sr160009
Silver Member
Congrates to Ya'll.
The way I am going on our home, we will be lucky to move in by thanksgiving.
The way I am going on our home, we will be lucky to move in by thanksgiving.
Starting New House Finally!
- Thread starter Alan L.
- Start date
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Congratulations!!!
Keep us updated on what it's like to live there. I've very curious about your insulation and how it's working out for you. I know how the experts and reviews are, but there's nothing like hearing from somebody who's actually living there.
I've also found the most valuable advice comes from people who do something and realize it's better or wasn't what they expected. I do this all the time, so if you notice something like that, it sure would be helpful.
Your home is beautiful and I'm sure you will be very happy every time you drive up to it and come home. For me, the most important part of a home is the way it makes you feel.
Eddie
Keep us updated on what it's like to live there. I've very curious about your insulation and how it's working out for you. I know how the experts and reviews are, but there's nothing like hearing from somebody who's actually living there.
I've also found the most valuable advice comes from people who do something and realize it's better or wasn't what they expected. I do this all the time, so if you notice something like that, it sure would be helpful.
Your home is beautiful and I'm sure you will be very happy every time you drive up to it and come home. For me, the most important part of a home is the way it makes you feel.
Eddie
EddieWalker said:
So far so good Eddie. Too early for electric bills, but we are staying very comfortable. Humidity levels are ranging 53-57% which is high, but am told the building materials have alot of moisture and it might take a year to get it down. Plus, it has been very humid and very rainy. In fact we had 10-11 inches of rain in the last 3 days. All of my ways out were blocked this morning and I couldn't go to work.
Only complaint so far is my minisplit A/C for the bedroom. Its and LG 12K BTU unit and I find that the minimum thermostat setting is 64. We have been using a $250 window unit in the "barn" and have been setting it on 60.
I've been laughed off the gardenweb HVAC board, even called wasteful. Anyone who has seen what I've spent on insulation and SEER would know otherwise. The purpose for the minisplit is to save energy by limiting the cold to one room of the house. But, with a minimum setting of 64 and the sensor right on the return side of the air handler even getting to 64 is a trick. I have the sensor wrapped in an 8th inch or so of styrofoam to fool it, but it has not helped much.
Someone has said I should be able to put a resistor or something on there to regulate it, but I am still studying it. Meantime we are sleeping with one quilt and sheet, but are used heavier covers.
I plan to just try to get used to it, but moving into the new house and not being as comfortable in sleeping conditions is not what I had in mind.
Also keep in mind that when many are firing up their heaters in the winter we almost never use ours and probably less in this house.
The amount of room and everything else has been just great and everything we imagined. Still alot of work to do, hanging pictures and such. Spent til 10:00 Friday night spreading gravel for the driveway, then we got the big rain and I found I had blocked some water flow. Had to get the tractor out Sunday morning early and cut me a trench in it to let the water out. Guess I need some kind of pipe to act as a sort of culvert.
In the building we didn't have but a couple of windows to see out of. First week Mrs. Alan L. spotted a deer right out one of the back windows, and a bobcat the next morning. Much better view in all directions. Attached is her fogged up picture of the deer.
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Congratulations on the new home. It looks great. I am right there with you one the a.c. I just installed central air in my house and after being used to window units for my entire life it takes some getting used to. They tell me that central air is designed for 72-74 degrees but, that is to warm for me to sleep in. So I have had some long nights trying to get used to it. And by the way, that face in the tree would have to go. One dark stormy night and it may end up with some lead in it. 
WhyNot said:Congratulations on the new home. It looks great. I am right there with you one the a.c. I just installed central air in my house and after being used to window units for my entire life it takes some getting used to. They tell me that central air is designed for 72-74 degrees but, that is to warm for me to sleep in. So I have had some long nights trying to get used to it. And by the way, that face in the tree would have to go. One dark stormy night and it may end up with some lead in it.
The face was Mrs. Alan L's doings. The grandchildren like it and the other few trees that have faces.
I've not had trouble getting any of my central air systems to whatever temp I want. Before putting in the window unit we set the central air thermostat to 60 and it got it there no problem. But energy-wise the window unit used less because it was only needed in the one room.
Here is a pic of my creek. The bridge splits my property in half - that is the creek runs more or less down the middle, but it has some feeders and is pretty crooked too.
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Sigarms
Super Member
Alan L. said:
I'm curious as to why the HVAC system wasn't zoned for the bedroom instead of using the mini split?
I probably missed it, but what size is the bedroom?
Very nice looking house!
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Sigarms said:
Thanks, zoning is relatively expensive and the minisplit was < $1000 to add. Further it is an entirely separate unit to be used to cool down the bedroom only at night while the rest of the system is entirely off. The bedroom has 2 ducts from the regular system which keep it at 71 or so during the day while the minisplit is off. Mrs. Alan L. spends some time there during the day, ironing and such, making the bed, etc. She has an ironing board that comes out of the wall.
Also, my HVAC guy says the way the duct sizes and such have to be done when zoning causes wear and tear on the equipment as it has to be able to handle the air flow when baffled away from other areas.
Bottom line, we have one unit for upstairs, another unit for downstairs, and an auxiliary minisplit for the bedroom for cold night sleeping only.
The bedroom is about 16 x 18, minus the walls.