I gathered the data loggers from their collection points. We had one in the house, specifically in the West Annex, which is not heated or cooled. That logger did not collect any data over the past year. Perhaps a battery or water problem. The loggers outside and in the earth on the East side of the house did collect data all that time. So we have a year's worth of data comparing the outside temperature, dewpoint, and humidity with the 'in the earth' temperature, dewpoint, and humidity without any insulating umbrella.
We collected hourly data. We are changing now to collect once-a-day data in the morning. The reason for this is that we have lots of fluctuations in the outside data, and the 'in the earth' data looks to be a moving average of that outside information. We are also noticing that the 'in the earth' data has high humidity during the summer, just as outside does. We feel we need to do something about this as there may be a leak in the collection area effecting all of the readings. We run a 20 foot conduit into the earth on a slight slope up (1/4 inch to the foot) and within that conduit, insert a smaller diameter conduit which holds the data logger. The end of the larger conduit is a screw cap.
It should be noted that the West Annex west wall (exterior) is insulated with the use of EIFS, but the interior of that wall does not have more insulation in it as yet. And there is no insulating umbrella yet on the house. All other exterior walls of the house are insulated at this time (interior and EIFS exterior).
About a week ago, I place the two working data loggers and a new one. They are outside under the deck, in the garage and 'in the earth'. We picked the garage because it has the umbrella and earth tubes working. The South wall is not finished (inside insulation and wallboard, and trim around the garage door), but is further along than the West Annex. The outside data logger collection point changed from in a crevice in the segmented wall to under the deck because we thought the segmented wall did not record true outdoor temperatures, the stones taking longer to heat or cool.
We have closed the door on the tunnel and have noticed a temperature difference in going in there. It is insulated in the first (approximately) 8 feet, and then unsulated thereafter. We were hoping to have this area cooler and be able to use it as a wine cellar/cold storage area. It is working. It has it's earth tubes working also. Eventually, there will be an umbrella over the house which will cover the tunnel as well. We shall see what happens.
We are still happy in enjoying the journey of building this house. Just wish it didn't take so long.
We had Keith back and he and Bill worked on four of the house earth pipes, extending them and partially covering them and building the retaining wall. Still more to be done there and with the remaining earth pipes.
