Cob sledgehammers and heat retention

[Patrick Newberry]

Miss April:
I must say, I've never really worried about this particular problem, 
but..
Most cob walls are thicker than a brick wall, thus 
The car should at least come out the the deal with a large about of 
dammage. 




>         Does anyone know how much damage can be done to a cob wall of
> 16-18inches with a car going 25mph -the same damage done to a brick walled
> house?  I ask because someone said cob has low resistance to impact.  I
> wondered how little resistance compared to the modern home's wall (outside
> wall).


>         As well, do you know if a cob home would be energy efficient in
> heating costs in a region where winters are cold with a mean temp. of 22
> degrees F in January- where it's not very sunny?

yes
(sorry couldn't help it)
ok, 
You need to look at the whole picture. Such as direction of house for 
solar gain (even in not so sunny areas). Thickness of the walls and
what other factors wonder members of our coblist might think of. 


> 
>         I'm trying to prove, in a paper, that a cob home would save the
> owner money in heating costs in temperate cold, cloudy winter regions.  If
> there are limitations like low r-values, then what are the low-cost remedies
> I can offer? 


Don't forget the initial cost saving from building with cob (I'm 
talking about owner build home) 
You need to look into the heat retention properties of cob. That heat 
can be gained from interior sources such as a wood stove etc. 


What part of the world do you live in anyway?


Latter 
Pat
Mauk, Georgia
http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk


(ps. hope to have some new photos in a week or so as I have the last 
two vaults on the foyer done and will start working on topping off 
the structure)