Using $300 million from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, all 50 states are offering financial incentives for residents buying Energy Star-qualified appliances.

For complete information and to find your state, check www.energysavers.gov/financial/70020.html.

Compared with lender bailouts and "Cash for Clunkers," $300 million wasn't very much. But the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers reported that in April, factory shipments of major home appliances rose 20 percent from the same month in 2009.

Year-to-date shipments of core appliances are up 9.1 percent following four consecutive years of declines, the association said.

The return of consumers to stores also helped stimulate the purchase of goods other than appliances. The U.S. Department of Energy estimated $1.3 billion in consumer spending would result from the rebates being offered on home appliances alone.

QUESTION: I live in a Cape Cod-style house made of concrete block, built in 1954.It gets water in the basement. We have a French drain and a sump pump.My husband wants to use Drylok on the interior foundation walls. A neighbor said she was told not to seal walls because if the water could not escape, it could damage the foundation.I would not like to damage the foundation. Can we safely use Drylok?ANSWER: I've seen nothing that says you can't. It is not recommended for basement floors, according to the experts. I used it once, on the basement of a previous house, but the walls were not concrete block.The Paint Quality Institute says if water is getting behind the walls from ground water or rain, first try to direct rain away from the base of the building by building up soil to the wall to aid runoff, then be sure gutters and down spouts are clean and in good repair, and down spouts carry rainwater well away from the walls.In any case, if there is water, apply a basement waterproofing coating to the walls. Solvent-based, cement-containing products are effective, but ample cross ventilation must be used during and right after application. Wear eye protection and an appropriate respirator.Follow directions as to method of application and spread rate. After the waterproofing product has cured for at least a month, apply an all-purpose latex stain-blocking primer, followed by your finish coat. There are water-based waterproofing coatings now available, too.If the walls are free of intruding water, apply an all-purpose latex stain-blocking primer directly to the walls after cleaning them.