Showers and Bathtubs – Is the Pressure There?

Your shower and bathtub are an important part of your new home. In fact, you probably spend a good portion in one of these places each morning. There are a few things to take into consideration before you install these two systems so they operate great for years to come and become a place of rejuvenation in your new home.

Showers

The showers installed in homes today are not the showers of just a few years ago. There are now a wide variety of showers that cater to many different types of needs and styles. Frequently multiple head showers are installed, the rain style that simulates natural rain are also popular, as well as the handheld shower variety. Almost anything you can dream can be installed in your shower today.

While any of these showers are great for a new home, it is very important to make sure you have enough water pressure to supply the needed water so the shower you selected runs properly.

Bathtubs

There are a few things to keep in mind when you install a whirlpool bathtub in your new home. First, remember insulation is very important, particularly if you plan to finish your basement completely. The insulation keeps the temperatures from fluctuating, but it also cuts down on the noise a bathtub creates.
You will also want to make sure you get a larger hot water heater if you get a big whirlpool tub. These styles of tubs take a considerable amount of hot water to use and, if you don’t have a large enough hot water tank, you will quickly run out of hot water. A larger tank will allow you plenty of water for your bathtub and other appliances that need hot water around your home.

You want to make sure you have the proper framing under your bathtub so it does not sink after the tub is installed. This can lead to all sorts of problems with the tub in later years.

In addition, you want to make sure you put the motor in a place that is relatively easy to access. This doesn’t mean you want to leave it exposed, but put it in a place that will take minimal effort to access. This way, if the motor breaks, it can be fixed or replaced with minimal effort. If it is not in a place that’s easy to access, the entire tub may have to be removed simply to fix the problems with the motor.

Showers and bathtubs are an important part of a new home. With careful consideration on several issues, you can have a high quality shower and bath system that exceeds your needs and expectations.

Two Critical Elements in Choosing the Right Heat and Air Unit for Your Home

One of the most important aspects of building a new home is choosing the right heating and air conditioning unit. If the right unit is selected, it can make a dramatic impact on your overall heating and air bill during the life of your home. In addition, you want to find a unit that will evenly heat and cool the home so the entire home is comfortable from one end to the other.

What Furnace is Best?

A high efficiency furnace is critical when it comes to picking the right unit to heat your home.  Selecting a unit that offers at least 90% efficient is critical. Many builders opt for a cheaper heating unit that is less than 90% efficient to cut corners. However, this can negatively affect your home and heating bills for years to come.

A good builder will choose a 92% to 95% efficient furnace to give you the highest quality of furnace possible. How do you know if you have a high efficiency furnace? The PVC pipe will be sealed to prevent air leakage. This lends to the unit being as efficient as possible.

In addition, the return on the furnace should have properly taped seams. Without this important step, cool or warm air will escape and decrease the efficiency of the appliance.

Where Should the Furnace Be in My Home?

The furnace should also be strategically placed in the middle of the home. This prevents the unit from being forced to push air from one end of the house to the other. By having it in the middle, the air can be distributed evenly and not put undue stress on the appliance.

If you have a two story house, you have two options of how to ensure the heat and air are evenly distributed to your home.  One choice is to put a complete unit on each floor. This will make sure each floor is properly heated.

Another option is to use an electronic damper system. This will put a thermostat in several rooms. Each thermostat will open or close vents in your furnace. This allows you to generate more heat or cold to whatever area of the home you choose.

A high efficiency heating and air unit is crucial to finding the right unit for your home. By selecting the right unit and strategically placing it in your home, you are well on your way to having an evenly warm or cool home with as minimal cost as possible.

More than Just Pipes: Plumbing Your New Home (Building a Home Part 9)

As we continue in our series on the many steps involved in building a house, the importance of plumbing cannot be underestimated. Poor plumbing can mean major problems now and for many years to come. By taking the time to properly install your pipes with proper installation is the key. Considering what type of water softener your home will need is important, as well.

Properly Insulate Your Pipes

Once your pipes are three to four feet underground, they stay a consistent 65 degrees. If, however, there are some pipes that are exposed to an outside wall, you need make sure they are wrapped so they are properly insulated and able to withstand the low winter temperatures they will endure. This is particularly important on a wall that faces the north. In a case like that, double insulation might be worth considering and certainly worth the extra cost.

Improperly insulated pipes will bust and cause an incredible amount of damage to your home. Insulating your pipes is not a corner you want to cut. Properly insulated pipes are a fundamental part of good plumbing. In addition to the insulation you put around the pipes, you also want to make sure you plug up any openings to prevent any drafts that could also freeze the pipes, as well.

Water Softener

You need to decide early in the building process if you want to put a water softener in your new home. This type of system puts salt into your water to help create softer water. This process removes large amounts of minerals. It makes things like showering or even washing your clothes an easier, more effective process. With lots of minerals in your water, creating a cleansing lather with soap is difficult. The minerals can also be left on your body or in your clothes and cause ill effects.

On the other hand, when it comes to things like watering your lawn or your drinking water, a water softener is not a good thing. The salt in the softer water is not good to ingest for plants or animals, humans included. For that reason, it is important to have a system in place that allows for both regular water and a softer water option. This involves creating two routes of water: one for your drinking water and one for your yard.

Insulating your pipes is important to prevent damage down the road in your new home. Also, picking the right water softener is important. A water softener, however, is not appropriate for every household task. For this reason, there should be two lines that allow for softer water, and the more natural, harder water. Proper planning of your plumbing is an important step of building a home.

It’s All In the Wiring – The Electrical Part of Building a House (Part 8)

There are a multitude of decisions to be made when building a house. One important decision that can impact your home for years to come is the electrical components. While it might not be a subject you are extremely enthusiastic about, it is vital to the functionality and safety of your home.

Electrical Wiring

Do a walk-through of your new home during the building process and determine where you will put your plugs and switches. Also figure out where you want your overhead lights, if you want ceiling fans, and any other related electrical features. It is important to determine this now to save pain and frustration later.

All electrical wires run through a device called a “home run.” The wires go down into a junction box. The wires that are above the home run are called “spaghetti.” They get their name from the fact there are frequently a number of wires running through a home run. The resulting wiring above the home run actually looks a bit like spaghetti.

Make sure nail plates are in place. This is a metal piece that goes over the frame where the electrical work is threaded. This not only protects your electrical work, it also protects you if you would pound a nail through the dry wall and into the frame of your home where the electrical work is. Not all homes have this important safety feature, but make sure yours does so there are no tragedies down the road.

Insulation

While most people realize that traditional insulation, such as large sheets of fiberglass insulation, are important, there are also other areas that need plugged up during the building process. Anywhere small holes may be present, such as spots for electrical wiring or an electrical box, use expanded foam. This small amount of foam insulation prevents cold air from seeping into the home from small areas you might not expect.

Ceiling Fans & Lighting

While it is possible to install a ceiling fan after a home is built, it is even better to put the proper reinforcements in during the building process to have as secure of a ceiling fan as possible. Bolting the fan to the ceiling joist gives it a firm and secure fit. This prevents any wobbling or the fan from even falling on the home occupants.
A great time to determine where you want your light to radiate into your home is when you build your home. The builder will place “cans” that give that particular area the structure and form that it needs for the proper lighting.

Breaker Box

Make sure you label what each breaker goes to in your breaker box as soon as possible. It makes fixing problem breakers much easier down the road. It cuts out the step of trying to determine exactly where the problem is and allows you to fix it as quickly as possible.

Also make sure you leave some blanks in your electrical box. This allows for future expansions in your home and gives you an appropriate spot to put new electrical lines in the future if you need to do so.

There are a number of areas in your new home that you need to consider when it comes to electrical wiring. A few quick and easy decisions early in the building process will do much for a smoother transition as your home progresses.