Moneybucks1 (October 10, 2008 at 10:50 pm)

God!!! If the owner even farts his house will be piles of straw!!!

ranger4327 (September 28, 2008 at 4:11 am)

is this a nonsmoking home?

MMAGRO1 (September 2, 2008 at 12:48 am)

Only if water leaks in the strawbale will you have rotting bales. If you keep water away from the bale, then the straw will last a very long time, more than a lifetime. There are strawbale houses built in the 1890's that are still standing today despite the low maintaince.

DrewDawg50 (September 1, 2008 at 10:28 pm)

Would the straw ever decompose enough to the point you needing to take the wall down and put new straw up?

MMAGRO1 (August 26, 2008 at 7:27 pm)

Strawbales have a lower embodied energy than any other insulation by far, strawbales are stronger than drywall/insulation infill. Strawbales are more fire resitant than conventional housing due do the low amount of oxygen trapped inside the bale, and the 3 coats of plaster atop the strawbale walls will stop the rodents from entering the walls. Strawbales are better at soundproofing than conventional houses. Strawbale walls could be loadbearing as to save on post and beam wood materials.

MMAGRO1 (August 26, 2008 at 7:24 pm)

its not at 30" The bales are 18" thick and have an r-45 value.

teel6060 (July 30, 2008 at 11:54 pm)

I dont really see the point to be honest. I mean, you "can" do it but with modern methods and materials, "why" would you do it?Seems like it would be a bug and mouse paradise.The whole "greenhouse gas" thing is just a liberal perpetuated myth too so i really dont get it. Yet.Anyway, have fun if that your thing. :)

Kdog54902 (July 18, 2008 at 2:32 am)

Not a very good R-value. R-45 at 30". Fiberglass has twice the R-value per inch.

kode1303 (June 28, 2008 at 9:07 pm)

The breaking down happens very close to the surface. The CO2 seeps up into the atmosphere. It's an important part of the carbon cycle, which is natural and essential for life. The "bad CO2" is from the fossil fuels, which has NOT been bruken down (much deeper down) for millions of years. When we burn them we release more CO2 than there already is in the finely balanced cycle. So burn wood and straw to get warm - not oil or coal :-)

DigiGold (June 28, 2008 at 8:21 pm)

If the CO2 is released when broken down by micro-organisms, would it not be released into the ground rather than the atmosphere?