Near completion

Got the supporting pieces in place yesterday. I have a couple of corrections to make, then I can put the covering on the solar room. Even have the door built but not mounted. (Do that after the rest is covered.) Just haven't had enough time. 

Not going to get it done today. I was exhausted when I got home this morning and have to work tonight. No complaints, need the money badly. Depending on my schedule, I should be able to finish it in the next 3-4 days. Sucks that it really takes so little man hours but arranging those man hours can be such a problem. 


The whole thing is very sturdy and should hold up to some rather strong winds. I'll still have to build up and level out the soil in some places around the base once it's done. A layer of soil around the bottom will also help windproof the whole thing, though.


I have a neighbor who has a chain and pole saw. He offered to help take down the cottonwood near the house. Though if I get to work tonight and tomorrow, I may just see about buying my own inexpensive one. Home Depot has an electric one for $50 and seems rated well. Good enough for my needs, long as I take things down in small pieces. (Which I would do for ease of handling and later use, anyway.) This is where that outlet strangely high on my back wall will come in handy. Still not getting why anyone put an outlet 7-8 ft above the ground, though.

If I get good enough results from the solar room as built, I may go ahead and extend it across the rest of the back wall, where the tree now resides. If I don't do that, it does give me a better idea of the future results of building the patio in that spot.

I need to get a large mortar chisel and start taking down the walls I mentioned before. Also need a new wheel for the wheelbarrow, to make moving the brick pile out of the way for greenhouse construction. Not done with the plans yet but I do know the wall will start next to the house. Taking out the cottonwood stump will be a great beginning to pour a foundation.

Mostly done

Got most of the frame up for the solar room today. Hard part was anchoring the top section into the cinder block wall, especially over the crawlspace opening. Since I previously removed the rotted out roof from the enclosure, I had few places to stand and was rather anxious about falling. Never slipped, though. The only things left are some stabilizing pieces and the door, then I can put the cover in place.


The measurements when finished will be 8 ft tall at the highest point, 8 ft out from the wall and about 14 feet across. It will enclose two windows, one crawlspace vent, the crawlspace entry, the washing machine and water hoses. I'll still have a few square feet of open space and will probably put some plants out there right below the kitchen window.


Got around to measuring the back yard today. I was wrong about the measurements. The actual size is 60 ft wide by 100 ft long, back wall of the house to back fence. So, if I build out the greenhouse 50 ft from the house, I'll still have a decent open yard beyond that. I haven't worked out final dimensions but right now thinking a good size would be 40 ft wide by 50 ft long. That would leave space along the south for deciduous trees and, as mentioned, still have a back yard. Though I am still considering extending the length to 60 ft. Not sure yet.

Be a lot of work to build something that size. But I can think of worse ways to spend my time.  

Almost forgot! I was wrong about the plants in the raised bed being lost! Most of the lettuce is still growing, with new plants coming up. Spinach is becoming recognizable as spinach (to us novices who have only seen full grown spinach in stores). Even a few pepper plants are beginning to show through the soil. Not sure how much garlic I may have grow, since I'm not certain how much of it the dog ate. Guess I'll wait and see. 

Coaxial cable

So, went out to work on the solar room today and was hit with something I forgot about. I needed to remove a ton of coaxial cable from the outside walls of the house. 

The way the cable was run into this house (long before I moved in), the cable ran from the junction box, underground, around the back of the house and up the wall. This was where they placed the splitter. From there, back down, along the top of the ground, up the wall and back around the top of the same wall the underground cable had just run along, then down and through the living room wall. A separate cable ran up, across the roof, down the wall and into my daughter's bedroom. Another cable ran up, along the top of the roof and into the office. When I moved in, there was also a cable which ran along the top of the hallway from my daughter's room and into my bedroom. 

All of this could have been accomplished with the splitter on the wall outside next to the fireplace, then one single cable to supply every single room in the house. 

It's all gone now and the outside of the house looks much better. Not to mention I don't have to anchor the plastic around all those cables. I will have to anchor around the power and phone cables but they're close together and it won't be too hard.


It got late and I just dragged all the wood for the solar room inside. Cut most of it to size, so it's all ready for putting together during the day on Sunday. Got some small hinges to include a door for access to the water hose and the meter box.

Sometime in the next week or so Ive decided to take down the wooden fence along the South side of the property. It's in poor repair, missing random boards and ready to fall in places. Don't want it to be a safety hazard. Besides, it also blocks sun for some number of feet on that side of the yard. Neighbors may not appreciate it but if they want a privacy fence there, they're welcome to build one. They have a chain link fence on their side of my wooden fence. Really strange that there are two fences on each of three side of my property. Seems to say previous residents were not too popular, maybe?

Another cold spell

So, got canceled from work tonight. Too late to do much outside when I was called. Temps for my immediate area are down in single digits for the next week at night. Not going above freezing tomorrow and nothing over 40 for the next week.

These are times I am happy for the insulated coveralls I got for riding last year, when I rode a motor scooter all winter. They come in quite handy for doing outdoor work in these temps, especially with other layers of clothing underneath. 

Daughter is with the ex and I'm scheduled to work tomorrow night. Gives me some free time in the morning to do a few things around here. Be a good time to work on that solar room. Got some more wood a few days ago to make it more stable than the original design. The wall attachments are already in place. I may be able to get most or all of it up in a couple of hours. Worth a try. Even partial construction would probably offer some benefit but even if it doesn't help, it won't hurt anything.

Guess not

The cold cover blew across the yard today. Obviously not anchored well enough. 

Low for the immediate area tonight is 8 degrees F. I only have a few plants surviving and not so hopeful for them at this point. 

Several pumpkin plants are growing well indoors. If they make it a few more weeks, they'll be good for placing in the cold cover early. Have to do a better job of shading them this coming year and they'll be likely to be good producers.

All the tomato plants I had going indoors have died off. Too cold when I'm gone for long hours, aside from the damage they took from the dog. I'll just get things started early for spring in a couple more months.

A neighbor offered to help me take down the cottonwood next to the house after the holidays. I'll split the wood with him for it. Probably take down the other one soon but have to build a swing for my daughter before cutting that one down. Seems like a swing is an important thing in her emotional well-being. I don't understand it but not going to deny something so simple. Once I build the greenhouse, a swing will be included.

Presents are out, stockings are stuffed. Daughter left a large box of tissues out for Santa because he may need them on the sleigh, since it's so cold tonight. Shows how considerate she is by nature.

Gotta get to bed. No telling how early I'll be awakened!

First computer sketch

So, here is my first greenhouse sketch on computer. I had forgotten how different drawing on computer is, so this looks really messy. 

This design is highly preliminary and only one view. Lots of things are still in the air but this does incorporate some aspects which will remain. 

I still have to measure things out to get solid proportions. I think my back yard is 60' long. If I make the greenhouse 40' long, that will give me a 10' patio for nearly the width of the house. The rest of the length will all be garden. The storage and work space are along the North wall and will remain there, leaving the South open to the sun. I'm keeping a space outside the greenhouse on the South to plant deciduous trees. The fireplace placement is very much in question, as I think a center location may be much better. Of course, it will double as a BBQ pit. 

The walls and support columns will be stuccoed cinder block. 

Big debate for me is roof slope. Center or North end highest? I need to study wind patterns, so as to maximize summer ventilation. The highest section will need to be slightly higher than the house so heat will exhaust upward and away from the house. 

Not shown here is that the lower section of the South wall will have either hay bale construction which can double as seating, wooden boxes for storage which can also be bench seats or a combination of each. Hay bale would offer more insulation but I think wooden boxes would be more stable and would offer more storage. 

So, this design will be revised and refined over time. 

Things improving

Things are improving for the moment. Got most of the Christmas shopping done. Just one more gift card to buy. For once, I even got the wrapping done before Christmas Eve.

I am very much into environmental conservation but enjoy technology, as well. I just think too often technology has left environmentalism behind. They do not have to be exclusive, as we can clearly see today. 

That said, I got my daughter some roller skates which convert from having training wheels to in-line skates when she's ready. Also got her a Tinkerbell toy which actually flies! (I think she should love that!) Several inexpensive things from Dollar Tree, one of my favorite stores. 

Since there's only the two of us, just got ham steaks for Christmas lunch. Besides, not sure what time the ex will pick her up that day, so keeping it simple. 

While cleaning house the other day, I noted that the dirt in the house is dirt, not sand! For the first few months of living here, I dealt with sand being all over the place. The fact that what is being tracked in now is less sand and more dirt is good. It means the work I've been doing in the yard is showing some results and transforming the soil into something more viable than it was.

I still have tons of leaves to rake up. Going to put them in bags and save them for the compost pits during the summer for carbon content and oxygenation.

Okay, going to get to bed. Picking daughter up from daycare to make another attempt at visiting Santa tomorrow. Tomorrow night, going to see the River of Lights at the Botanical Gardens, something set up here every year for Christmas. They've apparently added a number of new displays this year. Tomorrow is the last chance we'll have before Christmas. Hope the weather holds up long enough to go through it, since a front is headed our way. Though it would be cool if it started snowing while we're there.

Home from hospital

My daughter is home from the hospital. Doing well, seems to have pretty much gotten through the whole thing without major residual problems. Back to her old self again. More than a little happy about that!

Have a break in the weather here. Very strange, seeing what the East coast is going through. 

Got some wood to complete the solar room in back of the house. Hoping to finish it this week, before the next cold wave comes in. May need one more roll of plastic. 

I put up an ad to trade wood from one tree for someone cutting it down, which will give me more space to extend the solar room at some point and include nearly the length of the house. Also give more sun exposure. Besides, it's too close to the house and I'm afraid of what it can do to the foundation. Think I'm going to be using other forms of heat and avoid the fireplace while my daughter is around, any way. Too much risk of the fireplace causing my daughter more breathing problems. So the wood can be spared.

The more I've examined it, the wiser I've found the idea of the solar room to be. Most of the back wall of the house is cinder block, uninsulated. Just blocking the wind from that side of the house will be a big benefit during the winter.

I've come up with some early designs for the greenhouse/patio which I am beginning to like. Think I'm going to hook up the graphics tablet and start doing some of the design on computer, rather than the legal pad I've been using. Once I do that, I'll post some of the design sketches.

Scary week

I had the most frightening week of my life this week. My daughter went into respiratory distress and had to be hospitalized. She was kept on a continuous nebulizer treatment for nearly 24 hours straight. I have never seen anyone remaining on a continuous neb for that long without being placed on a ventilator (which I feared was coming next). Eventually, she improved and was discharged. The pulmonologist felt it was an acute viral illness coupled with an allergic reaction.

Needless to say the dog is gone.

Been in the process last night and today of cleaning house and washing nearly every scrap of clothing and linen in the house. Going to go pick her up from the ex's shortly. 

She has an inhaler to use for a while. Never had any problem like this before. She's typically in perfect health, aside from sinus allergies. 

I'm deeply overdrawn, not enough work (and couldn't have taken more this week, any way). Still, I want to see where I can take her to go see Santa, long as she's up to it tomorrow.

Simple concepts

So, since starting to read up on solar heating, it seems to me that the concepts involved are very simple. However, it does definitely help to read up on designs which have proven most effective and learning why those designs are more effective than others. 

I am going to continue reading on things and learn more about how heat pumps work. I've heard of them but, since this is the first house I have owned and I have lived most of my life in the SW states, not much occasion to learn more about them. Like most of us, always been told heat pumps are devices for colder climates. 

So many things I have heard just prove what a wasteful society we have been for so long. (Not like I haven't known that since I was a teenager or younger.) It's actually rather foolish that we have not utilized so many technologies through the years which have been proven effective, economical, logical and environmentally responsible. It amazed me when I learned that solar water heaters were originally designed (and in widespread use in California) in the very early 20th century. It's now 100 years later and the design has not become common? Popular home design has not grown to utilize solar heating and natural cooling? I read not long ago that the NM Dept of Agriculture is selling low cost trees to people who own more than one acre. First, why placing limits on larger acreage? Second, none of the trees produce any fruit which they are giving away. Why? Why not produce trees which produce some form of sustenance, which also turns back into compost material more readily than just leaves? It has been a short time since solid waste facilities began composting material, rather than digging huge holes to dump things in. Methane production is still very low on the list of priorities, far beneath finding new sources of oil. While old food we throw away on a daily basis could be producing a valid source of energy for the future. It's sad. 

Oh, well. Began some initial drawings for the next incarnation of the greenhouse, as mentioned before. I know I'll have to go through multiple designs before coming up with one which I find suitable. I still have some research to do on wind direction, materials, cost, sources and more. Trying to make sure the design will be as complete as possible to begin with before beginning construction in a few months. Because of the extremes in the environment here and having the whole thing attached to the house, I want to include as much natural cooling as possible, not just heating. One of my biggest debates so far is regarding the greenhouse design closest to the house. I do know I'll have to make the roof as high as or higher than the house roof, then include vents at the top. 

Lots of ideas running through my head with lists of what I do not yet know right next to them. 

Lessons learned

The greenhouse is dismantled, the plastic sheeting is rolled up and in the shed for future use. The pipes are in a pile which I'll make neater tomorrow. A number of pipes and fittings simply broke from the wind. Pipes are still usable, just have to cut the broken parts off. Salvaged the self-drilling screws, which come in handy.

So, I learned a few lessons from all this. Think it best to pass them along for anyone who may wish to build a greenhouse in the future.

1- PVC is a great choice for building a greenhouse in most places. Not so much in Albuquerque. There are even other places in NM where it would be suitable but the winds here are too strong at times. At least, for anything the size I was building. Something smaller would have less wind resistance, so would be more likely to work. I'm also sure it could be done here but the strength, fittings and such required would become so expensive that any savings would become lost. Wood or metal is much more practical for anything large here.

2- If you plan on building a greenhouse, spend the time and money on continuous plastic sheeting. It will save you time, effort, heartache and most likely money in the long run. Order it before you start building and, if you do the work yourself, it will probably be delivered by the time the frame is done.

3- If you have a large dog, plastic sheeting may well be a bad idea. If you still choose to use plastic sheeting, I would advise placing lateral PVC pipes about every 6-8" for the lowest 3-4 ft around any sides the dog can access, starting at ground level. If you place them vertically, the dog may still try to squeeze between them. If you leave a space at ground level, the dog will try to dig underneath.

4- Wood is more expensive than PVC but only by about 50%. If funds are limited, start with a smaller and adaptable design. If designed for it, it can be expanded later. Just build to the width you want and keep the length short. Then it only requires taking down the sheeting, adding length and putting the sheeting back up on the new rear end. It is also much easier and more secure to attach plastic sheeting to and can later be adapted to glass or polycarbonate, if so desired.

Hope this gives some valid advice to anyone who decides to build a greenhouse in Albuquerque or anywhere that experiences winds as we do here. PVC simply won't stand up to wind gusts of 50-60 mph.

Destroyed

The wind here has been fierce. If this was by the ocean, it would have been considered gale force or tropical storm wind speed. Looked outside this morning and the greenhouse was mostly on the ground. Went out to assess the damage and it was extensive. Pipes cracked and broken, sheeting torn, clamps ripped out, screws and all in some cases.

So, in this incarnation, the greenhouse is no more. When the wind dies down I'll start taking it apart, salvage what I can and construct one or two smaller structures, like a smaller greenhouse and/or cold row covers.

I'm guessing my compost heating experiment is not to be this winter.

After some thought, I decided that several different projects will be combined. Since before moving in, I've wanted to build a covered patio. Then there's the greenhouse. And then there's the solar heating project. Each one should preferably have some of the same elements, such as solar heat in the winter and adjustable shading in the winter. If I attach this to the house, it will help insulate and heat the house in the winter and cool it in the summer. Before completing it, I'll have a well drilled.

Of course, this will be much more solid than any of the temporary experimental constructs I have been working on. The crawlspace enclosure has a cinder block wall around it, plus I have a cinder block wall on the South side of the house, between the neighbors' fence and my own. Then there is a heavily leaning cinder block wall in the front of the house. I'll take each of these down to use for pillars, then fill with cement, stucco and paint them. Plastic sheeting will work at first, then replace with windows over time, starting on the South side, then the West side. I'll make the whole thing a mixture of old Spanish garden mixed with modern solar elements. Of course, I'll include rain harvesting in the design.

Some added features will be incorporating the storage shed and firewood storage. I'll include the waterfall, stream, pond and fireplace/BBQ I had planned for the patio. The compost pit will still be located somewhere inside, for CO2 and winter compost production. (With the solar heating design, the compost heating becomes fairly moot.) I had intended to move the swamp cooler to ground level and run insulated ducts to the roof entry, so this could be included in that plan.

The good part is that I believe this will not require city inspection, since it will be considered a covered patio/greenhouse/storage structure, not living space, even though it will be attached to the house. It may be eligible for solar/insulation tax credits but even if not, it should reduce my energy bills to near nothing. I'll also include solar water heating and later PV panels, which could eliminate my utility bills entirely (and maybe earn some money, as well). I'm not planning on having any municipal plumbing, gas or electric extended from the house, unless it's having an extra outlet or two installed on the outer wall of the house itself, keeping the chances of required inspection low.

None of this will even be started until springtime. Until then, I'll work on some cold row covers and the solar room on the back of the house. I may go ahead and take down part of the crawlspace wall, which is somewhat complicating the solar room plans. Can just lay the blocks aside for now.

I am rather sad at the falling of the greenhouse but have learned enough to gain confidence in a more permanent structure, even though this one never got completed.

Different things

Still haven't gotten back to working on the greenhouse. Been too cold, too windy and my energies have been diverted elsewhere for a while. Get back on it sometime this week. 

Last couple of days, my daughter has been here. Today, we made sugar cookies and more cookie ornaments. Some to send to her Godparents in Texas, some to replace ones the dog ate. The new ones are now sprayed with clear lacquer for preservation and dog repellent (I hope). 

Also got all but two windows weatherstripped. They're least in need, plus I have to stand on a cinder block wall to get to them. Another project for this week but that will only take a few minutes.

Venting the dryer into the house has a benefit I didn't think of- humidity! Some people may not like it but I do not care to be mummified while still breathing. Besides, the humidity helps keep the place warmer because humid air transfers heat better than dry air does. So, it helps keep the place warmer even when it's not running. Besides, my daughter and I have been coughing and sneezing a lot less this weekend than in a while.

When I planted pumpkins during the summer, I read accounts of other people who talked about sprouts "leaping out of the ground". When mine sprouted, my thoughts were not that my sprouts were leaping. Now, the seeds I planted in peat pots a couple weeks ago are sprouting and I understand that whole "leaping" statement! Going to have to find something larger than peat pots quick! Too bad the tomato plants aren't that enthused but I know it's a bit cool for their preference.

Okay gotta hit the bath and bed. Have to be up early.

Cold wave

Last night, the temp went down to 11 degrees F here. This morning, woke up to find the pipes had frozen at the meter and I had no water all day until this afternoon, when it warmed enough to thaw. Have to keep the faucets dripping tonight to prevent that from happening again.  Tonight, we're supposed to go below 10 degrees F.

Got some part of the house weatherproofed today. I have a.. thing which juts out from the house and houses the entry to the crawlspace. It's part of the original structure, there is no door on it (doesn't appear there ever was) and the roof is badly decayed. Today, I removed the roof and stapled black plastic over and all the way around this structure. This has been a major entry for cold air into the crawlspace. Tonight, can tell the difference strongly. 

This is where my first solar project will be placed. Going to line that area with black plastic and build a frame up to the top of two windows. Then staple translucent plastic sheeting to the frame. It's a simple thermosyphon  structure. The crawlspace opens to the bottom and cold air enters from beneath the house. While the sun is up, it will heat the air, which then rises. Open the windows and the heated air enters the house through the windows. Even if the solar aspect doesn't do much good, just having the frame there blocks cold air from much of that side of the house, especially the crawlspace and windows. So it has heating value even without the solar value. If it works well enough, I'll make it more permanent in the future. I have plans to build a patio in that area, any way, so I will have to adjust the plans to incorporate solar heating. Though it has to adapt for summer cooling, too.

I also taped plastic over the screen doors and the bathroom window, which eliminated some drafts. Got some electrical outlet cover gaskets and put a few of those in place tonight. I have 120 ft of weatherstripping to put around my steel casement windows, which are also rather drafty. Walmart has weatherstripping for $3 for 60 ft, plus the outlet cover gaskets, which were also $3 or $4. Have a few tubes of caulking which I got at various places, average $2 a tube. Have to put that stuff to use, also. 

One difference is that the bathroom is warmer. My daughter complained about how cold the toilet seat was last time she was here. She should be happier now. Don't blame her for complaining, cold toilet seats are one of life's worst experiences (and I've been on the wrong end of a gun several times). 

I got a working dryer this week for free off of craigslist. Someone was giving it away and I was the first one to call about it. They had moved and the new house didn't have 220V outlets, so they gave it away. Really nice guy! It's not new but not too old and works well. Since it's electric, I'm venting the exhaust into the house instead of outside and taped up the vent until spring. 

 

Internal collapse

The wind went wild again and did more damage to the greenhouse. The sides are still up and stable but the roof section completely collapsed. Not much surprise, since I haven't yet been able to repair the earlier damage yet. No time, no money and not the right supplies to do it right. Today, I got the supplies I needed to do the job right. Not working tonight, so I should be able to get it done tomorrow. Nothing was torn up or broken, just parts came apart from one another. Got self-drilling screws to prevent that from happening again. 

Some plants are coming back in the raised bed. Apparently, the dog ate the tops off some of them but not the roots. Still, I'm kind of glad that I don;t have anything large growing right now, as the collapse and the weather would have killed it all off. 

Been getting some calls for possible nursing jobs. Going to return those calls tomorrow. Also re-fax my resume to some pharmacies. My best approach may be to work each part-time. More secure that way. Have to wait and see what pans out from discussions and interviews. Way things are going, my only other viable option would be taking a travel assignment, which I don't want to do because my daughter is here.