Think of These Things When Planning New Home Builds

Congratulations! You’re in the process of building your dream home. It’s an exciting time, but a somewhat stressful one.

All the decisions come down to you. This includes the inner workings of your home’s heating and cooling systems.

Unless you’re a licensed HVAC technician, you may not realize you’re not getting the right information about what your new home needs.

Contractors Cut Corners to Reduce Cost and Comfort

We understand that new home builds are expensive, but some builders will try to save you money the wrong way. They’ll outsource the heating and cooling installation to an HVAC provider who will cut corners to cut dollars to provide the cheapest price.

The end result is a heating and cooling system that doesn’t work properly for you. You may have to turn up the TV every time the furnace comes on to muffle the noise. Some rooms may be hotter or cooler than others. Some rooms may even be dustier due to lack of ventilation.

Most importantly, your energy costs go through the roof, and heating or cooling your home becomes unaffordable.

That’s why you need to go with a company that has all the qualifications and certifications needed to give you the truth, and a guarantee that we’ll do the job correctly.

We’ll Think of These Things for Your New Home

We live and breathe heating and cooling (literally). We know everything there is to know about picking the right features, choosing the right systems, and getting the most savings.

If you’re in the process of a new home build, we want you to think of these things.

1. Proper Ductwork and Ventilation Design

To implement a heating and cooling system, we’ll first need to lay out proper ductwork and ventilation. A poorly planned vent or duct can ruin your energy efficiency, no matter how many thermostats you have.

Depending on the mistakes made, your furnace and air conditioner will have to work harder, you could lose up to 75% of your air distribution efficiency, and could even send excess dust particles and debris into your home, reducing your air quality.

That’s a lot of problems, all stemming from a part of your house you never think about once it’s installed. And when your ductwork is installed, it’s hard to change. So you want it done safely and correctly the first time.

ATEL is one of the premier companies for ductwork design and air balancing. This means that we can test ductwork, and make adjustments that will give you the best air flow with the best layout. Learn more>

2. Multi-Zone Layouts for More Efficiency

When you build a new home, you’ll be installing a high efficiency furnace and air conditioner with a minimum efficiency score of 90% as per Ontario’s codes. A high-efficiency system will be a huge improvement over your old furnace, and you’ll notice an immediate impact on your energy bill.

However, even the most energy-efficient model will waste some heat. This is because traditional ductwork layouts don’t let you control where your heat goes. Most people have experienced that overly warm second-floor bedroom, or the remarkably cold basement.

If you want to have more control over how your home is heated, consider using multi-zone layouts. This eliminates hot and cold spots in your home, and allows you to control where the heat goes by putting adjustable valves/dampers in the ductwork and installing multiple thermostats.

3. An HRV

A heat recovery ventilator is the must-have you never knew you wanted. It is a great addition to your home heating and cooling system because it increases your efficiency AND brings you fresh, oxygen-rich outdoor air at indoor temperatures.

It works by sending the stale, stuffy air of your home outside. But first, that air passes over heat exchanger pads, which absorb the heat you’ve spent money on. The HRV then pulls the fresh air in, and that air picks up the heat from the pads.

Now you don’t have to pay more to heat the outdoor air, and you can drastically improve your indoor air quality.

4. Humidifiers

You’ve gotten your temperature and efficiency levels right where you want them, but there’s one thing that furnaces, proper ductwork, and HRVs can’t help with; the humidity level in your home.

The ideal comfort level for humidity in a home is 35-50%. In the winter, your indoor air could have a humidity level of 20% or lower.

Not only is this bad for you, but it’s bad for your home. The dry air will suck up moisture where it can, and that includes your beautiful new hardwood floors. They’ll begin to crack and split from lack of moisture. That’s why the majority of hardwood floor manufacturers recommend installing a humidifier.

When you do, your floors will thank you. You’ll also feel healthier and happier.

5. Infloor Heating

Wouldn’t you love to wake up on a chilly winter morning, and instead of putting your toes on a floor as cold as a skating rink, you put your toes on a floor as deliciously warm as that first cup of coffee?

Infloor heating is something no one really thinks about as a real option; you only hear of it when you see a luxury home on HGTV. But it’s actually an option that is available to you.

So how does it work? From the ground up! The heat from your floor radiates to the rest of your home at a nice, even temperature. It’s a great feature you can install in specific rooms, and with most flooring types.

They’re are a couple different ways to get radiant infloor heating, with different costs. Talk to us about the pros and cons to decide if this is the way you want to go.

6. Geothermal Heating

New home builds are a great time to consider going geothermal. Only a few metres beneath your feet, there’s warm earth that stays constant even when we experience a deep freeze.

If you want to be as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible, geothermal is the answer. It works in all seasons, and it’s actually more affordable to install than everyone’s told you.

ATEL is the top certified geothermal installer in Eastern Ontario, with over 600 installations under our belts. Learn more about our geothermal services>

7. A Warm Room Over the Garage

Many people put rooms over the attached garage to get the most out of their new home builds. But no one wants to be in that extra space if it’s the same temperature as the outside.

You need to treat it as a separate space; don’t just think of it as part of the garage. Then identify the problems it has (or could have). One of the biggest problems that isn’t taken into account is that the bedroom floor is over a cold garage with exterior walls. That increases the difficulty of keeping it warm.

We’ll come up with a plan to warm this space to your satisfaction. There are several options, ones which we’ve already mentioned. The end result will be a bedroom/office/rec room that will actually be used.

There Are Rebates Available to Help Reduce Costs

ATEL is involved with a lot of rebate programs that can provide you thousands in money back.

These rebates make getting a professional installation and the proper systems much more attainable for new home builds. Take some time to research available programs, and ask us questions. You’ll be glad you did! Learn more about our specials and rebates>

We’ll Turn Your New House into a Home You’re Happy to Be In

Don’t use someone who will cut corners. Instead, contract a company that will give you an honest estimation, professional recommendations, and high-quality service and systems. When you work with ATEL, we’ll turn your new house into a comfortable home.

Request a Quote