Building a 9000SF house without 2 story foyer, is that ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a serious question: How do you heat and/or air condition a two story foyer? I mean, I know how you heat it, but how do you prevent it from becoming too hot in the summer without having to pump an enormous amount of air into the room? I once visited a house that had a two-story foyer/living room that had this problem, and am legitimately wondering whether this problem was specific to that house.

Haven't you heard? Two-story foyers are actually MORE economical than a 1974 mud room entry. And three-story foyers save even MORE money. Etc. If you put in a 4-story foyer, you actually get paid by Pepco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

Thee are 1950s rambler dwelling idiots....I doubt they have actually even stepped into a to story foyer. Haters.

What's a story foyer? Is that like a story book about how everyone is jealous of you?

[Anonymous]

Thank you OP for posting this thread. I mean this sincerely.

There have been so many very heated and emotionally charged tureads here on dcum this past week where many of us (myself included) might have posted a little more forcefully than we would normally like.

It is nice to have some fun, silliness and snark with what is a very frivolous topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 9000 sqft, absolutely a two-story foyer. It makes your house look grand and inviting (which is part of these reason you're building a house of this size).
We built a 8000 sqft (3 levels) and has a two-story foyer. It looks stunning.
Ignore the sour grapes complaining it's a waste of space. You'll be living in the house, not them.

Can I ask why you didn't go with a 3-story foyer? I built a 12,000sf home with a 3-story foyer and turret and really think it improves the space. Maybe you can add on?

Ugh. You should be embarrassed to have anything under 20,000 and without a moat. The floods when it rains more than half an inch are a total bitch on the wine cellar and movie theater flooring, but these are the sacrifices one must make to live in faux grandeur.

The 12,000 sqft house is just the guest cottage. It's attached to my main home by a drawbridge (made of hardiplank and the finest in curated Home Depot "stone") over the moat. And the foyer doesn't even have a ceiling, it reaches to the stars!

I stand chastened before you. My moated home only has 21,000 feet and two turrets, and my guest cottage only has 9,000 square feet and a one level foyer. I am ashamed.

[Anonymous]

Moats breed mosquitoes. We're having ours turned into an ice skating rink. It's actually cheaper to keep the ice frozen all summer than it is to keep a 1950s rambler cool with a window AC unit. True story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9000 square feet?

9000 including loft and basement (sorry not 9000 first and second)

As a Cumber-bitch, thank you for posting the photo of Benedict.
Carry on you saucy wenches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

The laws of physics beg to differ with you. Hot air rises which means the lower part of the foyer is always chilly with air conditioning or lack of heat, while the upper part of the foyer is overly warm to hot.

You see, the other part of this is the location of cold air returns, heat exchangers and ERV units, all of which regulate the temperature of fresh air and also have something called zone control where you can put more warm air or cool air in different parts of the house, within the zone.

You aren't getting this in a simple two zone system.

I am taking it easy on you because I understand that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for the condescension, but as a mechanical engineer, I might say the same about you. You are describing a very expensive system that takes endless tinkering for a homeowner who will not take the time to do the work. Ask OP if she ir he will do more than monitor two or three zones and get back to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you OP for posting this thread. I mean this sincerely.

There have been so many very heated and emotionally charged tureads here on dcum this past week where many of us (myself included) might have posted a little more forcefully than we would normally like.

It is nice to have some fun, silliness and snark with what is a very frivolous topic.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moats breed mosquitoes. We're having ours turned into an ice skating rink. It's actually cheaper to keep the ice frozen all summer than it is to keep a 1950s rambler cool with a window AC unit. True story.

That's quite prole. If you want to play in the big leagues, get some snow machines and use it for cross-country skiing. I tell my guests to strap on the skiis and get ready for a tour of thr grounds/winter wonderland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

The laws of physics beg to differ with you. Hot air rises which means the lower part of the foyer is always chilly with air conditioning or lack of heat, while the upper part of the foyer is overly warm to hot.

You see, the other part of this is the location of cold air returns, heat exchangers and ERV units, all of which regulate the temperature of fresh air and also have something called zone control where you can put more warm air or cool air in different parts of the house, within the zone.

You aren't getting this in a simple two zone system.

I am taking it easy on you because I understand that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for the condescension, but as a mechanical engineer, I might say the same about you. You are describing a very expensive system that takes endless tinkering for a homeowner who will not take the time to do the work. Ask OP if she ir he will do more than monitor two or three zones and get back to me.

As a non-mechanical engineer but very wealthy person, I can tell you I have yet to encounter an inconvenience posed by physics that cannot be solved with enough money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

The laws of physics beg to differ with you. Hot air rises which means the lower part of the foyer is always chilly with air conditioning or lack of heat, while the upper part of the foyer is overly warm to hot.

You see, the other part of this is the location of cold air returns, heat exchangers and ERV units, all of which regulate the temperature of fresh air and also have something called zone control where you can put more warm air or cool air in different parts of the house, within the zone.

You aren't getting this in a simple two zone system.

I am taking it easy on you because I understand that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for the condescension, but as a mechanical engineer, I might say the same about you. You are describing a very expensive system that takes endless tinkering for a homeowner who will not take the time to do the work. Ask OP if she ir he will do more than monitor two or three zones and get back to me.

We recently custom built a home with 3 zones (one for each level) with a whole house ERV/HRV for air exchange with the outside. Works great and very comfortable with minimal utility bills. YES..we have a two story rear foyer....and NO temperature control is not an issue. If you have the requisite budget and a good architect/engineer, there are zero issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moats breed mosquitoes. We're having ours turned into an ice skating rink. It's actually cheaper to keep the ice frozen all summer than it is to keep a 1950s rambler cool with a window AC unit. True story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

The laws of physics beg to differ with you. Hot air rises which means the lower part of the foyer is always chilly with air conditioning or lack of heat, while the upper part of the foyer is overly warm to hot.

You see, the other part of this is the location of cold air returns, heat exchangers and ERV units, all of which regulate the temperature of fresh air and also have something called zone control where you can put more warm air or cool air in different parts of the house, within the zone.

You aren't getting this in a simple two zone system.

I am taking it easy on you because I understand that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for the condescension, but as a mechanical engineer, I might say the same about you. You are describing a very expensive system that takes endless tinkering for a homeowner who will not take the time to do the work. Ask OP if she ir he will do more than monitor two or three zones and get back to me.

We recently custom built a home with 3 zones (one for each level) with a whole house ERV/HRV for air exchange with the outside. Works great and very comfortable with minimal utility bills. YES..we have a two story rear foyer....and NO temperature control is not an issue. If you have the requisite budget and a good architect/engineer, there are zero issues.

I'd be curious what your "minimal" utility bills are like. Not that I'd believe any number you post, but what your actual bills are like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

The laws of physics beg to differ with you. Hot air rises which means the lower part of the foyer is always chilly with air conditioning or lack of heat, while the upper part of the foyer is overly warm to hot.

You see, the other part of this is the location of cold air returns, heat exchangers and ERV units, all of which regulate the temperature of fresh air and also have something called zone control where you can put more warm air or cool air in different parts of the house, within the zone.

You aren't getting this in a simple two zone system.

I am taking it easy on you because I understand that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for the condescension, but as a mechanical engineer, I might say the same about you. You are describing a very expensive system that takes endless tinkering for a homeowner who will not take the time to do the work. Ask OP if she ir he will do more than monitor two or three zones and get back to me.

We recently custom built a home with 3 zones (one for each level) with a whole house ERV/HRV for air exchange with the outside. Works great and very comfortable with minimal utility bills. YES..we have a two story rear foyer....and NO temperature control is not an issue. If you have the requisite budget and a good architect/engineer, there are zero issues.

I'd be curious what your "minimal" utility bills are like. Not that I'd believe any number you post, but what your actual bills are like.

They are basically poors. If you don't have the money to dig geothermal, you might as well be on par with the 1950's rambler dwellers. You're all the same to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so silly. If your HVAC system is working properly, there are no issues with two story space.

The laws of physics beg to differ with you. Hot air rises which means the lower part of the foyer is always chilly with air conditioning or lack of heat, while the upper part of the foyer is overly warm to hot.

You see, the other part of this is the location of cold air returns, heat exchangers and ERV units, all of which regulate the temperature of fresh air and also have something called zone control where you can put more warm air or cool air in different parts of the house, within the zone.

You aren't getting this in a simple two zone system.

I am taking it easy on you because I understand that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for the condescension, but as a mechanical engineer, I might say the same about you. You are describing a very expensive system that takes endless tinkering for a homeowner who will not take the time to do the work. Ask OP if she ir he will do more than monitor two or three zones and get back to me.

We recently custom built a home with 3 zones (one for each level) with a whole house ERV/HRV for air exchange with the outside. Works great and very comfortable with minimal utility bills. YES..we have a two story rear foyer....and NO temperature control is not an issue. If you have the requisite budget and a good architect/engineer, there are zero issues.

I'd be curious what your "minimal" utility bills are like. Not that I'd believe any number you post, but what your actual bills are like.

10k sq ft home. Max winter gas bill jan-February timeframe, thermostat at 78, three units, plus a bunch of other shit running - $375. Summer, max electric bill , July-August, thermostat at 76, $200. Note that we have gas cooking, 75gal gas water tank, 3 refrigerators, outdoor lighting, septic pumps, etc, etc which are obviously part f the monthly billing. Home is all brick, 2x6 construction, r23 walls, r53 roof, selected areas open cell foam nsulation, Marvin high perm windows, etc. furnace units are high end Trane with 95% AFU. Looked into geothermal but not yet sold on the technology.