New to America and Tractors

   / New to America and Tractors #31  
Not going to find a gas engine in the hydrostatic transmission 4X4 tractor you need.
A cab will be most welcomed while moving snow.
Use a proper immersion or tank type coolant heater. Any talk of magnetic heaters, dipstick heaters, stick on heaters or blowing hot air onto the tractor is nonsense.
 
   / New to America and Tractors #32  
For radon mitigation, you could consider an intermediate holding tank that you can flush air through to was the radon out. Alternatively, you can use a venturi, followed by two pumps and a chamber that you can hold at low pressure to off gas the dissolved gasses. It takes more energy, but it works as an in line process. If your water is as soft as I suspect it is, you could run it over an RO filter, which would remove all the radon, and you could use the reject water to flush toilets, or recycle some fraction of it.

Don't forget that in the US, gypsum outgases significant amounts of radon, as it contains traces of thorium. For very well sealed homes, gypsum is usually the primary source of radon, so you want to have a reasonable heat exchanger to turn over the air.

You can get European roll shutters here to help with insulation, and there are a few manufacturers that make low e glass/Ar/Kr sandwich glass for higher thermal ratings. If you really want insulation, shutters, and insulated drapes do a much better job than anything you can do by glazing alone, but you do have to open/close them. I once saw a house that had triple glazing, with a six inch space between the outer double glazing and the inner glass. At night, they blew styrofoam beads in, and sucked them out in the morning. I recall that they had to get the antistatic agents just right- both too much and too little gave them stray beads stuck to the glass. Great insulation though!

All the best,

Peter
 
   / New to America and Tractors #33  
there's a fine line between installed cost and estimated payback in energy savings that should be looked at for all items installed.......unless your budget is unlimited (like we all wish we had.....lol) it's usually best to go for the low hanging fruit first.......yes the r value on glass stinks but there is more heat loss through infiltration in a house then through the glass itself.........so simple things like sealing the shoe plate to the concrete.....paying attention to the detailing of the house wrap around openings.......insulating/sealing all the little crevices around door and window openings.......any gaps will cause heat loss.....even how the corners of the walls are framed will make a difference........each wood stud is a source of heat loss which is why staggered double exterior wall framing is done so the insulation can be woven between.....or sheet insulation is installed over the sheathing.......there was a manual of recommendations put out by the canadian home builders association quite a number of years ago that shows energy efficient construction details for all the components in a house that is an excellent resource.......paying careful attention to each step of construction can make a big difference...........Jack
 
   / New to America and Tractors #34  
By yearly brush hog 15 acres, do you mean once per year?

If so, that's not so bad. But several times per year? It would get old with a 60" brush cutter. PT's 60" brush cutter for the 1430 is $1500.

With my 60" mower on my PT425 I can mow an acre in about half an hour. But that's a lawn. With the PT425 and my 48" brush cutter, it takes around an hour per acre of grass and small saplings. So, it would take me roughly 15 hours to do 15 acres... barring no incidents, which happen often on the PT 48" brush cutter. As in, loosening bolts, tossing blades, etc...
 
   / New to America and Tractors #35  
There's always getting some cows/goats/pigs each spring to do the brush hogging...
All the best,

Peter
 
   / New to America and Tractors
  • Thread Starter
#36  
Hi Jack,
thanks for that. I knew very little about house building so after I retired a few years back I went and sat a Master's course in Renewable Energy and the Built Environment, so I'd better understand how to build a low energy house and generate the energy it needed.
I did consider the double wall but settled on a section like this from the inside out:
1/2"Sheet rock
1/2"OSB
Intello plus vapour barrier
2x10 studs / blown celulose
1/2" Ply
2" Gutex Fibre board
Cedar shingles

The ceiling / roof is:
1/2" sheet rock
1" cavity
Intello Plus
16" Engineered I beams / Blown Cellulose
1/2" Ply
Ice and water skin
3.5" EPS
DuraBoard
TPO Skin

I'm totally with you on not overspending on chasing R value's, the EPS is all pre used, the windows are new unused stock from a ski hotel and as much as I can find on Craigslist I do.
 
   / New to America and Tractors #37  
Hi Jack,
thanks for that. I knew very little about house building so after I retired a few years back I went and sat a Master's course in Renewable Energy and the Built Environment, so I'd better understand how to build a low energy house and generate the energy it needed.
I did consider the double wall but settled on a section like this from the inside out:
1/2"Sheet rock
1/2"OSB
Intello plus vapour barrier
2x10 studs / blown celulose
1/2" Ply
2" Gutex Fibre board
Cedar shingles

The ceiling / roof is:
1/2" sheet rock
1" cavity
Intello Plus
16" Engineered I beams / Blown Cellulose
1/2" Ply
Ice and water skin
3.5" EPS
DuraBoard
TPO Skin

I'm totally with you on not overspending on chasing R value's, the EPS is all pre used, the windows are new unused stock from a ski hotel and as much as I can find on Craigslist I do.

You have any design plans you are comfortable sharing?
 
   / New to America and Tractors #38  
looks like you have this well thought out.......I'm curious why the 1/2 osb on the inside under the drywall?........I can't recall ever seeing that.....and you may want to consider getting the grapple bucket to help haul all this material around........carrying those 2 x 10 wall studs around is going to get old fast....lol.....Jack
 
   / New to America and Tractors #39  
Hey man, I'm in northern Vermont as well. Where are ya?

I can answer most questions about living here with a tractor you have.
 
   / New to America and Tractors
  • Thread Starter
#40  
Hi Jack,
The OSB is there for two reasons, one it helps hold the dense packed cellulose but primarily is there to allow us to hang cupboards, art or whatever from the walls.
I didn't order the grapple bucket but I did order the utility grapple for exactly that.
I'm too old to find carrying lumber fun, although it does save on gym membership.
 

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