- Home Tightness: Good building practices coupled with third-party inspections during construction help insure that your home will be comfortable. Require that your new home is tested for air tightness and meets stringent testing.
- Ductwork Tightness: Ductwork tightness and delivery efficiency are critical to the overall energy efficiency of homes. Although ductwork may appear to be well sealed and tightly constructed, the only way to be sure is by testing the tightness of the ductwork with calculated test equipment. Ask to see the ductwork tightness tests on any new home before purchase.
- Room Air Flow and Balance: Heating and cooling equipment is sized to meet the heating and cooling requirements for your home. These requirements are further refined to determine the air flows required for each room to maintain comfort year-round. Balancing and measuring air flows to each room before you move in, helps to insure that the ductwork is properly designed for your home. Ask to see the room flow and balance reports before you move in.
- HVAC Equipment Performance: As installed, not all heating and cooling equipment as meets equipment manufacturers' operating specifications and performance standards. Professional and technically competent independent inspections should be utilized to insure that all installed equipment meets the manufacturer's standards and specifications. Be sure that the mechanical systems in your new home have been inspected by an independent party to insure that all equipment is installed properly and meets manufacturers' warrantees for operating conditions and output efficiencies.
- Certified Performance above local building codes: All new homes must meet the minimum insulation levels, glass performance standards and mechanical equipment efficiencies required by the local building code in your area. However, you should be looking for a house that performs better than other homes that are built to code minimums. To be sure your home outperforms other homes, be sure to ask for documentation that clearly identifies how much more efficient your home is compared to other homes that just meet existing codes.
- Compliance to Energy Efficiency Programs: An easy way to be sure about the energy efficiency of your new home is to look for homes that are included in established energy efficiency programs like ComfortHome and ENERGY STAR. These programs require compliance to many of the performance standards listed above.
New Home Checklist
The purchase of a home is generally the single largest purchase most Americans make, so it's important to know what to look for in a new home. Before purchasing or building a new home, consider some of the following:
Choosing a Builder
Check with your local home builders association to be sure the builder is reputable and has a history of providing professional home building services.
Energy Efficiency
With rising energy costs, you'll want to be sure that your home includes the most cost-effective energy upgrades available. Upgrades that provide paybacks on your investment make good economic sense. Some common things to look for in a new home include:
Roof and Gutters
Check that the roof is level and doesn't sag. Water puddles on the roof could be a sign of improper drainage. Gutters should be level and shouldn't sag, and joints between each section should be well sealed.
Wiring
Check the home for obvious problems with the wiring, such as frayed or exposed wires. Also make sure that all electrical outlets have undamaged covers. One final thing to check is the existence of a breaker box instead of fuses. The breaker box should also be labeled properly.
Windows/Doors
Doors and windows are two of the most important items on your home inspection checklist. The doors should be in good shape and have locks that work properly. They also shouldn't be misaligned. The windows should all have screens and be free from broken glass. You also need to check to make sure that the windows don't stick when you open or close them. Windows should also be properly caulked.
Lot/Gradient
Before you buy a home, you need to find out if it is prone to hazards. Make sure it isn't in a region that is susceptible to earthquakes, hurricanes or tornadoes. You should also check to see if it is located in a flood plain or other flood-risk region. One final thing to check for is a record of hazardous water or soil conditions on or near the site. Make sure the grading of the home's lot promotes drainage away from the foundation. This will significantly reduce moisture issues such as musty odors, wood rot, mold and mildew from occurring.
Basement and Attic
Check for indications of dampness or leaks. Significant cracking in the floors or foundation walls could mean water leaks and could result in a musty basement. Check for any obvious defects in exposed components, such as floor joists, I-beams, support columns, insulation, heating ducts, plumbing, electrical, etc. Attics should have proper and unobstructed ventilation.
Plumbing
Check to make sure the faucets, valves and vents are operating correctly and there are no leaks. Make sure all plumbing is properly marked. Inspect the building plumbing traps for leaks, defects or improper or missing traps. Check toilets for any leaks at the toilet base.
All new homes certified by ComfortHome have been engineered, inspected and tested to meet our rigorous energy efficiency and comfort thresholds. Federally-funded research and test studies have proven that our approach is the most cost-effective way to reduce energy usage and assure comfort.
We've satisfied more than 120,000 new homeowners. We're so confident in our results, we'll guarantee your energy usage and comfort. Contact us to find out how we can help you.