# Instead of burying a shipping container



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I would prefer this. I do not know the people who are making and selling them, but this is water proof, and could be a home, BOL shelter, root cellar, storm cellar. I know that they can be covered with soil to create a barrier for temperatures. The opening or doorway would be the challenge for radiation protection, but I'll bet it could done.

I have never been a fan of burying a shipping container and it rusting away until it collapses. I wonder how much soil could be placed on top of this before it would collapse.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

I thought that was a table with a set of chairs out in a garden at first.
The video sounds like it was made in the 70's.


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## oldasrocks (Jun 30, 2012)

Not insulated? I see trouble with that in cold and hot areas. Uninsulated underground homeowners found out quickly they could not maintain a livable temp as the ground outside sucks out the heat.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Personally , I can see a horrific humidity problem.

Unless heavy duty dehumidifiers are used.




Jim


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

I went and looked at a place a guy was building underground utilizing rebar triangles, chicken wire, and cement, building domes into a hillside and then covering it all over with earth. The biggest issue according to him was the need for air conditioning to remove humidity. He said it was from human breath.

It was a very viable system. It used two different rebar patterns, wired together then covered with chicken wire and cement applied like stucco. They were living in 3 they had built and were adding more with tunnels to new construction in a very fast timeframe. I could see using a minisplit AC system and making this system work. Minisplit systems use about 30% less power, need no duct work and work very well with solar. Many people living off grid use these ac systems for these reasons. I have a mini split system in the home im now in. Its a small home made house and it was not viable to put in duct work. We have been very happy with the mini-split system through the summer and winter. Didn't need to fire up the wood stove at all.
Another bonus is each room has its own controller and can be set at different temps.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I like the earth structures a lot also, always wanted to build one. Moisture getting in from outside can be dealt with. As pointed out it is mostly moisture generated within the structure that is an issue. My plans did include insulating them. The big plus is you are only heating or cooling to the constant ground temp in the area. In NC it was about 55 degrees F. If it is 10 out, the ground is still 55 so you only have to heat from that, not from 10. Same with cooling. Any air infiltration is not ambient outside temp, it is ambient ground temp.

You are also buffered from wind infiltration in all but the one side, another big plus. Light inside, even in the back is not an issue anymore, there are some great 'tube' like things that can redirect sunlight all over.

The big drawback, for some folks, is there is usually only one side to have in/out access. You can have exits on both sides of the front but would have to put in a tunnel with a ladder on the back. Kind of like a manhole cover thing.

Back in the 70's they were actually a viable working option. I would think even more so now.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

They need to be insulated all around unless you like living at ground temperature. One guy put a heated slab in his garage. He couldn't figure why his heating bill went up. He was complaint to the supplier about the heating system being so inefficient. The supplier asked how much insulation he put under the slab. "Insulation? ", says he. The earth is a massive heat sink that you will never fill.

The other thing you want is a french drain to keep water from collecting around the structure and finding a way inside or putting excess pressure on your walls.


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