One thing that most people overlook when purchasing a professionally designed or custom home plan is the climate their home will be exposed to.  There are some things you should consider before buying a home plan taking into account the climate of where you plan on building your home.  These considerations will help you to make the most informed decision possible when dealing with home plans that will lead to a better living experience for you and others in your home.

The first thing you  may want to consider is the general temperatures your home will be exposed to for most of the duration of the year.  Homes in colder temperatures should have home plans designed to accommodate the low temperatures and minimize heat loss for overall energy efficiency.  One option to consider for homes in cold climates is R-40 double wall or insulated paneling to further reinforce insulation in your home.  High performance doors and windows are also a must for cold weather homes as these will minimize heat loss in your home through conduction and convection around these areas resulting in a more efficient HVAC system, and that equates to lower energy bills and increased comfort of living.  Finally, ensure your home plans incorporate a balanced, and controllable heat recovery vent system so the entire house will maintain high air quality indoors.

For homes on the other end of the temperature spectrum in hot climates, there are also measures you can take to properly design home plans for hot weather climates.  First, ensure you are utilizing R-16.75 wall construction or similar and R-30 attic insulation.  Additionally, a fully sealed combustion type heating unit paired with an efficient air conditioning unit are also things that should be highly considered in hot climates.  As with cold climate homes, hot climate homes should also incorporate high performance windows and doors into their home plans to reduce the loss of cold air from your air conditioning unit and increase the overall efficiency of your homes HVAC system.

It is estimated that more than 15% of a household budget can be taken up by energy costs. In addition to a reduction in energy expenses, you will experience an overall increased comfort of living by having a home plan that is adequate for handling these climates.  There is no longer a need to constantly adjust the heat or AC because you feel too hot or cold all the while worrying about your energy bill.  Taking these considerations seriously can help you save a significant amount of money in energy expenses each year and give you a better overall living experience with your home plans.