Why Straw Bale?

This is a question that I have been trying to have Jesse answer for quite some time!

When he first brought up the subject of building a straw bale home and made his arguments, I was NOT sold.  But, as Jesse's fashion, he worked his magic with words and convinced me that it was a great idea.  We also walked through a straw bale house in Akron, which was really helpful for me to see.  That house was in a development and looked like a 'normal' house.  All the pictures that I had seen of straw bale homes were very ecletic with blue bottles in the walls for windows and the structure of these homes were very rounded and odd-shaped.  They just looked very home-made in my eyes.  I wasn't too excited about that. BUT, Jesse is teaching me that a straw bale house doesn't have to be like that.  It can look like a well designed structure that fits the setting that it is in. 

What about the big-bad wolf?

This is probably the first question out of everyone's mouth when we tell them we are building a straw-bale house.  And actually, in the beginning, I was wondering if bales would make a house sturdy enough for high winds.  But, for this house, the straw bales are only the insulation.  There will be a wood framed structure that is infilled with bales to insulate the home.  So, no need to fret!  Us little pigs will be safe from those wolves!!

So, why build a straw bale home?

1.  It is environmentally friendly.  Who wants to breath in that nasty fiberglass insulation that is in the average home?  Fiberglass is not fun to work with, is an unnatural material and is harmful to breath in.  Since we are going to be doing most all the work ourselves, we didn't want to work with that stuff and tried to keep it all natural. 

2. We will have deep window sills! Ok, I know this might not be a huge selling point, but it was for me!!

3.  Bales provide amazing insulation levels.  We are anticipating R43 ratings for insulation which is far above the average R11.
4. Stay local.  We are purchasing the bales from a farmer friend we know and the bales will only have to travel a few miles to our lot.

Won't the bales rot or mold in the walls?

The art of building straw bale houses is more popular in the Northwest and Midwest States.  There are bale homes out there that have been standing for many, many years.  We will have pent roofs and big overhangs to help shed water away from the walls and a stone foundation to keep the bales off the ground.  PLUS we will use a lime plaster for the exterior which keeps moisture out but also allows the bales to breathe because of it's permeability.  That will keep liquid moisture out of the bales and let everything breathe so no mold or rot can form.