Comments on: Be It Ever So Humble… http://www.yucatanliving.com/houses-of-merida/be-it-ever-so-humble.htm Online magazine about living, working and traveling in Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:05:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Brenda Thornton http://www.yucatanliving.com/houses-of-merida/be-it-ever-so-humble.htm/comment-page-1#comment-118354 Brenda Thornton Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:34:43 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/?p=924#comment-118354 I have noticed that the Working Gringos and others mention that double walls, at least on the exterior, are often used to recreate the "colonial" feeling of the homes and for sound and thermal insulation. We have discussed this with several individuals in the Houston area in the building industy and an architect, who admittedly does things normally in the U. S. manner, but have come up with the idea that if they are going to use two block walls, that perhaps it would be wise to leave four to six inches between the blocks and to use the spray-in eco friendly, soy insulation. The stuff is sprayed in, is mold and moisture impervious, and has an R factor far above the concrete blocks. For those gringos who like their cool houses, the payback, with the electric costs, could be just a few years, and the insulation may make air-conditioning unnecessary during much of the year, anyway. It also is not effected and does not permit moisture to enter the home via the walls and seals any and all leaks. It could be sprayed into the cavity after piping and electrical systems were run through the cavity and then through holes in the interior walls so no chiseling would be required in the plaster. I believe the working gringos convinced their architect and workers to install their plumbing and wiring prior to the plastering and had success with it. This is just a thought, and the insulation is not cheap, but it is ideal for a tropical environment because of the lack of a problem with moisture, because it seals any leaks or holes and makes them impervious, termites and insects hate it, and it also is an excellent sound muffler for those areas where there are busy streets. The fact that it is soy based and non-toxic was a big plus for me, as well. I have noticed that the Working Gringos and others mention that double walls, at least on the exterior, are often used to recreate the “colonial” feeling of the homes and for sound and thermal insulation. We have discussed this with several individuals in the Houston area in the building industy and an architect, who admittedly does things normally in the U. S. manner, but have come up with the idea that if they are going to use two block walls, that perhaps it would be wise to leave four to six inches between the blocks and to use the spray-in eco friendly, soy insulation. The stuff is sprayed in, is mold and moisture impervious, and has an R factor far above the concrete blocks. For those gringos who like their cool houses, the payback, with the electric costs, could be just a few years, and the insulation may make air-conditioning unnecessary during much of the year, anyway. It also is not effected and does not permit moisture to enter the home via the walls and seals any and all leaks. It could be sprayed into the cavity after piping and electrical systems were run through the cavity and then through holes in the interior walls so no chiseling would be required in the plaster.

I believe the working gringos convinced their architect and workers to install their plumbing and wiring prior to the plastering and had success with it. This is just a thought, and the insulation is not cheap, but it is ideal for a tropical environment because of the lack of a problem with moisture, because it seals any leaks or holes and makes them impervious, termites and insects hate it, and it also is an excellent sound muffler for those areas where there are busy streets. The fact that it is soy based and non-toxic was a big plus for me, as well.

]]> By: leywok http://www.yucatanliving.com/houses-of-merida/be-it-ever-so-humble.htm/comment-page-1#comment-114908 leywok Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:57:45 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/?p=924#comment-114908 Brenda. Water source heat pumps are not used for cooking. They're used for AC cooling/heating. Plastic tubing is run into the ground and water is circulated thru the Heat pump. The heat pumps require ductwork to distribute the air, and it has to be heavily insulated to keep the mold from growing and to allow the ductwork to sweat. That's why in hot humid climates, it's a bad idea to use ductwork; think of "smelly sock syndrome" throughout your entire house. Ductless mini-splits are cheaper and easier to install. Brenda.
Water source heat pumps are not used for cooking. They’re used for AC cooling/heating. Plastic tubing is run into the ground and water is circulated thru the Heat pump. The heat pumps require ductwork to distribute the air, and it has to be heavily insulated to keep the mold from growing and to allow the ductwork to sweat. That’s why in hot humid climates, it’s a bad idea to use ductwork; think of “smelly sock syndrome” throughout your entire house. Ductless mini-splits are cheaper and easier to install.

]]> By: Brenda Thornton http://www.yucatanliving.com/houses-of-merida/be-it-ever-so-humble.htm/comment-page-1#comment-114748 Brenda Thornton Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:38:42 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/?p=924#comment-114748 Does anyone know whether there are geothermal pumps used for cooking in the Yucatan? I know they can be used via drilling holes into the ground and running tubes of the refrigerant through them, but the relatively shallow water to find a cenote in the Yucatan would seem to be the ideal situation for this form of cooling. If anyone knows, please post about it. Does anyone know whether there are geothermal pumps used for cooking in the Yucatan? I know they can be used via drilling holes into the ground and running tubes of the refrigerant through them, but the relatively shallow water to find a cenote in the Yucatan would seem to be the ideal situation for this form of cooling. If anyone knows, please post about it.

]]> By: Brenda Thornton http://www.yucatanliving.com/houses-of-merida/be-it-ever-so-humble.htm/comment-page-1#comment-114668 Brenda Thornton Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:38:51 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/?p=924#comment-114668 I know the mosaico floors are beautiful, but have porcelain tiles become common in the Merida region? We installed them in a bathroom and the tile men prefer to work with them instead of ceramic. The color is solid throughout the tile, so chips are not so readily visible and the ones we used are so real stone-like that it is amazing and for one fourth the cost of real stone. I know the mosaico floors are beautiful, but have porcelain tiles become common in the Merida region? We installed them in a bathroom and the tile men prefer to work with them instead of ceramic. The color is solid throughout the tile, so chips are not so readily visible and the ones we used are so real stone-like that it is amazing and for one fourth the cost of real stone.

]]> By: TONI http://www.yucatanliving.com/houses-of-merida/be-it-ever-so-humble.htm/comment-page-1#comment-112894 TONI Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:25:02 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/?p=924#comment-112894 PLEASE!!!were can i contact her "albaniles".....my mom is having a hard time finding a good group of "albaniles" to do the job she needs.....the ones she hired made a mess....and disapeared, she doesn't know were to find them. Really if you can get me these "albaniles " referals i would really ...really appreciate it. PLEASE!!!were can i contact her “albaniles”…..my mom is having a hard time finding a good group of “albaniles” to do the job she needs…..the ones she hired made a mess….and disapeared, she doesn’t know were to find them. Really if you can get me these “albaniles ” referals i would really …really appreciate it.

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