At Home in Jasper, Arkansas

We have finally come to a breathing place, and can write of our “Birthing” of the dome. From the beginning, the weather was our enemy. November gave us fits as it was the wettest in many, many years. We received in excess of 20 inches in four weeks. We finally poured the foundation and slab over the week of Thanksgiving.

We then waited for some five weeks, for the traditional January warm spell. Ron Boswell of Mountain Home did the actual application of the concrete, while I led the mixing crew — total of five men and four days. We were able to work in shirt sleeves. The work went smoothly.

We finished the dome interior in six weeks! All cabinet work, floor coverings, sheet rock, and appliances are in and done. By doing the electrical, plumbing, and carpentry, I was able to save a great deal of money as well as frustration. We are moved in and have been living in the dome for the past four weeks.

The average temperature never drops below 65 without heat. We have installed the smallest gas furnace which we could. It comes on once, each morning. We have vented the dome by having a fresh air intake at the furnace, and an exhaust on the second floor. This furnace does not use internal air and actually pressurizes the inside and exhausts out the opposite wall of the dome with combustion exhaust going out a muffled exhaust tube. We also plan making and installing for the winter, two solar panels, thus eliminating the need of a furnace.

All in all, the packaging and shipping, as well as the technical assistance which you and your entire staff gave me, throughout the progress was great and appreciated tremendously.

Note: This is a reprint from our Summer 1997 Roundup.