30x40 Earth Berm Passive Solar in Maine

[Bishopknight]

Thanks for the kind words Frank, Glenn and MaineRhino

Those roofing brackets are Seans fathers. They're custom built brackets which mount via a long threaded bolt to the inside wall. He drilled a 5/8 hole in the wall and then mounted a 2x6 plate on the backside ( also with a hole drilled in it ) where the washer and nut attached to. He also had to reinforce the outside wall with scrap plywood for the bottom bracing area. He said without the extra bracing, hes heard of the brackets punching through the 1/2" ply. 

Personally, I would say it would've been faster to just get up on a ladder and do the first 4 course that way ( like I did on the back ).  It took about an hour to setup the staging and another hr to tear it down. It would be different if it was a 2 story though, you would need some staging.

The next project is getting the ice melted inside and the place heated up, which means strapping the ceiling and laying 23" insulation between the trusses. I've read strapping has many benefits. It will allow me to run my electrical between it without drilling holes. It will reinforce the ceiling. It will give the drywall a wider 3" track to screw into, and a shorter distance between spans (16" OC compared to 24").

This week I'm going to look on craigslist for a kerosene/diesel heater. I don't want to install a woodstove until the floor is dry.

Btw: I updated the below-slab plumbing post with more pictures http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=5386.msg69719#msg69719

[glenn kangiser]

Good ideas.

Lots of leverage on that staging but a great idea.  Similar can be done with 2x4's and the outside leg going to the ground while continuing up for handrails if desired.

[Redoverfarm]

BK I hope you get a couple good days of sun to seat the shingles. Sometimes in cold weather and no sun they will not seal to themselves and a subsequent high wind will lift them off.  Otherwise a very good job.  Working in the cold is not fun irregardless of what you are doing. 

[ScottA]

Looking good! Moving right along. 

[llamaman]

Hi  Bishopknight  I have found your 30x40 berm most interesting
In a 1982 outdoor life magazine I read about an under ground house by  Rob Roy and a seed was planted.  I have read his under ground house book also. I will be starting my house this spring my hole I dug this fall.
There is a lot of similarity between your house and mine. And I have learned a lot already from your pics and your postings for that I thank you.
My only experience is a 12x12 tool shed   and a 40x58 pole barn.
So I need all the help I can get
I have no Idea what strapping the ceiling is.  Must be time for another internet search.
Thanks again keep posting and Ill keep learning

[glenn kangiser]

Strapping = 1x4s across the bottom of the trusses.

llamaman.  Have you read Mike Oehler's book?  I read Rob Roy's book but liked Oehler's ideas better.

[NM_Shooter]

Brrr..... Looks good!

What is the pitch on your roof?

-f-

[Dog]

BK --- you are crazy to work in that weather, but that is outstanding --- a superhuman success.  Wow. Smiley

Glenn....Please do not tell him he's "a superhuman success"  No good can come from that....lol...
This will only lead to a higher amperage in freezing productivity if that is possible. 

The house is coming out really nice.  brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[glenn kangiser]

I do not think I have near the huevos for working in that cold.  That is the reason I moved to California.  Oregon was too cold for me.

[Bishopknight]

Hey llamaman,

Glad to help. Hopefully I've alleviated some of your concerns by giving an owner-builders perspective of the project. It sounds like you have a good background of experience so keep us updated of your progress 

NM_Shooter,

Its a 6/12 pitch

Dog,

I think most of the outdoor work is thankfully over! I'm picking up a 70,000 BTU Reddy Heater tonight off craigslist for $80. Should heat up the inside quite well and get that skating rink melted.

Looking back,

I started this project 3 months ago and I'm ecstatic with how its progressed so far, I'm excited about what it will look like in another 3 months. Granted, aside from the credit card debt and $5000 loan I recently took, each weekend that goes by, my life long dream of owning my own fully paid for house is becoming a reality. That's what has allowed me to put 30,000 miles on my car this year, to get up at 4am and drive through blizzards, to sleep in a shack with no running water and work in below zero temperatures. Some may call it crazy but when you're going after your lifes dreams, you absolutely find a way to make it happen.

Roof costs estimated to date:

$2,400 - 19 scissor trusses / 2 gable end trusses
$900 - 5/8" Advantech Sheathing
$1,700 - Shingles, drip edge, gable ends, wood, tool rental
$2,000 - Labor cost
--------------
$7,000 total

[Mike 870]

It's looking great. Keep up the good work and the updates.

[llamaman]

Thanks for the  welcome
First I would like to ask you patience I swing a hammer pretty good but the writing skills are not so good.
Glenn I have not read Mike Oehlers book Ill try to get that ordered to day.

BK in these uncertain economic times you are doing the only thing that makes sense to me.  do as much of the work your self as you can and keep the det at a minimum.

And yes Ill try to let you all know how the house is coming I already have a couple of  questions I would like to ask the good people on this forum.

I saw you used black corrugated tubing to vent your wood stove like Rob Roy did.
I have researched earth tubing some and plan on incorporating earth tubing into my house .
Some  feel you should use smooth wall pipe because of moisture getting trapped and mold and mildew  issues .    Just thought I would pass that on to you don't know if it will help.   

[Bishopknight]

Thanks Llamaman,

The economy definitely concerns me and is in line with my thinking as well. If my house is fully paid for and I'm out of debt, a part time job should cover all my expenses.

I agree the corrogated vent tube could potentially collect and hold moisture. I believe Rob Roy mentioned that him or someone he knew forgot to tilt it downhill away from the house so I made sure that was observed. As far as the little corrogated ribs, I cant do much about that. If it became an issue, I could probably use some self-leveling cement or garage floor epoxy to fill the water collecting ribs.

I picked up that Reddy Heater last night. I'm excited to see if I can get the inside melted this weekend. I'm not certain about this so if someone can agree/disagree with me... I was thinking I'd insulate the soffit eves with 1ft fiber bat pieces where air could escape , leave the cold cellar door open for ventilation and put up a piece of plastic poly over the front door.

Now I just need to find where Kerosene or #1 fuel(diesel?) is sold... I just read that cold weather Diesel is the #1 variety...

[MaineRhino]

BK, for an indoor heater use Kerosene. I always use the additive that keeps it from stinking too bad.

Are you going to be there this weekend? They are calling for cold temps, 20 on Sat and 10 on Sunday. 4" to 8" of snow expected today too.

[Bishopknight]

Good to know, thanks Troy.

Yep, I'll be there this weekend, working inside, melting the floor. As long as I can drive there and back safely, I don't care any longer about 5", 15" or 5' of snow 

I found this picture, I really like the ceiling, crown molding and brick on the mantle. I think its just panel board they used on the ceiling painted a glossy white. Those are probably fake rafters as well, which seem easy to do, just lay 2, 2x4's over the panel board every other truss, then box them out with some 1x4 pine and then stain em. I'd want to stain them a darker shade though. Looks nice though. Its the kind of look I want to go for with my cathedral ceilings

[Mike 870]

I used that paneling when I re-did my bathroom.  The kind I got from Lowes didn't need to be painted, just came that way. 

click thumbnail to view

[soomb]

I went back to page one and looked at the stove vent:  Will this be under the stove or in the general area of it, or feed it directly?

Will it have a grate?

[Bishopknight]

Hey Soomb,

I haven't figured that part out yet to be honest. I placed it slightly to the left of where I thought I would be able to use it. My thinking right now is that the elevated mantle step that the wood stove will rest on will route that vent towards the back.

Mike,

I like that. I think I prefer that over drywall. Plus In my case I wont have to rent a hopper and shoot a knockdown texture. This probably makes strapping redundant though, depending on how thick the paneling is.

I changed my floorplan a bit today. Here are some screen captures. Its not set in stone but I like this layout.


View from Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Office

[MaineRhino]

Looks good BK. I especially like the kitchen pantry and rear access into the earth-cooled food vault! 

I would think about making the bathroom with one sink, building a corner cabinet for towels, etc.....

Does your sink have to stay where it is? It looks like it may get in the way if used much as an eat-in kitchen.

[Bishopknight]

I was thinking about that MaineRhino. Theres pros and cons to both sides. As a guy, I tend to keep a dirty sink 

Either way, I have some flexibility with the DWV piping for either sink.

Just priced out R-38 attic insulation. I'll need 19 rolls at $54.34 per, so thats $1023 + tax to insulate the ceiling. I wouldn't normally insulate right now, it'd be straight onto interior framing but the ice on the slab is obviously holding me back. I'm going to pick up 3, 50lb bags of Calcium Chloride for $20 ea and distribute them in 13x29 ft areas.  I have a feeling the reddy heater wont melt much unless I insulate the inside somewhat. We'll see.

[Redoverfarm]

I would be careful with the calcium chloride.  Your concrete is still what you would consider "green" even given the recent age.  That stuff is hard on seasoned concrete let alone concrete that is just a couple months old.  I think I would rent a bigger heater and or insulate the ceiling to hold the heat better.  Not to sound critical but there is times in winter construction that you just have to hold off on somethings.  The winter sneaks up on you and you didn't get done what you anticipated doing. Been there and done that.   

[Bishopknight]

Thanks John.

I knew rock salt was a definite no but I read online Calcium would be alright, but the last thing I want to do is ruin my green slab. I'll probably look more into the insulate and heat route. I should be able to melt it that way.

[soomb]

What program did you use for your layout?

[Bishopknight]

Hey Soomb,

3D Home Architect Design Suite Deluxe 8.

Planning has beginning on the electrical layout...

I'll be doing most of it myself. Electrical is one of my comfortable areas as I've wired my entire solar setup myself already. I'm reading Rex Cauldwells, "Wiring a House" to fill in the knowledge I'm missing. Also I'll hire an electrician to come in as a consultant to double check my work and do the main panel connections. I have 9 circuits so far. I think I've balanced the power requirements up nicely. I have quite a bit of room over the washer dryer closet to put the electrical box, solar panel batteries, charge controller and inverter. The goal is grid-tied when I get the money for the equipment. But for the time being, I'd like to power one or more areas of my house using my solar panels, and add to that as I can with scalability in mind. That mainly would entail having 2 power boxes, next to each other, one solar fed, the other grid fed, with the ability to move a circuit to one box or the other. Initially, I would probably have lower energy circuits like the master bedroom and/or bathroom/guest BR circuits feeding off the solar setup.

1. Guest bedroom / Bathroom
--- 6 outlets
--- 2 lights
--- 1 fan exhaust
--- 2 switches

2. Master bedroom
--- 1 exterior outlet
--- 4 outlets
--- 2 lights
--- 2 switches ( 1 ceiling fan type )

3. Living room
--- 4 outlets
--- 2 lights
--- 3 switches ( 1 ceiling fan type, 2 3-way type )

4. Office
--- 1 exterior outlet
--- 3 outlets
--- 1 light
--- 1 switch

5. Kitchen Lights
--- 6 lights
--- 2 switches ( 2 dimmer style )

6. Kitchen Outlets
--- Dish washer power
--- 6 standard outlets
--- Microwave power
--- Fridge power

7. Stove

8. Utility / Cold Cellar
--- 2 lights
--- 2 switches
--- 3 outlets
--- Water compressor pump
--- Water heater? ( may not use electrical )

9. Washer Dryer

[MountainDon]

I have quite a bit of room over the washer dryer closet to put the electrical box, solar panel batteries, charge controller and inverter.

Just a quick note for now. IIRC, by NEC code, an electrical breaker panel can not be placed over appliances or even counter tops as you describe. There's supposed to be a certain minimum clear floor area below and in front of the panel. 36" by 30" wide comes to mind. There's a certain minimum headroom as well. And no panels in closets or bathrooms.

Inverters are not to be placed above batteries; that's NEC as well.