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Platform ideas?

For Sapo

I am back at my home base in Zhuhai now.

I have link to the post setting foam company, and the link to the testing on video.

I don't have any connection to this company, and I don't have any direct experience with it, but it sure looks interesting.

GRA Services International - Home

50reeves's channel - YouTube

They are saying they hope to have an ecommerce website by the first part of February, 2013. I wish them luck.

Anyone in the group a lineman? I mean the electrical type lineman.

Rod
Rod::email::yurtlocker.com
 
Oh, and for Jafo,

On the website they say the foam has no CFCs or HFCs but they don't say what it does have. It doesn't seem to require a lot of safety equipment to handle. That is a good sign I think.

Rod
 
Thanks Rod, that sounds like fairly standard in-slab radiant procedure and a good memory.
Anyone w more yurt specific pros and cons?
A couple cons comes to mind.....plumbing and electrical would need to be well planned before the slab is poured, and freeze protection.
Any owners or builders that considered and researched it?
Cost compared to platform?
It is pictured as an option at Colorado Yurt Company: Build a platform for your yurt , but not much said about it, "If the location for you have chosen for your yurt is flat and you have room for a concrete truck to access the area....."
 
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when we install radiant heat in slabs we put antifreeze in it. the slabs that we installed the heat in were airplane hangers at the local airport. so we wouldn't have to worry about freeze ups.
 
With water I would install a pipe loop in my wood stove, one side the inlet, the other the outlet, and just stick a cheap fountain pump in the pipe on the inlet side of the loop, (so the water would not be as hot going into the pump, and it would be pushing the cooler water into the heat source), and tell it to go to work.

My concern with using antifreeze is the environmental issues. It does eventually stop being antifreeze and you have to replace it. It is pretty toxic to animals and kids, I don't think most adults would be tempted, but it has a sweet taste I have been told. It is also hard to get off of your slab if you spill it, and it is very slick.

I wouldn't want to put it in my slab unless I had some kind of a closed system, and then I have a whole different set of issues to deal with. I have not really thought it out from that angle.

According to the EPA antifreeze only lasts 2 to 3 years... but with chemical additives I can extend its life from 150,000 miles to 600,000 miles. I wonder what kind of mileage I can get in a yurt? A little info here, but not very helpful; their main concern is heavy and toxic metal contamination, probably not an issue in this application.

Antifreeze Common Wastes & Materials | US EPA

Maybe with a non-pressurized system, sort of like the master cylinder in your car, a high reservoir before the pump letting out air bubbles and feeding a no-pressurized system you could monitor levels and feed that into a low pressure/high volume pump; hmm it is beginning to sound interesting and very possible.

Perhaps combining the heat supply with a water jacket on a wood stove would give a separated semi-closed system, and give you a heat exchanger into the slab, and potable hot water at the same time. I think that could be desirable whether you used slab heat with water or with antifreeze.

So many things to think about and so little time, space, money, hahaha, but I think even to have the ideas to play with is great.

Rod
Rod::email::yurtlocker.com
 
They have some less-harmful anti-freezes now, with regards to children and animals ingesting it. Propylene glycol is actually an approved food additive. How 'less-harmful' it is is open to debate. It seems to be a bit harder on the physical environment, but mainly in regards to direct contact with wetlands before it breaks down.
 
I always wondered why you couldn't use waste oil in a radiant heat closed loop system? The oils is never going to really go bad, it won't freeze, and since it was already used (for example, in your car), you are actually recycling it this way. Of course, I wouldn't coil it in a pipe and put it in the wood stove if using it though lol!
 
You could, or maybe transmission fluid would be less combustible. I am still not sure they would be my choice.

I looked on ebay and you can buy a good number of different fountain pumps for under $50.00. One said it would pump 370 gallons per hour.

Using a SWAG or two and some calculations, I guessed that a 20' yurt with a pipe every foot would use about 310' of half inch plastic pipe, and would hold roughly 150 gallons of liquid.

The total circumference distance divided by the 10 (one foot apart), and divided by 2 because that might average the circumference, times the area of a half inch pipe divided by the number of cubic inches in a gallon. I don't promise it is anywhere close to correct, but it was quick and not too complicated.

I don't know how quickly that would heat your slab, but I am sure it would help the wood stove spread the heat around the yurt. In theory all the liquid in the system would make a complete circuit about every half an hour. I think just keeping the floor above the outside temperature would still be a great help in the direction of keeping the place warmer.

It took much longer for me to type this than to do the calculation, hahaha, and I am not sure anyone else will even think it was work knowing. :)


Rod
Rod::email::yurtlocker.com
 
I should have also said we used the non-toxic antifreeze. the pink stuff they use in RV'S and stuff. If you use the heated water straight from the heat source you will need to temper the water a bit so it is not to hot for the pipe and fittings as well.if you take a mixing valve and mix the return water with the out put water you should be able to keep it around 180 degress which should do nicely. just a plumbers 2 cents worth.
 
all for the SIP platforms here too. We're using locally made SIP platforms since 4 years now and what a grrrrreat system. We generally only use 3" SIPS as we need mostly transportable units. 4' supports are enough. Platforms are pre-cut and assembled with a tongue and grove construction. See pic example below.
I've had my own yurt on a straw bales platform for a few years and it was great!



 
djspn said:
Groovy......can you tell us more about your straw bales platform........thanks.
Click to expand...

I simply arranged standard straw bales (12"x36"x18 if I remember correctly) in concentric circles and covered them with a plywood cover and a 6" high plwood rim all around (that last part is necessary for the Mongolian gers I'm dealing with). I circled the package with a simple rope. I had to to this in one afternoon (19' platform) as I was in a rush. I might have used a lyer of house wrap facing down if I had thought about it under the straw, but after two years the bales were still in pretty much optimal conditions (protected by teh yurt on top).
One could also think finishing the sides with lime plaster or clay - but I didn't do it.
Pictures are not so good, but will give an idea.



 
That is great, and it looks good. The SIPs are just like I had envisioned it, but never seen it put together. Actually I had envisioned 4", but it is hardly worth mentioning it.

How is the bale sub-floor? With the plywood on top, is it stiff enough to support a heavy wood stove, or a heavy fridge without lifting the edges of the plywood?

This is very cool. I like it.

Rod

Rod::email::yurtlocker.com
 
MT Rod said:
How is the bale sub-floor? With the plywood on top, is it stiff enough to support a heavy wood stove, or a heavy fridge without lifting the edges of the plywood?
Click to expand...

with the bales compacted like that, you could park a truck. If you place your stove on the edge instead of the center, you might possibly want to add some plywood or a stove base.
(But our yurts are so well insulated that we only need a small stove :):D ;) )
 
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How thick is the plywood?......seems like 3/4" tongue and groove would work well to help keep the joints together.
Nice website.
 
wjdzl said:
We used: http://www.yurts.com/images/media/24__Platform_Plans.pdf and went with the 1-1/8" T&G Plywood on 16" pier blocks.

Going to use Roxul R23 (5.5") stonewool insulation underneath the floor.
Click to expand...

Is frost heaving an issue where you are?
I'm wondering how piers might work in that environment?

Could you describe a bit more how you plan to do the insulation?
What will go under the insulation, how will it be supported and protected?
Any links you've seen for a good way to do that?
Thanks
 
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Jafo,
How did you do your concrete footings?
It's not clear from looking at your pic's.
Your thoughts re frost heaving?
Thanks
 
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