We live in an owner built home of our own creation. And by owner built I mean that we built it with our own hands and minds. Every panel, from the walls, floors and roof to the partition walls, doors and even the individual stair treads, are built as stressed skin panels. No drywall, nails, or even dimensional lumber are part of it. Not that I’ve anything against those things, well, except for drywall, I hate that stuff. It has 12-inches of insulation, almost four times the standard, not only in the exterior walls and roof, but also in the interior wall and upper floors. This way we can heat just the occupied rooms. I have built a hydronic heating system which allows us to send heat as hot water discreetly to any room. Currently the heat source for this is propane, In the future we will add the ability to heat the water, actually non toxic antifreeze, by burning firewood as well. Our home is not a challenge to keep warm in the winter, extremely cold winters here, and requires no energy for cooling in the summer. A visitor during a heat wave last summer asked if we have air conditioning upon arrival because it stays so comfortable inside. It is solar powered, for electricity, and propane and/or firewood for heat. On long summer days we have enough surplus electricity from the solar that I run an electric water heater avoiding the need for propane for domestic hot water. Irrigation is another good way to use some electricity that would otherwise have nowhere to go. I have to say that I am utterly impressed by how much electricity can be had by solar panels, when the sun is shining we are awash in electricity and looking for things to aim it at, like pumping or heating water. An electric car would actually be feasible as we could charge up for our trips to town which are lengthy, 160mi round trip, but infrequent. Photo 1 of 26 in Our Owner Built Home by Spiral Cone Legs

Our Owner Built Home

1 of 26

We live in an owner built home of our own creation. And by owner built I mean that we built it with our own hands and minds.
Every panel, from the walls, floors and roof to the partition walls, doors and even the individual stair treads, are built as stressed skin panels.

No drywall, nails, or even dimensional lumber are part of it. Not that I’ve anything against those things, well, except for drywall, I hate that stuff.

It has 12-inches of insulation, almost four times the standard, not only in the exterior walls and roof, but also in the interior wall and upper floors. This way we can heat just the occupied rooms. I have built a hydronic heating system which allows us to send heat as hot water discreetly to any room. Currently the heat source for this is propane, In the future we will add the ability to heat the water, actually non toxic antifreeze, by burning firewood as well. Our home is not a challenge to keep warm in the winter, extremely cold winters here, and requires no energy for cooling in the summer. A visitor during a heat wave last summer asked if we have air conditioning upon arrival because it stays so comfortable inside.

It is solar powered, for electricity, and propane and/or firewood for heat. On long summer days we have enough surplus electricity from the solar that I run an electric water heater avoiding the need for propane for domestic hot water. Irrigation is another good way to use some electricity that would otherwise have nowhere to go. I have to say that I am utterly impressed by how much electricity can be had by solar panels, when the sun is shining we are awash in electricity and looking for things to aim it at, like pumping or heating water. An electric car would actually be feasible as we could charge up for our trips to town which are lengthy, 160mi round trip, but infrequent.