Space from root cellar to house?

[Sparticle]

I'm working on the house and root cellar designs. The root cellar is going to be built first and is at a different depth than the house. The root cellar is going to be very close to the house and the door from the root cellar is going to open to a patio near a side door of the house. The root cellar is going to be completely earth bermed and the house is going to be earth bermed on the side near the root cellar. To help visualize, the root cellar is going to be several feet from the North wall of the house. The North wall of the house is completely covered with earth and joins the earth coming from the green roof. It will slope down to cover the root cellar and look like a smaller hill north of the house.

I do not want these two structures to share a wall or drainage for several reasons. I've played with it in designs for almost 2 years now and it'll just work better for us if they are separate. Each structure will have their own drain "tile"/ pipe around 3 sides of the perimeter. I was thinking 4 feet between the two drain pipes is enough room between the 2 structures, what do you think?

[WolfWalksSoftly]

Not sure what part of Missouri you are in ( different soils) but I would think you would want a bit more distance....also have considered a crawl space from house to Cellar ?

[johnghagen]

You may or not like this idea but this is what we did when built house in south west mo.We had the root cellar come right off the house basement poured footings for it when we poured for rest of basement then blocked it up at same time.The block for the basement came up three more higher than the cellar ones.We took metal and suported it and poured cement for cieling. this had re rod souport across it.Used a insulated metal door for access from basement,everything on the same grade out side we tared the out side of the blockes and the lid.Makes it easy to get what you need during the winter.

[oberhaslikid]

Mine is about 3 foot from my back porch screen door. I have a screened in porch and once I go out the door the root celler door in on my right about 3 foot away.There is a patio between the doors.

[Micheal]

Originally Posted by Sparticle

The root cellar is going to be built first and is at a different depth than the house...... The root cellar is going to be completely earth bermed and the house is going to be earth bermed on the side near the root cellar.
I do not want these two structures to share a wall or drainage for several reasons. I've played with it in designs for almost 2 years now and it'll just work better for us if they are separate.

May I ask your reason(s) why?
It would seem that for convenience sake you'd want access from inside the house without having to go "out into the weather" or during a tornado warning. Or maybe have access with both inside and outside entrances?

Each structure will have their own drain "tile"/ pipe around 3 sides of the perimeter.

If the root cellar is "completely bermed shouldn't drainage be on 4 sides?

I really don't have any suggestions, just interested on the reasons......

[Sparticle]

Originally Posted by WolfWalksSoftly

Not sure what part of Missouri you are in ( different soils) but I would think you would want a bit more distance....also have considered a crawl space from house to Cellar ?

Yes have considered it, but have decided against it. The door will open to a covered patio right off of the back kitchen door so it will not be inconvenient.

[Sparticle]

Originally Posted by Micheal

May I ask your reason(s) why?
It would seem that for convenience sake you'd want access from inside the house without having to go "out into the weather" or during a tornado warning. Or maybe have access with both inside and outside entrances?


If the root cellar is "completely bermed shouldn't drainage be on 4 sides?

I really don't have any suggestions, just interested on the reasons......

well there are actually 2 cabins close to each other, sharing a covered patio and there is a "tunnel" through the berm to the patio. The weather won't be an issue. the door to the root cellar will be in this covered patio. There are many reasons the house and root cellar aren't going to share a wall and no access from the house. One is that the house is very small and I dont' want to waste 3feet of wall space for a door to the root cellar when I can just as easily go right out the back door and walk a couple of feet in a weather protected area. The other reason is that they are at two totally different depths and will be built at different times so it will be easier to just do them separately. The biggest reason I guess is that I dont' want to loose berm around the house by putting a root cellar so close. The root cellar is right behind my mother-in-law's cabin and it's very important to keep her house snug from the elements.

Anyway, last night after staring it some more, I've decided I think to continue the roof line from her house to the root cellar to keep rain from going between the two structures so as long as there is enough wiggle room to build the 2nd structure and enough dirt for berming both (hence 4 feet), then I think we're good.