Survey Shows that Homeowners are Looking for Alternative Heating Options

The average American family spends about $1,300 a year on heating, but this year those figures may be even higher as the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita have strained an already tight fuel market. That has a lot of homeowners across the United States worried about the upcoming heating season — and it seems that many are investigating alternative heating options.

A survey of homeowners who used the RenovationExperts.com site over the past year shows that 3.96 percent of the homeowners who used the site in September 2005 were looking to talk with a contractor with experience in fireplaces, up from only .54 percent of homeowners who were interested in this category this time last year.

Worries about home heating costs this winter are likely the fuel behind such a significant increase.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts on average, households heating with primarily natural gas are expected to spend about $350 or 48 percent more this winter on fuel. Those who heat with oil can expect an average $378 increase, or 32 percent more. If temperatures are colder than expected, those numbers could be significantly higher, the EIA warns.

“These averages provide a broad guide to changes from last winter, but fuel expenditures for individual households are highly dependent on local weather conditions, the size and efficiency of individual homes and their heating equipment, and thermostat settings,” a recent report states.

Fireplaces are a traditional and still popular source of additional heat in many homes. They give off a lot of heat and provide a sense of coziness and warmth. As well as providing heat, fireplaces create a beautiful tableau and are becoming seen as an attractive focal point for a room. Fireplaces can now be found in bedrooms, kitchens and even bathrooms.

Installing a fireplace makes sense from an investment or resale value perspective as well. A recent survey done by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found that 77 percent of homebuyers want a fireplace in the family room and 50 percent of homebuyers want one in their living room. In fact, according to the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers, homeowners can raise their selling price from 6 to 12 percent, just by adding a fireplace.

A properly located, professionally installed and energy efficient fireplace will do a good job in supplementing a home’s primary heating system. Worries about high fuel costs will no doubt have people thinking about a wood-burning fireplace. Wood pellet stoves have been increasing in popularity over the past few years and will probably continue to do so. Pellet stoves are small electric stoves that burn pellets made from compressed recycled sawdust. They are extremely efficient and produce very little waste.

RenovationExperts.com is a premium network of more than 3,000 remodeling contractors which helps an average of 20,000 homeowners a month across the United States find a contractor in their area.

RenovationExperts.com contractors perform more than $4.8 billion worth of work per year for American homeowners.