45′ dome kitchen side view
Different view of above kitchen in 45′ dome. High profile entryway in back ground.
Q: How are electrical wiring and plumbing pipes installed in the dome shell?
A: The electrical and plumbing will be contained in the interior frame walls in the same manner as conventional housing. Plumbing pipes typically are installed in the foundation and come up out of the foundation into the first floor interior framed walls. During foundation installation, conduit or pipe can be installed in the footer or slab to bring in natural gas, or wiring. Or during kit assembly install conduit or pipe between two panels before the seam is concreted.
Grooves are cut in the 1/2″ DensArmor & EPS for electrical wiring with router, circular saw, chainsaw, etc. To install electrical wiring, electrical boxes, conduit to run wiring in, or plumbing pipes in the dome shell: cut through the wall board and E.P.S. insulation slightly larger than is needed, insert the box or conduit or pipe and fill in the opening with spray expanding foam. The spray foam will harden in about one half hour, holding the box or conduit or pipes secure. Use tape and joint compound to finish the areas. Those seams and the other interior shell seams are finished with typical joint compound and fiberglass joint tape. Applying a textured paint (50/50 mixture of paint with joint compound) will likely hide the board seams. Or apply joint compound to the DensArmor in what is sometimes called a skip trowel finish, apply primer and then paint. Or to cover any wall board imperfections and blend the wall board to the sanded joint compounded seams, mix a 50/50 batch of paint and dry powder joint compound. Apply the mixture with a paint roller. The Kit Assembly Manual contains a document covering drywall finishing. Or ask for Drywall Finishing doc to be emailed. Call Ai 321-639-8777 Monday - Friday 9-5 eastern time.
During kit assembly always align the interior drywall/wallboard of one panel to next panel’s drywall versus aligning the exterior EPS of the two panels. This way less joint compound is needed to fill the interior seams.
To simplify the installation of wiring around the perimeter of the first floor of the dome shell, purchase plastic baseboard that contains grooves for wiring. This way you only need to cut grooves above the baseboard to install the wiring to the electrical boxes.
Bring the wiring to the second floor through the first floor framing, or through the second floor joists or use the area behind second floor perimeter knee wall areas for wiring and ducts.
Q: How are heavier light fixtures or ceiling fans hung from the dome shell?
A: Install nylon threaded rods in the concrete seams as the dome shell is assembled. The threaded rod extends into the interior of the dome shell and is used to hang the light fixture or ceiling fan. To install the electrical wiring to the light fixture or fan cut a groove through the shell wallboard and the E.P.S. insulation, insert the wire and fill the groove with spray expanding foam, then joint compound and tape to finish. Or see document in the Assembly Manual for how to install a light fixture or ceiling fan after the panels are assembled.
Q: How are plumbing vent pipes installed in the dome shell?
A: A hole can be cut in the prefab panels, just do not cut within 8″ of the center of a seam. Some exhaust pipes can be routed sideways through the interior framing and can sometimes be joined together before they exit the dome. Where the vent pipe is to exit through the dome shell, cut a hole through the panel concrete in the appropriate location, extend the pipe through, concrete back up against the pipe, caulk and paint. The plumbing vent pipes are sealed to panel concrete dome with caulk, e.g. urethane or butyl rubber. A plumbing boot like the type used on shingled houses is not used. Assembly Manual has info on cutting hole in the panel. Or ask & we will email doc.
Q: Does Ai’s building plans contain the electrical, plumbing, HVAC diagrams?
A: No. American Ingenuity’s building plans include all the structural drawings, show the placement of the electrical outlets, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures; however, they do not have the electrical, plumbing, HVAC layouts. We have found if the layouts are included, then the inspectors require the subcontractors to follow the diagrams when the subs like to design their own layouts.
Q: If I use an Ai Dome for a commercial building, how do I install water sprinklers?
A: Any of the dome sizes can be used for commercial purposes. Being commercial will have to comply with possible commercial requirements like running the electrical in conduit, installing water sprinklers, etc. If so the water sprinklers can be designed within the interior walls or grooves can be cut in the EPS to insert the conduit or sprinkler pipes then spray foam is applied to fill the grooves. Some building departments may require screws be installed thru the wallboard into the EPS with expanding foam.
Q: Are electric vents necessary at the peak of the dome as well as in the bathrooms to prevent moisture buildup?
A: Yes. The electric exhaust vents are installed in a vertical wall near the top of the dome, in top center of the dome, in bathrooms and above stove/microwave to exhaust water vapor (from laundry, cooking, showering, etc.) In interior walls, use galvanized metal ducting that extends down the interior wall, through the floor joist and vents out under an entryway. And install a heat recovery ventilator or energy recovery ventilator to remove moisture. The Dome Kit Assembly Manual contains documents that cover vent installation. To view our web site file that covers HRC, click on Heat Recovery Ventilator.
