MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
With over 16,000 square feet (1485 sq-m) to manage, the mechanical systems for water, air, power and technology were designed with the utmost care and concern for comfort, consistency, efficiency and the environment. What follows are a glimpse of some of the details in these systems...
With over 16,000 square feet (1485 sq-m) to manage, the mechanical systems for water, air, power and technology were designed with the utmost care and concern for comfort, consistency, efficiency and the environment. What follows are a glimpse of some of the details in these systems...
WATER
Deep-earth natural well water is the source of all the water for the property. The water runs through a sophisticated system of cleaning and purification before it reaches the taps. This includes filtering, softening and ozonating, followed by a pass through the ultraviolet light system. The resulting is clean, fresh, pure and safe water. The water is transported throughout the house through a variety of high-pressure pump systems to ensure perfect pressure and instant hot water wherever it is needed. Since the house exists on top of a mountain, a 15,000 gallon reserve water tank was installed with its own stand-pipe in case of a fire. |
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AIR & COOLING
All of the air in the house is purified with a system of negative air ionizers and filters to eliminate airborne contaminates and potentially dangerous bacteria. The air conditioners cool the air through a system of ductwork that is integrated into the architecture of the house to remain as seamless and possible. |
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HEATING
Radiant floor heating keeps the Jerusalem stone tiles on the main level at the perfect temperature, even in the harshest winters. A special secondary radiant system was installed to heat the driveway, outdoor walk and stone steps to the Japanese Garden hottub. With a flip of the switch, the snow and ice melt away… Additionally, four natural-gas furnaces heat the high-efficiency flush-wall hot-water radiators throughout the house. All of the heating and cooling can be controlled within each room, or a master system allows for the entire house (or sections of it) to be controlled from a dispatching service off-site. No matter where you are in the house, or if you are away and soon to return, the temperature can be set to your desires. |
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ELECTRICS
Harmony Mountain contains miles of wires, but it is organized to be simple to find and troubleshoot any problems that may arise. All of the wiring plans for each section of the home are secured in floor plan tubes and located next to the wall of circuit breakers. The electrical system is designed so that the lights can be controlled from a variety of locations. For example, you can tun on all of the main stair and hallway lights from the mud room, the bedrooms, or even the basement so you're never stumbling through the dark. All of the lighting is dimmable as well, so the homeowner is in complete control of the perfect ambiance. Specialty lighting runs throughout the house in surprising places, such as the fiber-optic glass shelves in the dining room, a fiber-optic illuminated glass sink in the powder bath, or the backlit onyx wall in the master bedroom's morning room. TELECOM & INTERNET The entire house is wired with the latest telephone and internet cabling services. AUDIO The entire house is wired for sound with the ability to control the volume and selection for each room from a master location. |
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TROUBLESHOOTING & SAFETY
Should there ever be a leak or a problem, every pipe in the home is tagged with a special medallion to indicate its location and function. The master list is posted in the mechanical rooms with a reference guide with the contractor's number on it, so locating a problem and alleviating it can happen quickly, and without guess work. Additionally, above every electrical device in the basement, be it the air ionizers or the bundles of wires leading the kitchen, special metallic plates were installed to eliminate the pass-through of electro-magnetic radiation into the living spaces above. The Master Suite is outfitted with a secure deadbolt system that instantly seals the doors shut with the press of a button. There is also a button that directly connects to the police should the need ever arise, and the glass in the master suite is bullet proof. The east end of the lower level has a steel-lined bomb shelter and access to an escape tunnel that connects to the lower level garage of the pool house. |
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SPECIAL
There are numerous other special mechanical systems integrated into Harmony Mountain. For example, the wood storage beneath the main fireplace sits between two elevator-conveyors so wood is always ready and available, but also stored clean and dry and out of sight. The infinity-edge pool is built into the landscape seamlessly to provide a mirrored-view of the Pennsylvania hills, while gently aerating, cleaning and recycling the pool's water with a pleasant waterfall sound. |
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