Design for energy efficiency
Building an Energy Efficient Home
When you build a home you are going to try and cut costs in certain areas so that you can save some money. The more money you save the bigger, better house you can build, and eventually if you save enough you will get the house of your dreams. So, the last thing you want when you build the house of your dreams is the nightmare of high utilities. The best way to keep energy costs low is by designing an energy efficient home.
There is an old builder axiom: In order to be a good builder you only need to know 3 things: water runs downhill, freezes at 32 degrees, and heat rises-- all of which help to build an efficient home. So memorize this, and you will know how to create an energy efficient home.
So, what areas of your home need to be considered when you are trying to design it to be as energy efficient as possible along the guidelines of how water flows, freezes, and how heat rises?
The first are the Ceilings
Because heat rises, you need to realize that one of the biggest sources of heat transfer is through the ceiling. In order to make your house more energy efficient you will want to insulate the attic, otherwise during the winter, or times when you turn on the heat, you will be paying far too much, and you will really just be heating the outdoors. Insulation not only keeps heat in, it keeps heat out. So in the summers your house will stay cooler. So, to make your ceilings energy efficient you must insulate your attic.
Walls and Windows
Just like heat can go through the ceiling, it also goes through walls and windows. It may surprise you to know however, that more heat goes through a single pained window than through an uninsulated wall. Most people don't believe this because there is so much more wall space than window space. So, pay attention to window energy conservation, get double pained energy efficient glass (often it is tinted and manufactured to let less hot and cool air transfer with reduced energy transferring frames like vinyl.). However, this does not mean you should not insulate. That is extremely important.
Foundation, Floors, and Basement
Well, even though the basic fact is that heat rises, you can also lose heat through your foundation. This surprises many people, but you can no longer claim ignorance here because we told you. So, especially in areas of severe temperatures and weather, it is necessary to insulate from your foundation, by insulating floors, and the basement if you have one. (This is done when you frame out the walls in the basement to make it a living space.)
Doors and Openings
You can make your home more energy efficient by making sure that your doors fit tightly. So to avoid heat transfers through doors and openings you need to weather strip doors, and seal all air gaps during framing. It might take a little extra care and time during construction, but it will save you a ton on your energy bills.
Making a more energy efficient house is worth every penny. Not only does it save you money monthly, but being able to advertise low utility bills when you are trying to sell your house will greatly increase the appeal. Not to mention it means you can afford more house because your monthly bills will be less. You can work less and spend more time enjoying the energy efficient house you designed. So just remember to insulate well!
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Tags: energy efficiency btu doors windows walls ceilings
