From Ken:

I'm getting ready to buy a house in the next 2-3 months. I understand that the roofing expenses for a 3000 sq ft home will be more for a single story home than a multi-story home of the same sq footage.

But I will be looking for a house in Texas, and I was thing that a single story house may be less expensive to cool than a multi-story house. I'm renting a 2-story home now and the second story is always hot, not matter how cold the first story is. So, I really have to crank the A/C to make the upstairs remotely comfortable, as I work from home with an upstairs office.

Am I right in thinking that a single story home would be less expensive to cool, everything else being equal?

Hi Ken
I always suggest discussing questions like this with your local energy (electric) company. They always have very accurate info.

I think you'll find that the cost savings of building a 2 story 3,000 sq. ft. home will more than offset the cost of adding a separately zoned, well insulated upstairs central cooling system, which is what any 2 story home SHOULD have, even in Northern climates.

Even a one level 3,000 sq. ft. house should have 2 separately zoned systems for heat and/or cooling. That's too large an area for one system to maintain equal comfort throughout.

Carl


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