This article is part of our ongoing home construction specification plan series.

Assembling a Home Construction Specification Plan — Spec Plan I: HVAC

An essential “ingredient” for every new home is the HVAC system — your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning — as maintaining a proper indoor climate is critical toward providing a comfortable living environment. Homes today are much more energy efficient than those built a generation or two ago as therma pane windows, better insulation, and improved duct work play a significant role in reducing energy usage while providing adequate levels of heating and cooling. Let’s take a look at what you need in an HVAC system that does its job well and brings real home energy savings to you.

Get In The Zone

Zone control will help distribute heating and cooling much more efficiently. For homes with two or more stories and for all homes 2500 square feet and larger, it makes sense to divide the home up into energy sections. If you spend most of your day on one level or in one area of the home, then why waste energy by heating or cooling the rest of the house at the same temperatures? Consider installing more than one system if your house is very large or use zone damper systems where multiple thermostats and ducts provide varying levels of energy control throughout the house.

Let’s Get Efficient

With so many people concerned about their personal energy usage, finding ways to save on energy costs is important. Consider solar or wind power as supplements to your regular HVAC system, but if that isn’t practical you can always make your home heating and cooling system as efficient as possible with the equipment you choose. A properly designed and installed duct work system with adequate duct sealing is a start — avoid losing heating or cooling that should be used to regulate room temperatures. Check the energy ratings on your heating/cooling pack, furnace or central air conditioning unit and go with those HVAC systems offering provable energy savings. Contact your electric or gas company for information on selecting the right equipment for your home’s needs. Some utility companies will provide a free energy audit to help you choose the best HVAC system.

Consider Humidification and Dehumidification

If the air is too dry in your home, that can cause a number of health related issues including sore throats or nose bleeds. Adequate humidification control adjusts to what is going on outside of your home and it will lessen static electricity and help preserve wood furniture as well as your tiling, woodwork and doors.

Air Quality Matters

The quality of your home’s air shouldn’t be taken for granted. As today’s homes are better sealed than ever before, heat and cooling leakage levels are much lower. However, tightly sealed homes can be breeding grounds for germs, stale odors, dust, etc. Change your air filters frequently and consider various types of electronic air cleaners which can help remove indoor air pollution.

Finally, when you move your furniture into your home, you’ll want to make sure that all vent and register areas are kept unblocked to maximize air circulation and to provide even distribution of your home heating and cooling. Choosing the right HVAC system will save on energy, provide adequate heating and cooling, and keep the inside air clean with the best systems eventually paying for themselves.

To help you build your home, please download a free copy of our construction spec worksheet.

Tags: energy efficiency, home building, home building plans, Home Construction, home construction specs, home energy savings, home heating and cooling, HVAC

The final week of Christmas shopping is upon us, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is done shopping. This year, sales are down suggesting that many consumers are waiting for last minute bargains to appear or perhaps cutting back on their spending. Regardless of how, where, or when you shop there is something you need to keep in mind in order to protect yourself as some thieves may try to steal your personal identity.

Identity theft continues to cost consumers, credit card companies and merchants billions of dollars annually in lost revenue, time, and in that hard to measure category — aggravation. You can prevent identity theft by keeping the following in mind:

Save Those Receipts — Nobody likes to be swamped with paperwork, but keeping receipts for all purchases going back as long as 90 days is great way to cross check your credit card bill against purchases. Once your purchases are verified, then shred the receipts you will not need (with a cross cut shredder), but keep those with guarantees/warranties attached for later reference. Also, keep copies of your credit card statements for up to seven years.

Watch Those Checks — Banks have moved away from requiring consumers to post their social security numbers on checks as this step has been a proven contributor to identity theft. If you are planning to give a gift this season and your social security number is printed on your checks, then give cash or a gift card instead. Make a resolution for the coming year to order new checks without sensitive personal information printed on them.

Shop Online, Carefully — Some would say that online shopping is dangerous. On the contrary, identity theft occurs more often through the carelessness of shoppers who leave receipts behind at stores, share personal information over the phone, etc. When shopping online make sure that your computer’s firewall and anti-virus software packages are up-to-date and only shop on a secured site. Look for a closed padlock in the corner or bottom of your browser when making a purchase and that web address should start off with https when you are at the point of purchase — the “s” means that the site is secure.

Run Your Credit Reports — By law, the credit reporting bureaus are required to provide one free copy of your credit report to you annually. Order your reports and check it for errors; if incorrect charges are being made under your name they’ll likely show up in your reports.

Update Your Passwords — One company had their accounts tampered with when the thief discovered that the password being used was the word password. Passwords should be at least eight characters long, contain numbers and letters, even symbols.

Identity theft can happen at any time of the year and in ways completely unexpected for consumers. Situational awareness — whether shopping online or in a store — is crucial to protecting your privacy and securing your identity.

Tags: , consumer credit, consumer information, ID theft, identity theft

Travel Tips

Looking to travel this holiday season?  Perhaps dropping in to see the family or get away for a great skiing trip.  Check out these last-minute getaway deals:

Last Minute Search

search for last-minute deals

Holiday Tips

Throw a Holiday Party.  Get this FREE Christmas holiday party planning kit:

PDF (FREE download)

Christmas Holiday Planning Kit

  Home Improvement Tips

A new mattress would make a nice Christmas gift.  See what’s new in mattress technology.

mattresses

  College Planning Tips

Monthly Checklist for December 16

Start collecting financial information about you and your parents in order to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form will be required for all college aid programs. You can submit your FAFSA form anytime after January 1.

Filing the FAFSA form will be required if you intend to receive financial aid assistance from the school.

The FAFSA form is administered by the Federal Government and it will be required for all Federal Student Loans, many scholarships, and other college financial aid packages. It is used by colleges to determine your financial aid eligibility.

see TASK #2 in January for FAFSA submission

  Consumer Financing Tip

With the holiday shopping going strong, protect yourself from ID theft.  Tis the season for the “bad guys” to steal and use your identity that cost you big.

learn more about ID theft

  Credit Card Tip

Do you have a child coming home from college? How do they do managing their college funds? Consider giving them a pre-paid card to budget college money:

pre-paid credit cards | view demonstration how pre-paid cards can work for you

Lowering Monthly Family Living Costs

The Holidays mean good food. But don’t go overboard and get into debt. View how best to enjoy the holidays without breaking your budget:

budget your Christmas food and living costs