Is This The Most Unusual Looking House On YouTube!? Couple Builds Earthbag Home In The Desert

[@ourselfreliantlife]

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[@oliverblumer2772]

My wife and I lived for 2 years in a 5th wheel near Albuquerque, NM. What we discovered is with 3 air conditioners and an upper end insulation package on our rig, we still felt the heat. Finally, I had a metal RV garage cover built. With the aluminum frame support. This kept the direct sun off the roof and off the top 4 ft of sides .large airspace created between roof and roof of RV. This lowered the temp inside trailer under 15 degrees from usual. With the random high winds it is just not possible to use awnings ( which can lower temp inside trailer significantly. Skirting around Bolton of trailer also is effective for cooling RV, however, skirting also makes an attractive environment for snakes and mice. As for the solar shed- invest in the Bible wrap covered with reflective material. Make a blanket for the shed outside to reflect sunlight/ heat away from shed surface.. just like the dash sunshades used to block sun at the wind shield. It’s worth the time and extra bucks to lower the temps . You probably get all kinds of helpful hints from arm chair coaches. My experience has proven to reduce the temps.and take a huge drain off the various electrical and small fan systems. Thanks for sharing your experiences and example of the American pioneering spirit.

[@oliverblumer2772]

Bubble wrap not Bible wrap

[@honthirty_]

Good advise.

[@lorainawilson6710]

Add shade cloth over camper to help keep sun off. Enjoy watching.

[@debeacon]

It is really inspiring seeing you guys pursue your objective and surmounting all the obstacles... And, you are keeping the love alive. I have to say you guys are really living!!! Enjoy your adventure and thank you.

[@EJ-mm8wc]

interesting thing i've seen people do is get a chest freezer and use it as a frig. when you lift the lid to open it the cold air stays in it.

[@fabiolacanta]

I was thinking the same thing! We have one and they do not use much power at all and you can even turn it off periodically so long as you keep it closed.

[@jimh4167]

Using a chest freezer as a refrigator is what some have done before the Energy Star Appliances.. They have figured out how to use them so things don't get buried Water jugs in the bottom Plastic storage containers put in vertically.. (Not stacked) So they look like a file cabinet.. Freezers have better insulation and thicker .. One problem the floor space they take up.. Now the Energy Star Refrigators.. Super low energy used How to efficiently use them Keep them full.. Very little air space between things... So it doesn't drain the batteries at night Keep frozen water. And at night. Move frozen water into the cooler section.. And run the frig on a timer.. Keep the frig closed at night When the solar comes up Put the water bottles back into the freezer Well this is one way

[@elizabethblane201]

Your channel is completely underrated. It deserves more subs.

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thank you!

[@phyllisstein1837]

Rain water catchment 3.0 - Third time's a charm....

[@fabiolacanta]

I really appreciate that you took that snake to a different location instead of killing it. ❤️

[@tonyb.4824]

Replaced my RV fridge with a 120 v. unit that fit the opening. Very happy with it and doesn't use nearly the power the absorption units use.

[@kristieandjeff2720]

So proud of both of you, you have come so far in such a short time and I wish the best of luck to you in all of your desert endeavors 💪Absolutely incredible and inspiring, much love from East Texas 💕😃👍

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thank you!!

[@christyhinkley393]

I’m really liking your bird family growing. They are so cool looking. I know he’s going to be sooooo happy when the weather starts to cool down. House is looking good.

[@patriciahazeltine9986]

We love our Cactus Wrens, we call them squawk a birdies, especially when they shout at our cat. Here they make their homes in the Cholla Cactus. (Which I call the chupa cobra cactus).

[@frododavis9082]

tanned rattle snake hides sell for around 75.00 the head, in a glass dome sell for $200.00 and up the meat is very tasty. did you say you need money for a truck?

[@hvaughan84]

I mean if you really have to kill the snake this would be the way to go 😂

[@AlmostHomestead]

Sootstache... hilarious! Looking good guys. Glad little wren survived the attack. Good luck with the fridge. Stay cool.

[@carolynmoody9460]

many blessings to you both..

[@TheRrevn57]

Love the fun editing bird story subplots cut in like a professional movie. Love the fun cartoon editing at the end. And of course, all the hard work I'm glad I'm not doing right now in the super hot Arizona sun. I pray you find a good truck soon.

[@StoneKathryn]

I like the eave supports. They look great. Great soot-stache! Sorry you got cut! Refrigerator problems suck! It is such a hassle to find another one and you don't want your food to spoil! Nice graphics at the end! Good nature show with the birds. Thanks Jim!

[@richardsolomon8076]

MARIO , Princess Peach ,and Poochy racing around mushroom 🍄 Village hope you heal well Jim, them swinging steel cuts can be nasty, nice job wrangling the snake out, hopefully the chickens will be safer. Go Mum and Dad bird, I hope the little fella managed to get to a safe place. Ps: nice looking water catching, looking forward to seeing it all in b4 rain 🌧 😀

[@firstmate015]

I love it. It's not boring like others I've seen. Whip up a straw bale ice cream swirl for the top, just be sure to paint it white so it doesn't look like the poop pillow in the RV LOL. It could be a Desert Dairy Queen. Sprinkles of nuts, strawberry topping...no chocolate fudge please.

[@richardbrooks3569]

Quite a privilege having the cactus wren select your shed for a nest. Their mating call is quite nice as compared to what they sing now.

[@TwistedArtLady]

The braces look great! I think it looks great, glad to see you moving forward again. Stay cool!!

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thank you!

[@LizZorab]

It's looking great! Loved the footage of the birds, thank you for sharing that with us.

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thank you so much Liz!

[@anothercasualobserver8764]

Maybe you should look at purchasing some extra water and a really good swamp cooler? It will save tons of battery capacity and it'll help Crew too. Keep those wide brim hats on kids. I spent all my growing up years in the desert and now am paying the cost of excessive long term sun exposure.

[@stevethomas5209]

Evaporative cooling is great I use it in my home. With dry climate you cant beat it. But they are limited on water I think, but I know for sure I would have it on my camper its so cheap to run and they would not need a very large unit.

[@1noryb]

Yes, sort of. I used to sell evaporative coolers and know the difference. swamp coolers do not recirculate water, so are capable of lower temperatures assuming your water source is cold. evaporative coolers recirculate the water, so the water flowing across the pads will be as cold as the cooling effect evaporation can provide. note the big difference though - one dumps water onto the ground after it crosses the pads once, the other evaporates all the water and recirculates water that does not evaporate on the first, or second pass.

[@stevethomas5209]

@@1noryb last year when we had allot of brush fires and humidity was below 10% my unit was blowing colder than my AC. And the air was so nice and my wife's sinuses due to the fires and smoke and wind outside were loveing the moist air inside. And our electric bill is always very low when we use our ( Bonair 5000) . It's made in Australia. We're going on 15 years useing evaporative cooling. Fyi : we do have AC but we prefer the evaporative cooling much more

[@1noryb]

@@stevethomas5209 It's amazing how much energy can be moved with evaporation, how well it cools down the air! In the San Joaquin Valley, CA, USA, considered good for evaporative cooling, with 20-30% humidity I expect around 40 F (22 C) drop when outside is 100+ F (38 C). I think your conditions are some of the best for evaporative cooling!

[@stevethomas5209]

@@1noryb Yes it is , I'm in the Inland Empire 40 miles south west of Los Angeles and it is prime weather for evap Cooling. And we will take it above AC any day provided the humidity is low enough which is most of the summer. On average we use AC two weeks total out of a summer due to hurricane in Mexico pushing humidity up our way.

[@zeds.6783]

I’m so glad to see you got the eave supports up! Gloves might be a good thing to wear while using anything that has a cutting edge, such as drills. You two made a lot of progress on things. You’re both doing really great, I love it!

[@jollymatilda5890]

I used to make good money as a teenager shaving dogs in the spring, summer, and fall out there in Arizona. Every little bit helps. Swamp coolers are great when there is no humidity and or rain. They don't help as well during monsoon season. They might not have a decent monsoon season this year. So maybe a swamp cooler would be alright for them.

[@annwithaplan9766]

Check to see if your trailer is level. I had a problem with mine and found out that it will affect the performance of the fridge if the trailer isn't level. Once I leveled it better the fridge worked really well.

[@bartjohnson8139]

Greetings from an old broken down Dallas builder. I know it’s too late to give you this advice since you’ve already use the metal strap ties, however you might consider using 6 inch construction bolts in the future when tying something like your eve supports together. One self tapping construction bolt easily takes the place of the strong ties on both sides of the support. And before cobing the bottom of the supports, I would suggest drilling a three eights inch hole through the bottom of the support in a horizontal line and then driving a 2’ number three rebar spike through the hole into your earthen bags. In the desert winds, the eaves will have a tendency to flex. And simply placing them against the earthen bags and then installing cob may weaken overtime. The rebar pin will really anchor them into position. Anyway, I really enjoy what y’all are creating, and watching the process.

[@moniquevelasco20]

Looking good guys! Amazing how much wildlife you have around your home. Love it! Keep it up guys.😘🤗🌼🇻🇪

[@et5222]

How about a 1 foot high gabion all the way around the dome on top of the new rafters? It makes no sense structurally but I'm just a big fan of Jim making gabions : ) Seriously, the build is looking awesome and unique, just like you and Jess.

[@affordabledesertliving3487]

As a bird guy you can bet I was glued to the video with the thrasher vs wren altercation! Great stuff!

[@ourselfreliantlife]

It was cool Jess was able to catch that in action.

[@armidaperez5360]

Like a brown recluse-spider

[@2potornot2pot]

For brown recluse bite use Prid, a salve in an orange tin sold at most pharmacies. Saved my skin many times. Just follow directions. Made with comfrey I think.

[@bartjohnson8139]

Ammonia evaporative refrigerators are great when they run on propane, and are in a coolish environment. Like all evaporative systems they rely heavily on the ambient temperature where they are kept. It may simply be the solid state switching / igniter board located on the back of the refrigerator. It could be reached through the bottom access panel. Make sure that you’re not impeding the airflow with any tape. If it doesn’t flow, you don’t cool. Have you smelled any ammonia? If so the cooling coil has failed. They’re not cheap. Whatever you do do not invest in a rebuilt cooling coil. They simply don’t last. Anyway I hope your refrigerator comes back to life.

[@edwardmclaughlin6126]

In the Land of the Blind, they work at night. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing.

[@lkw911news9]

Love it

[@timerickson7056]

most modern fridges are way more efficient than those rv fridges. and those fridges are the number one cause of rv fires

[@carmenmariacortesmarin2664]

Which ones, the most efficient, regular dorm fridges or the RV 12 v fridges?

[@timerickson7056]

@@carmenmariacortesmarin2664 some dorm most full size are more efficient than rv fridges and a thousand times safer. rv fridges are filled with ammonia. and they all TTlook eventually. that's the piss smell we start to notice. worse than that the ammonia is SUPER FLAMMABLE and will go off when the fridge vegans a cooling cycle.

[@carmenmariacortesmarin2664]

@@timerickson7056 thank you

[@joshuatinkham3703]

The processing plant in Stanwood used ammonia the whole town had to evacuate when it had an issue, once that I'm aware of. Can you get a full size and keep it under shade and maybe beef up the insulation to keep it from running all the time. I don't see how a fridge freezer or a/c could ever shit off. Could you keep the fridge and freezer in the lower half of the dome building.? Idk bored and watching again. Lol hope the heat breaks soon, worried for ya all. I'd die in that heat. I never adjusted to even the Sacramento CA heat working in it daily. Now I'm a climate controlled critter too. Is the lower part of the dome any better than outside yet?

[@timerickson7056]

@@joshuatinkham3703 twin cities cannery . they also had guys stealing ammonia to make crack in the 80s-90s. new fridges tell on the label how much electricity they use. refrigerators use heat exchange to cool insulation will effect that. maybe make them less efficient. there was a expensive 12 volt fridge that only lasted a few months because they lacked proper airflow.

[@shortbus]

You guys are hard workers for sure. Thanks for taking care of those Cactus Wrens too. Also, I have heard that rattle snakes are territorial and usually like to come back around if you just let them loose away from your place. Maybe it's best to just use some bird shot? I hate killing things too but the other side of the story is so much worse. You'll have a truck real soon Jim, wait and see.

[@ericjohnson1008]

No accidents.... Y'all live to far out. Stay safe out there.

[@EricWhiteChooseGod1st]

That's an interesting bird call. Looks like you're staying busy with Rattlers and putting up your new gutter system.

[@rich-bynameonly5325]

I think you nailed the name .... "The SpaceShroom House"

[@toddthurston8317]

I suggest a solar flood lamp on a large tripod (3 pieces of 10'x1" EMT conduit?) You could charge it for free during the day, and move it around in the evening to utilize the cooler temps. You may be more efficient and get away from that dreadful energy-sapping heat.

[@pappabob29]

You might look to make sure the heat transfer coil is clean enough to allow air to move through the fins allowing it to transfer heat. Sometimes they get clogged up with dust or freeze so the ice plugs up the air flow. So, look at cleaning (vacuum) and/or ice. Maybe try turning it off for a day so it can be sure to thaw any ice. Sometimes the refrigeration issues are that simple. Could be a "defrost timer" that is now working so the unit is "icing" up.

[@oogie-boogie]

love it when Jessica smiles, her hole face lights up at 16.19 time nice work guys keep up the good work

[@bobbebbington5356]

Nice work Jim. Good editing Jess. If you have to buy a new frig look at a chest option. They may be hard to find but you can buy a chest freezer and get it converted. They are a lot cheaper to run because the cold does not escape when you open the door.

[@RVBadlands2015]

We put one small fan out side of frig and one on top. You can get the frig fans on Amazon.

[@12ezz]

Great construction! About the refrigerator it needs to be vacuum every 6 month, KZbin it, name or brand and number, how to clean it. if air ways are blocked it will stop working, good luck!

[@jillelaine770]

We had wasps build a big nest in the fridge's rooftop ventilation, which made it unsafe to use, especially with propane

[@paulwhitfield3453]

Try checking if there are any restrictions in the flue of the refrigerator. If that is clear, Uninstall the fridge and turn it upside down. Leave it for a few days. Then test. This helps unblock internal blockages on the absorbtion system.

[@beats4thought401]

That's gonna look so cool when it's done! You should totally paint the top red with white spots like a mushroom!

[@gailbenjamin5137]

I keep all my dried and dehydrated veg in my mom's camper fridge because it's not in use. It's dark and dry.

[@thisoldditty]

About your refrigerator. I saw Curtis Stone, a canadian urban farmer built a genius walk in refrigerator like restaurants have, to keep his produce harvest in good shape while it waits to be delivered. He stick frames a box, insulates it very well. Uses a Low BTU window unit AC with a add on device (sorry I can't remember the name of the most important piece of the puzzle) but it keeps the AC compressor running continuously so that you can achieve 39 degrees F. in a box you built, with a window AC. Pretty cool.

[@arleensanchez1174]

Anytime I find a rattler around my home, they are after the mice. I hate mice. I make sure that my chicken feed is in a well secured container at all times. It is also on a chair off the ground. In the coop, I try to keep their feed on a second level of the coop to discourage the mice and only feed enough for chickens daily needs so there is hardly any feed left overnight. I recently put a new flock of young chickens out in a smaller coop and their food situation was on the ground. Within a week, I got mice. I may just get rid of all my chickens and give to family that already have chickens of their own. I love my chickens but I hate mice more. Good luck with your situation. My husband and I love your videos. Good luck and stay cool!

[@alankee1065]

I’m so glad you added the braces. I wasn’t sure how you planned to support it. It’s looking great. Your heat is crazy. Take care of yourself.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

I hope the refrigerator doesn’t die on you. Does the other RV have a working refrigerator? You e made good progress. I like the cactus wren story line.

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Sorry to report PPG, but the refrigerator died. Well, it definitely wasn't cooling to safe levels. We're getting by though.

[@taliandzelda5006]

Jim, I want to compliment you. This video is so smooth. I like the more mature you. Looking great.

[@WildBillFlysRC]

The Cactus Wren is the Arizona state bird. Nice Snake!

[@bondpaz]

Omg. That awesome. It’s a dirtship! Love the bird fighting!😁

[@ourselfreliantlife]

That was some crazy drama with the birds. I can't believe Jess caught that.

[@noteem5726]

I vote for the space ship. You could even put it up on Air bnb after that

[@mortshare7037]

If you can find a fresnel lens, you might be able to char your wood more sustainably. You want to find the focal length & then move slightly outside the focus so you have a wider char location. A parabolic trough might be even faster.

[@911dips5]

The stache is soo funny

[@Garowen]

Maybe buy a cheap but energy efficient standard fridge and put it in your solar room? (or under your awning, or in a new shed). would be cheaper than an RV fridge and might use less power. good middle ground until the house is done.

[@perlygatekeeper]

Love the birds sub-plot!

[@KeepItSimpleSurvival]

Wow, it is still looking like A Desert Igloo......😜

[@patord1233]

Yes you earthbag house looks wild!

[@saintracheljarodm.holy-kay2560]

Take care and God bless amen.

[@TheWhimsyFarm]

It gives me smurf house vibes but no matter what you 2 are killing it. I think it will be amazing no matter what!!

[@ernesthiatt6499]

if can switch to a dorm refrigerator, 3.2/3.4 they only used between 0.09 - 1.45 amps -62 - 140 watts of ac power.. i have one in my class b rv, and runs of solar

[@lanec5672]

Still making time for wrangling & relocating rattlers... Good on ya' !!

[@jamesseven2068]

You can directly hookup a Digital Cooling Thermostat Controller to fridge compressor. There only 18.99 on amazon. The only wiring is hot and neutral going to compressor need to be wired to male plug. Simply place the probe, plug-in the thermostat controller, and use the large 3-button interface to choose your desired temperature setting. Digital display supports units in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Note: the controller is designed to have a 2-3 degree buffering zone before powering on again after reaching set temperature.

[@judyking241]

Great roof for rain catchment

[@Citystead]

For sure going to be a one of a kind home

[@gissie391]

Reminds me of old Dutch windmill at moment. Looks like it's coming on very well.

[@CBsGreenhouseandGarden]

Long as it is Jess approved then you get to live another day. Nope no snakes buddy! Bird nest is cool with parents feeding. Don't think she will go for the trade for the truck. Need those gutters up and ready! Crew is on the job for the night shift. Wild those birds are fighting. Hate to hear the freg is going out. Good job done on the braces. Stay safe and cool as ya can.

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thanks CB! From now on all my ideas need Jess approval. 😆

[@dalestephan6777]

Check your tubing/ lines and vents. Spiders love propane.

[@robertmiller2831]

I think the eaves look awesome!!

[@Dr.Gunsmith]

Yes you got a listen to the boss lady 😂🙏

[@cjsmith1760]

When I had to live in a 28ft travel trailer I had the same 'ice box' problem. Replaceing/repairing was out of the question as I'm sure you discovered. I managed to find a compact/studio refer at a bent or dent store for a reasonable price. Was a snug fit with space to spare on top. Little molding and it looked like it belonged. No more gas though.

[@lisamcdonald7828]

Glad to see you guys loving on the wild life! To many people don't appreciate it and kill it out of fear and ignorance! As someone that lives on solar I agree you always need a backup generator! I can go months and months without running it but in this extreme heat I have to run it from just before sundown until its cool enough to shut it down. Stay safe!

[@Jhovan33]

You need 1 more vertical board for your eve. Along the bags.

[@scotteddy1468]

I had a friend at Mesa trailer and RV sales and they used to sell used and rebuilt frig for reasonable price. I got mine there for about $80. It lasted almost ,11 years. Also you can go to best buy they sell 12 volt refrigerator for $850 but there big. 13.1 feet. Almost a full sized . They work great as well. My friend uses his on a boat using a 500 watt Mimi generator solar system

[@mrs.jillaroo6907]

Hi guys, those type of fridges really need airflow for them to work well, so tapping the back may have worked against your favors. For those bugs, best to find the holes they come in on the inside and plug those instead. You can add some computer fans in the back (where you had it sealed, behind the grid) up and down to really improve on airflow. That's a pretty cheap way to fix things, and will be a big help. However, I agree with you, that no matter in this heat, it may be time to invest early in the fridge you'll be using for the house. They are now so efficient. Good luck, and my gosh, please pretty please wear snake garters and / or leather gloves when catching and releasing the rattles, we want GDP to continue ;)

[@margaretheathcote9842]

I love the spaceship .

[@linacabrera3172]

Hello ! I love to see hugging each other, beautiful!! God bless you

[@jeffgallup2720]

SO STOKED FOR YOU TWO! This is funky old UT guy again. Watching You guys take on the world with Birds , Chix, Crew and duh' snakes - cool. But look at Your HOUSE! Keep on truckin'. Its so great. I am perm. disabled and was planning to build as Y'all when I went down. Thx to the higher Power - our house is now paid off and we are focused on all the "prep" stuff - like solar and storage tank for water etc. Outfitting suburban house for apocalyptic maybes and whatever's . All the Best to YOU! SO inspiring. THX.

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thank you so much. Best of luck to you as well.🙏

[@johnwolf1475]

Get a freezer insulate it big time.. run during day, off at night. Use ice blocks from it in a cooler

[@beachlife9419]

Nice 👍👍👍 work

[@sean-or1nc]

Yay nature shots!

[@richardwilstead4539]

Keep the oil changed in that generator. Only good for 30 days of continuous operation

[@thomasrobson6370]

Invest (or make) in a couple of wind turbines; during the day they will add to the power generation of the solar panels, and during the night they'll supplement (?) the solar panels when the sun is down.

[@deldaggett982]

Funky funky I like it

[@williambruce1880]

Bravo!

[@jimh4167]

Maybe look for a deal on a 275/330 tote. and cut the top off. and use it to soak in... Maybe at a point in the future Make a PEX pipe solar water heater For a hot soak

[@doreenstirling2169]

Forever Watching out for your up to date video's. Absolutely wonderful

[@lynalford7782]

Keith here. I hope you get this finished before I die but your doing a good job

[@SpringRiverHollar]

Hi you two 🙋‍♀️

[@frododavis9082]

Hey Jim, My BIL was looking at your angled leg on the rafters. He suggests that you put a minimum 8''x8'' piece of plywood behind the leg where it meets the bag. He said the weight of the roof could cause the 2x4 to penetrate into the bag and cause a sag. what do you think???? LOOKING GOOD!!!!!!

[@jimh4167]

👍👍👍👍

[@patrickjobling8676]

Could be a lighthouse ..😁pip pips and carryon pilgrims

[@donaldcowick4280]

Have you considered the wind uplift factor for the overhang eaves? The force iof the wind is amplified on the undernside of an eave.

[@FresnoJoe2]

Amen~!

[@suecollins5174]

Love the shape of the house. Very cool

[@bubbaredneck75]

propane fridges r notorious foe only being so so cold in extreme heat.