What's is Like Living in an Earthship Home Made of Dirt?
Imagine living in a house made out of dirt. It sounds strange, but Kristina and Matt’s home, Twisted Oak, is an off-grid, passive solar, Earthship home. They love feeling connected to nature and living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Kristina was first inspired to build Twisted Oak by her structural engineering job in Seattle. She realized most homes were inefficient and generated a lot of waste, so she researched alternatives. Finally, she bought a plot of land in Colorado and got to work. Matt, who has 20 years of building experience, moved in 16 years ago as well.
Because Twisted Oak is a passive solar home, it doesn’t need external heating or cooling systems. The house is built from insulating materials. For example, one wall is made from recycled tires packed with dirt, and the other walls are from earth plasters. Temperatures are controlled by the windows and how the sun enters the home.
During the winter days, the sun heats the home, and the thermal mass or dense, insulating materials keep the house at 60 degrees during cold winter nights.
In the summer, the skylights and windows provide passive cooling. There is a wood-burning stove for the really cold days, but it’s rarely used. Water is heated with solar power, but there is a propane tank backup for the really cold days.
Kristina and Matt aren’t just saving on heating at Twisted Oaks. The whole house is off-grid, with a composting toilet and a full solar power system. The house even has a water-catchment system that turns rainwater into drinking and bathing water. The kitchen and bathing water is also recycled into a gray-water garden.
The inside of Twisted Oaks is beautifully decorated and the couple has built a lovely outdoor space too. They can’t imagine living on the grid and love the Twisted Oak lifestyle.
Would you live off the grid? Drop a comment and let us know.
Living in an Earthship home
For more alternative living stories, discover this tiny home community in Texas of these top tiny homes of 2022.
To see more videos, check out the Exploring Alternatives YouTube channel.
Comments
Join the conversation
Check out Biosphere community of 125 Earthships in Oracle, New Mexico (near Tais)
Education is only good but you have to admit when you are able to humbly apply it to your life it is an awesome feeling. I'm proud of you guys. As for me I'm arthritic but my dream I'm trying to make possible is to live underground, climate controlled, barometric pressure controlled and I live cool and cold. Blessings to you, like I said I'm proud and happy for you guys.