The Rural Voice, 2006-04, Page 33r
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some parts of Ontario are still being
denied building permits because their
local building inspectors are
unfamiliar with straw bale building
standards. So, naturally, when people
hear about straw bales for the first
time, most of them automatically
assume the buildings are potentially
unsafe or unhealthy. As with every
other aspect of straw homes, they
again surprise us with their suitability
for human habitation.
Straw bale builders maintain that a
well-built bale house is an unlikely
host for mice or insects. And despite
being encased in concrete, the walls
naturally breathe, a curious quality in
a building material offering such
high insulation properties. Silica -
based paints (rather than latex or oil-
based paints), such as those
manufactured by Farrow and Ball,
need to be used to maintain this
quality.
Consequently, residents don't
worry about the "sick building
syndrome" common to airtight
modern structures where off -gassing
of synthetic building materials can
create an inhospitable environment.
People who are extremely allergic or
asthmatic may fear a reaction to these
homes, but if the straw is dry.
properly baled and sealed, it should
be biologically inert and non-
irritating.
Once the walls of Martin and
Cathy's house were finished. the
more conventional aspects of the
house's construction were left:
interior framing and floors,
insulation, drywall, electrical,
plumbing. Again in order to save
money, Martin was left to do a large
part of the work after Tony and Jim
left in September. At the end of
November, once it was liveable,
Cathy, Martin and Silas moved into it
from the trailer on the property, their
home for the previous five years. The
kitchen cabinets, the bathrooms and
the final layer of the clay floor were
completed just in time to have a
number of family members stay for
Christmas.
Thinking about the savings in
energy, Cathy and Martin were eager
to see just how little wood their stove
would need this winter. Of Amish
design, the stove has pipes to heat
water, both for regular use and for
the radiant heating pipes buried in the
clay floor. The house also has a
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APRIL 2006 29
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