Radioactive Gas

In the previous post, it was mentioned that "the water was done", only the inspection for the sewer lines was done.

We still needed the 'water in' (the black pipes) as well as phone and internet (the orange ones.) The grey pipe in the middle is the power.


After the lines were in, they needed to be buried in good clean material so we used the last of the rammed earth mix. This was carried up the considerable grade by wheelbarrow, as our old pal the bobcat has finally left for it's mountain home.



The lady did the shoveling and the man did the wheeling and dumping. It was a good day for reflecting on the teachings of Chairman Mao.



After we raked it out, we screeded the surface with a long board and a level to get things flat.

Our luck with plate tampers held fast, and we had to return the first one after the handle broke off. Really, we should get a job testing those things.



After a few spins, the floor was remarkably smooth. That hole in the otherwise perfect surface is for the "thickened slab", an area which will bear some of the weight of the second floor.
Next the radon barrier went down. All it takes is a 6 mil sheet of plastic to protect us from a radioactive gas? Really? This step is important enough that it has it's own inspection, so maybe it does.


Hey, lets hear it for plastic! Yaaaay! Once we get the thumbs up, down goes the foam insulation, reinforcing mesh and the in-floor radiant heat system. Could a concrete floor be far behind?

Yes, those lumber wraps do look rather fetching over the tops of the walls, don't they?
Looks aren't everything though, we're trying to keep the fall rains from infiltrating our walls. The flapping noise when the easterly picks up is phenomenal. Maybe one day, we'll try our hand at wrapping the A&W in silk or something.