Building Products' annual Top 100 list of products that readers wanted to know more about during the past year always intrigues me. The list rarely contains windows, entry doors, roofing, siding, bath faucets, or kitchen sinks. What you really want to know about are the products that you can't easily find, that solve problems, that represent burgeoning trends, or that are so cool they make your clients say,"Wow!"
The Top 100 list in this issue is no exception, with radiant heat flooring, fireplaces, and sliding door systems three of the product categories that garnered the most inquiries from reader service cards between October 2006 and October 2007.
Radiant heat flooring, which represents a tiny portion of installed heating systems, heats the room and the objects in it, not just the air, so the space feels more comfortable. The systems also reduce energy costs because occupants typically feel warmer at lower temperatures. If your clients are asking for relief from higher utility bills, radiant heat systems may be just the answer.
For the second year in a row, fireplaces of all kinds were hot with readers, and in the Top 100, you'll find wood-burning, B-vent, direct-vent, and other fireplace types. Most notably, many of these selections sport eye-catching designs, such as modern-looking in-wall units with sleek fronts. The NAHB says that the percentage of new homes with at least one fireplace is falling, particularly in the South, so it's fascinating that readers had such a keen interest in this category. There is anecdotal evidence that many fireplaces—no matter the fuel source—go unused, but like whirlpool baths, they continue to be a coveted feature that buyers expect to find in a new home.
Finally, multi-panel sliding door systems piqued the interest of builders and remodelers, too. These products create an entire wall of glass that opens fully to the outside, allowing homeowners to closely commune with nature—or just to have easy access to the flaming grill on the patio. This product category will only continue to gain in popularity as Americans embrace year-round outdoor living. A sliding door system is a very expensive item, but many Top 100 products often represent the higher end.
Take your own second look at the Top 100 products. Hopefully you'll see one of your favorites or, better yet, discover a product you missed last year.