What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
This lovely home is primarily heated with wood, using the one wood burning stove on the first floor to heat the first and second floors. Owners usually stack 5-6 cords of wood on the deck for the season and go through most of it, depending on the severity of the winter. They choose to keep the entire house very warm (in the 80s all winter)because they like it that temperature. The house is very well insulated and hold the heat well; the windows are triple-paned and wall roof insulation. There are sufficient propane heaters in various rooms, to heat the home only with their use when the owners are traveling. No draining pipes needed. Note, the tv room has a fully programmable thermostat, as does the apartment above the garage. This home is turn-key automatic. When not in residence, the owners turn off the fuse for the pump and everything else is on auto, just like when they are home. The solar panels collect enough sun to power the house under normal conditions. If there is not enough sun on a particular day (or you have extremely high loads) the inverter is set to automatically turn the generator on, based on the voltage level of the batteries. The generator will turn on and off as determined by the inverter settings. Battery bank was replaced in May 2009. Prior battery bank was in operation for 15 years. This solar powered home is designed to run like a normal home with no need for daily maintenance, this busy 5 member family has incorporated simple things to make the home more energy efficient so they simply use less power. Included is a front load energy efficient washing machine and a propane dryer. All light fixtures use energy efficient bulbs. Kitchen Aid dishwasher is used daily and mostly run on energy saving setting. The hot water heaters and kitchen stoves are propane. The refrigerators are DC and run directly off the batteries; they are designed for solar power and are exceptionally energy efficient. Not only is there a propane generator for back up, there is also a diesel generator as additional back up. There is an artesian spring on the property where the well is located; sump pump is run off of house power. Excellent water source, it literally perks out of the ground. Pressurized sprinkler system. Standard phone line; somewhat sketchy cell service but text messaging works. Neighbors use a booster antenna for full cell service. Wildblue satellite service for internet, and recently added Direct TV for television which is cabled into two rooms in the house.Property Description
Camas Meadows is a peaceful and charming place to call home. It's just 25 minutes from Leavenworth, WA, the famous Bavarian Village. This 4500 sq ft home is a 2 story with walk out basement, cedar-sided rustic and tasteful 5 bedroom and 4 bath home, which is nestled on its own 9.5 acres in the Ponderosa pines. The home sits at the edge of 1330 acre Camas Meadows Natural Area Preserve. The upper level of this solid contractor built (as his private residence) home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The master suite has stunning year-round changing-of-the-seasons, meadow and mountain views. It features a lovely walk in closet. The main level offers open kitchen, large dining and living area with huge wood burning stove; all facing the meadow and mountains. The back side of the main floor offers the office/tv room with wonderful natural yard and ponderosa views, a guest bath, the quiet study, convenient pantry and spacious laundry room with door to back deck and walkway to the garage. The lower (ground) level has a fine guest bedroom, family room, weight room: all with meadow and mountain views. In addition there is spacious storage area plus the battery room. Go outside and walk down to the stone patio: beyond is a charming four stall barn with hay loft. At the entrance to the property there is the large two car garage, plus carport for an additional vehicle. Above the garage is a private 800 sq foot studio apartment for children or guests. This apartment has galley kitchen, dining bar, full bath, small wood-burning stove which heats the area up in minutes! plus a propane stove, all in an open floor plan for complete comfort. Additional storage at each end of the room.
Neighborhood Description
Three mile paved road travels up from Hwy 2 through natural Ponderosa forest; this road is maintained by Chelan County year round. Very prompt snow removal is provided as they know owners drive their children to school daily.Final one mile gravel road is maintained up to the private road sign. Neighbors collectively pay for private snow removal: usually five neighbors share the snow removal costs of about $300-$400 per winter. At the end of the private road is the home. Located on Camas Meadows Natural Area Preserve: the preserve was formed to protect two endangered wildflowers as well as to protect breeding grounds for resident elk herds.The NAP is managed by DNR which prohibits hunting and motorized vehicles on the meadow.
The lovely blue Camas plants/flowers cover the meadow around Memorial Day along with over one hundred other wildflowers throughout the season. Prime wildlife viewing opportunities, most notable is the elk mating season when the males bugle: they fight by twisting their racks together. Watch the herds graze in the meadow and drink from the nearby pond. All of meadow life is visible from your windows, decks or patio. From windows on the meadow, decks and patio you have a view up Ingalls Creek into the Enchantments. From around the meadow you see views of Glacier Peak and a sweeping view to the north of Mt Stuart. There are many birding opportunities: over 130 have been identified and documented; a pair of sandhill cranes comes every spring for a few weeks. All seasons offer recreational opportunities which can be accessed as you either walk right out your door or use surrounding forest service roads, abandoned logging roads and trails. All are fun for cross-country skiing and sledding in the winter plus hiking and biking the rest of the year. The meadow is quiet and dark at night therefore especially fine for serious star gazing. The neighbor has installed a conservatory with telescope. Life on the meadow can be true magic for you.Market Area
This amazing off-grid solar powered home is located in a lovely forest/mountain area on 9.5 acres: only 25 minutes from Leavenworth, WA. Wenatchee,WA, the Apple Capital, is just 35 minutes away, down the Wenatchee River valley to the confluence with the mighty Columbia River. Leavenworth offers year round recreation, Art in the Park, live music in the gazebo, shopping and dining, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and bouldering, camping and river rafting. Groomed cross country ski trails plus easy driving to two downhill ski areas of Mission Ridge or Stevens Pass. Outdoor theater is presented during the summer including the world-famous famous Sound of Music on Ski Hill in the forest. Winter theater is offered, as well. Festivals for families and fun are presented all year through. Leavenworth remains one of the most charming Christmas Towns in the US. The annual Christmas Lighting pageant is stunning with hotels, motels and B and Bs all booked fully a year in advance.School District
Community
Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | no |
| Industry in Area | no |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Solar - Active |
| Cooling System | Passive Cooling |
| Ventilation System | Other |
| Whole House Filtration | None |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Energy System | Off the Grid |
| Water System | Well |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Wood |
| Interior Finish | Gypsum Board - Sheet Rock |
| Interior Paint | Other |
| Floor Material | Carpet |
| Roof Material | Metal |
| Window Material | Other |
| Insulation Material | Fiberglass |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | carport_detached |
| Number of Cars | 3 |
| Garage Area | 800 sqft |
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