Building a house for DEAF Owner...

Audiofuzzy

Audiofuzzy

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If you were going to build a brand new house for yourself -a deaf person,

what is a must have for you in such a house?

And when do you have to start making plans accommodating your deafness?
At the architect, I suppose?

Also, in case if sometimes you'd want to sell this house, is there a way to easily disconnect these deaf gadgets,
make them invisible if the prospective owner doesn't wish to have/see them?

Although personally I think it's a great idea to have such "deaf friendly" accommodations as this helps to widen the buying market - yes, no?
Would you guys be more apt to buy a house if it was "deaf friendly" over the one that wasn't?

Fuzzy
 
I've heard of Deaf-friendly houses, and aside from open line-of-sight to communicate from "anywhere" in the house and signaling lights, I'm not sure what else would be designed into the house.
 
In the past, I work for large architect firm as a IT/CAD manager, I came with an idea about building my new house, the must have? Fire sprinkler system. As you all may aware that hearing people can hear the fire alarm, when that happen, they get more responsive, quick action of getting out of the house. Now with deaf people sleeping in the middle of the night and when the light flashed, they will get confused, is it door singler? Bed alarm? Noise? Phone ringing? or Fire?
They are still in bed in a confused state of what going on with light flashing. Smoke travel faster than you can imagine.
And that what I have in my house, it's expensive, yes but life is more important. Sprinkler system help dampen the smoke as it traveled. And for other must have is security system. The security system link to fire sprinkler and smoke alarm. The security system will contact fire and police dept faster than my 911 call on relay. I don't have to worry about looking for the phone in the middle of the night. What I have not only a security system but it's a smart house system combine.

So, you might want to think about it more than of having open space house concepts.
 
New house... golden opportunity to have your signaling system hardwired. Harris Communications has what you need for this. I don't remember what it is called as ours was installed several years ago.

I've always wanted to install a small kitchen light in our living room for socialization purposes but we haven't made that jump yet.

I'll also give kudos for the fire alarm suggestion.
 
additional note about fire sprinkler system, the only draw back with this system, gotta try to keep the house cool as possible, no higher than 135 degree. Historically with this house, we had a power outage for more than 3 days during the hot summer and the house temp was around 95 degree so I'm okay with that!! If house temp gone over 135, then it will be hell of a mess. Commercial fire sprinkler system set at between 300 to 450 degree. Residential, around 135.
 
SneakerNet said:
In the past, I work for large architect firm as a IT/CAD manager, I came with an idea about building my new house, the must have? Fire sprinkler system. As you all may aware that hearing people can hear the fire alarm, when that happen, they get more responsive, quick action of getting out of the house. Now with deaf people sleeping in the middle of the night and when the light flashed, they will get confused, is it door singler? Bed alarm? Noise? Phone ringing? or Fire?
They are still in bed in a confused state of what going on with light flashing. Smoke travel faster than you can imagine.
And that what I have in my house, it's expensive, yes but life is more important. Sprinkler system help dampen the smoke as it traveled. And for other must have is security system. The security system link to fire sprinkler and smoke alarm. The security system will contact fire and police dept faster than my 911 call on relay. I don't have to worry about looking for the phone in the middle of the night. What I have not only a security system but it's a smart house system combine.

So, you might want to think about it more than of having open space house concepts.
Click to expand...



wow...never thought of it that way and it does make sense.

I have a deaf friendly alarm with flashing lights and 3 buttons in which I can push to call the fire dept, police, or EMTs.

However, a sprinkler system would be awesome because a few months ago, my dresser caught in fire in the middle of the night and I couldnt believe how thick the smoke got in such a short time. Luckily, my husband put the fire out before it burned the house as well. It was a frightening experience.
 
first off , I wouldnt want a sprinkler to be set to go off in whole house if one room is only affected. It would kill my HA if it gets wet.

Second, its really is hard to design a permanent setup for a deaf home as you never know sometime down the road you might need to sell and the market would be limited as many hearing would not want that feature.

What you could do for sure is to have a doorbell flasher setup that is easily switched to a sound, hard wired network drops in every room so vp /wireless computer can be set in any room, all fire and carbon detector have flashers and sound built in. All of this is just fine for a hearing person as they wouldnt think of its deaf feature.
 
I would opt for house with lots of windows.....clear and open views of the outside also....
 
I would want a large donut shaped house, or Pentagon, so the middle part is outside socialisation, swimming pool area, with a retractable roof for the winter months. Bath room next to kitchen to cut plumbing installing and maintence costs, have solar on roofs (again in donut shape, why? to capture all day sun from all directions for heating hotwater and electriticty generation (minor, only for lights), lounge, and dinning rooms need to be round enought to accomodate round tables have have kitchen lights above.... al this 2 stories, first floor is garage, shed, laundry, a 2nd inside outside flow lounge/litchen with a stairway to the next floor up to another lounge (more formal with larger kitchen)...
also donut shape will provide windows in the inside circle for finind where's the person is no need for shout or running around...
on the outside less windows, so its hurricane -proof...

thats my take
 
SneakerNet said:
In the past, I work for large architect firm as a IT/CAD manager, I came with an idea about building my new house, the must have? Fire sprinkler system. As you all may aware that hearing people can hear the fire alarm, when that happen, they get more responsive, quick action of getting out of the house. Now with deaf people sleeping in the middle of the night and when the light flashed, they will get confused, is it door singler? Bed alarm? Noise? Phone ringing? or Fire?
They are still in bed in a confused state of what going on with light flashing. Smoke travel faster than you can imagine.
And that what I have in my house, it's expensive, yes but life is more important. Sprinkler system help dampen the smoke as it traveled. And for other must have is security system. The security system link to fire sprinkler and smoke alarm. The security system will contact fire and police dept faster than my 911 call on relay. I don't have to worry about looking for the phone in the middle of the night. What I have not only a security system but it's a smart house system combine.

So, you might want to think about it more than of having open space house concepts.
Click to expand...

I would like to have the fire alarm set so the fire department will know it going off. I had client that had about 200 dolls worth thousands of $$ and she had fire alarm system that was hook up with the fire department .
 
or shaped like a giant teepee, glass top, about 5 story high why not, kitchen third floor, with bottom floor being garages, workshop *3 diff kinds, 3 kids bedroom to the outdoor at the back , own ranch sliders (slanted ofc as go with teepee architecture) 4 th floor as master room with a by-pass stair way to top floor as patio , with glass walls to peak Or truncated as open air, and have outdoor furntture and spa up there?

kichen can be wood burner ovens with funnel /flute to heat the spa above lol
 
radioman said:
first off , I wouldnt want a sprinkler to be set to go off in whole house if one room is only affected. It would kill my HA if it gets wet.

Second, its really is hard to design a permanent setup for a deaf home as you never know sometime down the road you might need to sell and the market would be limited as many hearing would not want that feature.

What you could do for sure is to have a doorbell flasher setup that is easily switched to a sound, hard wired network drops in every room so vp /wireless computer can be set in any room, all fire and carbon detector have flashers and sound built in. All of this is just fine for a hearing person as they wouldnt think of its deaf feature.
Click to expand...

The sprinkler I have is not design to go off in whole house. It only go off certain area where the fire is. Secondly the design I have is for both hearing and deaf. Just like in other posting that it have "robotic voice announcement" of telling where the problem located. Would I need it? Nah... but it has ability to flashed the whole house light on, this help for navigating out of the house.
 
For a house that I'd design, the house must be deaf friendly - of course.

Fire sprinkler system, like other AD'er incidated, three different coloured flashing lights, (Green for door bell, orange for phone/internet call and white for fire alarm) All of these to be hardwired, the internet and server system, to be fully hardwired (Server access locate in garage) - and security alarm system with video survillence 24/7
 
lol more wires throught house, means more things can go wrong as crossed wires catch firres...
spinkly system nah...
its toxic with radioactive shit, forget it, just or less a less-fire-prone house...and act sensible, if have a joint, have it outside..if cooking, dont ever leave kitchen while cooking!, have exhasue fan ready in kitchen and use it often, (and clean it too), dont smoke in toilets either, etc...

im not gonna worry about hi-tech bullshit, its just over the top, get real people, if you want to be safe, Be safe, dont rely on technology
 
Thank you !!
I appreciate your ideas very much :ty:

Grummer, if I had enough money I also would love to build some unique house.
Alas, I don't ...
but Weird Homes and Amazing Homes
70 Amazing Houses from Around the World | WebUrbanist

is very much up my alley! oh gosh anything out of ordinary would make me
so happy...

At the moment I am sure I am going to install light/sound doorbell, with lights of installed in every room so I'd know someone at the door.
.
Sprinkler fire system looks interesting, too - however it depends on how much is it gonna cost - very limited budget here :(
Perhaps Shel's suggestion is more affordable - don't know it yet.

Thanks for Autodesk, Feline- i am browsing it.

signaling system hardwired. Harris Communications has what you need for this. I don't remember what it is called as ours was installed several years ago.
Click to expand...
-what signaling system, please?? sounds good..

Fuzzy
 
I'd like some flashing option for my stove--when it's heated up, when the timer goes off, etc. It would also be nice to have an option that automatically turns off the stove after a couple hours of being idol--that would be for my husband, who is not hard of hearing but just forgets to turn off the oven quite often. :giggle:.

Same goes for the microwave, a flashing option for when it is done.
 
HOH-ME said:
I'd like some flashing option for my stove--when it's heated up, when the timer goes off, etc. It would also be nice to have an option that automatically turns off the stove after a couple hours of being idol--that would be for my husband, who is not hard of hearing but just forgets to turn off the oven quite often. :giggle:.

Same goes for the microwave, a flashing option for when it is done.
Click to expand...

So would I- but that is not a house option -- its the manufacturer that needs to do this.
 
radioman said:
So would I- but that is not a house option -- its the manufacturer that needs to do this.
Click to expand...

I bet an electrician could wire something that would work though--tap into the digital readout on the stove. I'm not all that technically savvy though so maybe not.
 
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