new home with cold room

[Bruce A. King]

I just found a bad design in a new home.

Vinyl siding
Elevated slab at rear. (slabs are not insulated around here)
Master bath has a toilet room at the downstairs right rear corner with two exterior walls and a window with a tile floor.
Ceiling register has the typical "low flow" setup for a small room (room approx 3x6)

This little toilet room was like an ice box, nothing was unusual as viewed with the IR camera except the slab was very cold not only at the edges but into the room a few feet.

The door was open and the heat was running. This little room would need triple the airflow at least to overcome the items listed above.

To make it worse, home is in a retirement neighborhood.

What do you think the builder will do about it?

[Jeffrey Moore]

Builder will say that "code" says source of heat and it has that. There is also something about being able to maintain a certain temp somewhere I remember reading but cannot remember where or what temp.

Wish I could be of more help.

[Mark E. Northrup]

He would call you a idiot for calling it out and state that the design had passed a engineered blueprint and the states code enforcement section. And say you did not know what you were talking about. if he knew anything about the sop's he would state that you were inspecting the room for heating adequacy. Which is not in the sop. And then he would add that unless the home inspector is a licensed HVAC contractor he probably does not know what he is talking about.
Sounds like a street you don't want to go down.
I would just state the facts that the room is colder than the rest of the house and recommend further evaluation by a licensed HVAC contractor.
Just my two cents but around here you start stating that a house has a bad design after it has passed the building code department and engineers putting there stamp on it. I think your asking for a law suit.

[ldapkus]

I would recommend one of these. I usually find that the colder rooms are the furthest distance from the furnace and the ducts are not insulated.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

I recommend one of these...

[Jeffrey R. Wicklander]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

I recommend one of these...

Everybody should have one of these to keep them warm at night...

[rspermo]

Bruce,

Have the homeowner ask the builder for the HVAC contractor's Manual J and Manual D calculations. I would be amazed if they could produce them!

[Jeffery L. Haynes]

Bruce,

If memory serves me correctly, we are not to measure (or report) temperature differences across the home. I would simply advise the owner verbally and let them bring it up to the builder.


Joe,

I have one of those blond models.... they don't always work.... very temperamental....... cant say to much about the pink fleece pull over... it looks comfy.


Jeff

[David A. Andersen]

Besides the lovely girl, fix it!

If he want's to provide the cost of the girl, I'd call it quite even, with no repair required...