[Domesteading 00234] Re: query

[Sal Cerda]

BobV,
The 'antser' to excess humidity is an HRV.  Speaking of ants (notice how I worked that in?) I am having the same issue with the little buggers.
I took to feeding them some sugar mixed with boric acid and water. Yum.  They suck it it and take it home to mamma.  In few days they quit coming back.  Then it's quiet for a while until the next colony finds me.
At my new dome, they have found that it's fun to chew up the sill seal that is between the struts. Then they spit it on the floor in a pile of pink powder.  I think they are building a nice cozy dry nesting site out of the rains.  Yesterday I took them some boric treat.  We'll see how that works.

BTW, spraying the ants you see does not stop the problem.  The colony is somewhere else and the queen ant is busy laying eggs.  They keep a coming.
No use poisoning your environment with high-dollar bug spray.  Feed them some cheap boric acic mixed with sugar and borax.   Helps stop wood rot too.

Sal

Robert Vance <naptimeatv at msn.com> wrote: "Cracking the upstairs windows" is to vent the "humidity ...in the closed system of the dome (????)". How did this humidity get there and does it need venting? My main problem now is "Acrobatic ants" (...I've had a recurrence of them and am wondering how I can get rid of them - the local pest control company I used apparently thinks "dead" as in "killing ants", means that they "come alive again periodically!").

Our dome can be seen at http://homepage.gallaudet.edu/janet.vance it's a two story, three bedroom, two bath dome.
BobV!
  ----- Original Message ----- 

  Oregon domes is a good kit...but they don't build houses...just
  manufactured components. Our kit is also panelized but not nearly as
  expensive and we use heavier components all the way to the plywood.
   They(Oregon) actually have used US to solve some of their more vexing roof
  problems over the years though they kept me a big secret(like the rest of
  the kitcos who used us) till I learned to use a dad blamed computer.
   We vent our domes thru the sidewalls of the cupolas in various ways. It
  changes from dome kit to dome kit and climate plays a factor.
   I don't understand when you say a "slight crack in your cupola windows".
  Doesn't compute. 
    There are a lot of prophets and naysayers in the industry who may have had
  a success story or two to base their reputation on. We have quite an
  extensive list of builds and repairs for our prospects to talk to.
   Not a single callback in 36 years of building them. I know...I know, I'm
  going to break my arm patting myself on the back but Will Rogers said" If
  you been there , it ain't braggin"
   Send me some pictures of your cupola and let's get a look at what we're
  dealing with.


   John E. Johnson
  newagedomeconstruction.com

  -----Original Message-----
  From: domesteading-bounces at sculptors.com
  [mailto:domesteading-bounces at sculptors.com] On Behalf Of Robert Vance
  Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 4:53 PM
  To: A forum for the discussion of aspects of independent,off-the-grid living
  Cc: Tom Bland; T. Chappel Aldridge; Thaddeus Vance; Duane Eldridge
  Subject: [Domesteading 00228] Re: query

  John, Now my interest is up - our dome is in southern Delaware and I had
  been debating about putting a slight crack in my cupola windows. Do I have
  an "actual" concern for this? I ask this because I had many "Sayers of doom"
  and vice-versa, professional and non-professionals give me conflicting
  advice concerning the "humidity content" of "a dome structure" and how it
  will cause "x y z to occur" ...most of which were "unpleasant".
  Incidentally, I opted to ignore all and follow the directions of the company
  I purchased the dome (Oregon domes) ...so far, the earth hasn't caved in and
  other than a roof leak (repaired easily), everything "seems" to be
  copasetic. 
  BobV!


 
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