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Hello All,
We are starting our search for a move next year. We are seeing many new homes being built in HPP and Ainaloa. They all look to be following the same style/building plans and materials. They look very "mainland" and modern. Are these homes going to hold up to the humidity and heat in Puna? Will they hold in moisture and be prone to mold? Will they be hotter since they don't seem to have the large open windows and doors of typical, traditional builds? Thanks in advance for any opinions! Mahalo, Pam
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Between the new building code, mainland banks and buyers, they want a house to look the same as California or wherever
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That was my thought also, so are we better off buying a traditional style home? I prefer the look of post and pier, vaulted ceilings, lots of windows . What pitfalls do we need to look for in the typical Hawaiian style home?
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(11-22-2020, 02:02 AM)psanderson5 Wrote: That was my thought also, so are we better off buying a traditional style home? I prefer the look of post and pier, vaulted ceilings, lots of windows . What pitfalls do we need to look for in the typical Hawaiian style home?
I think it's less about aesthetics than practicality. Many of the new homes are from kits. The permitting is a lot faster and custom homes can drive a person crazy waiting for the county to approve anything other than the norm. And even then...
Why not buy an existing home with the features you're looking for?
Certainty will be the death of us.
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The newer houses have vapor barriers in the foundation and should have insulation.
I'm living in one now and like it and it's very energy efficient.
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(11-22-2020, 03:37 AM)kalianna Wrote: Why not buy an existing home with the features you're looking for?
We are only looking at existing houses but are unfamiliar with living in the tropics. We are seeing both new and traditional styles in our preferred areas and price range. I was just wondering if one was better than the other for the climate/comfort/upkeep. I have been reading about ventilation and air movement being key, but I didn't know if that wasn't as necessary in the newer builds as noted below regarding better insulation and vapor barrier.
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Got it. IMHO, the best ventilation comes from bay windows that open on the sides, letting air in from two or three directions. Ceiling fans are essential. Also look for passive ventilation--ducts near the ceiling that let the hot air out. And beware of lots that are nothing but cinders. They're much hotter than being surrounded by grass or shrubs. But it does get chilly at night in winter and insulation does help with that.
Certainty will be the death of us.
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11-22-2020, 08:09 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2020, 08:15 AM by psanderson5.)
(11-22-2020, 07:55 AM)kalianna Wrote: Got it. IMHO, the best ventilation comes from bay windows that open on the sides, letting air in from two or three directions. Ceiling fans are essential. Also look for passive ventilation--ducts near the ceiling that let the hot air out. And beware of lots that are nothing but cinders. They're much hotter than being surrounded by grass or shrubs. But it does get chilly at night in winter and insulation does help with that.
Thank you, that's great info. Do you feel insulated windows work better or jalousie windows to direct the flow? I was also thinking an attic fan/whole house fan may keep air flowing nicely. Are the vents near the ceiling the ones that look like a small square of louvered slats? I.m assuming they stay open since they are too high to reach on a frequent basis. Mahalo, Pam
(11-22-2020, 04:18 AM)Obie Wrote: The newer houses have vapor barriers in the foundation and should have insulation.
I'm living in one now and like it and it's very energy efficient.
Thanks Obie, how long have you been in your home? No issues with moldy smells or buildup? Better at keeping the critters out? I'm feeling apprehensive about living with cane spiders and centipedes, lol
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Wow, I've spent 25 years in various houses with jalousie windows and had never heard that term until you used it. Had to
Google it. I always just called them louvered. They're great for letting cool air in, bad for keeping cold and wind out when they're closed. No experience with insulated windows. Whole house fan is great. And yes, louvered slats near the ceiling are for passive air or whole house fan if there is one. And they do stay open all the time (at least ours does) so again, bad for keeping heat in during the winter.
Certainty will be the death of us.
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I have a very open home, lots of windows and lanai space in Hawaiian Acres. I've noticed the lanai stays comfortable all day, but the rooms with fewer windows tend to warm up by the afternoon. If you intend to passively cool your home, the more open air and lighter colored roof the better. The trade-off is humidity, which will spoil your spices, rust your cans, mildew fabrics, and make your bedsheets feel damp, unless you adjust accordingly.
If you go with a mainland style house, I suspect you will have to either tolerate higher afternoon/evening temperatures, or spend money on active cooling occasionally.
Obie, what altitude do you live at? How warm does your home get in the afternoon with just passive cooling? Or if you run AC, what does that contribute to your HELCO bill? Thanks!
