Select an icon to learn more about each homeIQ™ feature and discover how Schellter Technology makes your home a healthier and energy efficient environment.
With HomeIQ, every bedroom features a Smart Switch. This allows you to use Alexa, receive announcements from other Alexa devices, set a reminder or alarm, play music, and check the weather. Additionally, voice activation turns the lights off and on and can set a night light. You can also use your remote control via the Alexa application.
Your new home will be equipped with a Smart Switch exterior coach and porch lighting. This will allow you to control exterior lighting with voice or touch through your kitchen Command Center. HomeIQ also affords you the ability to set night lights and increase curb appeal and safety by setting pre-dusk to dawn lighting. Lastly, you will have the ability to control exterior lighting remotely from an app.
Traditional HVAC systems and thermostats just measure and regulate temperature, which is only part of what makes a home's interior environment comfortable. High humidity can make a home uncomfortable and potentially lead to unhealthy moisture-related problems. Use your phone or tablet to adjust the thermostat through a third party app*.
*Equipment and functionality may differ per region, depending on that region's needs.
A keyless entry door lock will give you the freedom from keys and hiding them under the door mat. Set up personal codes for the kids, neighbor, dog walker or the cleaners and give quick entry access to those you trust. Remotely lock/unlock the door from anywhere you are and receive messages on who's entered the home. It also communicates directly to your alarm panel and command center.
Maintain the perfect balance of temperature and humidity. Unlike traditional HVAC systems that only regulate temperature, our approach ensures your home stays comfortable and healthy by managing humidity. This helps prevent moisture-related issues while enhancing overall comfort.
A home built by Schell Brothers averages a score of 49 on the HERS index, which means it is over 100% more energy efficient and uses 51% less energy than a Standard New Home with a HERS Score of 100*.
An Enerwize home will have energy costs that are less than half of an equivalently sized existing home.
*Source RESNET®
Our combination of new framing techniques maximizes the thermal barrier of exterior walls by increasing insulation and reducing thermal bridging caused by excess wood.
2x6 walls are significantly stronger than 2x4 walls and allow for a lot more insulation, which makes a huge difference in heating and cooling costs. The extra insulation also makes it much quieter inside the home.
more insulation than 2x4 walls
for heating & cooling
than 2x4 walls
better noise reduction
Most production home builders use panelized walls in their homes because it costs less. Our homes are constructed on-site because stick-built homes are stronger and more energy efficient, although framing is certainly less expensive and quicker using panels.
Panelized homes introduce extra studs into the exterior walls because there are two studs next to each other where the panels meet. Wood is a poor insulator, so extra studs mean extra energy loss through the walls.
In addition, small gaps between studs, walls, and floor systems are a common source of air infiltration. In a stick-built home, wall sheathing (the OSB or plywood on the outside of an exterior wall) covers these gaps and inhibits air leaks. With a panelized home, there is no sheathing to cover these gaps, just house wrap or tape, which do little to prevent air infiltration in these areas.
Even a well insulated home can have high energy bills and uncomfortable drafts if the home is not properly draft-stopped. Many homes have air leakage equivalent to an open window, even though all the windows are closed.
Conditioning air that is lost through leakage accounts for 25% - 40% of the energy used for heating/cooling in a typical home.
We apply a spray foam to joints and other areas of our home’s exterior envelope to prevent unwanted airflow between the outside and inside of the home.
Insulation’s primary purpose is to reduce heat transfer. BATT insulation, often still used in new homes, loses its effectiveness when cut or compressed to accommodate electric boxes, wires, light fixtures, and other objects in walls and ceilings.
Instead of BATT insulation, dense pack fiberglass insulation is "blown-in" to fill all the voids in the walls and ceilings of Schell Brothers homes, creating a consistent and more effective thermal and sound barrier.
The windows in a home can be a major source of heat and cooling loss. Many builders reduce the construction cost and energy loss by simply including very few windows in their homes.
We recognize that more natural light makes a home feel much better, so we don’t skimp on quantity or quality of the windows in our homes. To prevent energy loss while including more windows, our provider created a brand new window specifically designed to meet the ultra energy efficient specs we insisted on.
Our windows also minimize the transfer of ultraviolet light, protecting your furniture and finishes from fading.
A traditional tank water heater uses a tremendous amount of energy because it is constantly running.
Schell Brothers homes feature a tankless water heater that only runs "on demand" when hot water is needed. It's also about the size of a briefcase, so it takes up a lot less space. Plus it never runs out of hot water, and will last about twice as long, typically up to 20 years.
Tankless water heater vs. traditional:
less energy used
longer life span
PEX pipes are flexible tubes of cross-linked polyethylene that we use with a manifold in a "home run" plumbing system to provide direct water lines to each faucet. PEX piping systems have far fewer joints and fittings than traditional PVC or copper pipes, which greatly reduces the potential for leaks. PEX tubing won't pit, scale or corrode and is much less likely than PVC to burst if it freezes.
A variable speed system with electronic communicating motor (ECM) technology is more energy efficient as most times of the year the air handler fan will only need to run at low speeds.
A variable speed air handler is also much more effective at removing humidity from the air, which not only improves comfort, but reduces problems caused by moisture such as mold. Some systems can remove as much as 24 gallons of moisture per day from a home!
Typically homes include a single-stage furnace that runs at full power any time it is turned on. Schell Brothers homes use a smarter, 2-stage furnace.
A 2-stage furnace is like having two furnaces in one: an energy efficient low-stage furnace for moderately cold days, and a heavy duty, high-stage furnace for very cold days.
A 2-stage furnace typically operates in the low stage most of the time, producing far less combustion noise than a single-stage furnace.
Proper duct sealing can greatly reduce or eliminate this source of energy loss. Locating the ductwork within a conditioned space further increases the efficiency by reducing the heat transfer through the duct walls.
Our ductwork is located predominantly within conditioned space and all the seams are sealed with tape and mastic to ensure little to no air leakage.
To ensure proper duct sealing, all Schellter homes receive a 3rd party Duct Blaster Test which measures the amount of air leakage in the duct system so that any deficiencies can be identified and corrected prior to installing drywall.
Insulating and cooling the home's crawl space creates a thermal connection to the ground and essentially eliminates the majority of heat loss through the floor system, not to mention eliminating the discomfort caused by cold floors in the winter.
A vented crawl space, on the other hand, makes the entire home a conditioned island surrounded by unconditioned air on all sides.
Our crawl spaces have no outside vents, are insulated, and conditioned by the HVAC system.
Unlike many production home builders who rely on panelized walls to save on costs, we take a different approach. At Schell Brothers, each home is carefully constructed on-site using traditional stick-built methods. Why? Because stick-built homes offer greater strength and energy efficiency. While panelized framing may be faster and less expensive, we believe in building homes that stand the test of time—providing lasting quality and peace of mind for our homeowners.
Most production home builders use panelized walls in their homes because it costs less. Our homes are constructed on-site, because stick-built homes are stronger and more energy efficient, although framing is certainly less expensive and quicker using panels.
2x6 walls are significantly stronger than 2x4 walls and allow for a lot more insulation, which makes a huge difference in heating and cooling costs. The extra insulation also makes it much quieter inside the home.
more insulation than 2x4 walls
for heating & cooling
than 2x4 walls
better noise reduction
Instead of BATT insulation, dense pack fiberglass insulation is "blown-in" to fill all the voids in the walls and ceilings of Schell Brothers homes, creating a consistent and more effective thermal and sound barrier.
The blown-in insulation used in Schell Brothers homes is formaldehyde-free, non-combustible, non-corrosive, and moisture-resistant. That means you get a safer product that resists mold growth to protect your home and the people in it.
Each bag of blown-in insulation contains the equivalent of over 30 recycled bottles, and is verified as a GREENGUARD® certified, low VOC product.
Blown-in insulation used in Schell Brothers homes improves sound attenuation by 4 to 10 points.
Water infiltration can wreak havoc on a home. Not only can water leaks ruin the finishes within your home, they can cause dangerous structural issues due to wood rot. In addition, water in the home causes mold growth which can be harmful and sometimes deadly to the home's inhabitants.
The 4Tress Leak Prevention System (LPS) is a collection of waterproofing and water infiltration prevention features designed to keep the inside of your home water and moisture free.
Wind-driven rain has the potential to get behind the tape and house wrap along the window perimeter and flow down to the sill. A rain trough is an extra precaution designed to prevent this water from entering the house walls and causing problems such as mold and wood rot.
Building scientists have recently discovered that even a leak-free home can have moisture and mold problems due to ground water wicking up the foundation walls through the footing. The waterproof capillary break installed on top of our footings prevents this from occurring.
Schell Brothers homes include an HVAC system that has multiple fan speeds to precisely control the speed and volume of airflow.
This type of system is quieter and makes very little noise when it turns on because it can start with a low fan speed.
A variable speed air handler is also much more effective at removing humidity from the air, which not only improves comfort, but reduces problems caused by moisture such as mold. Some systems can remove as much as 24 gallons of moisture per day from a home!
Traditional HVAC systems and thermostats just measure and regulate temperature, which is only part of what makes a home's interior environment comfortable. High humidity can make a home uncomfortable and potentially lead to unhealthy moisture-related problems.
Condensation is a major source of moisture and mold within a home. Condensation can be greatly reduced by regulating humidity levels.
Our smart thermostats combined with our variable speed air handlers allow our HVAC system to independently reduce humidity* by cycling down the fan speed to remove more moisture from the air while having a minimal effect on temperature.
*Equipment and functionality may differ per region, depending on that region's needs.
Our combination of new framing techniques maximizes the thermal barrier of exterior walls by increasing insulation and reducing thermal bridging caused by excess wood.
PEX pipes are flexible tubes of cross-linked polyethylene that we use with a manifold in a "home run" plumbing system to provide direct water lines to each faucet.
PEX piping systems have far fewer joints and fittings than traditional PVC or copper pipes, which greatly reduces the potential for leaks. PEX tubing won't pit, scale or corrode and is much less likely than PVC to burst if it freezes.
Typically homes include a single-stage furnace that runs at full power any time it is turned on. Schell Brothers homes use a smarter, 2-stage furnace.
A 2-stage furnace is like having two furnaces in one: an energy efficient low-stage furnace for moderately cold days, and a heavy duty, high-stage furnace for very cold days.
A 2-stage furnace typically operates in the low stage most of the time, producing far less combustion noise than a single-stage furnace.
Minimum efficiency reporting value, commonly known as MERV rating, is a measurement scale designed to rate the effectiveness of air filters. MERV values range from 1 to 16. Higher is more effective.
A typical residential air filter is less than MERV 5 and removes only large particles from the air. Most harmful particles such as bacteria, mold, and allergens are relatively small and can only be removed by more advanced filters.
Schell Brothers homes use MERV 13 filters, which remove almost all the harmful particles in the air. In fact, MERV 13 filters are rated high enough to be used in hospitals.
Very little air leaks through the exterior envelope of Schellter homes, which is great for comfort and energy efficiency, but a healthy indoor environment also needs fresh air.
Our homes include a ventilation system that circulates fresh air into the home at a rate consistent with the home size and sufficient to maintain healthy indoor air quality.
In the last several years, building scientists have realized that traditional vented crawl spaces included in most existing homes are harmful. The moist, warm air found in vented crawls in the summer months creates a perfect environment for mold and bacteria which can infiltrate the living area of the home through HVAC ducts and air leaks in the floor system.
Our crawl spaces have no outside vents, are insulated, and conditioned by the HVAC system, resulting in a healthy environment.
We install whole house dehumidifiers on all non-slab Schell homes*. High humidity is uncomfortable, causes damage to interior finishes like hardwood floors and furniture and is a primary contributor to mold growth in the home. We live in a very humid climate and unfortunately running the A/C is not always sufficient to maintain proper humidity levels. A whole house dehumidifier is the most efficient and effective way to ensure safe and comfortable humidity levels year-round in your home.
* except in Boise, as that region does not require dehumidifers
Most materials we use are GREENGUARD Certified, which means they've been screened for over 10,000 chemicals. Certified products help create healthier indoor environments.
Research funded by the EPA has found that most homes in the U.S. contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to the products used in constructing the homes.
VOCs are emitted by building products such as paint, carpet, adhesives, OSB/plywood, and others. Most will continue to emit VOCs long after installation.
VOCs can lead to adverse health conditions such as eye, nose, and throat irritation; dizziness, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; central nervous system, liver, and kidney damage; and even cancer.
Even a well-insulated home can have uncomfortable drafts when unfiltered outside air enters your house through cracks and openings, and conditioned, filtered inside air leaves. Reducing the amount of air leakage is a cost-effective way to create a healthier indoor environment by ensuring air is only able to enter your home through your filtered HVAC system.
We apply a spray foam to joints and other areas of our home’s exterior envelope to prevent unwanted airflow between the outside and inside of the home.
Instead of BATT insulation, dense pack fiberglass insulation is "blown-in" to fill all the voids in the walls and ceilings of Schell Brothers homes, creating a consistent and more effective thermal and sound barrier.
The blown-in insulation used in Schell Brothers homes is formaldehyde-free, non-combustible, non-corrosive, and moisture-resistant. That means you get a safer product that resists mold growth to protect your home and the people in it.
Each bag of blown-in insulation contains the equivalent of over 30 recycled bottles, and is verified as a GREENGUARD® certified, low VOC product.
Blown-in insulation used in Schell Brothers homes improves sound attenuation by 4 to 10 points.
Schell Brothers homes include an HVAC system that has multiple fan speeds to precisely control the speed and volume of airflow.
This type of system is quieter and makes very little noise when it turns on because it can start with a low fan speed.
A variable speed air handler is also much more effective at removing humidity from the air, which not only improves comfort, but reduces problems caused by moisture such as mold. Some systems can remove as much as 24 gallons of moisture per day from a home!
Traditional HVAC systems and thermostats just measure and regulate temperature, which is only part of what makes a home's interior environment comfortable. High humidity can make a home uncomfortable and potentially lead to unhealthy moisture related problems.
Condensation is a major source of moisture and mold within a home. Condensation can be greatly reduced by regulating humidity levels.
Our smart thermostats combined with our variable speed air handlers allow our HVAC system to independently reduce humidity* by cycling down the fan speed to remove more moisture from the air while having a minimal effect on temperature.
At Schell Brothers, we take this problem very seriously and have included numerous features and construction techniques in our homes to ensure a healthy environment for our homeowners and their families.
Our efforts have been recognized by the EPA, who honored us with their 2015 Indoor airPLUS Leader Award. We were one of eight home builders across the nation to receive this award, selected from more than 700 builders who have joined the Indoor airPLUS Program.