There’s something I’ve had to come to terms with living in our cob house, Gobcobatron. Cob is not the most appropriate, responsible building material for this cold climate of northeastern Missouri. This applies to similarly cold climates as well. Sad to say, but that is the reality.
Here are my thoughts on why cob building is not appropriate for cold climates, based on personal experiences and understanding more about the thermal properties of cob.
I have some new insights into my winter moisture conundrum. I have a new theory, but I am trying to make complete sense of factors at play here. Currently, I think it is indeed a combination of condensation and drainage that are resulting in moisture entering the house.
Read ahead for an update.
Mold has reared its ugly, ugly head in my home, and I have recently been consumed with attempting to determine a solution to this problem. I ask readers (especially those with experience living in cob houses in cold climates!) to please read ahead and help me to determine the best course of action. Any advice would be dearly appreciated.
Here are all the details fit to print.
It’s nigh on bedtime and the wind’s been blowing hefty hard all day, with snow falling regularly since the morning. Snow drifts are over two feet high and blocking many of our walking paths throughout the village, and another foot of snow is expected over the night. Wind turbines are screaming and the temperature is expected to plummet to -10º on Wednesday night, with a wind chill clocking in at a brisk -25º. Damn! These are a harsh few days for us in northeastern Missouri, where snow often doesn’t accumulate beyond a few inches.
The house is holding up just fine and the stove’s been cranking on and off throughout the day. This is the kind of weather for watching out the windows, reading and writing, and cooking hot and simple meals — cornbread and refried beans for us.
I’ll be lucky if I can get to my chopping stump tomorrow to chop some extra wood. Good thing there’s some ready to go in the woodshed for when I do need it…
The front garden gate
I got back home recently from traveling. Of course, we arrived in the middle of a snowstorm — we got a good six inches or so. I always love how the land looks in a fresh coat of snow — such a stark difference from all of the green life of the spring and summer! Here’s a few photos from around the house…
The Morso 1410 is a very small, clean-burning wood stove
The Morso 1410 “Squirrel” is a sleek, small wood stove. And I’m very glad to have its company. It’s been getting a fair workout these days, and I’m happy with its performance. Here’s a little rundown on my experience with the small wood stove out of Denmark.
Wow, it’s been a while… Time flies when the days are short and there’s firewood to chop, and move… and chop and move some more.
April and I are definitely enjoying the Morso 1410 Squirrel stove. I’m happy with the performance of the tiny stove, and it’s beautiful, too, especially when a big ol’ fire is roaring inside.We have started cooking on the Squirrel as well, and it’s proving to be very capable.
Test firing the Morso 1410
It’s done! We’ve got a fully functioning woodstove, with the stovepipe penetrating the living roof of the house, all sealed up and complete. So how did we do it? How did we send a stovepipe through the EPDM liner of our living roof?
Drilling through 20" of cob
The latest (and most urgent) house project has been installing the stovepipe for our new Morso 1410 (Squirrel) woodstove. After some careful consideration, we decided how to install the pipe. We’re about halfway through the process, but the hardest part has yet to come…
Hi there, I’m Ziggy. In 2008, I launched The Year of Mud while building my first natural home. This website is a collection of personal stories and experiences building with clay, straw, and wood over the past 15+ years. A few of the things that get me fired up are natural plasters, timber framing, & Japanese architecture. In 2012, we started offering Natural Building Workshops, so you can learn essential hands-on skills to build your own natural home.
