PEORIA MAGAZINE June 2023

Roger and Pat Wehage’s earth home in Chillicothe

Franklin stove. Didn’t have air condi tioning, but it stayed cool in the summer.” Not only has Marty Davis built more than 300 cave homes around the country and as far away as Denmark, he also has raised his family in a 2,000-square-foot cave home. Over the years he has saved 50 percent on natural gas usage and drastically reduced his electricity consumption.

Inside, it’s hard to tell that only sunlight is illuminating the windowless back rooms. Like many cave homeowners, Davis doesn't need an air conditioner or a furnace; there’s a wood-burning stove if he needs more heat. In northern Peoria County, retirees Roger and Pat Wehage spent years researching cave homes and working with Davis Caves before finishing their custom house in 2011. They wanted an efficient home and took it to the next level with large windows, solar energy, wood heating and a heat pump. “We could leave this house for a full winter, provide no heat and the temperature wouldn’t drop below about 60 degrees all winter, even if it got down to below zero,” said Roger Wehage. Building a cave home will typically cost more up front because of all the concrete used, but the eventual financial savings are impressive. The Wehages' electric bill is normally about $10 a month, which pays for the meter. The propane for their kitchen stove and clothes dryer costs less than $100 a year. Solar energy provides more electricity than they need. Many cave owners are also concerned about the environment, ensuring that

greenspace isn’t lost and wildlife isn't disturbed. “We did have to make some changes for erosion control, but we tried to build the house so it fit into the environment,” said Pat Wehage. “We wanted to make it fit into the surroundings.” Cave home proponents say other benefits include: • Fire resistance, since the structure is mostly concrete and metal studs; • Protection from tornadoes, lightning, and hail; • Longevity, since a concrete structure can last hundreds of years; • Less maintenance, with no roofs or gutters to replace. Exterior and window upkeep is minimal. No home is maintenance free, of course. Cave owners still cut the grass in their yard … and on the roof!

The term “cave home” suggests a dark interior, but light isn't an issue if you have the right design. At Davis' house in Logan County, which doubles as a model home, plenty of sunlight comes in the south facing front windows. Walk up a hill to the grass-covered roof and the secret to naturally lighting the rest of the home becomes apparent: tubular skylights. The rooftop water heating element uses the power of the sun to generate heat at Roger Wehage’s earth home in Chillicothe

Mark Welp spent 17 years doing TV journalism in the Peoria market before coming on board at WTVP PBS as a senior content producer

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 23