FW: RE: Cob: Allergies

Tue Aug 27 05:27:26 CDT 2002

Having trouble posting....trying 
again

----- Original Message ----- 

From:  

To: coblist at deatech.com 

Sent: 8/26/02 11:33:44 AM 

Subject: RE: Cob: Allergies

Hi, 

I've been part of this cob list for a while and never 
posted.  I also am chemically sensitive and am trying to solve my housing 
delimna.  I've read of two people with this illness who've built cob 
houses.  One has a home in CA and is trying to sell it, but also arranges 
tours of the place.  The website to check that out is:  www.northcoast.com/~tms/cobhouse.html 

The other place I heard about an chemically sensitive person 
living in a cob house was in an article from Natural Home.  (This is a 
great magazine by the way for those of us interested in less toxic living.  
Plus, what might interest you Ms. Wilson is that there is an advice columnist 
working for them that is chemically sensitive--Deborah Lynn Dadd.  She is 
very knowledgeable and has written several good books for the chemically 
ill.)  

The article to which I'm referring was in May/June 2002 issue 
on page 40 titled "Casa Natura." Casa Narura is both a home and a shop.  
You can visit it at 544-A Agua Fria, Santa Fe, NM.  Phone (877) 650-1600 or 
website:  www.casanaturainc.com 

Natural Home has had several articles on cob houses that are 
interesting...I think that there was even one recently about the founder of the 
cob cottage co.  You might try writing the magazine for 
information.

Personally, I'm drifting away from the idea of using 
cob.  I'm very allergic to molds and I'm concerned that the wet clay and 
straw will grow some before they dry.  I know already that I'm highly 
allergic to the molds that grow on hay and have to avoid them completely, so I 
don't know if I can handle straw.  I'm concerned that I might not be able 
to complete the construction of cob myself--which is what I want.   
Anywho, I've not given up on cob completely, but need to attend a cob 
construction and finished home to be certain of my tolerance of the 
stuff.

I'm now considering a construction technique that is similar 
to cob in principle, uses some old school military knowledge, but a variation on 
a new construction technique.  I'm considering building a house out of sand 
bags...similar to the earthbag idea except not using plastic bags which can 
possibly make me sick as they break down and release ethylene or other petroleum 
ickypoos.  The dryness of the bags will keep down mold during 
construction.  The sand bags, if the walls get flooded, won't 
collapse and hopefully won't mold and make my house intolerable to me.  The 
mix of clay and gravel will be roughly the mixture for cob but won't contain 
straw.  I have a quarry or two in my area and want to use quarry finds 
to fill my bags. 

Anywho, these are my thoughts now.  I'm not ready to 
build yet and have no land to experiment on--I will build an experimental 
"storage shed" before I attempt any house with this idea.  Also, I still 
need to put the research into it.  I need to discuss my ideas with 
architects and engineers or learn the knowledge to necessary to make an 
educated assessment of my design myself.  

Another construction idea which looked promising for the 
chemically sensitive was formed earth construction, but unless you are 
financially well off it is way too expensive to be feasible.

well hope my theorizing is helpful to you--please remember 
that it is just theorizing and not experienced ideas.

:)

----- Original Message ----- 

From: franceslouise wilson  

To: coblist at deatech.com 

Sent: 8/24/02 10:51:24 PM 

Subject: Cob: Allergies

Dear Fellow Cobbers,

I have been thinking about this for quite some time, but had not decided to 

post anything about it until speaking with a woman who lives close to me 

here in Kansas.

As I have aged, my allergies have increasingly become more 
acute.  I find 

that I am allegic to literally dozens of substances, that I had not been 

allergic to previously.

I would like to know if a Cob residence would be better suited for someone 

like me, who is becoming environmentally allergic.  I have found 
that fumes 

from pvc, insulation, and paint can make me become violently ill, and that 

migraine headaches usually are part of the illness.  Since cob 
buildings are 

made from natural substances--clay, sand, straw--I felt that this may be 
the 

answer to my prayer for a chemical free home.

For those of you lucky enough to already be living in your cob home, I 
would 

like to have some feedback about how it's affected your health--positively 

or negatively.  Thanks so much!

Frances

_________________________________________________________________

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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Having trouble posting....trying again</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:jenniferponder at earthlink.net" title=jenniferponder at earthlink.net></A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A href="mailto:jenniferponder at earthlink.net" title=jenniferponder at earthlink.net>coblist at deatech.com</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 8/26/02 11:33:44 AM </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Cob: Allergies</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Hi, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I've been part of this cob list for a while and never posted.  I also am chemically sensitive and am trying to solve my housing delimna.  I've read of two people with this illness who've built cob houses.  One has a home in CA and is trying to sell it, but also arranges tours of the place.  The website to check that out is:  <A href="http://www.northcoast.com/~tms/cobhouse.html">www.northcoast.com/~tms/cobhouse.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The other place I heard about an chemically sensitive person living in a cob house was in an article from Natural Home.  (This is a great magazine by the way for those of us interested in less toxic living.  Plus, what might interest you Ms. Wilson is that there is an advice columnist working for them that is chemically sensitive--Deborah Lynn Dadd.  She is very knowledgeable and has written several good books for the chemically ill.)  </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The article to which I'm referring was in May/June 2002 issue on page 40 titled "Casa Natura." Casa Narura is both a home and a shop.  You can visit it at 544-A Agua Fria, Santa Fe, NM.  Phone (877) 650-1600 or website:  <A href="http://www.casanaturainc.com">www.casanaturainc.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Natural Home has had several articles on cob houses that are interesting...I think that there was even one recently about the founder of the cob cottage co.  You might try writing the magazine for information.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Personally, I'm drifting away from the idea of using cob.  I'm very allergic to molds and I'm concerned that the wet clay and straw will grow some before they dry.  I know already that I'm highly allergic to the molds that grow on hay and have to avoid them completely, so I don't know if I can handle straw.  I'm concerned that I might not be able to complete the construction of cob myself--which is what I want.   Anywho, I've not given up on cob completely, but need to attend a cob construction and finished home to be certain of my tolerance of the stuff.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I'm now considering a construction technique that is similar to cob in principle, uses some old school military knowledge, but a variation on a new construction technique.  I'm considering building a house out of sand bags...similar to the earthbag idea except not using plastic bags which can possibly make me sick as they break down and release ethylene or other petroleum ickypoos.  The dryness of the bags will keep down mold during construction.  The sand bags, if the walls get flooded, won't collapse and hopefully won't mold and make my house intolerable to me.  The mix of clay and gravel will be roughly the mixture for cob but won't contain straw.  I have a quarry or two in my area and want to use quarry finds to fill my bags. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Anywho, these are my thoughts now.  I'm not ready to build yet and have no land to experiment on--I will build an experimental "storage shed" before I attempt any house with this idea.  Also, I still need to put the research into it.  I need to discuss my ideas with architects and engineers or learn the knowledge to necessary to make an educated assessment of my design myself.  </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Another construction idea which looked promising for the chemically sensitive was formed earth construction, but unless you are financially well off it is way too expensive to be feasible.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>well hope my theorizing is helpful to you--please remember that it is just theorizing and not experienced ideas.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:franceslouise11 at hotmail.com" title=franceslouise11 at hotmail.com>franceslouise wilson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A href="mailto:franceslouise11 at hotmail.com" title=franceslouise11 at hotmail.com>coblist at deatech.com</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 8/24/02 10:51:24 PM </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Cob: Allergies</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2>
<P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dear Fellow Cobbers,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have been thinking about this for quite some time, but had not decided to </DIV>
<DIV>post anything about it until speaking with a woman who lives close to me </DIV>
<DIV>here in Kansas.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As I have aged, my allergies have increasingly become more acute.  I find </DIV>
<DIV>that I am allegic to literally dozens of substances, that I had not been </DIV>
<DIV>allergic to previously.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I would like to know if a Cob residence would be better suited for someone </DIV>
<DIV>like me, who is becoming environmentally allergic.  I have found that fumes </DIV>
<DIV>from pvc, insulation, and paint can make me become violently ill, and that </DIV>
<DIV>migraine headaches usually are part of the illness.  Since cob buildings are </DIV>
<DIV>made from natural substances--clay, sand, straw--I felt that this may be the </DIV>
<DIV>answer to my prayer for a chemical free home.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For those of you lucky enough to already be living in your cob home, I would </DIV>
<DIV>like to have some feedback about how it's affected your health--positively </DIV>
<DIV>or negatively.  Thanks so much!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Frances</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>_________________________________________________________________</DIV>
<DIV>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: <A href="http://mobile.msn.com">http://mobile.msn.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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