There are often concerns expressed
about moisture problems with Strawbale construction.
Whenever I come across these
threads, I like to check my bale wall moisture meter. My house is now over 8
years old, and I have moisture sensors placed in each of the four directions
at about 4 inches above the floor. This is the end of a wet November here in a
wet county of the wet part of the state:
"The 12.92 inches of rain recorded at the
Bremerton weather station along Kitsap Way in the first 12 days of the month
exceeds the previous wettest start of November, the first really wet month of
winter, by more than 5 1/2 inches.
The 12-day record holder until now was in 1999, when 7.29 inches through Nov.
12 launched a month that ended with 14.13 inches for the 30 days.
Not even the wettest November on record, 18.29 inches in 1983, began so
relentlessly. It had only 7.05 inches through its 12th day."
My moisture meter tonight lights up at 10-11% moisture in my north wall, a
wall which has never seen sunlight. You don't even need to think about
moisture problems until it reads over 14%, which it never has.
My house is a post-n-beam (not load bearing) structure, approved by the
county, and happily insured by a perfectly normal insurance company. Although
we do have rain here and one must be mindful of leaks, I feel very safe in my
quiet, solid, earthquake-steady and fire resistant home. Do be sure to have
2ft eaves and invest in a 50 year steel roof.
This seems like a pretty good
indication that if you build the Strawbale home correctly it will do fine even
in damp climates. I'd be glad to hear from anyone with more data.
