Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Human habitat; dreaming out loud

B-ski our house his heated by the sun. We have no heating problems only cooling problems. The walls of windows are at a 90 deg angle to each other. One wall faces due east the other due south. In the summer months the sun is up high in the ski and tracts over the roof line. We get only about 30 minutes of direct sun in the early morning thru the windows. In the winter months the sun drops down on the horizon and we get direct sun almost all day. We open windows to control the heat build up. The entire bottom row of windows open. They are sash frame AL ALY double pain thermal. The Brand is HR they are cheap builder grade double pain thermal clear glass. If you can afford Anderson or Pella go for it. My budget didn't allow it. The biggest mistake was not buying low E tinted windows but again my budget wouldn't let me. The price doubled from plain clear glass. When we first built this wasn't and issue because there were 2 very large trees in front of all this glass that kept the sun in check. They were tall enough not to block the view of the pond. Three years latter they both died, the pond was too close and to much fill dirt. We use a wood stove to heat at night and on cloudy days. The secret to keeping heat at the floor level in this big area is ceiling fans. We have 2 in the living area and 1 on the third floor to keep circulating the heat back down, otherwise it goes to the top and hangs there. Our cooling bills spike in the summer but all and all sense we have little or no heating bills it averages out ok. My monthly average electric bill was 130$. In recent years the price of electricity in Texas has doubled and still going up. We started tinting the windows with film during the last holiday. Only got about half way up so far but it has really control the heat spike and fading issues. Below is a pic I took this morning you can see the difference in the tint and clear glass above. I have researched several options, remote solar screens, remote retract awnings etc. Film was the most affordable and least obstructive to the view which is why I built all the glass to begin with. If the price of electric keeps rising I might be forced to spend the 6 to 10k on one of the other options. Hopefully the trees I’ve planted will grow big enough soon enough to relieve the problem.

When I first joined the message board I received an e-mail from some one in Canada or near there who saw my website. They were building a similar home on a large 20 or 30 acre private lake. We discussed briefly about Thermal Mass energy storage. He was apparently building a basement that would be filled with large stone which would absorb the heat during the day and be released slowly at night to have a more constant temp. It sounds like very interesting technology if you thank you might want to consider it in your project. Here is a link I found that discusses it and other ways to use the suns energy. http://www.epsea.org/mass.html
Perhaps he still lurks here and can chime in and explain more or comment on how it is working out.


Here is my vision or input on your new Dream place. I’m envisioning a fusion of design, a cross breeding between my style home(your style) and Rad’s. Note how Rad’s Home has separate units tied together. Bob Lusk has done the same thing tying his garage to the main house via the breeze way. I plan to do this to mine in the future. When you tie small structures together the over all appearance of size of the structure is magnified. I’m talking curb appeal. It is also very functional. I also recommend porches as many as you can dream in and afford, this really controls heating issues. That’s why all the old homes before the days of central air had them. Older homes were also designed to ventilate thus the windows that open above the door ways and attic fans.

Another interesting design to consider is the dog run or dog trot cabin with the breeze way thru the middle. This acts like an air foil because as air flows thru the middle opening it is faster than on the sides where the air is forced over the roof line it creates a pressure differential that draws air thru the windows of the structure.

I can only assume that you have a work shop in your plans at LNP. If not your fooling your self you need one with that much land and face it your journey has just began. The projects they will never end and the power tools will increase in quantity on hand. If a shop is in the works you might plan it into the overall dream palace. Sense it will be a while before you build the big house you might start with the shop first and use it as living quarters until you decide to build.

Remember start the dream small it will grow. My house started as the detached shop it was to be a garage apartment 24 x 32 until we built the main house. I laid it out and begin to thank If I had porches on here that’s all the room me and the boss really need. Then If I had glass on this wall wow what a view. Then wow if I pitch the roof up I can fit in 3 stories. Well you get the point. The shop turned into the main house so be careful the dreams are endless. Last ramblin tip, consider spaces that have multiple usage i.e the rambling ranch has a carpot that will also serve as a covered patio for entertainment with a view of the pond. Dream on my friend....