Important Features of a Full Solar

Home

How many times have you heard that your home is your biggest investment? For most people, it’s true. And as you see from our interactive calculator, a Full Solar Home is the best investment by far

Since you plan to live in the future, it’s wise not to

choose a home designed for the past.

Here are a few features that will contribute to your comfort, safety, and enjoyment in the future.

Climate Control for a changing climate

This starts with a sealed attic (see the Design page) and proper insulation, including double- glazed insulated windows (impact-rated in some areas). This makes it easy and energy-efficient to maintain pleasant temperatures and humidity in your home over a wide range of conditions in the outside world. With a modern HVAC system, outside air entering the home can be microfiltered against particulates and allergens, UV-sterilized, and humidified/dehumidified as well as temperature- controlled. Modern systems with inverter drive compressors and variable speed fans maintain temperatures more precisely — and much more quietly — than the typical system that waits until you are too warm or cold before it whooshes on for a while.

A range hood that vents to outdoors

No explanation needed, but not all of them do that.

A heat pump waterheater is three times as effi-

cient as a typical electric waterheater.

The modest cost difference is no excuse for not having one.

Metal-clad wiring

Codes and customs vary by jurisdiction. In some places, you need hard steel conduit for your wiring, and in others you can use Romex or even individual conductors. Metal-clad is accepted in most jurisdictions, a group of wires inside a flexible gooseneck tube of aluminum or galvanized steel, called armored, metal-clad or MC. Steel MC reduces EMI (electromagnetic interference) by 95%, and many claim they sleep better in homes with MC wiring. From our perspective, the cost of MC is close to the cost of the separate wires inside, and can save you a lot of time (money) on wiring. With a proper plan (hint!) precut and labeled lengths can make wiring the home easy, saving not only wiring time but time wasted waiting for electricians. MC connects to boxes with simple fittings. MC comes in all combinations of wire gauge and numbers of solid or stranded conductors needed for any home.

Roof decking material (and exterior sheath for

frame construction)

Don’t accept plywood or OSB for the roof. These materials are commonly used because they are cheap and theoretically good enough. In real life they often get wet before the roofing is installed. They are subject to rot and mold.

PEX plumbing

Cross-linked polyethylene tubes, known as PEX (or XPE or XLPE) have been standard in Europe for 40 years and are increasingly popular in the U.S. We recommend PEX because it is fast and easy to install, and eliminates couplings and joints (potential leaks) in your attic and walls. With a manifold as shown you can to turn off the water to any tube, and use a continuous length from the manifold to each fixture. Again, with a proper plan, precut and labeled lengths save even more time on installation. PEX-type tubes use simple fittings that attach fast and reliably. More economical than copper, more reliable and easier than rigid PVC plumbing (and overall cheaper), you can save even more time in construction not waiting around for plumbers.

And what about some fun? A media wall.

It is amazing how many homes, new and old, don’t have a simple 12-foot wide wall in any living area. 100-inch flatscreens are awesome, but where can you put it? You can also get a small 4K projector that can hang from the ceiling or sit under your coffee table and fill a 12-foot or wider wall with movies, sports or whatever you like, at surprisingly reasonable prices. This is a stunning new dimension in home entertainment, yet most homes can’t take advantage of it. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a projection screen. Any white-ish or light colored wall with flat interior paint will do. When you turn off the video, it’s just a wall. Turn it on and it’s a whole new world.

Hey, it’s the future, right?

Pay a little extra for a product like ZIP board from Huber huberwood.com which is much stronger than plywood and so impervious it is guaranteed for 6 months directly in weather. Panel joints are sealed with Zip System tape or Zip liquid flashing. With Zip board’s built-in water-resistant barrier and air barrier, many exterior claddings don’t need housewrap.

PEX plumbing

And what about some fun? A media wall.

It is amazing how many homes, new and old, don’t have a simple 12-foot wide wall in any living area. Already 100-inch flatscreens area available today. Where can you put it? You can also get a small 4K projector that can hang from the ceiling or sit under your coffee table and fill a 12-foot wall with movies, sports or whatever you like, suprisingly inexpensive. This is a stunning new dimension in home entertainment, yet most homes can’t take advantage of it. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need a projection screen. Any white-ish or light colored wall with flat interior paint will do. When you turn off the video, it’s just a wall. Turn it on and it’s a whole new world. Hey, it’s the future, right?

Important Features of a Full Solar

Home

How many times have you heard that your home is your biggest investment? For most people, it’s true. And as you see from our interactive calculator, a Full Solar Home is the best investment by far. Since you plan to live in the future, it’s wise not to choose a home designed for the past. Here are a few features that will contribute to your comfort, safety, and enjoyment in the future.

Climate Control for a changing climate.

This starts with a sealed attic (see Design page) and proper insulation, including double-glazed insulated windows (impact-rated in some areas). This makes it easy and energy-efficient to maintain pleasant temperatures and humidity in your home over a wide range of conditions in the outside world. With a modern HVAC system, outside air entering the home can be microfiltered against particulates and allergens, UV-sterilized, and humidified/dehumidified as well as temperature- controlled. Modern systems with inverter drive compressors and variable speed fans maintain temperatures more precisely — and much more quietly — than the typical system that waits until you are too warm or cold before it whooshes on for a while.

A range hood that vents to outdoors. No expla-

nation needed, but not all of them do that.

A heat pump waterheater is three times as effi-

cient as a typical electric waterheater.

The modest cost difference is no excuse for not having one. Metal-clad wiring Codes and customs vary by jurisdiction. In some places, you need hard steel conduit for your wiring, and in others you can use Romex or even individual conductors. Metal-clad is accepted in most jurisdictions, a group of wires inside a flexible gooseneck tube of aluminum or galvanized steel, called armored, metal-clad or MC. Steel MC reduces EMI (electromagnetic interference) by 95%, and many claim they sleep better in homes with MC wiring. From our perspective, the cost of MC is close to the cost of the separate wires inside, and can save you a lot of time (money) on wiring. With a proper plan (hint!) precut and labeled lengths can make wiring the home easy, saving not only wiring time but time wasted waiting for electricians. MC connects to boxes with simple fittings. MC comes in all combinations of wire gauge and numbers of solid or stranded conductors needed for any home. Roof decking material (and exterior sheath if it is frame construction) Don’t accept plywood or OSB for the roof. These materials are commonly used because they are cheap and theoretically good enough. In real life they often get wet before the roofing is installed. They are subject to rot and mold. Pay a little extra for a product like ZIP board from Huber huberwood.com which is much stronger than plywood and so impervious it is guaranteed for 6 months directly in weather. Panel joints are sealed with Zip System tape or Zip liquid flashing. With Zip board’s built-in water-resistant barrier and air barrier, many exterior claddings don’t need housewrap.