OP
At Home In The Woods
- Thread starter Obed
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OP
Obed
Elite Member
Cary, thanks for the lead. The wife called them. They don't have enough for our house and won't have more until November.
Obed
OP
Obed
Elite Member
The brick guy no-showed today for the second time in a row. He even dropped by the house yesterday and told us that he would be here today to finish the brick at the back porch. It's especially frustrating because my wife is scheduling her days around his being here. Every day the brick guy no-shows is another day she can't make appointments to view the work of the remaining subs we need to hire. We want her to be here when this section of brick is laid so they don't make a mess that we have to clean up. The brick below this section has already been cleaned with muriatic acid.
OP
Obed
Elite Member
Free Topsoil
Yesterday, my wife and I passed a place 15 miles away from us with a sign that says "Free Topsoil. You load it and haul it." We definitely need topsoil. I'm just trying to figure out if there is a way I can make use of the free topsoil or if I will just need to buy some and have it delivered. The trailer I carry my tractor on is 22 ft. long plus tongue length and has a 10,000 lb capacity. Is this "free topsoil" of any benefit to us?
Thanks,
Obed
Yesterday, my wife and I passed a place 15 miles away from us with a sign that says "Free Topsoil. You load it and haul it." We definitely need topsoil. I'm just trying to figure out if there is a way I can make use of the free topsoil or if I will just need to buy some and have it delivered. The trailer I carry my tractor on is 22 ft. long plus tongue length and has a 10,000 lb capacity. Is this "free topsoil" of any benefit to us?
Thanks,
Obed
scoutcub
Veteran Member
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Obed -
I think in your case it would work out to a time/$ issue. You could trailer your tractor there and either rent/borrow a dump truck/trailer or possibly load your trailer, but then how to unload your own trailer when you get it back home....and the cost of a rental, and the time to do it all.
Last month I got a load of topsoil for around the house, and will need much more. Got it from a local farmer, cost $110 for 5 yards, unscreened, delivered. Had some chunks in it, but overall nice stuff.
If you could rent/borrow a dump truck and spend a full day loading it yourself, it might be worthwhile.
Also check out the quality of the topsoil, screened/unscreened, rocks/weeds/building materials. etc.
OP
Obed
Elite Member
I am bound and determined to get the water away from this house. This is the area where I installed gutter downspout drain pipes Labor Day Weekend. This past weekend we got steady rain for much of the day Saturday. Today this area was still wet. I had not finished grading it so water just soaked in the red clay instead of running off of it. This evening I worked on making a path for the water to run away from the house. I had to stop when it got too dark to continue.
I couldn't get the FEL close enough to grade the area closest to the house. So I turned the tractor around and used the backhoe to drag dirt away from the house. I also used the backhoe to loosen some dirt that was very hard packed. Then I used the FEL to start grading away from the house.
I couldn't get the FEL close enough to grade the area closest to the house. So I turned the tractor around and used the backhoe to drag dirt away from the house. I also used the backhoe to loosen some dirt that was very hard packed. Then I used the FEL to start grading away from the house.
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HVAC Question
How far away from the house can we place the outside compressor for the H&A system?
Our H&A system will have a furnace inside the house and an air conditioning compressor unit outside. The outside unit will be installed beside the retaining wall in the picture. A refrigerant line will run from the house to the outside unit. If we put the outside unit too close to the house, the H&A guy said all the brick walls would likely make the unit very noisy. I was considering putting the unit against the retaining wall to the right of the downspout shown in the middle of the retaining wall. Unfortunately, that location will not even leave enough room between the AC unit's concrete pad and the basement porch to let a push mower get in that area. So now I'm considering installing the outside H&A unit against the retaining wall near the end of the retaining wall, about 24 feet from the house. Inside the house, the refrigerant line runs another 15 feet until it reaches the furnace.
Is there any problem with locating the outside H&A unit that far away from the house?
Obed
How far away from the house can we place the outside compressor for the H&A system?
Our H&A system will have a furnace inside the house and an air conditioning compressor unit outside. The outside unit will be installed beside the retaining wall in the picture. A refrigerant line will run from the house to the outside unit. If we put the outside unit too close to the house, the H&A guy said all the brick walls would likely make the unit very noisy. I was considering putting the unit against the retaining wall to the right of the downspout shown in the middle of the retaining wall. Unfortunately, that location will not even leave enough room between the AC unit's concrete pad and the basement porch to let a push mower get in that area. So now I'm considering installing the outside H&A unit against the retaining wall near the end of the retaining wall, about 24 feet from the house. Inside the house, the refrigerant line runs another 15 feet until it reaches the furnace.
Is there any problem with locating the outside H&A unit that far away from the house?
Obed
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OP
Obed
Elite Member
We are all set for the ceiling insulation that will be installed tomorrow. We are close to having the house ready for painting. All the walls have been wiped down and the floors have been swept twice using sweeping compound. There is still dust in the air. I'm hoping it will settle. We'll put down more sweeping compound. The wife is planning to look tomorrow at the work of one of the painting subs who gave us a bid.
Hopefully a pro will answer, but I don't see any issue with it. You're of course going to be eating additional costs for the electrical, refrigerant line and freon to charge the additional (not much) volume, but my lines are ~40' with the condenser located near the home (evap. coils are near the center of the house) and no issues.
You'll need the electrical disconnect to be mounted near the condenser (on the retaining wall presumably), and possibly one at the egress from the house. Either way, you'll need ensure you have the proper wire gauge to cover the additional distance. You're definitely going to want to protect the refrigerant lines as well...mowing missiles and weed whackers can do a number on them. I don't know if it's a good idea/code to run it all together, but i could see burying a 4" schedule 40 conduit with sweeps and running everything through that.
If it's going to be acting in any kind of heat pump capacity, you'll also want to consider how you're going to keep it clear of snow, including any drifts coming down from the retaining wall. I'd say keep it 2-3 feet off the wall, will also help reduce intake of air warmed by the retaining wall in the summer, and reduce the harshness of the reflected sound.
Probably goes without saying that you're going to want to complete your finish grade there before setting any pads for the condenser. I would avoid setting it on gravel, i've been in my house for three years and have to re-level the thing every spring. Prefab pads will keep it plumb and look better.
