172 Bean Rd, Meriden, NH 03770

Superinsulated solar house designed and built by one of the leading experts in low energy house design in the northeast (see www.energysmiths.com). House layout: The main level is composed of an entry room, a 3/4 bath (shower), kitchen, pantry with laundry, dining area, living room, and a small greenhouse. Total area on this floor is about 975 sf. The lower level is mostly below grade except where the grade is dropped for the windows in each of the two large bedrooms on that level. Also on that level is the root cellar and unfinished basement area.Finished space on this level is about 450 sf. The top level has a large bedroom and a full bath, and the glass-roofed sleeping porch. Finished space on this level is about 350 sf, for a total for the house of 1750-1800 sf. Garage: The garage is 14 x 24, fully insulated and drywalled. It has 4 foot roof overhangs on each side, one of which is the wood shed. Site: The property is 6.2 acres. About 1-1/2 acres (estimate) is open and the balance is wooded. The soil is well drained Quonset soil type and is relatively flat by NH standards. Water supply: Drilled well, 145 feet depth, high static level, about 2-1/2 gpm. Waste: On site state-approved 3 bedroom system, 1000 gallon septic tank. Raised bed gardens - ten 4' x 14' beds. Garage: Detached garage is 14' x 24' with a 9' ceiling height and a 10' wide door. Garage door, walls, and ceiling are insulated and drywalled. Deck: South side deck is 8' x 12' salvaged redwood. Envelope: Walls: 2x4 cross-strapped with 2x2, filled with closed cell urethane foam.Entry is 12" double stud wall filled with dense pack cellulose. Roof: 2x8 filled with closed cell urethane foam. Windows: Andersen casement and fixed, double glazed low-e with an exterior glazing panel in most locations. Skylights: Velux double glazed low-e with an interior glazing panel on the fixed skylights. Doors: Thermatru insulated steel with triple glazing double low-e. Cladding: White cedar shingles. Roof: Standing seam steel. Interior finishes: Floors: Maple and cherry hardwood; hardwood parquet in lower level; ceramic tile; cork tile; VCT in pantry. Systems: Heating: VT Castings wood stove; Propane gas back-up system with a Rinnai instantaneous water heater coupled to a 10 gallon buffer tank. Four zone forced hot water heat, a mix of hydronic fintube baseboard and hydronic radiant ceilings. Hot water: Passive solar absorbers in parallel with passive stainless steel heat exchanger in wood stove, electric resistance back-up. 70 gallons stainless steel storage tank. Ventilation: Heat recovery ventilator, supply to lower level and main level, exhaust from bathrooms and pantry/kitchen. Food production and storage: raised bed garden, root cellar, integrated greenhouse. Assessment and taxes: Assessment is $234,300 and 2008 taxes are $5,155. Energy use: 1-3/4 cords of hardwood and 50-200 gallons of propane for heating; about 2,000 kWh for all other uses. Neighborhood Description About 3/4 mile to Meriden Village, with town library, grange, post office, Meriden Grange, and Meriden Garage. About 1-1/2 miles to Plainfield School. Quiet, beautiful road and great neighbors. Pick-your-own blueberry and Christmas Tree farm next door. 14 miles to Hanover, NH and Dartmouth College, about 12 miles to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (several physicians on Bean Road work at the hospital.)