I’ve never seen actual stone houses in north America, only those fake panels on the outside. Bricks are different and require additional insulation, usually you get 2 layers with insulation in between.
Looked it up, didn’t find much but did find this, these look like made of stone indeed but maybe it’s because they’re thinner? When I think of stone houses I think of things like this with very thick walls, we have these in all the really hot countries like Italy, Spain, southern France etc and I can confirm they stay cool inside even when it’s 40°c outside.
Our brick is usually brick, then some wood frame bolted to that, then insulation in the gaps, and dry wall. The insulation is pretty good, but the issue is usually the roof, and the windows being older than double pane tech. So they let the heat in and then cook, badly.
But yeah we don’t have much stone like that picture. Usually we use concrete if we want walls that thick. Concrete + HVAC works very well here because there’s not a lot of humidity.
We mostly stopped using brick though because earthquakes annihilate brick buildings even after reinforcement. The only thing timber seems to be good at is resisting those.
Yep earthquakes are basically non-existent in these parts so it’s not a factor, I think the Japanese have a bunch of techniques for concrete buildings that survive earthquakes and special building codes so the structure can move etc. Older roofs are definitely a problem here as well but if it’s less than like 10/20 years old then it’ll also have all the good insulation stuff.
You’re describing “brick veneer” construction - with one skin of bricks and an internal timber frame - which, as you’ve apparently experienced, is not very effective at keeping the space cool (although probably better than timber/stucco cladding). Solid masonry is usually two skins of brick with a cavity or equivalent thickness of concrete / stone block exterior walls.
Or you live in Minnesota, where half the year it used to be unbearably cold so you needed central heat. Then half the year it was so goddamn humid and hot we needed central AC, or at least a window unit.
We do get the benefit of having homes with a basement implied to protect both the pipes from freezing and our necks from tornadoes in December now
I live in Minnesota. It’s not quite as bad as you say. Opening windows overnight and closing them in the morning works pretty well to keep the house comfortable for most of the summer…well, except when we’re inundated with smoke from the wildfires.
Sometimes you just don’t need it
Especially if the house is old, made with stones!
Yes, temperature difference inside to out is amazing with solid masonry and ceiling insulation. No AC required.
Disagree. I’ve found stone brick houses to be unbearably hot in the southern US. They turn into an oven.
I’ve never seen actual stone houses in north America, only those fake panels on the outside. Bricks are different and require additional insulation, usually you get 2 layers with insulation in between.
There are plenty here in the south west
Looked it up, didn’t find much but did find this, these look like made of stone indeed but maybe it’s because they’re thinner? When I think of stone houses I think of things like this with very thick walls, we have these in all the really hot countries like Italy, Spain, southern France etc and I can confirm they stay cool inside even when it’s 40°c outside.
Our brick is usually brick, then some wood frame bolted to that, then insulation in the gaps, and dry wall. The insulation is pretty good, but the issue is usually the roof, and the windows being older than double pane tech. So they let the heat in and then cook, badly.
But yeah we don’t have much stone like that picture. Usually we use concrete if we want walls that thick. Concrete + HVAC works very well here because there’s not a lot of humidity.
We mostly stopped using brick though because earthquakes annihilate brick buildings even after reinforcement. The only thing timber seems to be good at is resisting those.
Yep earthquakes are basically non-existent in these parts so it’s not a factor, I think the Japanese have a bunch of techniques for concrete buildings that survive earthquakes and special building codes so the structure can move etc. Older roofs are definitely a problem here as well but if it’s less than like 10/20 years old then it’ll also have all the good insulation stuff.
You’re describing “brick veneer” construction - with one skin of bricks and an internal timber frame - which, as you’ve apparently experienced, is not very effective at keeping the space cool (although probably better than timber/stucco cladding). Solid masonry is usually two skins of brick with a cavity or equivalent thickness of concrete / stone block exterior walls.
Or you live in Minnesota, where half the year it used to be unbearably cold so you needed central heat. Then half the year it was so goddamn humid and hot we needed central AC, or at least a window unit.
We do get the benefit of having homes with a basement implied to protect both the pipes from freezing and our necks from tornadoes in December now
I live in Minnesota. It’s not quite as bad as you say. Opening windows overnight and closing them in the morning works pretty well to keep the house comfortable for most of the summer…well, except when we’re inundated with smoke from the wildfires.