The root cellar is done!
When I do these sorts of projects, I usually request require my dad to at least witness/supervise my antics. Mostly because he’s a Jack of all trades and can keep me from doing something stupid. He built my childhood home, and countless other odd projects. In trying to be more self sufficient with my building skills, instead of insisting on his company, I just told him what I was planning to do. He suggested I drill a pilot hole from the inside of the house, where I wanted the holes to be, then go outside, find the pilot holes and use them as my center point on the drilling of the holes. This way I was sure of where I wanted them, inside, but I could drill through the siding, instead of busting through the siding from inside. Sure, makes sense. Thank you Dad.
I decided that the above information was enough to get me started, so off I went. The holes went in without a bit of trouble. They are right where I planned, the siding is still in fine shape, and the root cellar temps are dropping! This morning the temp was 58 degrees and tonight it was 56. The woodstove is running in the basement making the temp everywhere else, down there, about 70 degrees. The outside temp today was in the low 60’s so it seems that once the temps outside drop, this little project should work!
Come on in…
Look up…
The holes! I used a hatchet to break through the sheetrock because
I needed to find wiring that went through that area, before I started drilling.
Food!
I have 45 pounds of cranberries in there, 65 pounds of onions, a few cabbages from my garden and a couple squash that likely won’t stay there, as they like things a little warmer and dryer than the root cellar is supposed to be. Potatoes, Beets and Carrots will be added soon, along with some lacto fermented goodies, like Sauerkraut!
so cooool!
Can you add a screen to those pipes so mice and other ickies don’t get in?
Yes, Ellen, on the outside there is a grate over the pipe and I lined that with bug screen.
Oh good. I hate mice.