Spin-Off of House Hunter Thread: Must Have Home Features

[kdonnel]

Kind of a moot point. They are banning natural gas appliances. I don't have a horse in the race, I have an all electric house.

I like options.

My home has 400 amp electrical service and has gas run to the kitchen, fireplace, laundry room, and HVAC locations.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I would always want solar panels on my house. I've gotten too used to paying very little for electricity (fully electric home here). Screened porch is a must have as well.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Must-haves within my price point:
Ranch style home
Newer furnace and central AC
Large, fenced-in yard with patio
3-4 bedrooms
2 1/2 baths, including a master bath
2 1/2 car garage
Updated kitchen with decent counter space
Hardwood floors

Wishful-thinking home:
First floor In-law suite or master bedroom apart from other bedrooms
Walk-in closets In bedrooms
Home office
Large property
Beautiful stone patio with outdoor fireplace, grilling area, fridge
3 car garage
Sparkly new kitchen with huge island
Kitchen open to rest of living areas

 

[tvguy]

I like options.

My home has 400 amp electrical service and has gas run to the kitchen, fireplace, laundry room, and HVAC locations.

My wife and I both had incidents in our parents homes with natural gas that shaped our concerns about the safety of natural gas.

 

[Minnesota!]

Out next house must haves (things I've never had):

On water
Garage
Dishwasher
2 bathrooms
4 bedrooms
Laundry by bedrooms
Pantry
Fenced yard
Screened porch

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My wife and I both had incidents in our parents homes with natural gas that shaped our concerns about the safety of natural gas.

"According to a 2020 report by the NFPA, households with electric stoves reported fires at a rate 2.6 times higher than those with gas stoves. Equally staggering, the death rate of electric-run households was 3.4 times higher than those with gas appliances — and the injury rate was nearly five times greater."

From the actual report: "Ranges or cooktops were involved in 61 percent of reported home cooking fires, 87 percent of cooking fire deaths, and 78 percent of cooking fire injuries. Households that used electric ranges showed a higher risk of cooking fires and associated losses than those using gas ranges."

"Although 60 percent of households cook with electricity four out of five (80 percent) ranges or cooktops involved in reported cooking fires were powered by electricity.
Population-based risks are shown below,
• The rate of reported fires per million households was 2.6 times higher with electric ranges.
• The civilian fire death rate per million households was 3.4 times higher with electric ranges.
• The civilian fire injury rate per million households was 4.8 times higher with electric ranges than in households using gas ranges.
• The average fire dollar loss per household was 3.8 times higher in households with electric ranges.

Some info from the report: "It is sometimes less obvious that an electric burner is turned on or is still hot than it is with gas burners. In addition, once turned off, it takes time for an electric burner to cool." They point to updated standards put in place in 2018 with electric ranges that will take a long enough time to filter through all the households (houses, condos, apartments, townhouses, duplexes, etc) so existing households have that risk even more.

**Data points for stats above are from 2014-2018 with the report reviewing of data from trends of 1980s, 1990s and earlier 2000s for risk factor changes.

 

[tvguy]

"According to a 2020 report by the NFPA, households with electric stoves reported fires at a rate 2.6 times higher than those with gas stoves. Equally staggering, the death rate of electric-run households was 3.4 times higher than those with gas appliances — and the injury rate was nearly five times greater."

From the actual report: "Ranges or cooktops were involved in 61 percent of reported home cooking fires, 87 percent of cooking fire deaths, and 78 percent of cooking fire injuries. Households that used electric ranges showed a higher risk of cooking fires and associated losses than those using gas ranges."

"Although 60 percent of households cook with electricity four out of five (80 percent) ranges or cooktops involved in reported cooking fires were powered by electricity.
Population-based risks are shown below,
• The rate of reported fires per million households was 2.6 times higher with electric ranges.
• The civilian fire death rate per million households was 3.4 times higher with electric ranges.
• The civilian fire injury rate per million households was 4.8 times higher with electric ranges than in households using gas ranges.
• The average fire dollar loss per household was 3.8 times higher in households with electric ranges.

Some info from the report: "It is sometimes less obvious that an electric burner is turned on or is still hot than it is with gas burners. In addition, once turned off, it takes time for an electric burner to cool." They point to updated standards put in place in 2018 with electric ranges that will take a long enough time to filter through all the households (houses, condos, apartments, townhouses, duplexes, etc) so existing households have that risk even more.

**Data points for stats above are from 2014-2018 with the report reviewing of data from trends of 1980s, 1990s and earlier 2000s for risk factor changes.

Gas issues tend to lead to explosions.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Gas issues tend to lead to explosions.

yes yes we know this...but your point for quite a while was about safety and I'm not just speaking about this thread. I'm just pointing out that as of right now the data points are sliding quite a bit towards gas being safer in that respect when you were discussing stoves and ranges and electric and all electric homes.

For context figures from at least 2018 reflect 4,200 structure fires ignited by natural gas per year with an average of 40 deaths. But that pales in comparison to the total reflected estimate of just cooking fires causing 172,900 reported structural fires per year (figures from up to 2018) with the figure already mentioned of 60% of homes using electric ranges or cooktops and 80% of the cooking fires were with a range or cooktop being electric and the death rate being 3.4 times as higher with an electric stove or range.

The most common thing that is going to happen in your home is not your gas range having a leak and causing an explosion. Of course a house blowing up grabs the news not necessarily the person who fell asleep with the cooking still going.

 

[tvguy]

yes yes we know this...but your point for quite a while was about safety and I'm not just speaking about this thread. I'm just pointing out that as of right now the data points are sliding quite a bit towards gas being safer in that respect when you were discussing stoves and ranges and electric and all electric homes.

For context figures from at least 2018 reflect 4,200 structure fires ignited by natural gas per year with an average of 40 deaths. But that pales in comparison to the total reflected estimate of just cooking fires causing 172,900 reported structural fires per year (figures from up to 2018) with the figure already mentioned of 60% of homes using electric ranges or cooktops and 80% of the cooking fires were with a range or cooktop being electric and the death rate being 3.4 times as higher with an electric stove or range.

The most common thing that is going to happen in your home is not your gas range having a leak and causing an explosion. Of course a house blowing up grabs the news not necessarily the person who fell asleep with the cooking still going.

The house I had the issue with had an electric range and stove, gas furnace and water heater and the safety issue was the regulator in the gas meter on the house.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The house I had the issue with had an electric range and stove, gas furnace and water heater and the safety issue was the regulator in the gas meter on the house.

I guess my info isn't good enough for you between both comments that's okay, I'm off to bed and will just leave it as what I've already said.

 

[tvguy]

I guess my info isn't good enough for you between both comments that's okay, I'm off to bed and will just leave it as what I've already said.

Remember, I spent 40+ years listening to Fire Departments dealing with natural gas safety issues. We all bring our experiences to the DIS.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Remember, I spent 40+ years listening to Fire Departments dealing with natural gas safety issues. We all bring our experiences to the DIS.

You've got outdated experience here. See ya on another thread

 

[kymom99]

While it’s not utopia, my new house will have some nice features:

Huge master bedroom with 2 walk in closets and en-suite bathroom. Never had any of this in my life.

Dishwasher

Granite counters and soft close cabinets

Laundry on main floor.

THREE bathrooms! I’ll never share again.

Ranch style.

2 car attached garage

15 acres of land

A winery being built across the road.

Next door neighbor is my sister snd she has a pool.

Things I wish we could afford:

3 season room

Upgraded bathrooms with tile, etc

A big front porch.

We had to compromise to be able to afford a new house.

 

[tvguy]

You've got outdated experience here. See ya on another thread

A lot of fire departments might disagree with you.

 

[mousefan73]

I don’t want to continue the OT topic but those that are hung up on their gas stoves I highly recommend you try induction. Once you go induction, you won’t go back.. no more worrying about catching a kitchen towel on fire

 

[mousefan73]

I really have no must-haves at the moment as I don't see myself ever leaving this home. But here is my list
1. 2 Baths with walk-in shower
2. at least 3 bedrooms.
3. office space near living areas but more alcove like.
4. solar panels with car hook-up.
5. laundry room
6. kithcen with eating area
7. living area that includes a dining area as one...- we have a separate dining room but to be honest everybody would rather in the living area where we have a smaller table also. that official dining room is so far off sides and "cold" feeling away from the action..

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

2 bathrooms minimum, 3 bedrooms minimum, and the location must be desirable.

 

[firefly_ris]

Land
Lower taxes
Good foundation
No HOA or a low-key covenants
Gas/propane appliances

We can add or get rid of basically anything else in a house ourselves so nothing really a deal breaker per se. I like to have a fireplace. I like soft close cabinets. I like a nice patio or deck -- would love a screened in one at some point. Next stop is hopefully in a warmer climate. I don't plan to grow old in Buffalo winters, even though the summers are great. If I have to stay up north then the gas stove and gas furnace is a requirememt.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Must Haves:
3-4 bedrooms
A tub (a true soaking tub would be nice)
Plenty of closet space (a walk in would be nice)
A double wide driveway (constantly rearranging cars is such a pain)
2 living spaces
A small yard

 

[bluezy]

Things that were priorities when we built our house 20 years ago and we're very happy with (current home is 6 bedrooms/4 full baths, 2-story farmhouse style center hall colonial on 4 acres of land):

• Ability to live on one floor (we have a bedroom -- currently used as a guest room -- and full bathroom on the first floor).
• Master/Owner suite
• First floor laundry. I didn't want to be running up and down the steps all day to shift loads of laundry. With 5 kids, I was doing laundry nearly every day for many years. I needed the laundry room close to where I'd be during the day. Much easier to have the kids carry their laundry up and down the stairs than for me to to have to run up and down the stairs to keep the laundry moving. Also, I didn't want the noise of the washer/dryer near the bedrooms as I tend to throw a load of laundry in the dryer before heading to bed.
• Lots of open space -- so flexible.
• Pocket doors to close off open spaces when needed.
• Easy access to attic/storage space and attics fully floored for safe and easy storage. We have an attic above the 2-car garage that has a pull-down ladder in the garage as well as a walk-out door in one of the bedrooms. The attic above the house only has a pull-down ladder in one of the bedrooms. We only use the attic above the garage because it's super easy to access. It's also much smaller than the other attic so that prevents us from keeping "everything".
• Large utility tub/sink in the laundry room. Also space for a freezer and plenty of storage in the laundry room
• Central air
• Central vac
• Dishwasher
• No gas appliances or heating
• All tilt-in windows for easy cleaning.
• Whole-house lighting control system.
• At least one over-sized exterior door to make it easier to get large furniture and appliances into the house.
• Finished basement with full bath.
• Generator - unfortunately, we somehow forgot about this when building the house but added it a few years later.
• Way more electrical outlets than what is required by code. Several exterior outlets including some in the eaves of the house for Christmas lights (those are also on a separate circuit and only get turned on for a few months of the year).
• Attached garage
• Extra space in the garage (we extended the length by 6') for easy storage (garbage cans, extra refrigerator, work table, etc.)
• Plenty of parking space in the driveway.

We will probably downsize in the next 10-15 years and most of these things will still be important in our next home. We just want to shrink the size of the house and yard. We will probably look for a 3 bedroom home on a half acre or so (I'd love a condo, but I don't think I'll be able to convince DH to go that route).

ETA: Having the garage entrance near the kitchen was also a high priority. After living in a house for 10+ years where the garage and kitchen were at opposite ends of the house and there was a staircase in between, I wanted to make sure that didn't happen again. I love that I only have to walk a few feet to get from the garage to the kitchen at this house.