Going Off Grid in East Tennessee

[Furd]

Originally Posted by younglisa7

Ha, ha I goofed on one of my pictures. Did you catch it? Mike did, lol.

The picture of the circuit breaker panel and light fixture is upside down.

For future knowledge, it is easier to use individual type THHN/THWN wires in conduit that using cable.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Furd

The picture of the circuit breaker panel and light fixture is upside down.

Yep!

Lisa, I have a question. Is your roof completely flat? The reason I ask is we have a normal roof on the house and our workshop, but the carport that is in between has a flat roof and we are getting pooling in one spot. The roof is slightly starting to sag. We put up a rubber compound but I was wondering if you have a flat roof and what are your thoughts on them?

[OldCharlie]

Whew! (pant, pant) I just finished reading this. Unlike some hardy folk who can read it all in a day or so (), it's taken me a week of several hours a day. lol I didn't want to post until I'd read it all. I agree that the modrators need to make this a sticky.

Thank you for your candidness and honesty in your posts, Lisa. I think that is a good part of what makes this so special. You aren't afraid to make mistakes or to admit them. I've learned a lot from you two, I'll say that.

I'm getting ready to retire and was looking for an area to light in when I get out of California. My search just got a lot narrower. Now it's down to between Nashville and Johnson City. lol And I love the area you're in. I used to live in SC and travel up to the mountains for summer to beat the heat. Pisgah Nat'l Forest (southeast of you) and the Blueridge Mtns caught my heart and I've longed to get back to the mountains since then.

One question I haven't seen anyone else ask nor that you mentioned. How and where do you two do your research for the various parts of your construction? Although you and Mike are the cut and try types, I'm sure you got your ideas from somewhere. That somewhere would be a lot of help for us wannabees.

[younglisa7]

I knew you guys would get it, lol. I just wanted a lighted walkway

Furd- Thanks for the tips about the wires/cables and you are right, lol. We had leftover cable so we used it and it was tough fitting it in through that little hole.


hiknapster- Our roof has a slight slant so it is not completely flat. I know a lot of carports and commercial buildings have flat roofs but I don't know how to stop the pooling of water. Anyone??

Is your roof sagging because of the weight of the water or do you have any rotted wood underneath? Maybe there is a way for you to put a slant on it. I'll ask Mike if he has any ideas. C'mon everyone, your help is needed.



OldCharlie- Welcome to the Mike and Lisa world. I am so glad you made it through our story and wrote in.

I try to be as honest as I can. I know most people won't tell you their mistakes but how are we supposed to learn? At least that's how I feel. Many times I wish someone had made the mistake before us and we could have learned from it, lol. I have had people tell me they would never tell the bad along with the good. I say why not? I know we aren't perfect and neither is anyone else I know. I am glad if this story helps anyone out.

You have narrowed your search down to my favorite part of TN. I like anything east of Nashville and the higher the better. Good luck to you in your search.

I learn from Mike and I love researching online but Mike is the one with 99% of the knowledge. Some of it is from past learning experiences but mostly it's from the older home shows on TV like "This Old House" etc. Mike learns by seeing it and then we try it, lol. The solar was completely new to both of us. We got a couple of catalogs from the companies who sell the parts and Mike figured things out from there. We never saw a solar system before so that was very interesting and challenging.

[Jaxson]

Lisa I think you do a wonder job showing us warts & all. No pics of Niki this week eh?

[MrsMuggleton]

What a really enjoyable read, thank you Lisa.

I hope the sealer works on your roof, can't say I have ever seen roofing iron sheets screwed down in the gullies before, here we screw them down on the raised bit.

[ttazzman]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Yep!

Lisa, I have a question. Is your roof completely flat? The reason I ask is we have a normal roof on the house and our workshop, but the carport that is in between has a flat roof and we are getting pooling in one spot. The roof is slightly starting to sag. We put up a rubber compound but I was wondering if you have a flat roof and what are your thoughts on them?

Flat roofs should be outlawed (hows that for a thought)

the steeper roofs are ,the less leak and load problems they will have

Saging of a roof is a result of a compromized or inadeqately designed structure for the loads being imposed on the roof.

If i had a "flat" roof i would put some sloped polyiso insulation board to build up some slope even if it was slight and then direct glue down a membrane roof or use some form of standing seam metal roofing with a slight slope

[ttazzman]

Originally Posted by MrsMuggleton

What a really enjoyable read, thank you Lisa.

I hope the sealer works on your roof, can't say I have ever seen roofing iron sheets screwed down in the gullies before, here we screw them down on the raised bit.

I am curious, what part of the contry your from and what type of buildings you are talking about.

you must be talking about barn builders......because i am not aware of any certified (MBMA) metal building manufacter in the country that advocates attaching panels down through the raised ribs for reasons to many to list in one post.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by ttazzman

Flat roofs should be outlawed (hows that for a thought)

the steeper roofs are ,the less leak and load problems they will have

Saging of a roof is a result of a compromized or inadeqately designed structure for the loads being imposed on the roof.

If i had a "flat" roof i would put some sloped polyiso insulation board to build up some slope even if it was slight and then direct glue down a membrane roof or use some form of standing seam metal roofing with a slight slope

Thanks!

Yes, Lisa, it's from pooling. It is a slight sag and not very noticeable, but there is pooling in one spot. The kicker is that it is in-between the house and the workshop and is attached to both.

[Hawk J]

Originally Posted by younglisa7

I knew you guys would get it, lol. I just wanted a lighted walkway

Furd- Thanks for the tips about the wires/cables and you are right, lol. We had leftover cable so we used it and it was tough fitting it in through that little hole.


hiknapster- Our roof has a slight slant so it is not completely flat. I know a lot of carports and commercial buildings have flat roofs but I don't know how to stop the pooling of water. Anyone??

Is your roof sagging because of the weight of the water or do you have any rotted wood underneath? Maybe there is a way for you to put a slant on it. I'll ask Mike if he has any ideas. C'mon everyone, your help is needed.



OldCharlie- Welcome to the Mike and Lisa world. I am so glad you made it through our story and wrote in.

I try to be as honest as I can. I know most people won't tell you their mistakes but how are we supposed to learn? At least that's how I feel. Many times I wish someone had made the mistake before us and we could have learned from it, lol. I have had people tell me they would never tell the bad along with the good. I say why not? I know we aren't perfect and neither is anyone else I know. I am glad if this story helps anyone out.

You have narrowed your search down to my favorite part of TN. I like anything east of Nashville and the higher the better. Good luck to you in your search.

I learn from Mike and I love researching online but Mike is the one with 99% of the knowledge. Some of it is from past learning experiences but mostly it's from the older home shows on TV like "This Old House" etc. Mike learns by seeing it and then we try it, lol. The solar was completely new to both of us. We got a couple of catalogs from the companies who sell the parts and Mike figured things out from there. We never saw a solar system before so that was very interesting and challenging.

Howdy L&M...

For mice & rats i use www.ratzapper.com
It's the best solution i've found.



On a Carport, drill through the center of where it's pooling. Install a flexible pvc drainpipe below imho.


Have a Beautiful Evening.