At 160 feet Tyler struck water.
Our estimated water flow is 15 gallons per minute.
Category Archives: BUILDING A PASSIVE HOUSE
Drilling for water in the rain
Septic tank with flout dosing system
1,000 gallon septic tank (front) and 800-gallon flout dosing system (back)
As the water level rises, the flout device rises on a pivot and then flushes the tank into the septic field in a measured dose. The periodic dosing of the field helps the digestion process of the septic field.
Running the footing drain and radon vent to daylight
Two pipes run from the foundation. The radon vent pipe is from the inside of the footing. The footing drain circles the outside of the footing. 
Both pipes run down our excavated swale to daylight, draining to the hay field.
The plumbing is entirely bedded in a deep layer of drainage stone connected to the foundation drainage stone. This has created a wonderful continuous underground water channel carrying water away from the foundation.
Morning fog on the worksite
Installing the septic tank
Laying down layers of rigid foam
Site overview on foam installation day.
The foam is brilliant white from the clear sun, making it hard to see inside the foundation.
Hand saw through 5 3/8″ EPS.
Fitting the 5 3/8″ x 4′ x16′ blocks.
South end corner foam installation detail.
The revealed square of concrete will be filled up to level with the top slab concrete pour. It will support a structural column inside the house.
Color coding against backfill
Turquoise = spray coat waterproofing Rub-R-Wall. Dark gray = 10″ blocks of dark gray Neopor. Pink = vertical strips of pink XPS blocking the seams, board and batten style.
Order of backfill around the foundation
Course stone over the footing drain, followed by landscape fabric and gravel.
Poking out from under
These five conduits extend under the footing and emerge in the utility room. Going under the footing avoids piercing the wall. This is where we will run TV, telephone and electrical service.