Let's see the Big Bad Wolf try to blow down this house!
Now, being from New York, or any major city, a straw bale home may be something foreign to us. It sure is to me. But there is more than one way to build a house, or rather should I say, more than one kind of material to use when we build our houses. Materials such as wheat, rice, rye and oats straw, are not such a bad idea, especially when it comes to folks wanting a more eco-friendly home to live in.
Straw Bale is, first off, most common in the Southwestern United States. It's the same material that farmers use for their animals. But the good thing is we can also use it for our shelter. The way some people use it is for either insulation, or the outside, or for both. What's great about straw bale houses is that they are strong, especially when it's covered in stucco or plaster. Also, when you use straw bale as insulation, it cools down your house in the summer and keeps it warm in the winter.
Some other pros to straw bale houses that you might like is that they're inexpensive to build., that is, if you are willing to do a lot of the work yourself. If you are willing to live very simply and use recycled materials, they can go for approximately under $10,000. A lot of time and patience can go into building your own home. Another thing about them is that they are, obviously, environmentally friendly and quiet, so you don't have to endure a lot of noise. They are also fire and termite resistant because of the density of the straw.
This is the new thing for environmentally friendly homeowners. The reason why straw bale homes are a good idea is because straw is burned if it does not decay quickly. That can be very problematic because while it's burning, it releases dangerous toxins into the air, such as Carbon Monoxide. Turning straw into a resource for building a home does farmers a favor and reduces the amount of straw that has to be burned.
A lot of Straw Bale Homes are very popular in the Southwest, particularly in Texas, Arizona, California, and New Mexico because of the aridity. Most Straw Bale homes adjust to the weather conditions, so there is no need for heating, electricity, or air conditioning.
Companies such as StrawJet have come up with a great way to turn the straw into rope, instead of people building with big bundles of straw. Here is a video on the introduction of this new company.
Straw Bale homes are quickly becoming the newest eco-friendly option for homeowners in the United States. Other countries where it is popular are in China, Canada, Australia, France, and Mexico. Note that straw is different than hay because hay contains several nutritional grasses and legumes, such as alfalfa or clover, that is cut, dried, and then used as fodder for farm animals. Straw contains hollow stalks of grain (such as wheat), used mostly as bedding and garden mulch, but which is also used as feed.However, it has less of a nutritional value than hay.
Straw Bale homes are just one more step to making the world a greener place. If you also find eco-friendly products to fill your house with, you will have one very modern but very green home.
Sources: www.solarhaven.org,www.urbangardensweb.com,www.wikipedia.org, www.buildipedia.com,www.delsjourney.com
Photo Credits:www.celebratebig.com
Now, being from New York, or any major city, a straw bale home may be something foreign to us. It sure is to me. But there is more than one way to build a house, or rather should I say, more than one kind of material to use when we build our houses. Materials such as wheat, rice, rye and oats straw, are not such a bad idea, especially when it comes to folks wanting a more eco-friendly home to live in.
Straw Bale is, first off, most common in the Southwestern United States. It's the same material that farmers use for their animals. But the good thing is we can also use it for our shelter. The way some people use it is for either insulation, or the outside, or for both. What's great about straw bale houses is that they are strong, especially when it's covered in stucco or plaster. Also, when you use straw bale as insulation, it cools down your house in the summer and keeps it warm in the winter.
Some other pros to straw bale houses that you might like is that they're inexpensive to build., that is, if you are willing to do a lot of the work yourself. If you are willing to live very simply and use recycled materials, they can go for approximately under $10,000. A lot of time and patience can go into building your own home. Another thing about them is that they are, obviously, environmentally friendly and quiet, so you don't have to endure a lot of noise. They are also fire and termite resistant because of the density of the straw.
This is the new thing for environmentally friendly homeowners. The reason why straw bale homes are a good idea is because straw is burned if it does not decay quickly. That can be very problematic because while it's burning, it releases dangerous toxins into the air, such as Carbon Monoxide. Turning straw into a resource for building a home does farmers a favor and reduces the amount of straw that has to be burned.
A lot of Straw Bale Homes are very popular in the Southwest, particularly in Texas, Arizona, California, and New Mexico because of the aridity. Most Straw Bale homes adjust to the weather conditions, so there is no need for heating, electricity, or air conditioning.
Companies such as StrawJet have come up with a great way to turn the straw into rope, instead of people building with big bundles of straw. Here is a video on the introduction of this new company.
Straw Bale homes are quickly becoming the newest eco-friendly option for homeowners in the United States. Other countries where it is popular are in China, Canada, Australia, France, and Mexico. Note that straw is different than hay because hay contains several nutritional grasses and legumes, such as alfalfa or clover, that is cut, dried, and then used as fodder for farm animals. Straw contains hollow stalks of grain (such as wheat), used mostly as bedding and garden mulch, but which is also used as feed.However, it has less of a nutritional value than hay.
Straw Bale homes are just one more step to making the world a greener place. If you also find eco-friendly products to fill your house with, you will have one very modern but very green home.
Sources: www.solarhaven.org,www.urbangardensweb.com,www.wikipedia.org, www.buildipedia.com,www.delsjourney.com
Photo Credits:www.celebratebig.com
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