the past, oversizing HVAC equipment remains a common and expensive mistake. Bigger systems waste energy and cost more to purchase, install and operate. Tey produce extra noise, and uncomfortable temperature swings due to less-effective dehumidification. Houses that are built with energy efficient envelopes reduce the peak loads and allow for smaller, more efficient HVAC equipment. Manual J Residential Load Calculations are the proven way to deter- mine the correct equipment size needed; they evaluate mul- tiple factors and calculate heat loss and heat gain for each room of the home under peak conditions.
While many HVAC contractors rely upon cloth duct tape for their installs, film tapes, such as DC 181 from Shurtape®, are gaining traction thanks to their cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
HVAC Systems
Most contractors are keenly aware that HVAC decisions in- volve more than just selecting high efficiency units from the best brand names in the industry. When selecting HVAC equipment and designing the system, a complete under- standing of the whole house approach to building is most vi- tal. While predetermining the amount of heating or cooling needed based on per square foot of living area is a thing of
Here once again, best practices ultimately come into play. No matter what the equipment is capable of, the design of the HVAC duct system and measures taken to create perma- nent, airtight duct seals with no leaks are key to the overall system efficiency. Building codes now require the use of a tape that is UL 181B-FX Listed for sealing flex duct con- nections, ensuring the tape has the proper adhesion and extended-life shear strength to stay in place effectively for long periods of time. If the right tape isn’t used, the HVAC system will fail the building inspection.
If it MATTERS TO YOU, IT matters TO US.
Te “V” in HVAC is also important. In the past, air leaks in the building envelope provided homes with a natural cir- culation that reduced indoor air pollutants, moisture, dust and bacteria. Today’s tighter homes minimize the exchange between outdoor and indoor air. Terefore, some addi- tional controlled ventilation is usually required. Te Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) certifies products for airflow, sound level and energy efficiency. Te HVI-Certified Prod- ucts Directory at
hvi.org is updated monthly and includes more than 3,200 residential ventilation products, providing builders and consumers with a wide range of balanced venti- lation options suitable for the varying climates and housing throughout North America.
Tell Your Buyers!
WHYCOMMUNITYMATTERS.COM See the tories at
FORT WORTH - LPO 100 Throckmorton, Suite 1610 817.232.6679 e
pinnbanktx.com
T HE WAY B A NK I N G S H OUL D B E MEMBER FDIC
While the things discussed here may be common knowl- edge to you as a building expert, remember that your buyers aren’t necessarily the experts they may think they are, and they can’t see behind your walls. A SAVVY builder has a knowledgeable sales staff that understands how to sell more than the aesthetics. Hold seminars in your model, blog about what you’re doing, post pictures of your building pro- cess and comments from your energy auditor on social me- dia sites. Get that message out—that buying a new home means buying a better built home! Remodelers: Provide data that shows return on investment for improvements, be the expert on tax rebates. Do everything to spread the word that you are the SAVVY source when it comes to utility sav- ings and responsible environmental decisions.
13_PTX36_BUILDINGSAVVY_COMMUNITYMATTERS.indd 1 16 GREATER DFW METROPLEX BUILDING SAVVY MAGAZINE VXIII 8/28/13 1:00 PM
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