Conference 7.286::home_work

    We have a non-winterized porch on the rear of our hours that we
    are going to have winterized.  The size is about 16x16 and the room
    faces SSW so I want to be able to make it as solar-efficient as
    possible.
    
    I'd like to make the whole thing glass but don't want to get burned
    out in the summer.  Also, the roof peak is on the end that faces
    SSW so an overhang would have to be wider at the peak than it is
    at the lower part of the roof (making it look chalet-like and not
    in tune with the rest of the house).
    
    I'd sure appreciate any pointers to:
    
    	people who can assist in planning
    	high-performance windows (supposed to let heat in in winter
    		and keep it out in summer - magic?)
    
	shading methods/devices (inside)
    	any intelligence that'll cut down the probability of my making
    	a BIG mistake.
    
    Thanks in advance for your help.
    
    Pete

By the whole thing, do you mean three sides or just the south side?  Unless 
you have shade from the east and west, putting glass on those sides is 
definitely going to burn you out in the summer.  The incoming solar radiation 
is far greater there than on the south side in the summer.  I'd probably glass 
in the whole south wall and put a couple of windows on the other sides.

How much flexibility do you have with the roof?  And how high above the windows 
is it?  The noon summer sun comes in at about 70�, so an overhang doesn't need 
to be huge.  

I'm not convinced that 'high performance' windows are worth their cost (for 
south facing windows).  Most of the ones that I've seen brag about their 
increased R value, but don't mention that their solar transmissivity is cut by 
the same amount.  They'd be great for east, west, and north facing windows, but 
I think for south facing glass you lose as much as you gain, and those special 
windows are expensive.

If you're looking to get maximum glass area on the south side, for our house we 
were able to get 4'X 8' double-glass panels for about $150 each.  That would 
cost you about $600 to make the entire south side 8' glass, which is probably 
what you'd pay for two decent sized windows with high performance glass.

I've seen a real slick way of making large insulated shades for big glass panels
in Fine Homebuilding.  The panels are made of insulation board covered in 
cloth.  They are cord operated, and fold up neatly against the ceiling when 
not in use.  They are a bi-fold arrangement that looks something like this:
    


------------------------------------------------------------------------+
					       /�\		      //|
				       	      /   \		    //o |
				      	     /     \		  // /| |
				     	    /	    \  Panel -> // /  |	|
				    	   /	     \	      // /    |	|
	� and o are pulleys	   	  /	      \	    // /^     |	|
				         /	       \  // /	|     |	|
				 	/	      	// /	|     |	|
				Cord ->/       Hinge -> <`�    Cord ->| |
			              /			 \\	      | |
			             /		   	   \\	      | |
			     	    /			     \\	      | |
			   	   /		      Panel -> \\     | |
				  /				 \\   | |
				 /				   \\ | |
				/				     \\ |
			       /					|

Clear as mud, right?   Note that the cord goes through a hole in the top panel 
to get to the second pulley.  Add magnetic strips along the sides to seal it, 
and it's real nice.

Paul

    I just designed and built a 10x24 room on the back of a friends
    house. I used post and beam techniques- mortise and tennon joints,
    pegs, dovetails etc, in 4x4 and 4x6 stock.
    
    One very important cost savings- plan it around replacement glass
    units from sliding doors. These are common replacement parts (we
    found a couple lumber yards that didnt know what we were talking
    about and Mullens in Marlboro that had no problem getting them).
    They are double insulated safety glass. In Weston the Inspector
    allowed them on the roof, but some towns require laminated glass
    on the roof.
    
    The units come 23x74, 34x74, 43 x74 ( I think_ CHECK WITH YOUR SUPPLIER
    BEFORE YOU BUILD, THEY DONT PLANE WORTH A DAMN!) Build rabbets of
    about 3/4x1 1/2 into the edges of the openings. Set the glass directly
    into these rabbets. A caulking tape, looks like electricians tape,
    is made for sealing the windows. It makes a very neat and water
    tight joint.
    
    When we priced these, back in December, custom fit glass was about
    $10 per sqft- these standard units were about $3 per sqft- well
    worth desiging to fit.
    
    RoN

  We had six 34x74 skylights installed in our Acton solar house.
  They are standard sliding glass door size so can be replaced
  at a reasonable cost. One of the skylights is now clouded because
  of a faulty seal. C & D glass in Acton said that the replacement
  glass should cost about $75 but a carpenter would need to install
  it. Does anyone know of a local capenter that can handle this
  job?  (The less I have to deal with my builder, the better).
  Definition of local area...Acton, Maynard, Stow, Harvard, Littleton,
  Concord, etc.

                <<< KRYSTL::DAA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]STOVES.NOTE;1 >>>
                                -< woodstoves >-
================================================================================
Note 52.0            Design/Construction advice requested             No replies
11669::JOHNSON "Summus quod summus"                  33 lines   5-AUG-1986 06:44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We'll be winterizing a back porch by glassing it all around.  The
    type of glass to buy is another story but may enter into this one.
    
    I have seen pictures of a glass room with a wood/coal stove in the
    corner - looks like it's minimum distance from the windows, kind
    of like this (overhead view):
    
                   _______ GLASS WALL ______
                                           |
                                 \         G
                            \  S  \        L
                             \  T  \       A
                              \  O  \      S
                               \  V  \     S
                                \  E  \     
                                 \         W
                                           A
                                           L
                                           L
                                            
                                           |
                                           |

    I like the looks of the Vermont Castings wood/coal stoves (not sure
    of model, maybe Vigilant) but I'm concerned about the effect of
    the heat from the stove on the glass, especially if it's coated.
    
    Does anyone have any experience in this area?  Also, I'm surprised
    there's not more discussion of VC stoves here.  Aren't they as good
    as I have been led to believe?
    
    Thanks in advance,
    Pete
    

    
    About 2 years ago I had a PELLA consumer broucher that showed about
    three variations for solar additions, one complete with hot tub.
    
    They were basic in design and only showed their product usage, I
    guess all the plumbing and other stuff is up to you..
    
    Pella's been gone from Littleton for quite some time now, not sure
    where they've gone, but they must be in the yellow pages...
    
    Craig
    

    I believe that there is a PELLA store in Framingham on rte 126
    ...fairly close to Shoppers World.
    
    

    There's also a Pella store just above Porter Square, Cambridge,
    on Mass. Ave.

    Check in the Yellow Pages under "solar".  In Manchester, NH, there's
    Energy Conservation & Solar Center (they have a mail-order catalog
    I recommend) - I think they're one of the largest suppliers in New
    England.  Sure they sell solar window shades, active solar-water
    stuff, and all sorts of specialty items not on this topic, but they
    have what you're looking for too, I'm sure.  If they don't, they
    have the books that do.
       121 Valley St.  Manchester, NH  03101?   (603)-625-9677

	I'm in the process of planning a solar addition for my house
	right now.  One book I have found very handy is available from
	Harrowsmith Magazine (Charlotte , VT.) called "Sunwing Architecture".
	It helps you figure out what you really want and what you actually
	need.  It walks you through the pros and cons of kit, etc.

	There is really a lot to know and learn about before you go off
	and start building.

	I'm currently toying with a self design (based on an idea from
	said book) that incorporates a solarium with a deck over about
	half of it and a sloped roof over the other half.  The deck would
	be entered via a sliding glass door from the second floor.  The
	sloped roof will have one or two fixed skylights in it.

	My original design has changed drastically from what it was since
	I have read this book.  It will also help with planning venting
	heat storage, etc int the solar addition.

	-gary

    
    If you're in the Concord, MA area, check the Concord Library.  We're 
    in the process of adding on a passive solar 18 x 24 living area.  I found
    this library to have more information about building, passive, and
    solar than any other book store or library in the area.  There was
    one book in particular that was very helpful, however I don't remember
    the name.  It is Passive Solar...(something or other) and it is a white
    hardcover book. In addition to being very thorough, it was printed
    in 1986 so the information is quite current.
    
    We went through about a year, or more, of planning and the more
    we learned the more our original plans changed.  Books were very
    very helpful.                       

    Brand new, on Rte. 20 in Worcester, across the street from the Fair.

 Fantasy time has set in for me and I am tinkering with designing my new
home. I hope to do an in-ground, earth-bermed, solar house and have been
reading up on this for some time now. I received a book from New Shelter
which described an insulation method where two sheets of glass are separated
by 5 & 1/2's and that in the day, these serve as solar heat gathering walls.
In the evening, little beads of insulation are blown in filling up the cavity
to create an insulated wall. This book was an idea book but did not supply
details and I have been unable to find them elsewhere. Can anyone direct
met to sources which would describe:

o  This blow-bead insulation system showing how it works, plans, tips, etc.
o  Whether these glass walls would be classed as 'windows' and therefore
   by most building codes, must have a certain percentage of area as
   openable.
o  A book of plans for earth bermed solar homes.
o  A discussion of whether the floor slab which acts as a solar mass should
   be insulated underneath. I have seen only 1 description of an insulated
   slab but have seen many descriptions of insulated footings. I have not
   seen any discussion of why the slab should or should not be insulated.


 This idea fascinates me and I am very interested in learning more.

 Kind regards,
-Tom Rezucha

>which described an insulation method where two sheets of glass are separated
>by 5 & 1/2's and that in the day, these serve as solar heat gathering walls.
>In the evening, little beads of insulation are blown in filling up the cavity
>to create an insulated wall. 

This idea was discussed in this file a couple of weeks ago.  The whole idea 
flopped because they couldn't figure out a way to eliminate the static 
electricity charges.  

Paul

� In the evening, little beads of insulation are blown in filling up the cavity
� to create an insulated wall. This book was an idea book but did not supply
� details and I have been unable to find them elsewhere. Can anyone direct
� met to sources which would describe:
�
� o  This blow-bead insulation system showing how it works, plans, tips, etc.

    This was recently discussed in note 1734.27.  One problem with this
    type of "beadwall" seems to be that some of the little beads stick
    to the windows instead of draining out in the morning, due to static
    electricity.
    
    Jim

 My grandmother had a device which charged the air and dirt in the air and
then the dirt was attracted to a oppositely charged plate. Perhaps the
beads can be charged before being blown in? Or a built in squigee could be
placed between the class to  knock them down. The couple in the article with
the blown beads did not mention any problems - but might have been reluctant
as they had an investment in it.


 Any ideas on designs, openable vs fixed window-walls, insulating slabs?

 Kind regards,
-Tom Rezucha

    
    	Its a novelty at best, unless the few remaining beads can be
    considered as decorative, s'pose you could color some of them and
    run family bets on how many of which color stay behind next time.
    
    	If I were designing for insulated windows I'd include movable
    internal shutters of some kind.  I think there's a Sunset (or similar)
    book around for ~$7 with a title like "movable insulation for windows
    and skylights", I KNOW there have been several articles in Fine
    Homebuilding on the subject. 

    	Reg
    

 I have decided to write to the authors of Rodale's New Shelter and
ask them how they dealt with the static electricity problem. It might
be some time before they respond but I will post whatever they say. 
I also will ask in Fine Homebuilding. 
 Whatever system is used, I would like something that is automatic.
I bought all the back issues of fine Homebuilding and also the index
and will look again. I will also look for the sunset book on movable 
insulation. I liked their other books as idea books.

 Kind regards,
-Tom Rezucha

    If you live in Eastern Mass, the Mobile Book Barn in Newton has
    an excellent selection of alternative housing books. Selection
    varies. I believe they can order nearly anything they don't have.
    
    I got my brother-in-law two books of plans for under-ground and
    earth-bermed houses.
    
    (One from the University of Minn. stated the interesting fact that
     underground homes were listed - in Minn. - for legal purposes under
     'caves'....)

    I drove past a Pella store in ACTON MASS across from Tri-Star Grocery
    (Near Mass Hardware on RT 2A)
    
    M
    

    	I know this is an old note but I have an interest in these type
    of homes and have been reading up on them lately and have some things
    of interest I'd like to share.
    
	One thing I have learned recently is that you cannot design
    the house until you have the land and have determined what type
    of soil you have. Evidently there are 4 basic ingredients that make
    up soil and the amount (or lack of) each will determine how thick the 
    walls and roof need to be and how much of what sized rebar needs to be 
    used. The soil type can also have an effect on the type and amount of 
    insulation and waterproofing system you use. You can still use
    virtually any design (in regards to house layout) on just about any 
    type of property but the idea is to have a design that integrates well 
    with the building lot. 
    
    	A bit of interesting trivia that I never thought of is that
    the earth acts as a very slow heat sink (versus being at a constant
    temp which is what I initially thought). This works well in the
    earth sheltered house because the earth is not at it's warmest or
    coldest when the outside air is. In other words the earth is still
    warming when the hottest temp's occur in the summer. It doesn't
    actually reach it's warmest (depending on how far down you go) until
    up to 3 months after the hottest part of the summer. This is good
    because the house stays cooler in the hottest part of the summer
    and is at it's warmest at about the same time you start thinking 
    about turning the heat on in the mornings.

    	Until I started reading up on it, I thought that an earth sheltered
    house was basically a basement buried in the ground. I have found
    that not only is this very far from being true, it's this type of
    thinking that is the biggest reason I can think of that people don't
    flock to earth sheltered designs. I too have a design that my wife and
    I drew up (room layout only) and there are only 3 rooms out of 10
    that don't have windows directly to the outside. These rooms are
    the laundy/storage room, a bathroom, and a rec. room. Even those
    could have skylights or clestory windows if I chose to have them
    put in.

    	Some other benefits are low maint. (i.e. not having to paint/side 
    most of the house), not having to reroof, environmentally safer
    from everything but flooding (i.e. fires, hurricanes, tornado's,
    nuclear attack ;-), and it's much quieter than a typical above ground 
    house.
    
    	I could go on and on but by the response here I assume there
    are only a certain select few really interested. If you are one of
    the few I would be happy to exchange design strategies and what not 
    off line (via mail, etc.) with anyone interested.

    	Ray