Safe AND Sound

Safe AND Sound

The home-as-haven trend has created a demand for products that enhance both physical and spiritual well-being.

By John Filippelli

After all, growing consumer awareness and the home-as-haven trend have created a demand for products that benefit both physical and spiritual well being through the purification of the home especially the water and air, according to kitchen and bath designers and manufacturers.

Rick Millard, v.p./sales and marketing design for Comfort Designs Bathware, a Division of the Praxis Cos., based in Savannah, TN, explains: "Everything from houses and cars to bathroom products really should be easier to use, create less hassle and be cleaner. [In the kitchen and bath industry], something that doesn't promote disease or that [works to actively prevent] the spreading of disease is going to be in high demand."

Billy Henry, president of Microban Americas, a Division of Microban International, Ltd., agrees: "Clearly consumers are more aware of the issues that can be created by stain- and odor-causing microbes found throughout the home," a factor that many kitchen and bath professionals see playing into consumers' product choices.

"Just beyond each faucet and shower fixture and the pipes that feed them is bacteria. Some of these germs, such as cryptosporidium and legionella, are quite toxic. However, there are sensible and cost-effective ways [for your clients] to rid their homes of these unwanted guests," adds John Vastyan, a journalist whose work focuses on the plumbing and mechanical and radiant heat industries, and who is president of Manheim, PA-based Common Ground.

For instance, Vastyan cites reverse osmosis water treatment; point-of-use, thermostatic protection valves with constant circulation for comfort, safety and health; and radiant heat and ground source heat pumps as necessary elements to ensure a truly safe home.

Likewise, Vastyan sees a growing interest in products that promote energy conservation in the kitchen and the bath everything from energy efficient appliances to ground source heating and radiant floor heating.
Indeed, the focus on a safe home environment is increasingly impacting product design at all levels.

Tim O'Connor, director of Sterling Brand Marketing, a subsidiary of Kohler, WI-based Kohler Co., notes that his company has developed products that reflect just how broad the range has become for safe products for the home.

"Our shower doors are constructed of tempered glass, so if a door were to shatter, you would not have any sharp, jagged edges," he reports. He also points to the firm's most recent offering of stainless steel kitchen sinks that feature a rolled outer rim, eliminating any potential for sharp edges."

Air quality, too, is a concern for many homeowners, according to Karen Collins of Broan-NuTone LLC, in Hartford, WI, who cites a growing interest in the company's whole-house HEPA filtration systems.
Steve Coven, president of Chicago-based Napco, a distributor of chemicals, coatings, equipment and supplies to the refinishing industry. "Indoor air quality is an important consideration for contractors and builders as well, as they oversee a project's progress," he stresses.

Whether it is reverse osmosis water treatment, air quality considerations, anti-bacteria protection or anti-scald devices, one thing is apparent: Consumers are thirsty for products that not only make drinking water and air safer, but make their homes safer, as well.

Micro manage
Henry believes consumers are currently seeking products engineered with antimicrobial protection that guards against bacteria, mold and mildew. "Products engineered with Microban antimicrobial protection can be found all around the home, and especially in the kitchen and bathroom," Henry says. "When used in conjunction with normal cleaning practices, these products provide an added level of cleanliness protection."