4 Things I Learned About Homebuilding from Naked and Afraid

It’s the ultimate DIY, survival-style. The wildly popular reality show Naked and Afraid throws two strangers (without clothes) into the wilderness for three weeks to see if they can come up with their own food, water and shelter. Being somewhat interested in shelter ’round here, we thought that their hard-learned lessons were pretty applicable to your home (although hopefully with fewer snakes).

1. Location, location, location — Yep, this law even applies to the jungle. Building a shelter in the right spot can mean the difference between a safe sanctuary and being washed away by a flood, so choose wisely.

2. Insulation is key — There’s no point in producing heat (and using up valuable calories or fossil fuels) if you’re just going to let it escape. Plenty of insulation will keep you comfortable and save resources no matter where you’re sleeping.

3. A leaky roof really sucks — The roof is the thing between you and that torrential downpour whether you’re in a jungle or not. Even if you’re bundled up in your living room, a leaky roof can really ruin your night so make sure to invest the money in (or spend the time on) a quality roof when building or renovating.

4. A fire is your friend (but watch those open flames) — Fire is essential for survival and pretty great ambiance to boot! Whether it’s for roasting meat in the wild or a candle in the bedroom, you need to be careful. As common as it is in our lives, we tend to forget how dangerous fire can be. Don’t fall asleep and let your shelter burn down.

Who else is watching? What surprising things have you taken away from watching others’ survival skills?