Hello from Florida!!

[GeoffQ]

Well we certainly do feel the temp differently. When it is midnight and still 90 degrees and 95% humidity and you get somewhat used to that, when it hits 60 you put on long sleeves and a jacket. You are talking a 30 degree difference!!! It has been 60 here the past 3 mornings and I'll tell you it is cold especially when it is still 90% humidity. I was playing traveling football when I was 12 and we had kids from Ohio come down to play us and it was 50 in December we all had sweats on under our pads and the kids from Ohio got out off the bus with shorts and t-shirts on we looked at then and all said they were nuts!!!!
We are on the west coast, the best coast, in Sarasota!! Really looking forward to the next class I can take.
Thanks everyone!!
GeoffQ

[allen84]

We went from 25 Wednesday morning to over 55 today.... A 30 degree temp change here in 48 hours this time of year is not horribly uncommon so I guess we get used to it. I was outside in a t-shirt this afternoon and it's still t-shirt weather at this hour. Kind of funny perspective... It's pretty much the same, but different.

I worked a construction job for a short time after high school. We had a really cold winter and we were working inside a new block building with no doors or windows. Was colder inside than out in most parts. There was an electrician on the job that had been working in a below freezing freezer for months. He was in shorts and t-shirt, 9 degrees F, claimed it "felt like summer".... the freezer he said he'd been working was 60 below if I recall correctly.

[allen84]

True Story.

[rreidnauer]

Hehe, sounds terribly familiar. Right out of school on a co-op program, started in January as an electrician. That was the was the wickedest cold winter. The general contractor did the same thing. No windows or doors in the winter, and naturally, would have them in first thing in summer. Froze in the winters, baked in the summers. Also did a massive freezer job that took months to complete, though, it was only 0 to -10°F inside. You got used to it after the first hour, and wasn't bad, at least until a unit kicked on, pumping out wind of who knows how cold. I lasted seven years in that field before saying enough with that crap.

[GreenEyes]

We're in east central Alabama, about 4 hours from Florida panhandle beaches. Looks like you're a little over 7 hours from us. We have plenty of heat and humidity, too. Not sure what type of air conditioning system we'll use, but we'll definitely have one. Have a friend who is secretary for a heating and air company, so we'll probably get recommendations from them before we start building.

[ButteredBiscuit]

Geoff,

Welcome!

Yes, you are correct that you will need A/C. I am in North Mississippi and I understand the 85 degrees and 85% relative humidity at 4:30 am. It is disgusting! I mean it is too hot to go fishing! Anyway, I have not started my build (heck I am still waiting on the response to my offer on some land), but I designed A/C systems and sold custom systems in my younger days. Thermal mass will not be as much of an asset for us as the ones up north or in the mountains. They have it good in that by the time the day's summer heat makes it half way through the logs during the day, night time arrives and it is cold (or cooler) outside and thus, the logs start radiating heat back to the outdoors. Plus the outside of the log will be 60 degrees or less on the outside in the early am. However, if it is 90 degrees at midnight and 85 degrees at 4:30 am you can count on your exterior walls being 85 degrees. (I don't know about others, but when it is 85 degrees and high humidity, I want me some A/C.) Thus, you will have heat transfer from the outside to the inside. The good news is that a good designer will take into account the design conditions where you live and insulation value of your walls (thicker walls have more insulation value) to come up with a properly sized system. I would strongly recommend wrap around porches both to keep the water and sun off your walls. Solar load can be intense down south and even with thick walls the heat will eventually get to the inside.

[GreenEyes]

Good info! We have summer temps in the 90's here, and some around 100. The biggest problem in our current manufactured home is lack of insulation and the vaulted ceiling in the living room. SO tired of 84 and 86 degree days INSIDE! Yes, it was too hot to even enjoy the pool in the back yard. I know it will be harder to cool than homes farther north, but hoping a log home will be much more energy efficient and easier to cool.