Cob: insects and other plagues

[Scott Van Kirk]

I have heard other people on this list complain about mold on their earthen 
walls.  They
say that using a lime finish is an excellent way to get rid of it.

-Scott

On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 12:00:28 +0900, D.J. Henman <henman at it.to-be.co.jp> 
wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
>



-- 
-Scott