Earth Bermed Homes

humbug · #1 01/10/08, 05:01 PM

With all the late season tornados I started wondering if earth bermed houses would be safer in the midwest? What do you think? I visited Missouri a couple of years ago and was surprised at how many earth bermed houses I saw in the Rolla area. Is there anyone living in an earth bermed house here? Insight? Just curious?

watcher · #2 01/11/08, 07:59 AM

I looked into it years back and decided it wasn't a good way to go. Ground water problems, structural design problems, high cost, trouble getting loans and insurance and more.

When we first started thinking about moving to a hurricane area we started looking at different types of buildings and building materials. After looking we decided on a concrete dome. So far American Ingenuity Domes seems to be the best option for us. Go to aidomes.com and check them out.

CJ · #3 01/11/08, 08:07 AM

My first house I bought in my early 20's in Missouri was an earth berm, with a rock front. I loved that little house! It had such a solid feeling to it, blended into the landscape so well, and was wonderful to keep heated.

The closets had moisture problems, but other than that, I loved it.

SolarGary · #4 01/11/08, 09:30 AM

Hi,
I don't know anything about tornado resistance, but they do tend to be energy efficient if built correctly.

Some info here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...onps.htm#Earth

We lived in an Earthship in Taos for a few days (they have a couple rentals). I thought it was quite nice. My only slight complaint was that it seemed a little dark in back end of the house -- I think there are ways to fix this.

Gary

OntarioMan · #5 01/11/08, 09:30 AM

Technically, earth is not a great insulator but it is a very good isolator. An earth bermed or even underground structure is isolated (either partially or fully) from the wind. Since many/most earth bermed or underground houses are made of concrete (heavy, strong), and they're isolated from the wind, I'd certainly assume that they are much safer in a tornado - similar to the old 'head to the basement if there is a tornado' advice.

watcher · #6 01/11/08, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolarGary

Hi,
I don't know anything about tornado resistance, but they do tend to be energy efficient if built correctly.

Some info here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...onps.htm#Earth

We lived in an Earthship in Taos for a few days (they have a couple rentals). I thought it was quite nice. My only slight complaint was that it seemed a little dark in back end of the house -- I think there are ways to fix this.

Gary

From my research concrete domes are about as 'whatever' proof as you can get.

sugarbush · #7 01/11/08, 10:54 AM

Two words:

Radon Poisoning

Sand Flat Bob · #8 01/11/08, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humbug

With all the late season tornados I started wondering if earth bermed houses would be safer in the midwest? What do you think? I visited Missouri a couple of years ago and was surprised at how many earth bermed houses I saw in the Rolla area. Is there anyone living in an earth bermed house here? Insight? Just curious?

The recognized experts on Tornado construction is the following: http://www.wind.ttu.edu/Shelters/FAQ.php
Texas Tech. has done lots of research on construction to help you survive a tornado.

Bob

tiogacounty · #9 01/11/08, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarbush

Two words:

Radon Poisoning

Two words...complete non-issue. As a builder in heavy radon country I can assure you this is one easy, and inexpensive, problem to fix. My new homes get a passive system installed for about fifty bucks in parts and two hours of labor. Older homes get a fan evacuation system for roughly $700 or so. Both systems will reduce a dangerously high reading to negligible. My experience is that bermed homes can suffer from serious mold and high moisture if not properly designed and constructed. IMHO, unless a bermed house has a very well anchored gable roof, it may provide nothing but a false sense of security. It's all in the details.

humbug · #10 01/11/08, 11:03 PM

Thanks for the input and links. I think earth bermed houses. I read that putting a vapor barrier and insulation around the outside of the house and around the footings, before the soil was bermed up would take care of moisture problems. I looked at the suntubes as a solution in back of the house. They are supposed to be pretty bright.

Billie in MO · #11 01/12/08, 12:22 AM

My dad has lived in one in Missouri since 1987. He has had no problems with it. The only thing he would have done different is to put a skylight in over the dining room. My cousin lives in one, as well, almost identical floor plan to my dad's except cousin has an extra bedroom. No problem with his either.

**highlands** · #12 01/12/08, 04:59 PM

Radon is an issue whether you are building earth bermed or up on the surface. Either way, if you're in radon country, you should design to deter the radon from entering the home and help it exit. Good ventilation is the key and there are a lot of reasons beyond radon for good ventilation.

But back to the question... I would definitely earth berm if possible. In fact, I am doing so. It lifts the wind up over the house. The wind is what steals heat the worst in our climate. It also provides you with thermal mass and an intermediate environment that is at a moderated temperature. As mentioned, the earth is not for insulation but to buffer.

Look into PAHS - Passive Annual Heat Storage. An interesting idea that works. Earth Air pipes is another neat trick that I even retrofitted to an old house with great success.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org

Toads tool · #13 01/13/08, 06:15 AM

My inlaws built an underground home back in the mid 80's. They have to use a humidifier in the living room on very wet seasons but that's it.
They just added a new house on a basement foundation that connects to their exsisting home.
The house they moved was set on the new foundation on Saturday; a tornado went through and tore the roof off on Mon. The tornado also sucked most of the blow in insulation out of the walls. It had settled about 6" over time but they were left with 6" in the wall cavity afer the tornadoe struck. Luckily since it was set on the foundation the homeowners policy was good.
During this tornadoe they ran back into the underground home. Besides the noise factor they experienced nothing else where they were hunkered. The main hall had a viscious wind whip through it when the back door got sucked off, taking every picture off the hallway walls and depositing them across the next 2 miles of pasture (60% recovery). THe tornadoe went right through their yard and the underground home didn't even shake.
The other new part took about a year to rebuild.

ibcnya · #14 01/13/08, 08:12 AM

I built this place in 02 using insulated concrete forms. Warmest house I've ever been associated with.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1218009...7603705608005/

texican · #15 01/13/08, 10:01 AM

If I were worried about tornadoes, I'd definitely try to have an earth bermed section of home... or better yet, a safe room, w/steel reinforced concrete walls tied into the concrete slab, cement roof, and bermed with earth.

Tornadoes aren't real common around my part of Texas... having said that, my current home was in the direct path of some straight line winds back in 94, and several ancient oaks (200y) died that night... ten feet from my house.

My new home is going to have an underground "basement" (I think of it more as a dungeon.... trying to have a castle motif)... building it to be as bombproof/stormproof as possible.

Mallow · #16 01/14/08, 06:59 AM

Speaking of earth bermed houses. Here is my thread on the current house I am creating(Picture Intensive):

Introduction/Land/Earth Shelter House Project Plans and Pics

I need to update it though soon but haven't had a chance lately. I am in the process of finishing drywall now so things are moving along fairly well. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

-Mallow

humbug · #17 01/14/08, 11:09 PM

Great plan Mallow. I know it is hard to address egress issues in bedrooms. It looks like your plan has it covered. I notice it is completely earth bermed on three sides. What type of roof are you planning?

Mallow · #18 01/15/08, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humbug

Great plan Mallow. I know it is hard to address egress issues in bedrooms. It looks like your plan has it covered. I notice it is completely earth bermed on three sides. What type of roof are you planning?

I ended up going with a traditional single roof. I was going to go with hollowcore but after dealing with the engineers for several months, the end results was they wouldnt sign off on it.