The year 2019 was good for the Martinsville Eco-House. This project is lowering energy use and carbon footprint of a 1950’s residential home.
Key efforts include: Corrective brick work, resolving erosion problems, and improving curb appeal. All working around tenants and contractors’ schedules.
Preparing for Rainwater Capture Removing Old Furnace Chimney
For a 60-year old house, the brickwork is holding up well. Only recapping the chimney was necessary as the roof is in good condition. After the previous years oil furnace replacement, the furnace chimney is not needed.
Removing the chimney makes it possible to run gutters the whole back of the house. This helps plans of directing rainwater to tanks on one side. Chimney work went quick.
Right now, both gutter sections work. After a new roof a rain capture system will include wide gutters with a single downspout. Like many homes, there is always work to do.
Massive Rain and Wind Stop Topples Several Trees, Killing the Tool Shed
Two trees fell on the neighbor’s roof, one on the Eco-House, and one straight across the tool shed. This is not the kind of damage you want all at one time.
My neighbors’ chimney was torn off. The same brick layers did his chimney before removing the old furnace chimney above. Salvaging the shed was necessary to house tools before tree removal.
Removing Trees Behind House Opens Solar Profile and Funds Erosion Correction
While the property already has a good solar profile, the house was in shade 80% of the day in winter sun. A few moisture problems and falling trees made land clearing the next logical step.
Working with a forester, removing trees pays for corrections to erosion problems. Because the house is mid-slope, water would run down causing cut outs behind the house.
You can see the remains of a once valuable tool shed, salvaged before the tree removal. With a pasture grass cover there is now room for a community garden.
Improving Curb Appeal and Remediating a Wet Basement
With all the rain the basement got wet a few times. The main problem was water accumulating in front of the house. Trenches were dug and regrading moves water away from the front of the house.
Thick mulch beds soak up excess water while hiding drains that move water out and around the house. Many inches of rain since then have proven the design. Now the basement is dry.
An Unusual Discovery About Normal People in a High Efficiency Home
People don’t know what to expect from a high efficiency home. Most expect instant heat or cool they get from old energy sucking systems.
Tenants were frustrated with the high efficiency HVAC system installed the year before. They didn't understand the smart thermostat didn't make instant heat/cold. The system locked them out.
You get Energy Star temperatures of 65 degrees F in the winter and 78 degrees F in the summer without the HVAC system running. Unless you override the smart thermostat – then my phone rings with complaints.
Opening all the windows with heat on 85 degrees is also a problem. Removing all the shrubbery after the English Boxwood blight was also confusing. Large wide mulch beds didn’t help matters.
It was a good year with many projects underway.
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