You can keep your custom home cool with these ingenious construction strategies.
In Maryland, you won’t have to deal with an incredibly cold, snowy winter. On the other hand, you are far more likely to face hot and sweltering summers every year. When building your custom home, you want it to be a cool custom home. Below are several strategies for constructing a waterfront home that will guard you against the summer heat.
South-Facing Windows
The sun will naturally heat up your home the most in summer, either by shining its rays into your home or beating on your home’s exterior. One way to create a cool custom home is to have the largest side of the house with the most windows face south. This design minimizes the impact of the summer sun on the east or west sides of the house but still provides the most sunlight in winter.
Strategic Cross-Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is necessary in planning the airflow, air quality, and temperature of a house. Although your house should be sufficient with the AC alone, it is also helpful to have windows and doors in a proper placement and sizing to maximize airflow. Better yet, see what direction wind tends to travel on your home site and design accordingly.
Low Thermal Mass Materials
Materials with a high thermal mass have the ability to absorb and store heat. Low thermal mass materials in construction include brick, natural stone, wood, and plaster. These materials will store the heat during the day and flush them into the earth at night.
Reflective Roofing
Naturally, your roof will receive a lot of sunlight year-round, and how much sunlight your home receives can make the interior hotter. Light-colored, low thermal, or highly reflective roofing are all ideal. Many kinds of roofing materials fit the bill, including asphalt tiles, metal roofs, and concrete tiles.
Shade Structures
Meanwhile, some easy ways to design a cool custom home include adding exterior or interior window treatments and planting some shade trees. Awnings, pergolas, and overhangs can shade the home’s exterior, while curtains, blinds, etc., can prevent the hot rays from reaching inside. Trees that help shade the house depending on the time of day can cut down your AC bill.
BUILD YOUR WATERFRONT DREAM HOME WITH SHORE-LINE CONSTRUCTION!
At Shore-Line Construction, we know that your home is a reflection of you. That’s why we strive to make each home we build as beautiful as the family who will live there. We work with each of our clients to design a home that fits their needs. The end result is a durable, energy-efficient custom home that the family will enjoy for generations to come. Shore-Line Construction has been serving our customers for over 25 years, and we look forward to the opportunity to help you!
If you’re interested in learning more about what Shore-Line Construction can do for you, check out our website or give us a call at 410-574-6623. Keep up with all of the latest news by following our blog and social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Houzz!
