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   PID: Synchronet 3.20a-Linux master/acc19483f Apr 26 202 GCC 12.2.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.20-Linux master/acc19483f Apr 26 2024 23:04 GCC 12.2.0   
   BBSID: CAPCITY2   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   RM> I'd never seen that before we bought here. They take round logs   
   RM> about 7 inches aound and split them down the middle, then offset   
   RM> them and nail the flats together so you have the appearance of   
   RM> vertical round logs on the inside and the outside.   
      
   AA>I thought the "whole" log would be vertical, as described below   
     >by one builder, and not split/overlap like you just described:   
      
   No, but doing it this way you don't have to find a way to seal the   
   joint between every 2 logs. Even if you put a flat on one side of   
   a whole log you still need to caulk the joints (frequently) to   
   have them fairly wind and water proof.   
      
   RM> What would be better these days would be to remove the siding   
   RM> and have expanding foam insulation sprayed directly onto the   
   RM> outside logs and possibly the floors too.   
      
   AA>Not sure how sprayed foam would work on the outside. Sprayed   
     >foam is best when it can go into a confined space otherwise it   
     >would expand unchecked.   
      
   They spray it under a lot of buildings here and a thin layer   
   expands to a couple of inches of foam. They can force it between   
   walls as well and let it expand to fill the area but with the   
   unconventional way my place is built that would be difficult and   
   likely not work well leaving a lot of gaps.   
      
   RM> I've had mice, squirrels and raccoons rip the insulation   
   RM> loose under the floors to either take it away to make   
   RM> nests or they actually get up between the insulation and   
   RM> the warmer floor and make a nest there..   
      
   AA>Can you hear them there during the winter?  HOw about building   
     >a rock/concrete barrier right up against the house/foundation   
     >so that they can't find a way to get in?   
      
   Difficult and expensive, but I could redo the insualtion under   
   the place and then put up sheets of plywood totally covering the   
   bottom of the building. Critters getting into it wasn't on my mind   
   when I first did the place. I got rolled insulation, about 3 inches   
   of fiberglass, about 3.5 feet wide with a fairly heavy reinforced   
   vinyl on the bottom side that I thought would work better, and it   
   did work pretty well for 25 years or so so maybe I can't complain.   
      
   Some animals can surprise you. I heard a racket outside late one   
   night and came out to find 2 raccoons on the outside of the house   
   trying to pry the aluminum siding off to either try to get in   
   where it was warmer or they heard mice in the walls and were trying   
   to get in at them.   
      
   RM> Yes, it's about 250 feet from my place to where I have the   
   RM> 'box' on the ice where I have my water hole. [...]   
   RM> starting to wear on me some, which is why I shovel the   
   RM> paths so I'm not fighting my way through deep snow as   
   RM> well.   
      
   AA>And.. I presume you place some ash or other grit along the path   
     >for added traction?   
      
   Not really required. Snow on bedrock isn't really slippery, the   
   snow sticks to the rock and the small amount of snow left after   
   shovelling it down to a few inches left gives your boots pretty   
   good traction if you don't do anything foolish. You learn to   
   walk differently on potentially slippery surfaces. So much of my   
   property is up and down hill I learned in a hurry to be careful.   
      
   RM> carrying 2 pails of water, and the hill is too steep to   
   RM> put the pails of water onto a sled and pull it up behind   
   RM> me..   
      
   AA>How about bottles/jugs onto a sled?   
      
   If I were having a lot more trouble I'd consider something, but   
   trying to fill bottles from a hole in the ice would be a lot   
   more time consuming than filling a bucket or two.   
      
   ---   
    * SLMR Rob  * The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world   
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)   
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