Cob: insects and other plagues

[D.J. Henman]

Quinn,

Quinn wrote:

>What can folks tell me about moisture in general?
>
It consists of H2O. 

>I've read that the air in a cob home is easier to breathe, less dry than a 'typical' home.  Here in GA this year we've had phenomenal rainfall and mold, mildew, and dampness have become really problematic.  
>  
>
Seriously, however, I have found little or no mold on earthen walls as 
opposed to some or more on  concrete walls based on empirical 
knowledge.   Any moisture in the wall, even in GA when hit by the sun 
will evaporate and cool the house down somewhat.

>Considering cob in the same (-ish) environment, how much of an issue will this be with an earthen home?
>
I don't think there will be any.  I've seen earthen walls in very humid 
environments and storage buildings made out it to keep valuable 
documents from mold and aging.

Also somewhere out Louisana way, homes were built with soil, spanish 
moss, and animal hair, as a crack-stoppers and installed in walls.    
Sorry I forgot the name for this kind of material, but it is a 
non-English based word.    There is at least one over a hundred year old 
southern estate house that has this type of soil mixture in its walls.

>Not so much for the walls/ building itself, but for the furniture, clothes, wood and leather contained therein.
>
>TIA, this list is great!
>Quinn
>  
>
Darel