Run a Rural Ice Delivery Service

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If I had it to do all over again, though, I'd insulate the entire structure more thoroughly . . . by adding material under the ceiling, inside the walls, and beneath the slab floor. If the building inspector would allow it, I'd even bank the outside of the icehouse with earth (after putting down an appropriate vapor barrier) right up to the roof!

In order to make a raised floor that would help us keep our product well-drained (ice standing in water melts especially quickly), we placed pressure-treated 2 X 4's on the cement slab, and then laid a grid of 2 X 6's across those boards, leaving a 1/4" gap between the slats. (This arrangement also simplifies the task of cleaning the ice and the floor.)

Our shed has a standard 36" door, to which we've added a makeshift "sandwich" of insulation (it consists of a layer of 1 " Styrofoam boards topped with 3" fiberglass batts). The whole affair is covered with a sheet of white canvas cut to size and stapled down to protect the inner stuffing. In addition, we nailed a second panel of similar cloth to the inside top of the door frame. The fabric hangs loose, nearly to the floor, and serves as an elementary air lock when the door is open for long periods.

The storage house's roof is of typical shallow-pitch shed design, constructed of 2 X 6's and covered with tar paper. If you follow my advice, though, and make your structure larger than ours, you should probably use more substantial roofing lumber . . . 2 X 8's at least, or—if the price is within your budget—2 X 10's or even 2 X 12's. The wider the beams, you see, the more insulation you'll be able to install, and—despite the higher initial cost of materials—that will result in bigger energy savings. In any case, do build your roof carefully! Ours was plagued by minor leaks, and we eventually had to cover the entire surface with black tar . . . which soaks up summer's heat like a solar sponge and, as a result, increases our cooling costs. (It'd probably be a good idea to finish your entire structure off with a couple of coats of good old sun-reflecting white paint!)

ACCESSORIES AND OPTIONS

If you're hoping to keep your equipment purchases to a minimum, you should be able to get by—in the beginning, at least—with ice picks and tongs . . . which you can generally obtain at flea markets for just a few dollars apiece.

You'll probably find it useful to place—just outside your cooler's door—a large sheet of plywood, with drain holes drilled in it, to keep your product off the ground while you're loading or unloading. A nearby water hookup will also come in handy when you have to wash off ice that's to be used in drinks and water coolers. And a 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 plank, fastened on the outside wall near the door, can be used (once you've driven some heavy nails part way into it) to hang tongs and jackets and such.

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