TWO YEARS UNDERGROUND

(Page 2 of 2)

January/February 1980
By the Mother Earth News editors 
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(And if the above facts and figures don't impress you, consider this: Daniel reports that—in a closed bedroom during the middle of winter—just having the television on would raise the temperature a total of six degrees in one short hour!)

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... AND SUMMER COOLING

Last summer—in northern Michigan— the temperature veered from nighttime lows in the 40° range to daily highs that hovered right around 100°F! During that period—with no fans or air conditioners in use—the air inside the Pinker home varied from 60° (with all the windows open) to 76°F (on a very warm afternoon, while cooking and running the washing machine at the same time).

On a sample midsummer's day (July 28, 1979) the region's outdoor temperature stood at 72°F at 9:00 a.m., while at the same time the air within the home registered 70°. By 3:00 p.m. on the same day, however, the outside temperature had risen to a sizzling 93°... but Joyce was able to enjoy a comfortable 72° in her naturally cooled house.

IN CONCLUSION:

Daniel Rinker's carefully kept figures show that—during her first two years of earth-sheltered living—Joyce saved at least 67% on her home heating and cooling costs ... as compared to what those bills would have been in an aboveground dwelling of equivalent size (1,220 square feet).

And the energy savings would have been even higher, Mr. Pinker points out, if he had used earth covering on more than 78% of the home's roof and wall area. Such additional insulation, however, would have made it impossible to include the windows in every room, which contribute to the house's airy, open-feeling interior.

Furthermore, in addition to being very energy-efficient, Joyce's home is actually less humid than an aboveground dwelling (she has noted that the air's moisture level stays at a nearly constant 50 to 52%)... is quieter ... requires less upkeep ... and blends in with its surroundings in a way that a conventional house never could. All in all, the Rinkers say they'd be hard pressed to understand—given these advantages—why anybody wouldn't want to "live underground"!

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