Transplanted Floridians Find Greater Storm-Resistance and Energy Efficiency
When they moved into their first home in Florida in December 2003, retirees Randy and Karen Wiles were just happy to be in the sun, away from the snowdrifts of Buffalo, New York.
But they discovered Florida sunshine can come at a price when Hurricane Charley hit the Gulf Coast a few months later. The Wiles’ new home was out of the hurricane’s direct path and suffered minimal damage, but the broader devastation in the area left a permanent impression on the couple.
[IMAGE: The Wiles home is ENERGY STAR® qualified, which means it is at least 15 percent more energy efficiency than homes built to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.]
The Wiles Story
“That house held up quite well, but then we didn’t get hit anything like they did down in Punta Gorda,” Randy Wiles says. “Hurricane Charley made me think about storm-resistant building. I started to research the technologies and techniques available to build a more durable and efficient home.”
“We have no background in construction. We’ve had a few houses built over the years and watched how they do it. We learned from mistakes with previous builders. I wanted to be a little more hands-on this time around. So I used the Internet, did a lot of reading, and I talked to a lot of different people. It seems like everybody has got a different way of doing it.”
“I wasn’t really happy with the block house. It conducts an awful lot of heat. So I read up on panels, it seemed like a better way to go and a better way to build. It seems sturdier and faster.”
“I wasn’t really happy with the block house. It conducts an awful lot of heat. So I read up on panels, it seemed like a better way to go and a better way to build. It seems sturdier and faster.”
Wiles’s research led him to precast concrete panels. The walls are cast and cured in a factory to ensure quality and consistency. Manufacturers can add steel reinforcements to increase storm resistance or cast the panels against foam insulation to increase energy efficiency. The panels don’t absorb water and are designed to handle the stress of 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi), which is up to 40 percent stronger than poured concrete.
“I like the idea of the extra insulation in the walls. The thicker concrete and the higher psi concrete addresses water penetration and strength. It all adds up to a more storm-resistant home,” Wiles says. “However, there’s more than that to a home. We were looking for things that were a little more energy efficient. We like to do things that are environmentally friendly. Ultimately, we wanted to be comfortable not just in — but also with — our home.”
“After reading a Tarpon Coast ad, I decided to check them out,” says Wiles. “I didn’t come across many builders that actually engaged in advanced construction methods like that.”
In coordination with Mike Romig, president and co-owner of Tarpon Coast, the Wiles chose several additional features for their home, including double pane low-e glass in all windows and doors; 16 SEER air conditioning system with fresh air intake for healthy air quality; PEX manifold plumbing system to conserve water and reduce maintenance; water conserving toilets, faucets, showerheads; and xeriscaping, or the cultivation of native grass to reduce landscape watering and maintenance.
The Wiles were particularly interested in upgrading the insulation in the home, after having previous houses where the insulation was installed incorrectly. Poorly installed insulation can create unnecessarily high heating and cooling bills, plus leave parts of the home less comfortable. As a result, the builder used BioBased Systems foam spray insulation on the underside of the roof deck, while meeting an insulation value of R-16 in the exterior walls. And to make sure the insulation works the way it is supposed to, Tarpon Coast air sealed the attic, making the entire structure a sealed envelope and eliminating outside air penetration.
Wiles says the home cost about 10 to 15 percent more than a similar home in the area because of the structural upgrades; the standard Tarpon Coast home runs only 1 to 2 percent more than the market. Still, Wiles expects to earn much, if not all, of that investment back through lower energy costs.
“Since we moved in late October, we’ve discovered the house is very comfortable inside without turning on the air conditioning,” Wiles says. “We tend to leave the doors and windows open during the day and just use the ceiling fans.”
The Wiles expect to be further comforted when they see their energy bills. The home is ENERGY STAR® qualified, which means it is at least 15 percent more energy efficiency than homes built to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.
Those savings are nothing compared to the savings they will see if the home faces a hurricane. As insurance deductibles continue to rise in hurricane-prone coastal areas, homeowners are facing the possibility of paying more out of pocket. On a $300,000 home with an increasingly common 5-percent deductible, the homeowner pays for the first $15,000 in damage, the New York Times reports. That’s a stark contrast from the $500 standard deductible that was once common.
“I know the construction isn’t cheap,” Wiles says, “but in the long run, from both a durability and an energy standpoint, it just seems like a better way to build.”
