Dome Sweet Dome

[CountryGal]

Hubs retired last year and we moved to Table Rock Lake to our new home I call the Dome on the Rock.

We have really changed the place. We bought it late 2011/early 2012 and came back each year.

Here's a few pictures of the transformation.

 

[BrotherBart]

How ya heating the dome?

 

[CountryGal]

How ya heating he dome?

It's all electric. The walls are a foot thick and my ceilings are 20' otherwise I would have a wood stove! We have almost 6 acres and lots of trees. Ugh! It's so well insulated our electric bill is 1/3 of what it was in California with the A/C going 24/7 in the summer and even less in the winter. We have a neighbor somewhere close that is a wood burner because I smell it in the winter. Go outside and take it in!!

 

[CountryGal]

Living room -- he's on a 14' ladder and the fan isn't even at the tallest part of the ceiling. Just to give you an idea.

 

[BrotherBart]

Friends over for dinner and the body heat heats the house for the night. A green thing.

 

[begreen]

Had a friend and customer that created a geo-dome home back in the early 70's. The refrig, lights and electric stove heated it for the most part. The only issue was moisture trapped inside which condensated on the windows badly in winter.

 

[CountryGal]

Had a friend and customer that created a geo-dome home back in the early 70's. The refrig, lights and electric stove heated it for the most part. The only issue was moisture trapped inside which condensated on the windows badly in winter.

We had condensation last winter inside the windows too. We found that our de-humidifier wasn't working properly!
Bought a new one so we'll see if that helps this coming winter.

 

[Jags]

If this structure is that tight would an air handler be an option?

 

[hossthehermit]

2 men enter.1 man leaves .............................

 

[peakbagger]

Is that a MDI dome?

If I ever was forced to live in the area prone to tornadoes, that about the only type of home I would build. When I look over the MDI website I see numerous schools and churches where MDI replaced a pancaked conventional structure with a Dome. My understanding is that the acoustics can be wild.

 

[begreen]

If this structure is that tight would an air handler be an option?

Yes, in a structure that tight I would want a decent HRV system.

 

[velvetfoot]

How is it constructed, concrete?

 

[peakbagger]

If its a MDI, they supply an outer skin, a circular foundation is built, then the skin is attached to the foundation ring. The skin is then pressurized and then sprayed with foam on the interior. Rebar is then installed inside the foam an then the interior is spayed with gunite. They can be designed to be buried.

 

[velvetfoot]

This stuff is being done inside the pressurized skin?

 

[peakbagger]

You are correct. They set up a double air lock door. The folks applying the stuff used supplied air and a full body suit.

 

[CountryGal]

Sorry, just now checked in. This was owner built, not a monolithic MDI kit, no skin. We bought it via a local realtor handling the sale from the builder's son as his father has dementia. We have a bag of paperwork where the owner had researched MDI domes. He built it with concrete and foam blocks and the entire exterior is spray foam roofing. He patented the block cutting machine he used. I just wish he left pictures of the build but I had it inspected for structure and it is solid.

 

[1kzwoman]

Had a local guy "create"a spray foam teepee some thirty years ago. It was loosing chunks in ten

 

[CountryGal]

Had a local guy "create"a spray foam teepee some thirty years ago. It was loosing chunks in ten

We had a spray foam roof in the Mojave desert for many years until we replaced it in 2010 and no chunks. Had a few dings where the peacocks pecked at the edges. This was built in 2000 and we had the entire house coated in 2012 with Benjamin Moore elastomeric coating. Couple of hail dings but so far so good.

 

[blades]

I have some pieces of foam at home that are so hard it is machined like metal. A full swing with a 20 lbs sledge bounces off no dents just a mark from what ever might have been on the face of the sledge. At one time it was classified top secret as it was or still is used between the inner and outer hulls on the subs this particular batch was used in the construction of the Nautilus ( USA first Nuke powered sub.)

 

[CountryGal]

This summer we built a barn. 40x60 and includes a 16x40 man-cave (Paul does leather work). I got the remote back on the tv! Also has a loft for storage.

 

[begreen]

Nice barn CG. Welcome back. Is the Striker fired up?

 

[CountryGal]

Nice barn CG. Welcome back. Is the Striker fired up?

The Striker is still in California at our former home. It has been rented out for two years to a friend's son and his family. I do miss it!