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Topic starter
27/11/2025 9:43 pm
The IGLOO.
When a fire (or body heat) warms the interior of the igloo, the inner surface of the ice begins to melt slightly. However, because the outer surface remains exposed to frigid air (sometimes -50°F or lower), the moisture refreezes quickly, forming a thin layer of ice. This process actually reinforces the structure and creates an additional barrier to heat loss, improving insulation. This is essential above the Arctic Circle in Winter when there is almost no sunlight.
Despite being made of ice, the igloo can trap heat effectively, allowing interior temperatures to reach as high as 60°F with just a small fire or body heat. The compact dome shape and insulating snow blocks help prevent heat from escaping, making igloos surprisingly warm shelters in extreme cold.
27/11/2025 10:17 pm
David, thanks for that information...we learn something new every day.
John Bono
North Jersey
28/11/2025 12:45 am
There can be drawbacks however.....
28/11/2025 6:52 am
It's not the cold that bothers me so much, it's the lack of light for so long that would drive me nuts.
We saw it in Finland and parts of Russia. In summer, it stays light to past midnight but in December it never really gets light very much, at all!
28/11/2025 1:36 pm
thank god we're talking Fahrenheit here and not Celsius. 
28/11/2025 1:46 pm
...the opposite of this igloo. 😉
28/11/2025 2:33 pm
@chris Not to leave out the Dogloo.
We had one of these for Baron, our Great Dane until he outgrew it. And our black lab/Doberman, Shadow was getting too big for her standard dog house. So I bought them a small barn!
28/11/2025 3:23 pm
I remember those long dark Fairbanks Alaskan winters but I’d bundle up and just stare at those incredible auroras and star filled skies, marveling at star constellations and even distant galaxies! The long summers we would camp and hike and even some gold panning. No, I never did live in an igloo.
David Vandermeer
Corinth, Texas
28/11/2025 5:33 pm
@sizedoesmatter Just what I was thinking John. It's fifty five degrees here and my yellow lab/golden retriever mix is sound asleep on the love seat. Tough life.
28/11/2025 6:15 pm
Practical advice. Unfortunately, most of us would freeze while trying to construct one!
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA