Ep 4. Windy Mountain

In Building Off the Grid's season 3 episode 4, titled Windy Mountain, viewers are taken to a remote piece of land in the mountains of Colorado where a couple, Ryan and Ali, have chosen to build their dream home. The location is beautiful but presents some serious challenges that the couple must overcome in order to make their off-grid living plans possible.

Ryan and Ali are building a 1,000 square foot cabin completely off the grid. This means that they must rely on solar power, a well, and wood for heating. The cabin will also be completely off the road, so they must figure out how to get all the building materials to the site.

The main challenge the couple will face is the harsh winds that blow through the mountain pass where their cabin will be located. The winds can reach up to 90 mph, which is strong enough to knock down trees and can make working outside dangerous.

To combat the winds, Ryan and Ali choose to build their cabin completely out of concrete. This will provide a sturdy and durable structure that can withstand the harsh conditions. However, building with concrete is no easy feat. Everything from the foundation to the walls, and even the countertops, must be formed and poured on-site.

The couple decides to use a technique called ICF, or insulated concrete forms. These are large foam blocks that interlock like Lego bricks. The forms are then filled with concrete, creating a solid and well-insulated structure. Building a home with ICF is a time-consuming process, but the end result is a well-insulated, energy-efficient house that can withstand even the harshest of conditions.

In addition to building the cabin out of concrete, Ryan and Ali must come up with creative solutions for other challenges they face. For example, they must figure out how to get water out of the well when the winds are too strong for their solar-powered pump to work. To solve this problem, they devise a hand pump that can get water out of the well even in the toughest conditions.

Throughout the episode, viewers get to see the hard work and dedication put in by Ryan and Ali as they work to make their dream of off-grid living a reality. They face challenges that would discourage many, but with each obstacle overcome, they get closer to their goal.

Overall, Building Off the Grid's Windy Mountain episode is an inspiring and informative look at what it takes to build a home completely off the grid in a harsh and unforgiving environment. From the creative solutions used to combat the wind, to the concrete building techniques used to create a durable and energy-efficient home, viewers get a fascinating glimpse into the world of off-grid living.