By ED DEL GRANDE, HGTVPro.com

Q: Hi, Ed. I just read your column on dual-flush toilets, where the toilet has two buttons -- one button for a full flush at 1.6 gallons and one for a half flush at .8 a gallon, and it will net out at 1.3 gallons per flush.

Q: My wife and I are building a new home and with the current economy we are trying to cut costs. In our master bath we were planning on installing a bidet, but now we will just install a toilet. I've heard that in the future we can add a bidet toilet seat. What do I need to do now to prepare for installing a bidet seat later? -- Jim & Sue in Washington state

Q: Hello, Ed, I enjoy your column, but recently spotted a spelling error. In talking about new toilets, you mentioned a "duel"-flush toilet. The correct spelling should have been "dual" as in "two," not meaning "fighting." Now that I helped you, please help me. What exactly is a dual-flush toilet? -- Robert in Ohio.

It's no secret to most of us that the real-estate market has currently slowed down in many areas of the country. But, you may not realize how many homeowners are now in the process of remodeling or adding to their present home to get what they want now, instead of buying and selling into an unstable market.

Q: Thanks, Ed, for all the advice you give us women along with the men. It's very important to me since I'm the only women in the house with my husband and four young boys. As you can imagine, our toilet is flushed all day long and we're tired of wasting all that water.

Q: Hello Ed, this is not really a plumbing question, but I know you have written some articles on home generators. I'm looking to buy a home that is being sold as "generator ready." What exactly does that mean, and how much work still needs to be done to actually have the home generator installed? Nobody can give me a straight answer. -- Fred, Wisconsin

Q: Ed, thanks for being there for all of us "plumbing-challenged" people! I am considering changing out our old '80s toilet with a new "high-efficiency toilet." Looking around, I noticed that most of these HETs use "flapperless" flushing systems.

Q: Ed, you're not going to believe this, but our beautiful new fiberglass tub/shower unit has a golf-ball-sized chip in the surface from when my husband somehow managed to knock the towel bar into the tub. (Don't ask!) Nothing leaks, so it's pretty much cosmetic. How do we get it to look pretty again? -- Cindy in Iowa

For years now, at many of my speeches across the country, I've been teaching homeowners on how to prepare their homes for severe weather. My usual message is that the secret is to prepare your home well in advance of seasonal storms.

Q: I have a question about the new "eco" shower heads that are on the market today. I changed to my present shower head a few years ago because it uses only 2.5 gallons a minute. Is this an eco shower head, or do I need to update again? Thanks. Since I live in a dry area, I want to save as much water as I can. -- Rico in Georgia