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By June Mathews
For the Tribune
TRUSSVILLE — More and more homeowners in Trussville and surrounding areas are rethinking their backyards. Instead of just a place for the kids to play, these formerly landscaped areas are becoming additional living space where family and friends gather to socialize, entertain, or simply relax.
Over the past decade, the movement to bring the indoors to the outdoors has consistently risen.
A 2016 national survey of professional builders revealed that the availability of outdoor living space had become a significant factor in the sale of new homes, as well as in the resale value of older homes, and that most of the respondents had either added or were considering adding outdoor rooms to their portfolios.
The outdoor rooms of today, however, are a far cry from the days when outdoor living meant a grill and portable lawn furniture on an open patio. These spaces have evolved to include full kitchen setups and eating areas, fireplaces, fire pits, patio heaters, gas lights, hot tubs, pools, and more.
As a result, consumers are enjoying vacation-like luxury only a few steps away from their own back doors – and they’re finding that the ideal fuel for keeping their outdoor spaces functional is natural gas.
“Not only is natural gas affordable and clean, it’s dependable,” said Mike Strength, general manager of Trussville Gas & Water. “Unlike a supply of wood or propane, natural gas doesn’t have to be periodically replenished, and when electrical outages occur, natural gas is still available.”
Natural gas is also in bountiful supply. Recent studies revealed more than 100 years of natural gas availability in the U.S. alone, plus more gas reserves that haven’t even been touched.
Less costly compared to other fossil fuel energy sources, natural gas also produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than other fuels while achieving higher levels of energy efficiency.
As a result, natural gas has become an important tool in the suite of emission-reducing options in the United States and will continue to benefit our nation as states move to further reduce carbon dioxide emission.
For more information about natural gas availability, call Trussville Gas & Water at (205) 655-3211 or visit www.trussville.com.