thooks said:

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there should be a Thermidistat/Humidistat installed for the controls (humidity sensor-based thermostat that focuses more on humidity control than temperature control).

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Got any sources for those? I've always thought it would be more useful to base demand on both temperature and relative humidity, as I find myself turning the set temp. way up on really hot days (since the air has been dried out nicely) and way down on cooler but very humid days (since it doesn't run long enough to dry the air). It's nothing I can't do manually, but in these days of microchip thermostats, it would seem to me to make a lot of sense to let the little box on the wall do the controlling based on some 'comfort index' sort of thing.

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Tom

And now, back to The Mickey Bitsko Show!

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blindrid said:

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themoon said:

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Will ask about the R40 in the attic.

Heat pump was builders decision. (I don't know any better) Not like we would be using it much anyway, last "winter" here we didn't even turn on the heater.

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My guess is that R-22 is probably the max one can do one the vaulted/cathedral ceilings. R30 on the flat areas makes sense. I wouldn't get too excited about R-40 based on your climate.

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I have R-30+ in my vaulted cathedral ceiling

However, as you said, for his climate, it doesn't matter much.

You are talking about the difference between ~95% and ~97% effective at reducing heat transfer through the *insulation*. At that point, the heat transfer through other, non-insulated paths (studs, pipes, little gaps, what have you) are probably more expensive than anything else.

IE Doubling the r-value from R-20 to R-40 is unlikely to cause an *actual* 50% improvement, only a theoretical one.

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thooks said:

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A 19 SEER unit the same size as the one the are going to install isn't going to cool the house quicker/better than a 14 SEER unit.

14 SEER is going to be the minimum shortly. I don't know the date. Yes, a 16 SEER condensing unit will be better. It will have a 2-speed compressor and to correctly match it with your indoor furnace, it should be a variable speed blower and there should be a Thermidistat/Humidistat installed for the controls (humidity sensor-based thermostat that focuses more on humidity control than temperature control).

The R-13 batt with the 1/2", R-2 continuous insulation (sheathing) on the exterior walls is very sufficient. Your U-value and shading co-efficient of the glass/window assembly is far more important than that. The U-value you want to see for the ASSEMBLY (not just the glass) is roughly 0.40 - 0.44. Higher is bad. Lower is good. The shading co-efficient number you want as low as possible. You should want somewhere around 0.38 - 0.42. Lower is better.

I believe the minimum R-rating for attic/roof insulation is R-50 now required by the International Residential Code. Your locale may have not adopted the latest code, so don't worry...it's not a martial law that they do. Yet.

I would want a minimum of R-40 in the attic/roof. I would tell them to put any blown-in insulation they want to install up their anatomy where the sun doesn't shine. That stuff is worthless.


You're building a 4,000 sf home? You're crazy for not spraying the entire thing with spray foam insulation. Don't tell us you don't have that budgeted. 4,000 sf is a lot of house. It's a lot to maintain and operate.

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