[Cob] Silverfish, Tornadoes, and Humidity

[Amanda Peck]

Our termites live in soil, then build a tunnel to make their way up on the 
OUTSIDE of the block, concrete, or whatever, to the wood.  18-24" is what we 
went for when I was working in construction.   But I think that our termites 
need soil, not packed clay/sand.  And they don't eat straw.  Not much eats 
straw.

Not sure where silverfish nest.  But AT A GUESS they too need organic matter 
to breed in.  If so, a nice layer of plaster ought to keep both pests out.  
Maybe especially plaster with a good deal of lime in it.

The beasties in other parts of the world may be totally different.  African 
termites are a whole 'nother thing, for instance.  Australians worry about 
something called white ants--they get to treat the soil all the way 
UNDERNEATH a concrete slab floor, if something I read the other night is 
correct.  I'm pretty sure we wouldn't even think about that.  Not in middle 
Tennessee, which is pretty serious termite territory.

Unfortunately what is really needed to protect buildings from hurricanes and 
tornados and straight-line winds is LACK of overhang. (why some low-cost, 
downscale buildings did fairly well in Hurricane Andrew)  Just what your 
building doesn't need the rest of the time.  I'd guess we should build our 
overhangs and do our best to tie the roofs on to the rest of the buildings, 
using the same strategies as conventional building.

Curved walls and buttresses are what you want in an earthquake.  Can't think 
why it wouldn't also be true in wind.

Carmen wrote (snipped):

.....where  Becky Bee discusses
potential problems with termites and silverfish. She offered  a suggestion 
for
preventing termite problems, but then went on to describe a  problem someone
has with silverfish, and she said she knew of no "nontoxic"  solution. How
common is the silverfish problem and has anyone yet found a  nontoxic 
solution to
the challenge?

And then, what about tornado resistance? Given that the roof might  come off
during a tornado, how would the building itself hold up? Tornadoes are  
rather
unpredictable, but generally speaking, with no regard to the potential  rain
involved, how well do curved cob walls hold up to tornadic winds or the
associated high winds in nearby ares during a tornado?