| Underground
services |
Telephone,
power, and gas utility lines are all underground to prevent future problems
and to enhance the view. |
|
|
| Telephone
capacity |
A
ten-line wire was placed underground when the house was built, providing
enough capacity for the main house, the apartment, and for multiple Internet/fax
options. |
|
|
| Stainless
steel exterior fasteners |
All
siding fasteners are stainless steel to prevent wood staining often seen
on exterior wood where galvanized fasteners are used. |
|
|
| Water
drainage |
This
property slopes from the road toward the lake. After the first foot of topsoil,
the ground is predominantly Odenson clay. To eliminate moisture problems
around the house, several measures were taken. They include a 6-in
ADS curtain drain located, on average, about 70 ft from the house that
moves underground water to behind the house where it exits into two drainage
trenches that move it to the lake. Around the outside of the house is gravel
that channels any water that reaches the house from the ground or roof and
directs it to a 6-in ADS drain pipe located just beneath the foundation
wall. Finally, inside the foundation wall is a separate 4-inch PVC drain
pipe that directs any moisture reaching inside the house foundation out
of the house and to the 8-inch ADS pipe that is part of the curtain drain
described above. The crawl space has remained dry throughout its 8-year
history. |
|
|
| Northwest
Good Sense Energy Code Standards - thermal and moisture protection |
Foundation
walls: R-10; Wall insulation: R-21 and vapor barrier sheets; ceiling: R-42;
Roof: cold roof design with continuous soffit vents and continuous ridge
vents; enameled galvanized steel roof on top of 30# felt: valleys have two
layers of 30# felt; the sun room and front entry roofs are covered by a
Bituthene membrane. |
|
|
| Joists |
BCI
9 1/2" joists 24" o/c for strength and durability |
|
|
| Electronic
air cleaner |
This
Honeywell air cleaner literally zaps dust as it moves through the house
heating ductwork. Cleaned twice a year with Simple Green, it handles its
tasks superbly. |
|
|
| Particle
board, chip board, glue board |
Absolutely
none. Only exterior
plywood was used to minimize formaldehyde outgassing and to build a
house that slowly exchanges air. |
|
|
| Copper
piping and hot water transfer |
Type
L copper used for both hot and cold water; two water heaters ( one natural
gas and one electric) were placed in series to maintain warm water; a recirculating
pump is included in the hot water return system to maintain presence of
warm water at all taps. |
|
|
| Foyer,
mudroom, and sun room entrances |
The
three main entrances
to the house all have transition spaces to minimize escape of heated air
and the infiltration of winter air. |
|
|
| "Green"
characteristics |
In
the selection of carpet underlayment, paint, wood products, and mechanical
features, emphasis was given to ecologically safe products. Beside the use
of only exterior grade plywood, other products were selected to minimize
outgassing. For example, natural fiber felt was used under the carpets,
not carpet pads that have been linked to air contamination. An electronic
air cleaner is part of the heating system ductwork. |
|
|
| Arroyo
Craftsman lighting |
Well-made
reproductions of lamps originally used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
Arroya Craftsman Mission period fixtures were used in the great room,
sun room, and for exterior lighting. |
|
|
| Casablanca
fans |
Super
quiet, this well-made fans help to move warm air down during winter and
up to the cathedral ceilings during summer. |
|
|
| Back-up
generator |
This
8-KW generator,
located in the two-vehicle garage, provides power for key mechanicals (heat,
well pump, and septic pump) as well as electricity for the garage, kitchen,
living room, and master suite. Rarely needed, but very nice when the power
goes out for any time. |
|
|
| Exterior
flood lamps |
Exterior
flood lamps
are placed selectively around the house and are motion sensitive, lighting
up the exterior as needed. |
|
|
| Apartment/office |
The
640 sq ft space can be used as an apartment or office. It has a Waterford
gas heater with a separate gas meter, a 10-foot high ceiling, a 3/4 bath,
and kitchen (gas stove). The front and back entrances are 6 ft wide. The
front wall has been framed to accept a 10-foot garage door if converting
the space to garage or shop space was desired. |
|
|
| Shop/Barn |
This
pole and rafter building is 30 ft x 40 ft (1,200 sq ft). It has a concrete
floor, loft storage (approximately 900 sq ft), two 12-ft x 10-ft overhead
doors, a 12-ft x 11-ft sliding barn-style door, two 4-ft x 3-ft slider windows
facing south (with lake and mountain views), and three 4-ft entry doors.
It also has telephone and 100-amp 120/220 electrical services. It has been
plumbed for water and has a new overhead gas space heater. The enameled,
galvanized steel roof has 46# snow load and 70 MPH wind load capacities,
a 5-in-12 roof rise, and a ventilated roof cap. |
