by Elena Marsh, Buyer Advisor
Building for August: heat-smart design choices that pay back
The biggest summer savings come from shade and insulation, not from a bigger air conditioner. Roof overhangs, fewer west-facing windows, a sealed attic and a right-sized heat pump keep a Texas home comfortable at lower cost.
We start with the roof. A spray-foam roof deck brings the attic inside the conditioned space, so ducts are not baking at 140 degrees. Then we size the system to the house we actually built, not to a rule of thumb.
Glass is the other lever. Low-E windows help, but a two-foot overhang on a south window does more, and it costs less.
Shade the glass before you cool the room. It is the cheapest square foot of comfort in the whole house.
Elena Marsh, Buyer Advisor
Our heat-smart checklist
- Orient the planLong walls north and south where the lot allows.
- Shade the glassDeeper overhangs on south and west windows.
- Seal the envelopeSpray-foam roof deck and a blower-door test.
- Size the systemA load calculation for the actual house, room by room.
Common questions
For most of our plans, yes, mainly because it moves ductwork into conditioned space.
Every roof is solar-ready; panels are an option at contract.
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