Editing Igloo (section)

==Building methods==
[[File:Newly fallen snow crystals in Tuntorp 7.jpg|thumb|Closeup of snow, revealing how much air there is between the snow crystals.]]
The snow used to build an igloo must have enough structural strength to be cut and stacked appropriately. The best snow to use for this purpose is snow which has been blown by wind, which can serve to compact and interlock the [[ice crystal]]s. Snow that has settled gently to the ground in still weather is not useful. The hole left in the snow, where the blocks are cut, is usually used as the lower half of the shelter.<ref name=A&N />

Snow's insulating properties enable the inside of the igloo to remain relatively warm. In some cases, a single block of clear freshwater ice is inserted to allow light into the igloo. Igloos used as winter shelters had beds made of loose snow, skins, and [[Reindeer|caribou]] furs.<ref name="A&N" /> Sometimes, a short tunnel is constructed at the entrance, to reduce wind and heat loss when the door is opened. Animal skins or a snow block can be used as a door.

The igloo is architecturally unique in that it is a dome that can be raised out of independent blocks leaning on each other and polished to fit without an additional supporting structure during construction. An igloo that is built correctly will support the weight of a person standing on the roof.

Traditionally, an igloo might be deliberately consolidated immediately after construction<ref name=vol1>{{cite book |last1=Amundsen |first1=Roald |title=The North West Passage, being the record of a voyage of exploration of the ship "Gyöa" 1903-1907; |date=1908 |publisher=London, Constable |volume=1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/northwestpassage01amunuoft/page/145 145] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/northwestpassage01amunuoft |chapter=3 |quote="We were inexperienced at that time, and did not know that the hut ought to be heated inside in order to consolidate it."}}</ref> by making a large flame with a  {{lang|iu-Latn|[[qulliq]]}} ({{lang|iu-Latn|kudlik}}, stone lamp), briefly making the interior very hot, which causes the walls to melt slightly and settle.<ref name=A&N>{{cite book |author=Roald Amundsen |title=The North West Passage, being the record of a voyage of exploration of the ship "Gyöa" 1903-1907 |date=1908 |publisher=London, Constable |volume=2 |chapter=Chapter 8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/northwestpassage02amun/page/1 1]-14 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/northwestpassage02amun|author-link=Roald Amundsen }} (a Norwegian observer's account of the building a family's winter igloo, not a short-term hunting one, by Atikleura and Nalungia, [[Netsilik|Netsilik Inuit]])</ref> Body heat is also adequate, although slower. This melting and refreezing builds up a layer of ice that contributes to the strength of the igloo.<ref name=bbc>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7326031.stm |title=What house-builders can learn from igloos, 2008, Dan Cruickshank, BBC |work=[[BBC News]] |date=2008-04-02 |access-date=2012-07-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311170506/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7326031.stm |archive-date=2009-03-11 }}</ref>

<gallery class="center" caption="Igloo construction" widths="220px" heights="155px">
File:Igloo see-through sideview diagram.svg|An igloo side view diagram; opening to the right, the optional window may be composed of a sheet of freshwater ice
File:Igloo spirale.svg|An igloo's snowbrick laying method
</gallery>

The sleeping platform is a raised area. With warmer air rising and cooler air settling, the entrance area acts as a [[cold trap]] whereas the sleeping area will hold whatever heat is generated by a stove, lamp, body heat, or other device. The [[Central Inuit]], especially those around the [[Davis Strait]], lined the living area with skin, which could increase the temperature within from around {{convert|2|C}} to {{convert|10|-|20|C}}.<gallery class="center" caption="Igloos" widths="220px" heights="155px">
File:Igloo building in Sarek.png|Process of building an igloo with snowbrick method in mid-way
File:igloo.jpg|A nearly complete, medium-sized igloo, with excavation under the door and the exterior unfinished
File:Igloo interior.JPG|Interior of an igloo, facing the passageway leading to the entrance
</gallery>