My guest today is Don Laughlin President of Laughlin Home Builders, Inc.

Today our topic is Building Science and the latest technologies to making a home energy efficient, user friendly, long lasting and low maintenance.

1. When you build a home today it should be a law that you have an engineered foundation. This requires a soil analysis. To start a foundation site is picked out and stacked-out for the total foundation area. Then a geophysical engineer performs the analysis. They will have a drilling company go to the site and drill a minimum of 2 test holes 20 feet deep. The drillers will take samples of the soil at different depths and return them to the lab for test and analysis. The test results are then given to a foundation engineer. The foundation engineer takes the results of the test and engineers a foundation for that specific site. The most important part of your house is the foundation. You can build several houses on the same street and have different test results for each. There have been developments built in areas that have fault lines running through them that have caused foundations to fail on one or more houses and the houses built with engineered foundations had no problems. All good builders have soil test and engineered foundations. Builders that do not have engineered foundations run the risk of structural failures.
2. The next thing is the framing. On conventional 2X4 framing load-bearing walls should be on 16” centers with headers the appropriate size for all door and window openings. Non-load bearing 2X4 walls can be on 24” centers if 5/8” drywall is used. Ceiling joist should be appropriately sized for the length of the span to be supported, preferably on 16” centers but can be on 24” centers if 5/8” drywall is used. All rafters in Texas are commonly on 24” centers and should be braced according to rafter length and roof load. The new framing techniques are called Advanced Framing or inline Framing and use 2X6 studs on 24” centers on all load bearing walls. In this type of framing the studs are lined up with the ceiling joist and rafters. This type of framing is used to reduce the amount of lumber required by 20% of conventional framing. To reduce the heat in the attic radiant barrier decking is well worth the extra money when the attic is not conditioned space. Large overhangs have seemed to disappear in housing design due to steep roof pitches but should be considered. When you increase the widths of your soffits over windows and doors, you provide protection from the weather and block out the sun in the summer on the southern side. If designed right it will allow light in during winter months.
3. Select Energy Star approved windows and doors along with the D. O. E. recommended amount of insulation for your region. In the North Texas area the exterior walls should have a minimum of R-13 and the attic should be R-49. The insulation should be properly installed to insure a tight envelope. This will insure that your heating and cooling bills will be lower helping the HVAC unit operate at maximum efficiency.
4. On your cooling system, spend the extra money it cost to install the highest SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) rating you can afford. The higher the SEER the more efficient the unit is and the less it cost to operate. Try to put in a dual speed air handler, this will increase the SEER rating by 1 and is more efficient than a single speed. Your air handler should be properly sized to match the outside unit. Do not oversize the heating and cooling system. This creates moisture problems in the long run, because the unit will short cycle and not dehumidify the home. Make sure all your ductwork is insulated to an R-8. This is important if all your ducts are installed in unconditioned space. It is not required by code if your system is 14 SEER or higher but its stupid not to. The more you can do to keep the air running through the ducts the same temperature it leaves the air handler the more efficient your unit will operate. If you can afford an outside air exchange unit, have one installed. This will help to insure better indoor air quality by changing out the air in your home at a preset and controlled rate. Try to put in a programmable thermostat and program it to meet your needs and lifestyle. On your heating system you want to look at the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the unit will be. The government mandated a minimum AFUE rating for furnaces installed in new homes is 78%. (In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60% — so nearly half the fuel was being wasted.) Furnaces with AFUE ratings of 78% to 80% are considered "mid-efficiency"; those with ratings of 90% or higher are known as "high efficiency." The maximum furnace efficiency available is around 96.6%. Heat pump systems have a HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) rating and again the higher the rating the more efficient the unit will be. The government mandated minimum heating efficiency standards for new heat pumps is 6.8 HSPF. Most heat pumps manufactured before 1992 have HSPF ratings below 5.0. Today, an HSPF of 7.5 or higher is considered "high-efficiency"; the maximum available is 10.0.
5. When picking out your lighting fixtures, pick those that use florescent or compact florescent bulbs. The new compact florescent bulbs come in all shapes and sizes; most people think that they just manufacture the ones that are shaped like a screw. These new bulbs cost a little more but will last longer and save you money in the long run.
6. Put in an Energy Star rated water heater. When choosing a hot water heater it is a good idea to check out all your options. There are 5 basic types of water heaters and each has its pros and cons, so when choosing your water heater you must consider all the variables. Conventional storage water heaters, store and heat water in a tank. Demand or tank-less water heaters heat water on demand without the use of a tank. Heat pump water heaters move heat from one place to another without generating heat directly. Solar water heaters use the sun to heat the water and usually require a backup system. The last type is an indirect water heater that uses the homes heating system to heat the water. On tank type water heaters the Energy Factor (EF) of the water heater will tell you the efficiency of the unit. The systems available are electric resistance water heaters with an EF in the range of 0.7 to 0.95, gas water heaters with an EF of 0.5 to 0.6, and heat pump water heaters with the highest efficiency with an EF of 1.5 to 2.0. Energy efficiency can be compared on each unit by the Energy Guide labels on the tank. Remember the higher the EF rating the more efficient the unit.

   Another important factor when comparing water heaters is the First Hour Rating, FHR. The first hour rating measures how much hot water the heater will be capable of delivering during the hour of highest use. Estimating your peak hot water usage will help you identify an appropriate tank or water heater for your household or facility.

7. Plumbing fixtures should have water-conserving features such as low flow faucets and showerheads. Look at toilets that use 1.6 gallons or less per flush and toilets with a dual flush system. Energy Star approved washing machines and dishwashers are a great idea to save water.
8. Pick out appliances that have an Energy Star approved rating. They will cost a little more but will save you money in the long run.