Category Archives: weather

Heating and Cooling Timber Frame Homes

October 6, 2011

The cost to heat and cool a home is the lion’s share of a utility bill.  Whether you use natural gas, electricity, or propane, the comfort factor is offset by uncomfortable utility bills.  Timber frame homes, wrapped in energy efficient insulated panels, offer relief from high utility bills.

While we do take other steps to keep our power usage at a minimum (we use fluorescent lights throughout and all of our appliances are Energy Star rated), we believe that the tight, well-insulated envelope that encloses our home is key in keeping our utilities in check.

We live in a timber frame home in the mountains of North Carolina.  We’re told that the past winter was the coldest in 35 years and that the past summer was one of the hottest on record.

Our HVAC system is a fully electric heat pump.  We use propane for cooking and for our tankless hot water heater only.   We have more windows than most homes and have high ceilings throughout.   In theory, our costs to heat and cool should be above average.  But…we spend a fraction of the cost of homes of comparable size.    The latest reports indicate that our home uses one third (that’s One Third) of the electricity of a similar home in our area.

Our power bills for the last 24 months are shown in this report…


Our costs actually decreased slightly in the past year instead of rising with the colder/hotter temperatures we’ve experienced.  

Many people ask if vaulted ceilings will result in higher energy usage.  I have to say that we spend much less on heating and cooling than we did when we lived in a conventionally built home of the same size.  And that home had 8′ ceilings throughout. Goshen Timber Frames clients have seen similar costs savings in their own timber frame homes.

So, when you plan your new home, remember that these energy savings will continue to save you money each month and will save you even more money as energy costs rise.  I know that the proof is in the savings.

 

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No Ducts in the Attic of a Timber Frame

June 23, 2011

Summer brings to mind not only warm evenings and flowers, but the cost to cool a home.  Timber frames are uniquely qualified to withstand the onslaught of summer heat because by the nature of the design, the ductwork is inside the building envelope.  If you consider that just something to work around as you design your timber frame home, you’ve missed a very important point.

Timber frames are typically enclosed in an insulated envelope.  That necessitates having all the ducts and plumbing inside a conditioned space.  Doing just this is really a “best practice”, but timber frames do it naturally.  The importance means lower cooling costs and less loss of cool air to the heat.   If ducts reside in an unconditioned attic, the loss is compounded by the superheated air that accumulates in the attic. The air conditioning unit works harder to produce less cool air.   In warmer climates, this is a significant loss.

In cooler climates, the reverse is true.  If the ducts are run through an unconditioned attic, the heat is sucked away from the warm air before it can get to the rooms it is meant to heat.

An excellent article on the Energy Vanguard Blog makes the case for getting the ducts out of the attic.  They linked to an article by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory “Ducts in the attic?  What were they thinking?” that offers statistics and real numbers that impact the comfort of a home and the energy used.

So why am I saying all of this.  Because it’s a problem that timber frame homeowners don’t have to deal with…ever.  The ducts are inside the conditioned shell in timber frames.  The way it should be done is the way it’s done in a timber frame.

So, as our energy bills languish (our running tally for the past twelve months is $1026 to heat/cool and supply electricity to all lights and appliances), we once more get to offer yet another reason why timber frames are sustainable and energy efficient.

Building a timber frame home is simply the best choice.  And when you build remember to Build Boldly.

 

 

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Building A Timber Frame

March 24, 2011

Building a timber frame home is an adventure, a challenge, and at the end of the day, a reward.  John and Janice have taken it very seriously.  They’ve built their own home, working early and late, a labor of love.  And they blogged it along the way.

And the reward is near.  Their home is almost finished and their love of timber frames shows, along with their artistry and talent.  So, today we share with you Building Our Timber Frame – The Suttons . They’ve shown us all how there is beauty, character, and space in a small timber frame home.

Each person or couple will ultimately decide how involved they will be in the process of building their own timber frame home.  Some will be up to their elbows in it, drilling, painting, hammering, and cleaning up. Others will watch from a distance, none the less involved and enjoying. Some will be somewhere in the middle, doing the work they are comfortable with and leaving the rest to others.

Soon, very soon, they will be living in their new home.  They’ll marvel at the beauty of their timber frame and will smile as they walk up to the door each day.  So check out their blog and get to know them. They have not only built the home of their dreams…they have enjoyed the process.

If you’d like to visit the Sutton’s new home, contact Bonnie Pickartz at 828-524-8662.

And when you build…build boldly.

 

 

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Energy Costs for Timber Frame Homes

February 1, 2011

We can all “talk the talk” about energy efficiency and timber frames, but at the end of the day, can we “walk the walk”?  I think so.  I believe that timber frame homes, wrapped in structural insulated panels, exceed all expectations.

Let’s set aside for a minute that the structure is naturally beautiful..that the massive post and beams bring a sense of stability and permanence to the homes.   Let’s forget about all the wonderful windows that bring the outside in and allow us to live comfortably by day without flipping the light switch.  Let’s not even think about the sustainability..that this timber frame home will survive for generations and will shelter each one equally well.

Let’s get down to numbers.  Our home has almost 1700 square feet of living space.  It is considered a “small home”, but there is no wasted space.  The one hall is about four feet long and has a storage closet (under the stairs) and a laundry room (with an energy efficient washer dryer combo) off of it.   The rest of the home is truly lived in.  It lives much, much bigger than a conventionally built home with their necessary bearing walls and hallways.

If the various weather authorities (whoever they are) are to be believed, 2010 was one of the hottest on record and January, February, and December certainly delivered the cold.  Taking all that into account, our energy bills should be soaring.

With far more windows than an average home and vaulted ceilings, you would assume that it would be expensive to both heat and cool.   We were willing to trade off some of the heating and cooling efficiency in order to have natural daylight and the expansive ceilings keep our home from feeling small.

The Creekside is heated and cooled with an electric heat pump.  So, it was with a little trepidation that I sat down to calculate our annual electric costs.  I logged in and downloaded all of our electric bills from Duke Energy’s website (you have to love the electronic age).  They totaled $1,043.97 for the twelve months of 2010.   That averages out at $87.00 per month.  In my humble opinion…that ain’t too bad.Energy Efficient Home

So, I’d have to say, “yes”, timber frame homes with SIPs do “walk the walk”, taking energy efficiency and sustainability to the next level.

Plan your next home carefully (and if you’d like some help with that, we’d be pleased to assist) and save money every day.  You can check out beautiful, energy efficient timber frame plans for every lifestyle at Goshen Timber Frames and work with us to design and build your home or you can purchase our timber frame and hybrid home plans at TimberStead – Timber Frame Plans .

Just build wisely and build well.

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Timber Frames and Energy Efficiency

August 9, 2010

Well, it’s been hot this summer, some say record-breaking hot, but you couldn’t tell it by the energy usage for our timber frame home.   This timber frame, wrapped in energy efficient structural insulated panels, has met and exceeded our expectations.

Timber frames and SIPs are a great combination when it comes to a well insulated home.  Even with walls of windows, which are notoriously inefficient, and an electric dryer, we are not seeing the high power bills that might be expected.

Of course, we have all Energy Star rated appliances and fixtures, use fluorescent bulbs, and are manic about turning off lights when we aren’t in the room.  However, our 2 ton heat pump and fans are keeping our timber frame home cool and comfortable.

Last month we topped out at $74 and this month we went down to $72. We are pleased at the money we’ve saved…and at the energy we’ve saved.   Our home is 1700 square feet and we cook most days (heating up the house) and embraced daylighting and have more than our share of windows.  We do use our ceiling fans and we keep the house cool during the day just because it’s our “model” home.  I guess I can say our “model energy saving home”, can’t I?

All these years I’ve been encouraging people to consider using panels on their home and I am pleased.  I’d like to know how much energy is saved every year just in timber frames with insulated panel enclosures.  That would be a significant number, I’d think.  Sustainable homes are important to each of us.

So, I’ll sit here and not stress over the heat and high utility bills, and I might hope for cooler weather so we can open the windows and go back to our $30 power bills of the spring.

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Timber Frames – Solid and Strong

July 26, 2010

We often sit back and marvel at the beauty of our timber frame home, but it’s easy to forget that timber frames are solid and strong, carrying their loads with dignity for generations.  Wood is a very forgiving building material.  As in nature, it offers strength along with it’s flexibility.

We can look at buildings around the world, building built with wood and joinery, much as timber frames are built today and get an idea of the sustainability of timber frames.

The gingerbread houses in Haiti offer a look at how timber frames handled the devastating earthquake.  The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute found that only 10% of these homes suffered more than moderate damage, while many or  most of the other buildings suffered irreparable damage (13 of 15 government buildings collapsed).  Many of these gingerbread homes had little or no maintenance and still survived better than newer construction.

With better understanding of engineering, today’s timber frames are built to withstand the forces of nature and man.  What a great way to build and a secure way to live.

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Spring is Upon our Timber Frame

April 23, 2010

Spring has sprung.  Well, almost.  There was frost on Thursday morning (April 22), but the flowering cherry tree says it’s Spring as it smiles on the new timber frame home it didn’t get to greet last year.

Timber frames work easily with Spring weather.  Windows come open and sunshine fills the space.  The timbers stand proud and strong and welcome the fresh air. We open the windows during the warm days and close them as evening nears, saving the warmth in our well insulated home.  Heat hasn’t been on in several weeks even though some nights have been near or below freezing and we’ve had frost several times.

We are looking forward to having our windows open and a fresh breeze at night, breezes to bring us dreams of faraway places and wondrous things. Those days will be here soon enough.

Now, the planting has begun.  Garden, flower beds, cleaning up the winter debris…there are plenty of tasks for every day.  I do see how folks worked from sunup until sundown without ever going to town.

But, I need to head to the office, leaving behind this bloom-covered tree and my sheltering timber frame.

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In a Timber Frame the Living is Easy

March 10, 2010

Spring is approaching and our timber frame is ready for the new season.  The light filtering in through the windows is changing from that winter clear to a spring dazzle.  The timber frame is highlighted by the sunbeams and with the time changing next week, the sunny evenings will seem longer.

Our timber frame porches have waited patiently for these days.  They’ll be washed and swept and the rockers and porch swing will get lots of use.  Coffee will be sipped on the side porch as we watch the birds come to the pond for a drink and the fish break water.

Your timber frame should “grow” in the warm months.  Timber frames are a natural when it comes to outdoor living space.   They offer the same charm and stability that you have inside and comfortably frame your views and access to the outdoors.

We’ll have photos of the yard work in progress soon.  David is having shoulder trouble (a timely ailment, huh?), but we’ll get it done and our new timber frame home, resting comfortably on the space that was occupied by our old, worn home, will settle into the timeless setting.

So, after a long, wet, and white winter we are ready for daffodils, grass, birds, and buds…all viewed through open windows and in fresh air.

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Our Timber Frame’s First Snow

December 19, 2009

Snow settled into the mountains of Western North Carolina on Friday and on our new timber frame home.  Timber frames just seem to accept the snow as a given, still providing comfortable shelter and a serene presence.

While designing our timber frame, one of the items that was important was a Timber Frame View From the Officesmall home office, not isolated, but comfortable enough for me and my sidekick (also known as my laptop).  I wanted light…natural daylight.. and I didn’t want to feel closed off.  Well, it happened and this snowy day made me realize just how important it was.

We had about six inches of snow and with our heat set at 63, never felt a chill.  The double paned, argon gas, low e (and whatever else was included) in our Jeldwen Windows paid off.  The Thermocore insulated panels kept the heat in and the cold out.  That’s the way it’s supposed to work, right?

As the day closed, I sent David out into the snow to catch a couple of photos of the timber frame with snow on itTimber Frames First Snow (I grew up in far west Texas and snow wasn’t in our picture).  He’d already been to the barn and even driven me to town (where the grocery store was without power and closing for the day), so this wasn’t a big imposition.

So, our timber frame proved itself once more, sheltering and warm, we are pleased to live in a timber frame and to be a part of helping others do the same.

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The Sounds of a Timber Frame

December 2, 2009

A timber frame “speaks” to the owners.  With stick framed houses you often hear noises as the house settles, particularly at night as the air cools off.

In a timber frame, the timbers will sound off, often as the seasons change, and you are either heating (drying out the air) or cooling (adding moisture to the air).

While I’ve heard tales of pops that sound like a shotgun going off, our house seems to speak softly in the night.  These sounds aren’t loud and disruptive or scary, just a gentle mention that this timber frame is built with wood, a natural product that breathes even after it is cut from the earth.   Since timbers are left in much their natural state (well, squared off and joined, but not cut down to sticks), I like to think of these sounds as the sounds of the forest…brought to live indoors and domesticated.

So expect your home to speak and to when it does, smile and remember that you’ve connected with nature in a most wonderful way.

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