Information on Moriarty, NM? (Albuquerque, Clovis: homes, living in, shop) - New Mexico - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

catman · 09-10-2006, 01:34 AM

That's quite true; I hadn't even thought about that. It would be like having your whole house as a fallout shelter. I already have a Geiger counter, so I'd be all set as long as I had enough food and water! Are there any underground houses in NM that you know of? I would think that the dry, rocky ground would be ideal...It might be difficult to excavate, but it probably would be very stable. Every house around here in Fort Worth has foundation problems because of the shifty ground, so an underground house might not work out too well.

Crackerjack · 09-10-2006, 04:00 AM

Catman, there are some underground homes around Durango that I know about. I am sure NM has them too. Here is a link for an underground homes business in Durango for more information.

earthshelter.com/index.html

Type www. before earthshelter if you need your browser to take you to it. These are cool homes! (Pun intended

)

catman · 09-10-2006, 10:42 PM

CJ, that is a very interesting site! Those are cool in every sense of the word. They are beautiful! The kits aren't very expensive, but I imagine that the finished cost would be several times that. In any case, thank you very much! I have another excuse to go to Durango again.

Crackerjack · 09-11-2006, 02:13 AM

You are welcome Catman. I am thinking about building one myself. I think they are great too and efficient! I think with solar power added and maybe a windmill for extra electricity, someone could have a self-sufficient home. My brother also has some oil drums he painted black and filled them with water and uses it to radiate heat. It works! They are near his south facing windows and the sun heats the water during the day and radiates the heat back into the home at night. I am always looking for ways to have a total self-sufficient home and one that won't pollute the environment or use costly fuels like propane or gas.

catman · 09-12-2006, 09:49 PM

That's a great idea concerning the oil drums. I couldn't agree more with you purpose of having a self-sufficient home. My electric bill eats me alive in the summer here in Ft Worth due to the power-hungry air-conditioning (but ya can't live without it). I imagine that in Timberon, heating would be much more important than cooling. My main goal is to have a high insulation factor, which underground housing has a lock on. I would just as soon hardly anything showed above ground...I think it would be cool to just walk upstairs and be essentially in the wild.

Crackerjack · 09-12-2006, 11:38 PM

Yes Catman, I think the same way. I'd like a totally underground house too, where above you is just your yard! I'd put it on a small hill so there wouldn't be a water flow problem which could happen if you built it down low and when lots of rains come, it could flow into the home but on a hill, that wouldn't be an issue since the rain would flow down away from your house. The houses are so cool in summer you don't need any air-conditioning. In winter, it is so insulated, it doesn't take much to heat either. Why in the world these homes aren't the normal instead of the exception is beyond me. The only thing I can think of is people don't like the idea of living underground but really if you can cut back tremendously the use of electricity and heating, why wouldn't it be a good idea? The added safety of tornado protection in tornado country and nuclear safety, God forbid, there be such a terrible thing, you and your family would be protected. It would be great if cities started to build suburbs with all underground homes. I would think they would be a hit! I know this isn't about Moriarty but Moriarty would be a great place to start underground homes!

catman · 09-17-2006, 02:52 AM

I'm sold on the concept and have been for a long time. What you said about water flowing certainly makes sense. I would want it to be in a high place anyway, for my ham radio antennas to work well and for astronomy. The utility savingswould be wonderful. I'm not so sure about nuclear attack protection. It would save you from direct radiation, but ventilation might be a problem...I know nothing about air filtration and whether radioactive particles would be stopped by it. Hopefully, I'd never have to find out.

All the houses in my neighborhood here have foundation problems because the soil is so shifty when it dries out, and we have periodic severe droughts, like the one now. An underground house would have to be built superstrong around here to survive. Moriarty, and much of NM, probably has much drier, rockier and more stable soil which would work better.

Crackerjack · 09-18-2006, 01:01 AM

My brother told me about reading about some underground homes and one is for sale in Durango, at a secret location near there and there was an article about it in the Durango Herald Newspaper. It lists all the things we talked about, air filtration, solar, all the bells and whistles for around 400,000 and something. It supposedly will take all kinds of disasters and come out unharmed. Sounds great! A business colleague told me that it is best to have one side of the home, preferably facing south, with windows for solar collection and to warm the home by the sun and have the windows with thick shielded doors that can close for safety and protection. He also said the homes need one side exposed to the wind and sun to keep it dry and for fresh air. Something to think about. Also something I thought about is you need those windows to grow plants to keep fresh air coming.

catman · 09-18-2006, 10:54 PM

That sounds like a great house, but it's out of my price range. I can't move right away anyway, unfortunately.

The concept of having windows on the south side of the house makes sense, although you wouldn't be able to have a completely hidden house that way. That would be difficult anyway, since driveways and other necessary stuff would be visible and would give it away.

Crackerjack · 09-19-2006, 02:57 AM

Yes I can't move right away either. I hope to make it to Durango by May of next year. That is where I am going. I am in Phoenix now but can't wait to get up to Colorado. I also know your area of Fort Worth. I have cousins and a sister in your area. It sure is hot there too but you got more humidity than Phoenix. Phoenix stay hot day and night, at least it cools some there at night, it still feels like an oven at night here.