From: wharold@weirdness.com   
      
   EDS wrote:   
   > However even further North in permafrost areas, the   
   > buildings must be insulated from the earth to avoid melting the permafrost.   
   > I worked on one project where we put in 2' of stone on the permafrost, and   
   > built a wood frame sitting on the stone to support the building, with a 3'   
   > space between building and stone. Another way is to set wood piles into the   
   > ground down to below the permafrost summer melt line, and build your   
   > structure several feet above grade.   
      
   That past few winters we've had little snow and brutal cold   
   temperatures.  A couple of winters ago, almost everyone's septic systems   
   froze up.  Frost down 7' in most places with a few reaching 8'.   
      
   Frost design depth here is 5'...  But most people just opt for the   
   additional small expense and go 8+' with a basement (unless they have   
   water table issues).   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)