Episode-2198- Expert Council Q&A for 4-6-18

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Today its Friday so it’s time for expert council show. To ask a question for a show like this, just send an email to me at jack at thesurvivalpodcast.com with “TSPC Expert” in the subject line.

Today the expert council answers questions on fencing, green houses, dams, the petro, knives, homeschooling, vehicle maintenance, aquaponics and more.

In the body of your email first tell me the council member your question is for. Second ask your question concisely in one to two sentences maximum. Third any and all details after that. This is the formula to give you the best chance of getting on the air.

I do what I can to get as many of your questions as possible on the air but can’t always get to all of them. Our council is made of a wide variety of experts in everything from the tactical to the practical and everything in between.

To get more information on our Expert Council visit our “Meet the Expert Council Page” to learn more about them and their specific areas of expertise.

Join Me Today As Our Experts Discuss…

Choosing fence post material – Darby Simpson
Considerations with attached green houses and humidity – Ben Falk
What can and can’t be grown on a dam wall – Geoff Lawton
What is up with the Venezuelan Crypto the “Petro” – Ben Fitts
Choosing and fitting handle material as a new knife maker – Patrick Roehrman
Making the jump to home schooling with a high school student – Mike and Sue Laprise
Vehicle maintenance and “quick stop” oil places – Charles Sanville
Doing aquaponics when you have too much water volume – Jack

Resources for today’s show…

Websites of the Expert Council Members

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Attached greenhouse:

As soon as you create that interstitial space Ben recommended you have taken away the ability to maintain that wall of the house, inspect and treat for termites and without pumping a ton of air through there you would probably have more moisture problems with it than without. Natural convection won’t get it done.

Without sealing off the ground between the 2 walls and foundation, that gap would also grow weeds right up against the house wall keeping the humidity levels elevated and would allow termites a perfect place to build their tunnels. I think you would be far better off without that air gap and have a 2-3 foot clear space along your exterior wall.

Yes, the relative humidity levels on that wall will be higher than on the rest of the house but it will still be able to breathe. Your RH still won’t be as high as they are in the SE. You will want to make sure that your attic has plenty ventilation and it might be better to block off any soffit vents inside the greenhouse that go into the attic. I’m not sure about that but if they are open, you could have condensation issues in the attic in the winter.

Another thing that can give you issues in your climate is ice damming which could lead to even more problems if you are going from a steeper pitch house roof to a shallower pitch greenhouse roof. The same problems would be there if you went to a gable end only the melting water would enter the wall instead of the roof.

A far better option would be to build the greenhouse several feet back from the house, pour a 3′ wide sidewalk between the house and the greenhouse that slopes away from the foundation and deal with those 2 steps in the cold.

Comments

Episode-2198- Expert Council Q&A for 4-6-18 — 4 Comments

Dave on April 6, 2018 at 4:46 pm said:

Attached greenhouse:

As soon as you create that interstitial space Ben recommended you have taken away the ability to maintain that wall of the house, inspect and treat for termites and without pumping a ton of air through there you would probably have more moisture problems with it than without. Natural convection won’t get it done.

Without sealing off the ground between the 2 walls and foundation, that gap would also grow weeds right up against the house wall keeping the humidity levels elevated and would allow termites a perfect place to build their tunnels. I think you would be far better off without that air gap and have a 2-3 foot clear space along your exterior wall.

Yes, the relative humidity levels on that wall will be higher than on the rest of the house but it will still be able to breathe. Your RH still won’t be as high as they are in the SE. You will want to make sure that your attic has plenty ventilation and it might be better to block off any soffit vents inside the greenhouse that go into the attic. I’m not sure about that but if they are open, you could have condensation issues in the attic in the winter.

Another thing that can give you issues in your climate is ice damming which could lead to even more problems if you are going from a steeper pitch house roof to a shallower pitch greenhouse roof. The same problems would be there if you went to a gable end only the melting water would enter the wall instead of the roof.

A far better option would be to build the greenhouse several feet back from the house, pour a 3′ wide sidewalk between the house and the greenhouse that slopes away from the foundation and deal with those 2 steps in the cold.
Warren on April 7, 2018 at 10:35 am said:

Jack, I appreciate all the work you do for us. You inspired me to put in a garden this year. What you have done at your homestead is amazing! A regular Garden of Eden. You teach me every day how to live better.

I just looked up Jiffy Lube price. With a Groupon coupon an oil change with full synthetic oil is $79.99 (regularly 119.97). I buy 5 quarts of Mobile 1 full synthetic for $26 and a 15,000 mile filter for $9. So it costs me$38 with sales tax.

I always change both car and pickup at the same time, every 6 months. It takes me about 2 hours to do them, including hauling off the used oil to my buddy’s shop. Like you I do NOT work for $4/hour. I save $84–about $40/hour. I also know the oil is warmed up a little before I drain it for a more complete elimination of contaminants. I check the coolant level, windshield washer fluid, and I look things over, checking for any leaks. I have done this on every vehicle I have ever owned; 50 years. I use full synthetic because I can change it half as often which more than pays for the higher price. And it is far better for your vehicle.

It also keeps scammers from opening my hood. I have heard of too many fraudulent people in the business who ripped people off, making unnecessary repairs, even cutting hoses and belts to sell you new ones.

AMEN to Charles comment about transmission oil. I had the oil changed in my Chrysler transmission once since it had 90,000 miles on it. (Since then I do it myself, but it is horribly messy). The transmission quit 2 weeks later. I am absolutely sure they put the wrong oil back in it. Cost me $3,000 for a new transmission! Please don’t ever use the universal crap with the specific additive for various makes! Get the fluid at the specific dealership for your vehicle.
- Modern Survival on April 8, 2018 at 9:21 am said:
  
  Seems they are way overcharging for that synth oil, you should see if they have a bring your own oil option. Even the dealership only charges me 59.99 for my F-350 and that thing uses over 2 gallons of oil.
  
  I totally support those who do their own oil changes but I ain’t doing it, I have done the math and for me I might as I said make out at about 5 bucks an hour, anything short of fishing or hunting and I don’t work for 5 bucks an hour.
  
  Just the oil for my truck is almost 40 bucks, add in the filter 12.95 we are at 52.95. With theft fees (taxes) I am paying may be 10 bucks over cost to get my truck done. Just not happening.
  - Modern Survival on April 8, 2018 at 9:26 am said:
    
    Oh another thing on transmission fluids. There are some that do this service with a pump, they use pressure to push out all the old and put in the new. They don’t drop the pan or remove the filter. The flow goes backwards, which is supposed to help clean the filter, my ass.
    
    I got suckered into this by a guy I trusted once and only once, 1500 miles later the transmission seals were leaking like a fountain. Oh I was in the middle of po dunk Tennessee when it happened. Found a place that looked like kooters garage from the Dukes of Hazard (really).
    
    They dropped the pan, changed the filter, put in some “stop leak” that was “the best they had” which is what they asked for when they ordered the parts.
    
    They were even surprised when it worked, and said, if you take it easy it should get you to Texas, I put another 85K on that Jeep Cherokee and it never leaked again.
    
    Drop the pan or don’t mess with it.