16x26 2 story house in Alaska

[mountainmomma]

To echo the words of your excavator...you do professional work!

Question...It appears you used drywall returns on your windows...have you experienced any condensation damage where drywall contacts window frame?  Do you plan to use any casing trim on doors?

Thanks for the compliment DanFish! Very kind of you. 

I will ask Eli about the window question. We will be caulking between the window and the sheetrock today though.
We will be doing trim around the doors.


This weekend, we are going to be busy installing the rest of the lights and electricl outlets on the first floor and then moving stuff out of the 2nd floor to prepare for spray foam insulation upstairs!   
Thanks again!

-Jane (Mountainmomma)

[mountainmomma]

Its been an insanely long time since i have posted anything on here. Sorry about that. We got super busy. I had been working on my master's degree and we'd been working really hard to get moved into the house before we got too deep into the winter.

We began a habit of sleeping in the house on Fridays and/or Saturdays but it was tedious because we didn't have any of our things in the house and had to go back to the cabin to cook and live. Finally, after getting carpeting installed in the bedroom, we got things rolling and we moved in during Thanksgiving weekend. We had our parents up for a feast the following weekend.

Its been amazing to finally be in here. It stays so much warmer even in the sub zero weather that we've been having.
Its also amazing to have a drain pipe for our gray (sink) water so that, for the first time in nearly 10 years, I don't have to empty a bucket after I do the dishes. We are still hauling water though and have a couple of small containers on the counter (perched over the sink) to provide water with the flick of a lever.

I am very anxious to get our  composting toilet installed. Its become even more pressing in that I am now nearly 8 months pregnant.
Perhaps you can help us with something. We acquired an Envirolet low water system from a friend that has a large storage unit. The storage/composting unit will be under the house in our giant, heated/insulated crawl space. We're supposed to install a liquid overflow tube. It's meant to go into a cess pit outside the house lined with gravel and whatnot. This time of year, however, there is no digging a hole in the ground and we don't really want to have it run on top of the earth as this is not just urine liquid. Its been advised that before making a solid deposit, we pour a little water in to aid in flushing everything. Normally, it'd be hooked up to water but we aren't at that point yet.
My temporary solution for the winter is to have a container for the overflow to run into which stays beside the composting unit and will be emptied manually from time to time. Any advice of what kind of container to use or how much liquid we should plan to contain for two adults?

[speedfunk]

look into sawdust toilet.  It cost almost nothing to make , works insanely good.  We used when in our travel trailer last year.  5 gallon bucket ....do your thing...cover with sawdust.  Does not require emptying until full.  Never smelled.

nice project too

edit to add: sorry I might have mis read what you were looking to do..if not then hope the above is helpful

[freezengirl]

  How exciting for both of you expecting the birth of your child! Congratulations bigtime!

Average urine output for adults is 1500-1600 ml/per day or roughly 2 Quarts. I believe I live right down the hill from you near the hospital. I do have a copy of the Humanure Handbook and also a book on Septic Systems if you would like to borrow them. Shoot me an email and I will give you my phone # if you want. I don't have studded tires and I know my car will not make it up the hills at least until spring!

We still havent built anything except a storage shed on our property out the East End...sigh.

Again congratulations on your pregnancy! 

[Squirl]

I am not familiar with the envirolet line.
I have reviewed much of the SunMar line, so much of this is for that, but hopefully it can translate.  If it is a heated A/C composter, the overflow is largely not needed.  The heat and fans can evaporate most of the liquid.  The material I read has the option of connecting the line to a tank to be emptied elsewhere (any public toilet or camp ground). The fluid amount shouldn't be great.  From Freezengirls post, two adults a day of 1 gallon urine.  The low flow toilets are 1/2 gallon flush, so another gallon.  The composter needs some water to work, and the fans should take care of most of the rest.  The central units are usually larger and should also be able to handle two people easier.

I would insulate and heat the unit.  It needs to be 55-60 degrees to even work.  As long as everything is installed properly there shouldn't be much liquid overflow liquid if at all. It is more of a backup.