Buying a new construction home? Here are two things you might want to ask your builder.
- Does the builder use LP TechShield radiant barrier (or other radiant barrier roof sheathing) as the roof decking? A radiant barrier decking helps block radiant heat from entering the attic. This can help keep your attic temperature lower in the summer which prevents the radiant heat from pushing through the installed insulation into the top floor of your home. The attic will still be hot, just not as hot as it would be without a radiant barrier. This is an energy saving item that saves you a small amount but does it long term and no maintenance is required.
- Buying a 2-story home with any type of room over a garage area? The NC building code only requires R-19 insulation in the floor. While this typically works well for floors over crawlspaces, it does not work so well with floors over garages. The volume of a garage can hold a lot of hot or cold air which often causes rooms above the garage to be warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter than other rooms on the same floor. If your home is still in the construction phase, you can ask the builder if it is possible to upgrade the insulation in the floor over the garage from R-19 to R-30. This changes the thickness of the batt insulation from approximately 6 ¼” to approximately 10”. This will often help with the temperature in the rooms over the garage. The added cost will possibly run from $250-500 additional for the upgraded insulation depending on the size of the garage. The labor cost to install should stay the same.
Make sure to also read about closed crawlspace systems.
More questions about a new construction home? Give me a call at 919-847-3126. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. Kent