holes might lead to breakage) that match the sink, and a sink that doesn't have a deck. Oh, wait. Since you've been talking about reach, the faucet controller might be too far back. Sigh. You sure you couldn't settle for plugs?