Son bought a underground house

[CrealCritter]

My son just purchased an earthen birm house. Build into the side of a hill and fully enclosed on three sides. His utility bills are expected to be almost nothing throughout the year both heat and air conditioning are from aa geothermal heat pump, it's basically uses a coil of pipe buried deep in the ground as a heat / cooling source.

It's a nice house and all don't get me wrong but there are only three tripple pane windows, the front door and a guarage door on one side of the house. There is one way in and one way out. He's been living there less than a month and has already had to move into the second bedroom because with no windows in the master bedroom, he was having a hard time sleeping and waking up. Actually earthen birm houses are pretty common around here but his is the first ever got to study. It's like a cement cave with framed walls and cement wall stuco type board. Kind of odd/different type of construction and not something I've ever had the opportunity to study before.

Its amazing how our bodies rely on the sun isn't it?

 

[perchie.girl]

He will adapt. Probably will need full spectrum lighting in at least one room. What was hard for me was discovering the light show that static electricity gave me every night...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That is cool! There's one that I know of in this area (actually about 40ish miles inland from me). Every time we drive by my DH is practically drooling because he wants to explore it. I like the idea but have never investigated it very thoroughly.

 

[CrealCritter]

He will adapt. Probably will need full spectrum lighting in at least one room. What was hard for me was discovering the light show that static electricity gave me every night...

That's a good idea... I recommend skylights in every room but talking about a job to install them. There is at least 2 foot of dirt covering the roof and that's before to hit the cement and I don't have a clue how thick that is. Then you have to worry about drainage and leaking. Not something I would tackle as part of a home improvement project that's for sure.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh man. I would be claustrophobic!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I don't think this is something I'd choose. But, to each his own, and if he's happy with it, that's great! There are so very many ways to build a home while decreasing the energy needs.

 

[CrealCritter]

Oh man. I would be claustrophobic!

I agree with you. I think I would claustrophobic also.

 

[GypsyG]

I grew up in an underground house. The biggest problem my family had with it was the humidity. We had to keep a large dehumidifier running 24/7 and had to empty a full three gallon tub from it everyday... If you didn't the walls would start to grow fur.

That was years ago though... Perhaps they have found a way to build them so that they don't have those problems anymore.

 

[baymule]

I need windows. At the last job I had, my desk was in front of a window and I could see out. Got a new boss and he remodeled my office. He was going to take the window out, I told him that if he did, I would quit. I was not going to sit in a box all day. I got to sorta keep the window, he had installed a pane of glass. I couldn't open it, but I could see out.

 

[GypsyG]

I need windows. At the last job I had, my desk was in front of a window and I could see out. Got a new boss and he remodeled my office. He was going to take the window out, I told him that if he did, I would quit. I was not going to sit in a box all day. I got to sorta keep the window, he had installed a pane of glass. I couldn't open it, but I could see out.

I didn't mind there not being windows in the bedrooms of the one I grew up in. I got really used to it and it took me a very long time after I moved out to get where I could fall asleep easily in a room that wasn't pitch black.