BATTENING DOWN THE HATCHES

A big winter storm (not forecast before Jeff left for the week) with temperatures reaching the mid 20's F (-3 C) and snow level dropping down to about 2500' (house sits at about 3500') was approaching so Jeff made a quick trip back from Safford to get everything at the build site and our house winterized.

 The first order of business was making sure the bale walls were protected from the rain.  This has been an ongoing challenge ever since the walls were raised back in September. We have tried multiple techniques, from simply stapling the plastic to the box beam and sole plate to putting nails in and then bending them back on to the plastic, but nothing seemed to work for more than a day or so.  This was painfully evident when Jeff arrived at the build site and found the wind beginning to howl and the plastic loudly flapping.  

Maybe it's not that bad?

Oh yes it is!

The newest technique was to use the left over strips of plywood from sheathing the roof to hold the plastic in place.  The plywood strips were 8' long so they could be nailed into both the box beam at the top and the sole plate at the bottom.  This actually worked pretty well.

You think you have it all secure ...

And then the wind comes along!

When Jeff first arrived the sun was still out and the wind wasn't that bad, but as he was busy working on the plastic the sky was darkening behind him.

The storm is looming on the horizon!

The wind was relentless!  Jeff had been working on securing the plastic on the south and west side of the house when he heard a big crash.  When he looked around the corner he saw that the entire sheet of plastic on the east side of the house had blown off!  

The bare east wall

It was at this point that he realized he wasn't going to be able to do it all himself before he had to head back to work in Safford ... he called in Tom for some help.  Luckily Tom was out at another project on the east side of Tucson and was able to come over and lend a hand.

While Tom worked on the plastic Jeff moved onto the next task of winterizing the well head and the out flow pipe and spigot up at the water tank.  The good thing about building a home with sustainability in mind is that all the lumber scraps are not being hauled off to the landfill.  Thus Jeff was able to raid the scrap lumber pile for the lumber needed to build the boxes needed to protect the well head and tank out flow pipe.

Well head box

 

Tank out flow pipe box

The spigot was easier as he put some pipe insulation foam on it and then wrapped it in tape ... he had perfected the technique earlier in the day at our current house.

No freezing allowed!

Tom finished up on the plastic just as the rain was starting and Jeff was headed back up to Safford.  We can't wait to watch the storms roll in from the comfort of a completed home!

The rains start and the mountains disappear