Straw Bale Construction in Missouri

Straw Bale Construction Initiative Open House Brochure

JudyAnn Lorenz — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:58:15 +0000

When the open house for the six completed straw bale homes in the Straw Bale Construction Initiative was planned, visitors could pick up a map guiding to each of the homes, plus a brochure that told a small bit about each home.

We are working on more information for you, but for the moment the brochure has been interesting to many.

Straw Bale Construction Open House Tour Brochure

Strawbale Housing Construction Initiative is Nearly Complete | Tour Planned

Richard — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:37:17 +0000

The End is near!

That would be the end of the Strawbale Housing Initiative Program. You can learn more at the sister blog on Strawbale Construction at Cardinal Bluff

It is ending November 30, 2009 We are celebrating with an open house tour December 10, 2009 There will be six strawbale houses that will be open to tour from 9:00pm till 4:30am. I will be here at the U.M.Extension Center in the Douglas County Court House, in Ava Missouri, Thursday December 10th handing out brochures and maps with driving directions. This is a one day only open house and tour. If you have questions please call me at 417 683 4409 or my cell at 417 543 4446.

The six houses are all different, they range in size from 500 sq.ft. to 3000 sq.ft.. One has a composting toilet, recycling grey water for tree irrigation, clay based plaster and recycled blue jean cotton insulation. Another has an array of solar PV panels producing approximately 90% of their power needs, energy efficient appliances and a rain water catchment for domestic water use. The largest one has approximately 30% glass coverage facing south for passive solar. All have insulated foundation perimeters and moisture barriers under the floors. Each of the home owners was striving for energy efficiency especially when they remembered $2.50 plus propane last year.

I have gained considerable knowledge about energy efficiency in the last three years working in this program with hands-on experience and wearing out a computer doing research on the web. There is so much knowledge out there at the touch of a key. I intend to stay in touch with each of the strawbale house owners to monitor heating and cooling costs and because of the friendships that have developed. The experience and research has me sold on the principle of strawbale construction and I intend to build a one for myself in several years when I slow down and have more time.

If you need someone to talk to about strawbale my phone number is 417 543 4446 and my personal email is rplland@yahoo.com I enjoy visiting, if you don’t believe me, try me. If you are building a strawbale house keep your bales dry and may the Lord bless you. Thanks, Richard

Moisture in Underventilated Structures = Public Enemy No. 1

Richard — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:30:57 +0000

We’re observing a noble effort to demonstrate energy management by active Weatherization Programs which will no doubt beef up insulation in homes, make every effort to stop air leaks (or circulation), and in general make each structure in the program a “tight ship”.

Here is where I have a real problem with the Weatherization Program. In my opinion, we are basically trading heating bills for future medical bills. Making the structure hyper-insulated, by stopping air flow (in and out), increased moisture is locked into the system.

To much moisture in a house can be devastating over time. When a structure cannot ‘breathe’, the trapped moisture has every chance to turn to fungus, mold, bacteria….illness and medical issues. But, by golly, we saved some fuel.

I lived many years in the high country of Wyoming where the humidity is in the teens through the thirties most of the time. We did not worry about to much moisture but our skin was always dry and the furniture joints came apart. We could get by with minimal ventilation in our houses. But, even there, sealed vents and no cracks could lead to unhealthy moisture levels, particularly in bathrooms where the sheetrock in some structures would go to moldy mush.

Missouri is a whole different game with a range of 50% to 100% humidity.

Occupants in the house are breathing, cooking, running water for laundry, showers, etc. The interior humidity is generally higher than that on the outside. That moisture has to go somewhere.

If the house can not breathe because it has been sealed like a plastic bag with non permeable house wrap, vinyl or steel siding and every crack and joint caulked, the moisture soaks the framing lumber, sheathing, insulation, sheetrock or other wall coverings and the windows sweat. Where air is not available, mostly inside the walls, mold forms.

Additionally, we now have a problem with radon gas; it can’t escape either.

Ever wonder why cancer is more prevalent today than it was a hundred years ago? Houses used to be drafty, people may have thought they would freeze to death but they didn’t. They didn’t suffer as greatly from cancer causing mold and radon either. Soft remediation for radon is to keep a window cracked when the levels have been shown to be higher than desirable. Simple answer: ventilation.

Properly built strawbale houses are one up on conventional houses because they breath and at the same time are not drafty. A lime or earth plaster over the straw bales will let moisture through but stops the wind.

If you live in one of today’s “well built” conventional houses, you need some way of exchanging the inside air with the outside. The most efficient way is with an air exchanger. Do a Google search and you will find several brands. They all work on the same principal, as the inside air is exhausted it heats the outside air coming in with a minimal temperature lose, which is made up for and then some by the house being dryer, especially the insulation.

Without regard for the mold and radon issues, damp insulation drastically looses it’s effectiveness. Suddenly, all that fuel we were saving is being called for to produce heat in a wet environment of soppy insulation. Ventilation doesn’t mean that there must be harsh air exchange that affects the thermal comfort of a home or office. Major drafts can gobble up lots of fuel. Soggy insulation will not provide the protection promised; causing occupants to call for more heat, burning more fuel.

The down side to an air exchanger is maintenance. It has to be kept clean. It is easy to understand that if mold grows in the damp dust and lint of the air exchanger, it will be scattering mold spores all over the house.

Another option that will make a difference is a well ventilated attic. And I mean well ventilated. Use natural air flow, it’s cheaper and doesn’t consume energy. Louvers in the end peaks of the structure can make a lot of difference.

Think carefully before you accept weatherization services. Insist on some ventilation situation to protect that extra insulation and keep it dry so it can do its true magic for your house.

Lastly, don’t yell at the kids for leaving the door open an extra minute as they reach back for the school books; they are doing you a favor. They are making an air exchange for you! It may seem like you’re going to burn more gas or oil, but it will be a healthier burn today than in a sealed up tomb of a house tomorrow.

This my opinion and I would be glad to hear yours. Thanks for reading this, keep your house dry, Richard

Straw Bales – Edgy or Flat – That is the Question

Richard — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:12:17 +0000

Over on Straw Bale Construction at Cardinal Bluff, there is a post entitled “Straw Bales Comin’ Atcha…Some Flat Side Up, Some Edges Up“. The discussion revolves around the direction to lay the straw bales in the walls. Should they be placed ‘flat’ side up with the stems showing or ‘edge’ side up with the cut ends showing?

Flat is easier to place, especially with post and beam process because the strings go with the line up without necessitating a clumsy cut. The edge side requires the strings to be cut when working around the posts and the beams. That means the straw bale must be re-tied to hold it together tightly.

However, the edge side does present a slightly more narrow wall, leaving a few more inches of floor space. That little bit can be important on a small footprint.

Research, measuring, thinking and more thinking are required to make the decision about flat or edge. Under a load bearing building process, the walls will be 14 inches thick with the edge presentation as compared to the 18 inch thickness with flat straw bales. For a shorter wall, that isn’t an issue, but if a two storey or storey and a half is chosen, then, more thought needs to be put into the choice. Will 14 inches satisfy you? Will you have a back-up measure to further strengthen the wall?

Edgy or Flat, that is the Question, but there are many sub-questions.

Thanks for stopping by to read my thoughts on the matter. Richard.

Value in Knowledge = Using the Knowledge

Richard — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:59:21 +0000

Over on Straw Bale Construction at Cardinal Bluff, a post entitled “Knowledge is Money — to Get the Value, Put the Knowledge to Use” talks about the learning curve on a different process.

Along with a great deal of experience, I have put many hours into research to learn more about straw bale building. The most valuable resource I found was at StrawBale.com and its writer, Andrew Morrison. Morrison has DVDs and a blog that clear the air for straw bale construction and help make all the good books out there even better.

Before the ground in broken, read, watch, research and visit a straw bale house in the neighborhood. Even if you would choose a different design, there are things that have happened to that builder that you can learn from. Thing that he wishes he had done differently.

All of this adds to the knowledge investment that is essential for your project with straw bale building. When you put it to use, you will realize the value.

I had barely heard of straw bale building before I began to work with Top of the Ozarks RC&D on the Straw Bale Homes Initiative. I thought it was kind of a joke. Since that day, I’ve become a convert on a mission to share the message. I fully intend to build a straw bale home for myself.

Thank you for reading and learning with me. Richard

Stop right there….Evil Termites

Richard — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:19:54 +0000

Over at Straw Bale Construction at Cardinal Bluff, I have post with some ideas about termite prevention in straw bale construction.

Missouri, according to the International Building Codebook, is prime country for termites. I am also convinced that tales assuring us that they don’t bother straw are myths. I would recommend taking any steps possible to keep them out of any organic or plant fiber building materials.

Remember, termites avoid coming out into light, but must have water. If their easy movement resources between darkness and water are interrupted, they cannot survive.

Check out the rest of my comments at Keeping Termites at Bay (or Even Stopping Them). Thanks, Richard.

Equality in Straw Bales is Rare

Richard — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:56:49 +0000

As discussed over at Straw Bale Construction at Cardinal Bluff, we recently placed bales into the walls of a house in The Straw Bale Construction Initiative Program. We quickly learned the value of perfectly square bales, which there were few of. The bales we used are firm and dense (top priority) but are not perfectly square. Not even close. The differences weren’t real noticeable until we were up several courses. The bales were a little bit thicker on the cut side than on the folded side. We stacked all of them cut side in. As a result they leaned to the outside. The reason for this is connected to the machine adjustment on the baler; not enough straw was being pushed by the feeding fingers to the back side of the bale. We should have noticed that the bales were slightly banana shaped which also leaves a gap on one side between the ends of the bales in the wall. The banana shape also means the bale is tighter on one side than other.

All bales are not alike even if they came from the same baling machine. A lot of things determine if a bale will be dense and square coming out of the baler,

*moisture content in the straw,
volume the baler is being fed,
course or fine stems,
feeder finger adjustment and
the operator’s attitude. If there is rain in the forecast the attitude is generally not an issue, the objective is get the straw in the barn NOW.

To avoid the problem we had, bales with this shape should be stacked alternately; one bale cut side in and the next cut side out. If the bales are too banana shaped reject them.

Remember, when you pick up a bale and it sags end to end reject it. A dense, firm bale will not sag. When buying bales check the overall appearance for brightness of color, density and squareness. Buy about 10% more than you need so you can be picky which ones you use. The rejects make good mulch for your garden. Until next time keep your bales dry,

Richard