5 Tips for Building a Home in a Hot and Humid Climate

Just like anything, building your domicile in a hot and humid climate has its advantages and disadvantages. For one, you never have to worry about being cold and wearing multiple layers, perhaps except in the winter. There are some parts of the country with extremely warm summers and incredibly cold winters, which at least gives you a bit of respite in between. However, when building your home in these extreme types of climates you have to take a few things into consideration, like which direction the house is facing and how much insulation you need to keep the house cool. The last thing you want is to miss one of these important steps and find your house nearly unbearable to live in during the summer. Here are 5 tips for building a home in a hot and humid climate.

1. For one, you have to consider your foundation. It is wise to start building your home on some sort of slab foundation that that doesn’t hold too much heat. Because of the moisture contributed to high levels of humidity, that sometimes lasts for weeks or months at a time – day and night – it is important that you pay close attention to the material used so that your foundation doesn’t emit toxic gasses, like radon. Radon, which is colorless and odorless, can emit from a decaying foundation and have lots of negative health effects.
2. Also, when you are working with your architect, builder or contractor, it important that you build your home in the right direction according to the plot of land that it is on. If you build your home facing direct sunlight or in a way where the sun is always beaming through your house, it can will be a little like living in sauna. You typically want to face your home away from direct sunlight, but not in a way that it will block out the light altogether.
3. Another thing to consider is building the walls with concrete, which can retain temperatures and reflect excess heat. You can visit our website or do a basic search online to find a contractor who can find some creative and alternative ways to build concrete walls. Often times, concrete walls can give a rough industrial look to a home, which can be a great aesthetic choice when designing your home.
4. And if it gets too humid in your region, it is vital that you build the home to fit an inconspicuous dehumidifier or some sort of system that will cut down the level of humidity inside the house. Too much humidity can cause peeling paint, damaged walls and even toxic mold particles to grow.
5. Lastly, when you are landscaping be sure to plant lots of green trees. This can be one of the most cost effective ways to keep your home cool, because if you line your home with enough trees they will serve as a low cost shading system. Best of all, depending on what kind of trees you plant, they can greatly increase the aesthetic and property value of your home.