The trends in homes and renovations coming in to 2013, a lot of the things that we did in the 2012 construction year were the same as in previous years. But there were things that became trends in 2012 with more and more home owners opting for them leading into 2013 creating trends. I am focusing on the heating systems that are being installed in new homes and renovations and where they are trending.
Heating Systems
Here is a list of things that have stayed the same over the last couple of years;
• In town natural gas high efficiency furnaces are still the most commonly installed heating system.
• New custom homes that do not have access to natural gas are all by a rule installing geothermal heating.
• Conventional hot water tanks are still the most popular way to heat hot water in town and in the country.
• HRV’s are standard in all new homes that are now built.
• Heating of bathroom tiled floors is done with electric mats that are controlled per room, making for a more enjoyable experience when stepping out of the shower on to warm tiles.
Here is a list of the trends that are gaining momentum this year;
• Ductless heat pumps are becoming by far the most popular way to heat or cool area’s of a home that have been renovated or added too.
• Air-to-Air heat pumps are one the most popular choices lately to make your heating system more energy efficient whether you live in town or in the country. This system is becoming so popular because it is basically an add on to your existing furnace without too much interior renovations required.
• Flash boilers that run on natural gas are growing in popularity for new homes. There is a rise in people wanting in-floor heat; with in-floor heat you require a flash boiler which also gives you on-demand hot water.
• A disturbing trend in new homes is people opting out of installing air conditioners. Whether it is the extra cost of installing it or the fact that they believe they do not require it a lot more people are opting out. New homes must be climate controlled and without air conditioning that can’t be achieved.
• Multiple thermostats are a rapidly growing trend; this allows the home to be better regulated with heating and cooling. You can set the temperature of the different zones of the home to whatever you require, different levels of the home can have different temperature settings.
• Smart thermostats are being more popular; with the growing smart phone market people want to be able to control the climate in their home from anywhere in the world, smart thermostats do that with a phone or internet connection.
• Fume hoods in kitchens are getting larger and with that growth mechanical contractors are being forced to install “make up air” systems in the furnace. This system helps stop the depressurization of the home when all the air is being sucked out by the fume hood by adding more air then normal into the duct system to make up for it.
• Steam humidifiers are becoming more popular; people are trying to avoid the overly dry air they end with through the heating season.
• Multi stage furnaces are more readily available and the bigger the home the more it’s being demanded. The multi-stage allows for better energy efficiency and that is one of the biggest trends in today’s homeowners.
These are the main trends in the Heating systems of new and renovated custom homes for 2013.
Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.
I like the idea that steam humidifiers are gaining popularity. Apart from solving the issue of dry air, there are systems that are more efficient as compared to gas heating, leading to lower gas usage for more savings. -Yvette @ ALB Industrial
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Having heating and cooling systems at home and work are necessary for us to feel comfortable and productive and so we have to be careful on which model to get. You may have to purchase one with quality from a top brand, but it would also help if you know how to properly operate your system to avoid any problems and for you and your family to continue feeling comfortable.
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