08:48 PM EDT on Saturday, April 8, 2006

MICHAEL MELLO
Journal Staff Writer

David Barth always wanted to live in the country. His wife, Nancy, longed for the water.

South Kingstown

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Both found want they wanted on a 3.6-acre South Kingstown lot in the rocky hills above Indian Lake.

"There was no road at the time," David Barth recalled. "We bought this raised point of land looking out on the lake . . . from a guy selling house lots out of the back of a station wagon."

The couple built a single-level ranch at secluded 166 Legend Rock Rd. in 1980, the third house in the neighborhood along winding, private ways named by their first residents.

The Barths' willingness to be different is evident not only in where they chose to live, but in the home's unique feature: Solar panels on the roof heat all but a bedroom addition.

"There were a lot of energy rebates being offered" by the government "and it was cost-effective," David Barth said, explaining why he chose solar panels over conventional heating 26 years ago.

The solar-power movement of the late 1970s faded, but demand for cheaper heating sources is again focusing public attention on alternative energy sources.

The Barths' experiment with solar heating was such a success that four years ago they spent $4,500 to install new solar panels, rather than add a traditional heating system.

Annual heating costs, which include electricity in the bedroom addition, are less than $900, according to the family.

The one downside to the solar system is that the heat can't be adjusted.

"What the thermometer reads is what you get" for heat, "but there is no maintenance, none whatsoever," David Barth said.

The family, which included two now-adult children, simply accepted wearing sweaters and slippers when needed and for many years used a wood-burning stove to ward off winter chills.

"My kids assumed that's how [everyone] lived," he said with a chuckle. "They didn't realize they were living in a solar home."

Visitors enter to a tiled front hall with a coat closet. Pocket doors opposite the entrance lead to a carpeted formal living room.

The room is dominated by a fireplace with a raised brick hearth and offers spectacular views of the lake and the rolling, tree-lined property.

To the right of the entrance is a hallway leading to three small bedrooms with burgundy and blue carpeting.

One of the bedrooms facing the lake has a walk-in closet with shelves.

There's also a full bath off the hallway with an oriental soaking tub.

The house is carpeted throughout and has a central vacuum system. There's also an intercom system.

The formal dining room has brown tones and leads to a larger family room with water views and access through sliding doors to a wraparound deck.

The solar heating system is controlled from the family room by a simple wall switch that's typically turned on in October and off in April. The solar system maintains an average indoor temperature that's a five-degree difference between the solar panels on the roof and the house temperature.

The family room has dark wall paneling and a propane heater on a brick hearth.

The kitchen is small, with laminated countertops and appliances that need updating. But the space is functional, with plenty of oak cabinets and drawers for storage. There's also soothing water views through trees from above a stainless-steel sink.

There's another bathroom off the kitchen, near hookups for a washer and dryer and a door leading to the deck.

Natural light fills a 24-by-24 square-foot master bedroom. There's a large bow window and four other windows offering views of the rock-lined grounds and water.

The room has electric heating and two double closets.

The house has 2,417 square-feet of living space and is served by well water and a septic system.

There's no basement or attic, but a two-car garage has ample second-level storage space.

More than half of the grounds are cleared, with the rest a mix of trees and brush.

A towering tree in the back yard has a single swing attached to branch high above the ground.

A gravel path winds down to the lake, where ducks and swans are frequently seen. The family has a metal dock with wheels that can be rolled into the water for fishing, swimming or to launch a canoe.

There are also two beaches for neighborhood residents at the opposite end of the lake.

The Barths are now retired. They're selling to move closer to their children, both teachers, like their mother was, in New Hampshire.

There are now more than 20 homes scattered in the hills around the Barths' property, though only a couple of the houses can be seen through the trees.

Despite the privacy, Legend Rock Road connects to Route 1. The property is a short drive from the University of Rhode Island, state beaches and restaurants and retail businesses in South Kingstown and Wakefield.

The property was listed last June and is for sale at $795,000. Real estate taxes last year were $7,019. There's also an annual association fee of $316 and a $219 fire district tax. Jay Readyhough, of Bay Realty Ltd., in Narragansett, has the listing: (401) 789-3003.