It’s no secret health sells in home building.

A seminal white paper on the topic, Defining Health and Well-Being at Home, cites research that shows more than eight out of 10 home buyers will pay more for a healthier home.

And not just a little more. Up to an eye-opening 10% premium at closing for 35% of home buyers between age 36-54 (ages 55 and up: the numbers are even higher).

It’s a safe bet you’ve already staked your claim on this healthy home bonanza. Builder options such as low VOC drywall, carpet, paints, and finishes are common offerings. Ditto for airtight wall construction, upgrades to the HVAC system, airflow ventilation, water purification, and other health home systems.

Hiding in Plain Sight
The curious part? Builders and buyers often overlook one of the home’s hot spots for microbial infestation.

Yes, door hardware.

At work or public places, we often think twice about touching door hardware, especially in rest rooms. Why is it any different at home? The fact is, daily disinfecting of door hardware isn’t nearly enough. Microbes will reclaim the hardware in as little as 2 hours.

The good news is, there’s a proven defense solution called embedded antimicrobials. An embedded antimicrobial is up to 99.99% effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria, mold, fungus, and mildew.

KB Home Leads the Way
Home builders have taken notice. For example, the nation’s 5th-ranked home builder, KB Home (total 2018 homes closed: 11,317), makes available door hardware from Kwikset that’s embedded with an antimicrobial product by Microban. The silver-based technology Microban uses to protect Kwikset door hardware is formulated to permanently shield the product, including door hardware in high-traffic bedrooms and bathrooms. The production builder has a long history with healthy home leadership. In 2015 KB Home received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor airPLUS Leader Award for its commitment to air quality, the first national production builder to receive the honor.

For door hardware manufacturer Kwikset, the idea to fortify their door hardware with Microban technology is a natural one. “Microban’s antimicrobial technology is proven across scores of products and applications. It makes sense for health-focused homebuilders like KB Home to deepen their differentiation from resale homes as well as other new home builders,” explains David Seeman, Kwikset’s director of business development.

No Extra Cost
This exclusivity is made all the more intriguing by the cost to the home builder for Microban protection: no extra charge. “Microban is part of all of our core door hardware products. Home builders don’t pay extra for this important value-added feature,” he notes.

Seeman says his company provides new-home builders with instructional materials that they may share with their customers. For example, homeowners may be surprised to learn the antimicrobial shield on their door hardware is impervious to years of repeated cleanings.

Homebuilder Closing Tool
In the competition for health-conscious homebuyers, it’s good to know home builders have another powerful tool to help win more deals without extra cost or callback risk.

Homebuyers can finally say goodbye to hardware-loving microbes for good. To learn more about how to differentiate your brand with Microban-powered door hardware, visit https://www.kwikset.com/microban.

Microban is a registered trademark of Microban International, Ltd.