Hello from Florida!!

[GeoffQ]

Hi everyone!! My name is Geoff, pronounced like Jeff but spelled different. :cool: We live in Florida and own 7 acres we want to build on. I have been reading this forum for a few days now and have some questions. Most of you all live in places it gets very cold, heck I've really seen no mention of A\C mostly just how to keep warm. We don't have that problem hahaha!! What's it like in our hot humid climate for these homes, what happens to the logs over time, and how well do these insulate so we can keep our cooling costs as low as possible. Are there different things we do then northerners? Years ago when ICFs first came out I thought that was the building method of the future but builders don't care about how long your house lasts or how well it performs being as they only need to make it stand up for a year then they are off the hook for all their crappy work, but I don't have the money for that and we want to build soon as we have a growing family and are busting out of our current house. We are going to take the class but the next one open is not until May. Any info you can give me will be greatly appreciated until I can get into that class.
Thanks,
GeoffQ

[rreidnauer]

You build with cypress logs in Florida, and you won't have anything to worry about.

[edkemper]

Geoff (with a not abnormal spelling),

Welcome.

In answer to your questions:

First, assuming location. You (Florida) have flood and hurricane threats to address. I think there are other areas (and members) of the country that also have similar challenges that I would bet have been dealt with before.

Thermal Mass is the key. Thermal Mass keeps us warmer in the sub-zero cold (with less firewood than you'd think) and keeps us cooler in the heat of the summer days, naturally. However, some of us add A/C of one type and size or another for their own wants and needs. But again, what would be needed would be far less than in a stick built house.

There is no one way to do it here. The basics are generally the same. The details are individual.

[Arrowman]

I would still install an A/C system, but whether you do it yourself or contract out the HVAC work, I would study up on the effect of the thermal mass with the HVAC sizing calculations to make sure you are getting a properly sized unit. Too big or too small is equally bad for system efficiency and longevity. If you don't make the proper adjustments, you will probably end up with a unit that is oversized for your home, and short cycling could be an issue.

[allen84]

On the subject of A/C... I heard once and can vouch that it is true (in my stick frame home anyways), an a/c can only cool a home about 23 degrees below the exterior temp. If we ever have days that are 100 degrees, it runs non-stop and can only cool to about 78 F. I imagine the thermal mass in a log home could help offset the heating from outside during a hot day. Humidity probably is quite a factor in this too. Florida has some heat but come to Tennessee in July/August if you want to experience humidity haha

[GeoffQ]

Thanks for the replies!! Yes, A/C is necessary down here no matter what style you build, even the beat ICF builds need it. I own a custom electronics installation company and have friends I've known since 12 that are extremely talented contractors, electricians, and HVAC contractors so I will have all the help that we need in that area but none of us have any experience with log homes. All of us are used to walls that have an inside to them to put all our wires, touchscreens, pipes and ducts. We have huge attics and no basements and you have to icenene the inside of the roof to have any kind of protection for the oppressive heat and humidity. One of the features of a log home my wife and I love is the look of the exposed logs inside the house we want to use logs for inside walls as much as possible as well.

With the proper insulation I have friends that keep their houses at 72 even when it is 99 degrees and 99% humidity, the key is to keep the air handler inside an insulated area.

Allen84, I have a ton of family in Milan, just north of Jackson, and I went to school in New England, and everyone always says that either their humidity is worse or it gets just as hot as it does in Florida, well that is until they see August here. I brought a group of friends down here after school ended one year and after telling me that they see 95 degrees too so it won't be that bad, when we got here and got out of the car they all looked at me and went holy $*#! it's Africa hot here with a built in steam bath and it was only June!!!!!

Thanks everyone,

[allen84]

I've lived in Ohio, Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee. I still think TN is more humid. I'm pretty sure you Floridians feel temperatures differently from the rest of the world LOL... In Florida I've seen people in winter parkas, hats and gloves at 60 degrees. The guys at work thought I was weird for being down to a t-shirt by 10am on cool days haha. Wherebouts in FLA are you? The most bizarre thing I saw while living there, WAY more bizarre than parkas, a grown woman poop on the floor at the frozen pizza section in Wal-Mart. I didn't only see the aftermath, I saw the whole thing happen. I took my pizza home, cooked it but I could not eat it.

The class addresses options for placing water, electric and HVAC. Lots of ideas on the members side of the forum too.

[John W]

Was going to have pizza for lunch, but never mind now.

[rreidnauer]

Don't worry John, you're not in Florida

[allen84]

I figured I'd spare ya all the details. If it makes it any better, she did wipe. Have a nice dinner everyone ;)

[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.