New house questions

[luscsmith]

Hello to all, I am planning on building a house in Alabama and have a few questions that I think can be answered by this multi-talanted group.
First should the ceiling or roof deck be insulated? My understanding is that you insulate the roof deck so that the HVAC ducts don't transfer the heat as much. Would it not be better to insulate the ceiling and super insulate the duct work?
The second question is what are the pros and cons of a slab built verses a crawl space?

I know I will get some brillant answers from brillant people.

Thanks, Scott

 

[Cat_Driver]

My advise is always OVER insulate it will save you in the long run.
Slab better than crawl space because termites do not like cement.

 

[chucko]

most times the ceiling is insulated or you will be heating/cooling the attic

 

[luscsmith]

That is my understanding that it is recomended to heat and cool the attic, witch inturn saves energy loss from the duct work. It really doesn't seem correct to do it that way that is why I thought it would be better to just super insulate the ducts.

Scott

 

[brin]

Hello to all, I am planning on building a house in Alabama and have a few questions that I think can be answered by this multi-talanted group.
First should the ceiling or roof deck be insulated? My understanding is that you insulate the roof deck so that the HVAC ducts don't transfer the heat as much. Would it not be better to insulate the ceiling and super insulate the duct work?
The second question is what are the pro and cons of a slab built verses a crawl space?

I know I will get some brillant answers from brillant people.

Thanks, Scott

Remember with a slab all of your pipes are encased in concrete and if you ever have a problem just picture breaking up concrete to fix a broken pipe or a connection that came lose. It has been my experience homes with crawl spaces always have a higher resale value and you have wires and pipes available for inspection and service. You can and should have a termite treatment and contract whether on a slab or crawl space ..so I would not go slab to avoid termites..there are plenty of houses with slabs that end up with termites as well.

 

[Kays Supply]

In a crawl space house the duct work is in the crawl space. The cold air return is the only duct in the attic. In my part of the country the attic is almost outside temperature. The ceiling is super insulated. The cold air return is insulated. I built a pan and super insulated the cold air return in my house with the same blown in isulation as the rest of the attic.

Slabs are usually cheaper than a crawl. The contour of the land usually is a big factor in deciding crawl or slab. If flat it is much cheaper to go slab. If on a slope a crawl is usually cheaper than all the fill. I plumb both. The slab is quicker. So far with modern plumbing done by a professional, troubles under the slab aren't much of an issue. Changing your mind midstream is. I am prepairing to rough in a basement slab that the owner has changed the plan 3 times since we started.

 

[Western]

Going with a slab may give you more flooring options now and in the future, say if you decide on granite or similar flooring, you will want a good stout base to handle the added weight. Also it is allot easier to tile a concrete floor and maintain it with a slab, say in a bathc ect tra..

just a thought.

 

[woodchuckie]

I've never seen or heard of insulating an attic. We spend lots of money to see that we have flow thru ventilation in our attics. Keeps moisture buildup out and keeps the attic from becoming super heated in the summer. With the ridge vents, gable vents , soffit vents and even gable fans the attic isn't too much hotter then the outside air. The duct work in the attic can be the space above a lowered hallway ceiling which is made of formed insulation and the normal attic insulation is blown in on top of it. The rooms not reached by the hallway have flexible insulated duct work which can be covered by the attic insulation also. I would never put any of the heating or cooling parts in the attic. It will freeze. The heating and cooling can go inside in a closet.
I have a slab and have had no problems in 30 years. I wouldn't use copper with a high acid water supply in a slab. It won't last 20 years. A crawl space would be nice for the possible additional storage and other things you could do. They say you can't put a hardwood floor on a slab without a moisture test and putting plywood on it.
Are you just now moving to Alabama or.... Roll Tide.

 

[beenthere]

Being that global warming is coming (wink), you can skip the insulation.

However, given that you have just been through a cold spell, and that air conditioning to keep cool is more popular, doing the insulation seems smart and prudent. Seems it is an investment that will keep money in your pocket, as well as make the home more valuable if you need to put it on the market.

Regardless, there still needs to be the proper ventilation to vent the area above (or outside of) the insulation.

 

[20 20]

Insulation is like gold in a house. Up here we use as much as possible to keep in the warm. Down south I have been told use as much as possible to keep in the cool. So plan on over insulating you won't be sorry.

As far as slabs go, IMO I'd run in the other direction, I have seen many slabs that have failed over time, shifting cracking etc... Of course if your plumbing is in the slab then quess what happens when it does shift{IMO it will}. 1 example; Friend of mine had used a slab, when it shifted it plugged his septic. When they flushed the toilet it backed up into the house, cost was more then just releveling the house. I also have a few other stories of folks with slabs, and not just from the northern cold states. IMO opinion piers are your best bet, the ones I have done and worked on/with have had allmost zero issues{zero if done correct}.