HEATING AND COOLING
Heat pumps are the most common type of systems used in our homes today. Where natural gas is available a gas furnace combined with an electric air conditioner is a good alternative. Our area has high relative humidity and must be accounted for in designing the system for your home. Most people feel comfortable in temperature between 76 and 78 degrees with the relative humidity below 55%. As the humidity increases the temperature must come down to feel the same comfort. To ensure proper humidity control, the system must be designed to match the heat load. Conditioned air is distributed through the home using a system of rigid and flexible ductwork. Ductwork is a circulatory system that uses supplies to force air into the rooms and returns to complete the cycle back to the air handler. Typically the cost to heat and cool your home runs about 40 to 45% of your energy cost. There are numerous enhancements that will increase the efficiency of your system. You should discuss them with your builder or your builder’s subcontractor to evaluate the return on your additional investment. Some examples of system upgrades are: improved efficiency (SEER), improved air filtration system, programmable thermostats, zoning, ultraviolet light and heat recovery units.
ELECTRICAL
All homes have to be wired to the national building code. This code specifies the maximum spacing between outlets and must be adhered to. If you want additional outlets added you should identify them. The builder should specify the type of switches that are going to be used and the size of the main breaker in the panel box. If you have specific needs or future needs, be sure that they are incorporated into your plan. We realize that a one-dimensional plan is sometimes hard to visualize and when the house is under construction you may want to relocate items such as TV outlets and phone outlets. We request that you do a walk through with us and our electrician prior to starting the electric so the TV and phone outlets etc. are located where you want them. If the number or outlets remains the same but the location changes there won’t be any back charge, if the changes are identified prior to installation.
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A/C, HEATING & ELECTRICAL
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