Building a new Gehan home - Radiant Barrier question (houses, neighborhood)

[loves2read]

the entire point of using radiant barrier decking is preventative--to keep heat OUT of the attic
adding insulation INTO the attic does two things--
it actually HOLDS heat that is in the attic in the attic--which helps heat the home in winter but it does not really help keep the attic cool--
the attic is where your HVAC system and your hot water heaters likely are and where you store stuff you want to save but don't have room for inside the house--like Christmas decorations and maybe some family momentos--
if they are in a hotter attic I don't think that is going to be good--

the venting runs in the attic are going to be having MORE heat thrown at them and that cold air will warm up sooner in hotter attic--even if the tubes are insulated they aren't totally immune from heat transfer

Houston has way more HEAT days than COLD days--you run your AC more days than your heater--the emphasis on your HVAC system is efficient cooling vs efficient heating--

you want to do one of two options--
either totally insulate your attic and use foam insulation/seaming in your house walls/attic flooring/roof underside to prevent any infiltration from the outside heat/cold into the living environment.
This design won't happen in a basic tract house because it is 2X the cost of conventional insulation and requires a more sophisticated/expensive HVAC system to monitor the air-exchange in the house and ensure proper cycling of air to ensure wellness
OR--
try to minimize heat gain and move hot air that gets IN the attic OUT of it--that means radiant barrier decking to try to prevent the major source of heat transfer through the roof, adequate/more than adequate venting with continuous soffits, ridge vents, wide-throat roof ventilators (not solar/electric powered ones) to move hot air that is in the attic out of it...
the laws of physics says that hot air rises--so it is possible to use the less expensive design features available in budget construction to create air movement inside and not allow it to stultify and build heat--
unfortunately air that is hot outside--like 100 degrees or more can't really be said to be cool--but the longer it stays in an attic, the more it continues to gain heat--
so you want to move it out of the attic and not allow it to stay...

IF builders/HOAs/cities would require WHITE roofs in hot climates it would be great for reducing the heat gain in an attic--but unfortunately that is not likely to happen...
metal roofs can also be helpful in reducing heat gain but they are very expensive compared to conventional composite roofs...
there are some roofs that are now being designed with a reflective coating that is supposed to throw back the sun's rays even if the roof color is fairly dark--don't know how successful that really is though

[loves2read]

and if you could get the builder to change out the conventional siding and use radiant barrier decking to side the WEST/SOUTH sides of your house you would see an appreciable savings on cooling costs

there are builders here in DFW area that are using reflective foil sheathing on walls for their home construction and it is really smart idea--
this might not be the best thing to do if you were in Colorado or another state with more cold days than hot--but from Oklahoma south it is the way to go IMO
states like AZ should use it on all sides --not just west/south--

[Rakin]

Add the radiant barrier, you'll be dollars ahead if you do. Also, buyers want it and it'll help your resale.

[confused33]

Thank you to everyone for your input! I'm gonna put some Radiant Barrier in the house! LOL

[Melias4]

Originally Posted by confused33

Thanks for the responses!

We were going to build in Elm Grove but ended up in Meadows at Buda where my brother in law lives. (This could be dangerous...LOL!)

I'm still not decided completely on what to do on the radiant barrier, but I think it is a good idea.

I know it's only "$5.00 a month" but add interest to that over the course of 10 years and weigh the benefit of a 5 - 10% savings on a $150 electric bill and you'll start seeing where I'm coming from. (Yes - I over analyze EVERYTHING!)

Keep the thoughts coming!

Marcus

The monthly savings is really more like 30% on radiant barrier, so even on a $100 energy bill, you're looking at $30 savings vs. $5/month in your mortgage. That $5/mo sounds like it already includes the interest since $990 over 360 months would be $2.75, so it's really a true savings of at least $25/mo. If you paid out of pocket for it, again even on a $100 energy bill you'd make that money back in 3 years. I'd go with the radiant barrier for sure.

[NativeTexanGrrl]

Gehan isn't the best, but radiant barrier rocks!

[confused33]

Originally Posted by NativeTexanGrrl

Gehan isn't the best, but radiant barrier rocks!

Looks like you joined the forum and searched for threads that involved Gehan so you could share your insight with everyone.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...rchid=36926717

Thanks for the input. I'm pretty damn happy with my builder. It sounds like you have a problem with your sales person and the construction manager. Not the builder or the guys putting the house together.

The internet...such a silly place.

Marcus

[NativeTexanGrrl]

Yes, Confused, I do have a problem with both my salesperson and my construction manager. Looks like you only wanted thoughts from certain parties?
Keep on trolling' and staying confused.

[confused33]

Originally Posted by NativeTexanGrrl

Yes, Confused, I do have a problem with both my salesperson and my construction manager. Looks like you only wanted thoughts from certain parties?
Keep on trolling' and staying confused.

I was commenting based on the part about Gehan not being the best an the fact that you had 4 posts at the time and all of them were in old, dead threads about Gehan homes.

I see that you were basically fishing for someone to listen and help you with your frustrations. I commented accordingly in another thread.

Maybe I took a little offense to your opinion of where I chose to spend my money, but that was before I knew you were building a Gehan too.

I'm no troll. If you need help start a thread and explain the situation. People are more likely to check out a new thread than one bumped from two years ago.

Good luck!

Marcus

PS - I added Radiant Barrier. Lol

[Blind Sniper]

I have to agree with NativeTexanGrrl. Gehan is far from the best in their market... Ours was built in 2007 - 2008 in the north Ft. Worth area. If there was an award for least energy efficient home on the market they would win... Hindsight being 20/20 I would not even think of building a house without radiant barrier installed with the decking. You will need all the help you can get...