What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
This home is of straw bale construction and as such is extremely energy efficient as well as being made of a sustainable, earth friendly material. It requires no cooling in the summer due in part to the insulation but also due to the passive solar design as the sun arcs over the top of the house to the north rather than shining in through the windows. The ceiling fan is usually used only twice a year, during the first week of August.
Again due to the passive solar design, the sun streams in the south facing windows in the wintertime and heats up the stuccoed walls, the concrete floors and tile covering, and the boulders. After absorbing this heat throughout the day, they then radiate it back out into the house as it gets cooler toward evening.
There is also a radiant heating system which uses propane to heat the water in 2 – 50 gallon water heaters, sending it through a five manifold system to the pex tubing in the concrete floors (under the tile). How wonderful it is to walk barefoot through the house in winter.....
There are also two large boulders and a tree indoors, leaves curling up around the tree trunk from nearby plants, giving the home a truly authentic 'natural' look.
The enclosed area set back from the house measures 27 by 27 feet and is perfect for gardening as the soil is fantastic and only organic materials have been used. It would also work well for chickens or ducks and the adjacent orchard could be expanded by removing one wall of the enclosure. The possibilities are endless! The greenhouse provides a space to sunbathe during winter as well as growing greens and other veggies all year long.
Recycled newsprint was used for insulation in the roof and was blown in at over twice the recommended rate to ensure an R30 rating. (6 to 8 inches is suggested for R30 and 12 to 16 was actually blown in )
Both the Kiva and the Sweat Lodge structure (the lodge is not covered at this time) were built by a Shaman, trained as a traditional Chumash Medicine Man. The Kiva, which doubles as a root cellar and extra storage area, has a working fireplace with chimney and a smoke hole and was dug out by hand, 4 feet down and 20 feet in diameter. Straw bales were then used to build the walls up and logs from a thinning project on Cedar Mountain were put in place for the roof. It is quite an awesome structure!Property Description
This delightful off the grid home basks in the sun an average of 320 days per year. Rarely is the 12 kilowatt generator needed as there is plenty of sunshine to keep the photovoltaic system operating at peak performance. The new set of deep cycle batteries keep the power coming at night and on the occasional cloudy day.
This is a straw bale house with post and beam framing. There are 2 bedroom areas, neither of which is fully enclosed, adding to the spacious flow of the home. One area is called the cubby; it juts out on the south side of the house and is a lovely spot for curling up with a good book and/or sleeping "under" the stars. With no light pollution out here the stars are truly an amazing sight to fall asleep to. The other bedroom area is screened off and easily accommodates a king sized bed.
This unconventional floor plan also allows for economical heating, the wood stove easily heats the entire house.
Numerous features add to the appeal of this eco-friendly home, including:
Onyx Countertops in the Kitchen
Built-in Entertainment Center
High Speed Internet
Cable TV (it says Direct TV on the internet dish so I assume it's available)
Passive Solar Design
Radiant Heat
Blaze King Wood Stove
Photovoltaic Solar System for everyday power (Solar Panels, Inverter, Solar Boost, Deep Cycle Batteries)
12 KW Propane Generator for back up
Private Well - Excellent water, over 100 gallons per minute!
3,000 Gallon Water Tank for storage
Reverse Osmosis System
Home Filter System (in shed with pressure pump)
Fenced side yard for pets - 20 X 30 and 6 ft. high with doggie door access
Large Jacuzzi Bathtub
New Roadbase Driveway (¼ mile long)
Small Orchard with 5 young fruit and nut trees surrounded by deer fencing
Enclosed Organic Garden 27 X 27 ft.
Kiva/Root Cellar– 20 feet in diameter
Sweat Lodge structure, uncovered
Passive Cooling
Low E Windows
R52 Rating for walls
R40 (at least) for roof
Open Floor Plan allows Efficient Circulation
2 - 50 gallon propane water heaters
Washer/Dryer
Refrigerator/Stove
House was newly painted, the color comes from the base of the red rocks....
Many people have asked why I am leaving this incredible place and I have a one word answer-Grandkids! When we moved out here it seemed highly unlikely that there would be any but that has changed, I now have two beautiful grandbabies (1700 miles away) and I want to watch them grow up. So there you have it :).
Neighborhood Description
This magnificent property backs up to the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument which consists of 1.9 million acres of protected land (slightly larger than the state of Delaware). The nearest neighbors are about 2 1/2 miles away, to the east and also to the west. A two lane road (Hwy 89) is about a half mile to the south and the Arizona border is only a few miles beyond that. The southern view is quite expansive and includes the Kaibab Forest. The entire area is blanketed with gorgeous Pinion Pine and Juniper trees and families of deer have been known to nap in the backyard.
There's a gorgeous butte right behind the house (to the north) and the Vermillion Cliffs spread out to either side. When the setting sun hits them just right they light up as though on fire.Market Area
This lovely home is located eleven miles east of Kanab, UT, three miles east of Johnson Canyon.
Kanab is a small town of about 5000 residents and home of the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States, Best Friends Animal Society. The sanctuary currently employs about 450 people in positions ranging from animal care to administrative to information technology.
Kanab is a wonderful hub for those interested in exploring nature. It is close to Zion National Park, Lake Powell, the Grand Canyon (north rim), and Bryce Canyon.
There are only 2 stoplights in Kanab and none between the town and any of the national parks just mentioned.
There are grocery and hardware stores, a Farmer's Market, movie theaters, and various restaurants and coffee shops.
The people here are friendly and kind, enjoying a more laid back lifestyle than most folks and more than willing to help one another when needed.
It's a wonderful place to live!School District
Community
Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | no |
| Industry in Area | no |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Hydronic Floor Heat (radiant) |
| Cooling System | Passive Cooling |
| Ventilation System | Whole House Fan |
| Whole House Filtration | None |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Energy System | Off the Grid |
| Water System | Well |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Construction Type | Straw bale |
| Exterior Finish | Stucco |
| Interior Finish | Other |
| Interior Paint | Other |
| Floor Material | Tile |
| Roof Material | Asphalt Composition Shingle |
| Window Material | Vinyl or Vinyl Clad |
| Insulation Material | Recycled Newsprint |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | no |
| Garage Type | attached |
| Number of Cars | 1 |
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