On Sun, 06 Jul 2014 07:52:48 -0400, wrote:

I have some moss or algae (not mold) growing on the roof and in a dark
outside corner. I control it by spraying the area with dilute bleach
twice per year:

You might want to string some copper wire across the roof. They also
make copper and zinc strips for the purpose.

Zinc doesn't work at all. Cooper only works for about 2-3 ft
downhill.
"Copper / Zinc Strips Failure - Roof Life of Oregon"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cb-uZW9tJg
One of my experiments was to rapidly electroplate some copper onto a
cathode, producing copper dust. I sprinkled it onto the moss and
added some mildly acidic water. The most was mostly gone by the next
day. I hosed off the residue, and in about a month later, the moss
was back. Grrr. Diluted sodium hypochlorite bleach (Clorox) and a
little TSP replacement degreaser in a garden sprayer works well enough
for me, or just use the overpriced commercial stuff:
http://www.30seconds.net
or make your own concoction:
http://savagesisters.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/make-your-own-outdoor-cleaner/

I have a cot, sleeping bag, and some survival supplies in the office.
However, they're not for the occasional all night writing exercises,
data recovery exercises, or last minute taxes. They're for when the
roads are closed due to flood, mud, or crud and I can't drive home.

Sounds like a regular occurrence. Ugh.

Not really. Once a year at most for road closures. Maybe 4 times per
year when my car won't run, or I'm stuck with doing the computer work
after midnight. I don't use the cot much because there's no room in
my cluttered office. I just roll an inflatable mattress into the isle
and use a sleeping bag.

There's only one road in and out of the San Lorenzo Valley. Drop a
tree across it and everything comes to a screeching halt. Actually,
the tree isn't the problem, it's the safety regulations. It used to
be that when a tree falls across the power lines, PG&E, Ma Bell,
Comcast, Davey Tree, Public Works, and the local fire department all
arrive at once and work together. Lots of congestion, but the tree
was usually cleared in a very short time. The problem is that it's
not really very safe to have everyone working at the same time. So,
it was decreed that parallel processing was out, and serial processing
was better. Everyone stands around directing traffic until PG&E
declares the power to be turned off and safe. Then, the tree and
debris are removed by Davey Tree. Then the various utilities replace
the lines. Public works clears the road and declares the road
passable. Finally, the fire department opens the road to traffic.
Using parallel processing, a tree fall could be cleared in about an
hour or two. With the new improved method, I've timed the process at
between 6 to 8 hours.

Like the Winter, it worked fine for a month or two into the season.
Late in the season it got to be the wrong temperature and would work
against the heat pump. Most people have this mistaken idea that only
a few feet down the ground is a constant temperature - not true. Just
notice the position of the mixing valve when you take a shower, during
Summer and Winter.

I know little about heat pumps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heat_pump
"Seasonal variations drop off with depth and disappear below
7 metres (23 ft) to 12 metres (39 ft)"
That's more than a "few feed down". How deep did you go?

I'm leery about putting anything over concrete (whether floor or
wall), for exactly the reasons you state. Concrete is porous and
moisture *will* come through.

Part of my foundation is concrete and rebar filled speedblock, which
is certainly porous. I used:
http://www.thompsonswaterseal.com/waterproofing-products/multisurface-waterproofers/waterproofer-plus-masonry-protector
and some long forgotten brand of vapor barrier on the outside.
Something similar should work for a slab:
http://www.concretenetwork.com/vapor-barriers/
http://www.concretenetwork.com/vapor-barriers/types.html

I really don't want to stop it on the
inside.

Well, that's the standard practice. If your water table is too high,
something else will need to be done. I have zero experience with such
slabs and can't offer any suggestions.

My current basement has an unfinished basement and I'm not
sure what to do on the floor. I'm only planning on using it for a
shop and storage but I want to sheetrock the walls, at least, if not
put in a ceiling (though may not for tax reasons).

Dunno. Maybe just an overlay to seal it better? Again, I have zero
experience with slabs:
http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete-overlays/

Most of it is
carpeted now, which I'm tearing up (sawdust in carpeting is a PITA).
The problem is that the floor is dusting. Not sure how to handle it.

What type of dust? Carpet dust? Concrete dust? Rubber pad dust?


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558