Jay Angler

Pearl Sutton wrote:... The basic asphalt felt you put under a roof might be enough to dampen the bounce against the roof. Might be interesting to try. ...

I would say that old shingles are much thicker than a single layer of asphalt felt, and that even the felt comes in different thicknesses. I have heard that mass more than anything else, absorbs sound, so if shingles had to be removed, I would go for several layers of the thickest felt I could get, unless someone tells me they tried that and it didn't work.

John F Dean wrote:... It was loud in a heavy rain.  That said, my wife and I loved the sound...

Alas, both my son and I tend to be on the noise sensitive side. I like the sound of rain, but we can get some really heavy downpours which may be a problem.

That said, my son is hoping to put solar panels on the roof. Is that going to reduce the noise?

Metal roofing has a bunch of things to recommend it in my climate:
1. Our UV index has been climbing, and asphalt shingles *really* don't last well.
2. Our droughts have been more extreme when they happen, so catching rainwater is a target, and metal roofing is recommended for that.
3. It's hard to know what toxins might be in some of the alternatives that I've read about.
4. It's even harder to know how recyclable many of the alternatives are.

However, everything I read about metal roofs that's being up-front and honest, says that they're noisy. I understand why. Even on our old shingle roof, if we have really heavy rain in the night it can wake me. So I figured Permies was the place to ask. There has to be some ways to fix or reduce this problem, and I need to explore that now before the roof needs replacing, as I'm pretty sure the answer will be - noise dampening needs to be part of the installation!

So what do my fellow permies think? What crazy ideas can we come up with, that might help stop metal roofs from becoming snare drums in rainstorms?

At the moment, the bunnies and deer have won.

Luckily, a friend's husband built me a 10x4 ft slightly raised bed in the back yard of the house they bought for her parents to move into. No Bunnies. No deer. And it's a bit of a heat trap. I planted 8 tomato plants, 5 sweet peppers and a bunch of lettuce on the shady side which probably will bolt soon. I just added a small squash plant, but my pumpkin seeds didn't germinate so I need to try again. Last year, that one bed, with no danger from herbivores, out produced everything I attempted on my land except my garlic patch. I should raise a few beans to add - I tried to direct seed, but I don't think any of them made it.

This year I have tried to reinforce one area, but it is only suitable for tree pots and 1/2 barrels. For the same square footage of growing space, I would need 5 pots and 5 half barrels. However, so far they have given me some lovely strawberries every couple of days, and I have a bunch of beans planted, and have a few more seeds on my window ledge that will have space.  I wish I could be sure these planters will be safe, but with the drought starting early, I suspect the animals will get desperate enough that they'll find a way in.

Richard Henry wrote:...  I rerouted the sewer outflow well away (about 250 feet, if I remember correctly) from the water well and the problem never again bothered them.  

This is another example of why "codes" exist, and why it's good for people to pay attention to them even if living somewhere they aren't enforced. Yes, as with anything, ecosystem affects whether minimum code or more than minimum is advisable. We are *very* wet in the winter, so keeping compost piles, septic, etc well away from wells, and making sure there are  lots of plants to suck up nutrients that might leach out, is good preventative medicine.

R Scott wrote: The fence itself is made from garden trellis netting, you can get several grades but even the weakest is stronger than the deer and bird netting available from tractor supply or other big box stores.  

I haven't seen garden trellis netting myself, and since it looks large enough for the wild rabbits to go through, they might not bother to chew it. (They chewed through some old snow fencing I used to protect an area - I have rabbits and deer and sometimes the fencing required to stop both is a challenge.)

What's it made of? Deer have been known to break through fencing, not just jump it.

How much tension is it under? There seem to be no triangular braces at the corners.

There is a critical difference between "underground" and "earth bermed". The latter involves building at grade, then putting dry dirt against the walls and on the roof, then adding an "umbrella" - an impermeable layer or layers that stops any water from getting to the dirt by the roof and walls - and then putting another layer of dirt on top of the umbrella and planting into it to help make sure it stays where it's been put.

In Earth Bermed buildings, the goal is to keep water from ever getting near the walls, so both the house stays dry, and the issue Ned Harr states, "water will be pressing against your walls with enough force to topple reinforced concrete." Most dirt responds to water by expanding. If that water then freezes, water being weird stuff, actually expands even more, causing even more pressure. This is why water tanks intended for above ground use, must not be buried, but you can buy special "underground" tanks that have a different shape and usually a corrugated effect to their walls (and are much more expensive/liter of water).

Yes, there are examples - some very ancient - of genuine underground homes that worked. Unfortunately, much of the knowledge required to do so effectively has been lost. Choosing the exact right spot - right type of dirt, right slope, safe depth - was part of that special knowledge. Climate is everything and we're currently in a period of significant climate unrest and shifting. Storms are getting bigger and more common. Personally, many codes are behind the times, and are a valuable guide of how to get started, I would aim higher than what they state.

dims

David Wieland wrote:...I didn't know my attitude and practice regarding showers was so unusual. I normally shower to get clean and have a hot shower only rarely when I'm trying to ease muscle ache.

We're all different David! I have a larger than average surface area to volume ratio, and do not tolerate cold at all. If my feet get cold, they can take hours to warm up again.

People talk about living in houses where 50 - 55F is the normal temperature, and if they're cold, they add a sweater. If it's 60 - 65F, I've already got a vest and a sweater on. Many people don't understand just how poorly I'm able to regulate my temperature, and I totally understand the OP's difficulty with showers. I would have been shivering uncontrollably long enough that I would have worried people.

I have never tried a sauna. I suspect I would be able to get my core temperature up enough that I would at least attempt the "rolling in snow" part, but no guarantee I would ever try a second time if I reacted badly. I have to live with the body I was born in, and there are many ways in which it is a wonderful body to have. Be thankful for they one you were given, and hopefully this thread will give you some insight into how other people differ through no fault of their own.