Timber Home Living – September 01, 2019

14 TIMBER HOME LIVING October 2019

to the areas that will need hot water, so

it won’t have to travel far, wasting the

heat and defeating the purpose. Bo-

nus: On-demand systems are smaller

and less obtrusive than traditional

50-gallon tanks.

6. Choose the right HVAC system.
   The kind of system you need to heat
   and cool your house depends on where
   you live and what you’re building. For
   example, if you’re planning a two-story
   house in the southeastern part of the
   country, consider splitting your systems,
   installing a heat-pump to serve the sec-
   ond floor and a gas unit on the ground
   level (if gas is available to you). Why?
   Gas systems heat more efficiently than
   electric, and since heat rises, you really
   only need the second-story unit to cool
   the second level. When shopping for a
   heat pump, look for one with a higher
   SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ra-
   tio) rating. The higher the number, the
   more efficient the unit, and the more
   money you can save. But be careful not
   to buy more than you need! You can get
   a 22-SEER unit, but it may be unneces-
   sary. The upfront cost is higher without
   significantly impacting the return on
   your investment. To get the most bang
   for your buck, look for a unit between
   12 and 18 SEER, but be sure to check
   with your local building department on
   code requirements first.
   If there are rooms that you don’t
   use often, such as a guest bedroom or
   a bonus room over the garage (or your
   timber home is quite small), mini-split
   units are an option for those occasional
   or small-space HVAC needs.


7. Choose quality windows and
   doors. Window and door manufactur-
   ers are required to meet energy-code
   guidelines, and products that are EN-
   ERGY STAR rated are ideal. In most

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