Housing Giants - November 24, 2008 - (Page 15)

Surprisingly, the data also showed that the number of buyers who listed fireplaces as a “very important” or “important” feature was evenly distributed across the U.S. rather than depend on the geographic area; buyers in the South, Northeast, Midwest, and West gave fireplaces equal importance. Explaining zone heating allows sales staff to talk about comfort and energy efficiency. Drafts are the most common callback home builders experience with fireplaces, and they have a direct impact on occupant comfort. For homeowners, there’s little that’s more annoying then relaxing before a cheery fire with cold drafts moving through the space, causing both the room’s air and floors to feel uncomfortable. After a home is built, drafts are one of the most complex issues to solve, so it’s best to be proactive about preventing mistakes from occurring during construction. Comfort Comfort plays a large role in the happiness of a home’s occupants. As a supplementary source of heating, fireplaces can help keep the living space warm during cold months. Tim Rethlake, vice president of new construction sales at Hearth & Home Technologies, recommends that builders discuss a concept called “zone heating” with customers. “Zone heating with a fireplace is a big selling point that a builder’s sales staff should be making with customers. A fireplace allows homeowners to heat the rooms they spend the most time in, while allowing them to turn down the thermostat on the central heating system. Why heat the whole home when you’re not using the whole home?” Rethlake makes a good point: explaining zone heating to customers allows sales staff to not only touch upon the topic of comfort, but also the topic of energy efficiency. Pro tiP! One way to minimize the risk of backdrafting with a B-vent gas fireplace is to attach a combustion air duct to the fireplace unit and route it through the exterior wall. Combustion air ducts bring outdoor air directly to the firebox to satisfy the need for combustion air. www.Housinggiants.Com 11.24.08.Housing giants 15 http://toolbelt.buildiq.com/topics/hvac/fireplaces/drafts.aspx http://www.hearthnhome.com http://www.housinggiants.com

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