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Final Walk-Through Checklist
(a helpful tool for providing your builder
with a comprehensive list of final repairs)
You’re finally getting ready to move into your new home! You’ve been waiting for this moment for over a year, maybe even two. You’re excited, you’re exhausted, and you just want it to be over, but there is one more thing you need to do before getting the keys to the front door: THE FINAL WALK-THROUGH.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a checklist that leads you through the house, inside and out, reminding you of what to examine in each area while simultaneously creating a repair list for your builder? Our newest product will do just that and more! For more information, Click for Final Walk-Thru Checklist.
Model Home Review Checklist
(looking past the decorating to
see this house as your home)
You’ve visited model after model. Finally, you’ve discovered one that you love. This might be the perfect home for your family, but. . .
Have you really SEEN it?
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How many outlets were on the front porch?
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Was the exhaust above the stove designed to pull the steam and grease from the home, or is it simply a recirculating system that pulls steam and grease through a filter and deposits it back into the kitchen?
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What was the height of the bathroom cabinets: 32” or 36”?
- Were there exterior floodlights? How many? Where were they located? Were they static or equipped with motion sensors?
Our “Model Home Review Checklist” provides a thorough and systematic method for looking past the beautiful decorating in many model homes in order to determine if the design will “work” for your family, and if the builder will meet your needs.
This unique tool will help you to focus on the functional features of the house on a room-by-room basis. It also will make sure you are aware of the specifications associated with the lot and with the mechanical, structural, and exterior elements of your potential new home. In addition it may introduce you to new building products. For more information, Click for Model Home Review Checklist.
New Freebies
We’ve added three new pictorial checklists: “Laundry Room Design,” “Kitchen Design,” and “Oops!” These lists are chock-full of insightful information to help design function into your new home. And you know what they say: “A picture is worth a thousand words!” For more information, Click for FREEBIES !
An Energy Efficient Air Handling System
Choosing the proper air handler, though usually not one the most exciting parts of your building or remodeling process, is nevertheless a critical decision. Because a large percentage of your energy bill goes toward maintaining a comfortable temperature for you and your family, equipping your home with an efficient system not only assures you of excellent interior air quality but also reflects directly on your pocketbook.
In this issue we’ll discuss the importance of properly sized equipment, plus we’ll introduce some of the features of an efficient air handling system.
Air Handling Features:
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 SEER Rating: All air handling units have a SEER rating, which stands for “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.” The minimum SEER requirement for your units usually is defined by the local building code. For example, current Florida code stipulates a minimum of 13 SEER. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the air handler.
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Variable Speed Motor: You may also want to specify that air conditioning units be equipped with a variable speed motor (VSM). "Variable speed" refers to the fan motor inside the air handler—the indoor part of an air conditioner that moves cooled or heated air throughout the ductwork of your home. In most central heating and cooling systems, the fan and motor run at one speed, which means the system is either on or off. Conversely, a VSM uses control technology to change speed based on your home’s heating and cooling requirements, increasing slowly to maximum speed instead of always starting at full capacity. This gradual ramping up eliminates the noisy startup as well as the sudden blast of air you experience with a one-speed system. And because the system runs at a lower speed most of the time, it both reduces wear and tear on the fan and motor and lowers operating costs.
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Cutoff Sensor: The PVC pipe circled in the picture above is the cutoff sensor for this unit. Have you ever had the drip pan of your air conditioner fill up with water and overflow? Such an event can cause substantial damage, especially if your air handler is on the second floor or in the attic. A cutoff sensor prevents this from happening. If the drip pan fills with water, it flows into the PVC pipe, raising a float which in turn shuts down your unit. The building code in your area may require this feature on new units. For those of you that are remodeling, a sensor can be retrofitted to existing units.
 Filtration Options: Take a look at this picture of the filter that came with our air conditioning unit. Would you want to rely on this sorry excuse for a filter to provide clean air for your home? Since you can see straight through it, I can’t image how it could filter anything.
The 4-inch-thick  pleated media filter shown here is a much better choice. This type of filter is available in a variety of thicknesses, as well as in an electronic version. However, because it requires additional room and can add a few hundred dollars to your costs, your builder needs to know up front, for both space-planning and budgeting purposes, if you are interested in this option.
In addition to choosing the features of your air handler, it is extremely important that this unit be sized properly. Oversized equipment can reduce comfort and produce excessive "air" noise, cause the unit to cycle on and off more frequently, and ultimately shorten equipment life. In addition, an oversized unit doesn’t run long enough during each cycle to remove humidity from the air, and this excess moisture can contribute to mold growth. On the other hand, undersized equipment, with airflow that is too low, can reduce the efficiency of air distribution and accelerate wear on system components, again leading to earlier failure.
There’s no question that all of this can feel a bit overwhelming. So as homeowners, how can we feel assured that we’re getting the right equipment, properly installed?
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First, ask the HVAC contractor if he or she is a member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (www.acca.org). ACCA members have access to the latest technical information regarding HVAC systems.
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Second, confirm that your contractor uses the Manual J® residential load calculation procedure. Manual J is the official standard for such calculation and is required by many building codes around the country. A contractor using the Manual J system will carefully measure your home; evaluate its levels of insulation; note the sizes and quantity of windows; estimate the levels of infiltration; and take into consideration all internal loads, including lighting and kitchen appliances. He or she will then complete a computerized analysis that indicates just how much heating and/or cooling capacity your new system should provide. You should receive a copy of the analysis for your records.
Copyright © 2006 Tracy DeCarlo - All Right Reserved
WANT A CHECK LIST OF HUNDREDS OF TIPS
AND IDEAS FOR DESIGNING A FUNCTIONAL HOME?
If you liked today’s tips you’ll love the book “Don’t Forget the Linen Closets!” It’s packed with over 240 ideas and reminders to help you incorporate function, organization, and efficiency into your home without breaking the bank.
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To us, it [“Don’t Forget the Linen Closets”] is the most thorough guide to building a house, regardless of size, in the industry. Most importantly, it is geared toward the folks who will actually live in the house.
By following your guidelines, we are confident that we will have a far more functional home than if we had been on our own. Also, we know that we and the builder have saved thousands of dollars by avoiding rework and non-functional design flaws. In fact we have dubbed the book, “The Home Buyers’ Essential Handbook for Design and Construction in Less Than 50 Pages.”
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences in such a concise and useful way.
Bill and Yvonne Dunbar
Homeowners building a custom home
Orlando, FL – February 2006
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If you’d like more personalized help, Tracy’s plan-review service will walk you through the process in detail. In either case, planning the details in the beginning can save thousands in the end! To see more testimonials and/or to place your order, visit Detailed Solutions WEB site now.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include the following blurb in its entirety:
Tracy DeCarlo, author of “Don’t Forget the Linen Closets!” publishes the idea-packed, monthly e-zine “Tips for Designing a Functional Home.” If you’re ready to learn how to incorporate organization, function, and efficiency into your new home or remodeling project without breaking the bank, get your FR*EE tips now at www.BuildingTips.net.
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