RE: Homesteading Challenge Submission for 2018 -Root Cellar
Remember, cold flows downhill, and heat rises, so you would like all in your design to flow downward.
Those bins are made out of HDPE barrels all cut up.
They do not look like a very good use of space, as you can't pile everything up to the rafters. It looks like the bins can only be filled a bit more than half full. And the frame they are in probably wouldn't support any more weight then that. I feel I might cut the barrels in half and place them closer together, but the barrels may lose their structural integrity if you did that.
The way that a root cellar keeps from freezing, is that after you get some feet down in the ground, the earth is the average temperature for the entire year. So, about 60 degrees in most places.
The door, and its wall needs insulated, but the earth is the insulation and the temperature control for the other 5 sides.
Thank you @builderofcastles I knew that hot air rises, so I will have to consider that, had not thought about that. The barrels yes your right might not be a good use of space. I am trying to find a way to put the potatoes, squash, carrots, beets etc. They tend to take up lots of space. I will continue to research. Thanks