Homestead mailing list

[clhw AT InfoAve.Net (clhw)]

Friends of ours did something like this, except more as a root cellar. When
they built their home, they excavated under the front porch as well as for
the basement area. That additional space was walled in concrete block, but
the floor was left dirt and eventually several inches of small sized gravel
was added. Shelves on the walls were built and lighting put in.

It's not really a refrigerator the way they use it, but the temperature is
even -- doesn't heat up in the summer. They put canned goods, dried foods,
and some root crops in there.

Such could be done to a house already constructed by breaking through the
basement wall into the new excavation. Good insulation might or might not
be necessary. If you want it for a refrigerator, then a small cooler unit
-- and there are many to choose from -- could be used to lower the
temperature to about 45 F. If it's completely below ground, and insulated
above, as well as good sealing doors leading out, you are only having to
lower the temperature less than 10 degrees most likely.

>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RefrigeratorAlternatives
>
>I would like to build a small walk-in refrigerator with small wall doors to
>access commonly-used foods and condiments. Anyone have ideas beyond heavy
>insulation?