Cob codes & Locations

[Jeffrey Kirsch]

Is the Northwest a good area for cob and other earth structures? It depends.
I'll address the weather a little.
Much of the Olympic Peninsula is in the "rain shadow" of the 
Olympic Mountains. That means the moisture laden air off of the 
Pacific Ocean is pushed over the Olympics, where it is cooled and 
most of the moisture is squeezed out in the form of rain, or in 
higher elevations, snow. So, on the western side of the Olympics, 
annual rainfall can be around 140". On the Eastern side, Port 
Townsend for example, annual rainfall is more like 16". Drive south 
for 30 minutes and rainfall is 29"/year. 
So with Whidbey, it depends also. It is also east of the Olympic 
Peninsula, but is at the end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (the other 
end is the Pacific Ocean). But the island is BIG at 45 miles in 
length, so the climate at one end can be pretty different from the 
other end. There are lots of other islands around there that 
influence the climate of Whidbey, and vice versa.
I vacation in that area every year, and plan to move out there before 
too long, and yes, I hope to use some sort of earth construction. I'll 
be in the Port Townsend area. It is much drier than Atlanta, 
something that fellow Atlantans refuse to believe :-)

-Jeffrey Kirsch


Date sent:      	Thu, 13 Aug 1998 23:49:40 -0700 (PDT)
To:             	coblist at deatech.com
From:           	douglas scheffer <dscheffer at earthlink.net>

> I've been seeing several posts from people wanting to build cob here in
> the Northwest. This surprises me because every time I have a discussion
> with a contractor, they tell me it's great in the Southwest but "that
> stuff will just melt like butter up here in all this rain, not to mention
> the mold."
> 
> I am digging for some truth. I "hear" there is a woman on Whidbey Island
> that is getting her home approved. Does anyone know who she is or if there
> are any other existing cob homes here in the rainy section of the NW, If
> so I'd love to get in touch with these cobbers and see what their advice
> is for building here.
> 
> I know that Becky Bee has Groundworks in Oregon and the last e.mail from
> Deanna Simpson wanting to build on Vancouver Island.
> 
> If the Northwest is not a great place to do this, is there a list of
> states, counties, towns or provinces that have approved cob building. I am
> not limiting my self just to the Northwest, If it's easier to build
> elsewhere I'll consider it.
> 
> I don't really want to spend years barking up the wrong tree. I would
> really like to build my home in a region that has experience dealing with
> us cobbers (looking for strength in numbers I guess.) I don't know what
> any successful cobbers have experienced getting their homes approved but I
> sure could use to hear a few stories from veterans.
> 
> Thanks,
> Douglas
> 
> "...with every true friendship we build more firmly the foundations on
> which the peace of the whole world rests. Thought by thought and act by
> act, with every breath we build the kingdom of non- violence that is the
> true home of the spirit of humanity."
>     --M.K. Gandhi
> 
>