2 story vs 1 story utility cost.?
If a house were the same square feet, how much more would it cost to heat and cool it? Say 2300 SF
Answers:
In my experience and by the laws of nature and physics a second level will eventually raise the cost of AC at the very least. Assuming even that the inuslation is R 30 or higher, the heat from the first level has to go somewhere, and if I recall anything I learned in grade school,,,heat rises.
At 2300 sq. ft. you'd likely need no less than a 5 ton unit, and I'd advise a heat pump, of quality. I prefer TRANE but it's relative,
Not knowing the age of the house, its condition, the insulation, its construction, or your location,,,and if you are being hypothetical or not, I'd go with single level homes always. For one thing we all age, and climbing stairs might be a future issue. A single level home can be just as attractive, and cost efficient as any.
Rev. Steven
Personally if I was building, I'd go block/stucco/steel roof trusses/R30 or higher insulation, and barrel tile roof.
Other answers:
that depends on what state you live in hot or cold climate
that depends on what state you live in hot or cold climate
I have a tri level ranch. Upstairs is warmer compared to the other two levels. What finally helped is buying a bigger cooler and making sure all the ducts were properly sealed. Some of the ducts had holes. Upstairs is still warm but after making those changes it helped quite a bit. In the winter it is great if you have bedrooms on top level, but downstairs can get cold, we have a den and another bedroom there. I wouldn't recommend a 2 story simply because of the cooling and heating issues. I know the utility costs are higher just because of the design. Having to buy a larger cooler increased costs. I couldnt say for sure how much more the utilities costs are, but i know they are higher.