![]() So I thought I would write a post and explain why.īefore I start though, I just wanted to say that I am certainly NO expert when it comes to buildings or building work in general. One question I’ve been asked a few times over the last few months is how we’ll be tanking/damp-proofing the basement. We’ve made great headway, but we still have plenty left to achieve before it’s anywhere near usable down there. Throw in an exhaust fan to supplement airflow, and cover pipe ends with screening to prevent pests from invading your stores.Renovations in our old victorian basement cellar have begun, and although it’s very slow progress, this is a project I’m so excited to develop! So far, we’ve stripped back the walls, opened up the fireplace and we’ve even added in a window. ![]() (Put a bushel of apples next to your spuds, and watch those potatoes sprout.) To regulate airflow, there should be two vents: an inlet pipe near the floor to let in cold air, which pushes warm air up and out the exhaust pipe at the top of the room. This helps rid the room of gases that certain cantankerous fruits and vegetables give off, which can promote either sprouting or spoilage in nearby crops. (Opt for products with low chemical emissions, of course.)Įven though insulation is key, you still want to keep air circulating up and out. Kelly recommends cotton, wool, cellulose or fiberglass as insulators. Focus on the interior partition walls and the ceiling, both of which will most likely belly up to heated spaces in your home. “This interferes with the natural coolness of the earth,” Kelly explains. Obviously, you don’t want to insulate the foundation wall (on the inside or outside). (Kelly says a concrete floor works just fine.)Ĭlimate control is the main challenge with a root cellar or cool pantry, so proper insulation will be your best friend. Since basement floors can be damp, use a composite decking material for the bottom wall plate that connects to the floor. Incorporating bricks or concrete blocks in lieu of lumber wherever possible will help keep your produce from smelling like plywood. (This is important-a compromised shelf that gives under the weight of jars and canned fruit doesn’t do you any good.) Beware: Waterproofing materials in treated wood can potentially “offgas” into your food. Pressure-treated wood resists cracking and warping, and is a sturdy option for walls and shelving. You want to use materials that can withstand a moist environment. Make the “foyer” the warmer, drier climate that leads into a cooler room with higher humidity. If your storage list has varying climate requirements, consider building two chambers into your root cellar. An 8-by-8-foot room has plenty of storage for the average family, though Kelly suggests it should be no bigger than necessary. (You also won’t need as many interior walls, which saves on materials, money and labor.)Īsk yourself, “Why am I building this root cellar?” It’s not a philosophical question-think about what you’re planning to store in there and, of course, how much space in your basement to devote to it. This setup is ideal because it benefits from maximum exposure to partially underground exterior walls, meaning better insulation. Shoot for a shady, north-facing corner of the basement with the highest soil height on the exterior. Here are a few guidelines to create the right environment for keeping a bounty of food on hand:īecause a root cellar uses the earth’s cooler temperature to preserve goods, “the best location is as deep in the ground as is practical, and away from any daylight features,” says Kelly Hart of. The former needs to be more humid in order to keep produce fresh (apples, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, lettuce), while the latter is a dryer environment perfect for storing nuts, grains, canned goods-and just about anything else. The difference between a root cellar and cool pantry is humidity. (This is where that bleak, desolate corner comes in.) Instead of drilling into the ground though, you can sketch one right into your floorplan, similar to the way some people put a wine cellar in their design. Traditionally, these were underground storage spaces that used the cooling and insulating properties of the earth to preserve produce. My solution: Build a root cellar or a cool pantry. ![]() This unfinished area is a tough one, though, because not even tumbleweed could survive here. (Though I’m sure ghosts wouldn’t hang out there, either.) I hate dead space. Nobody goes in that corner-not even the kids playing hide and seek. It’s cold, a little humid, and empty, save for a few broken wooden crates and a couple dirty towels from who knows where scattered across the floor. There’s an unfinished desolate corner in many a basement.
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