Something we ALL think about from time to time. Especially in these times.
4 Ways To Ensure Off-Grid Self-Sufficiency for Your House
by Tim McAllins January 21, 2022
Few experiences in life can be as mesmerizing as living in a house far away from civilization. After all, you get to finally escape from the ever-present drone of the city bustle, something even those with the strongest of wills can find annoying after a while. You’re no longer being woken up by the morning increase in traffic – instead, it’s the beautiful vistas at dawn that make you want to wake up early. Suffice it to say, the serenity of such a life has a massively positive effect on the quality of your life.
The issue is, living in such a distant location can become quite problematic in case something unexpected happens, like a natural disaster that turns the local power plant into scrap metal, cutting off vital resources like water and electricity for weeks. Fortunately, there are several ways in which you can ensure at least a partial off-grid self-sufficiency for your home, including purchasing a gas generator, installing solar panels on the roof, digging a well in your backyard if possible, and even investing in a fireplace. Explore the advice below and learn how to make sure your home is just as safe even when cut off from the modern amenities!
Get a Gas Generator
If you’re looking for a way to ensure at least partial off-grid self-sufficiency for your house, the best way is to purchase a gas generator. While they’re not exactly cheap (depending on the model and manufacturer, you could pay well over $500 for one), gas generators have several advantages over other energy sources, including being fairly quiet and efficient, allowing you to run them for hours on end and still have the same amount of energy, and incredibly easy to operate, as long as you understand the user manual.
In order to ensure off-grid self-sufficiency for your house, you should always have at least one gas generator stored in the shed or another easily accessible place. This way, you’ll be able to power your entire house, no matter what happens. However, bear in mind that generators, just like any other machinery, require regular maintenance to work properly. If you want to use one for a long time, you should think about replacing the oil regularly and making sure no component is approaching its limits.
To find the most suitable generator, see this article: What’s The Best 2000 Watt Generator? Our Top 10.
You can also rent this emission-free power generator from Electrion for a more sustainable option.
Install Solar Panels on the Roof
(Credit: Michal Klajban/Wikimedia Commons)
While gas generators are great for short-term application, if you want to ensure off-grid self-sufficiency for your house in case of a complete breakdown or simply to depend on yourself only and help the environment, solar panels are the ideal solution.
They are relatively inexpensive compared with other alternative energy sources and considering how much they allow you to save on electricity bills while providing clean energy that doesn’t pollute the environment. The best part is that there are several types of solar panels that you can install on your roof without having to worry about them damaging it or falling off.
Solar panels have multiple uses apart from powering your house. For example, you can also use them to store energy in the capacitors, allowing you to have a backup energy source even if you need to switch them off. As long as you have the proper inverter and battery, you can even set up a solar-powered fridge in your house that’s capable of cooling food and drinks without any problem.
Dig a Well in Your Backyard
Women digging a well (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Water is one of the things vital for survival, even more so when you’re a long way from civilization. Living in a house that’s far away from the city means that you won’t always have easy access to running water or shops with bottled water when a disaster hits, which is why digging a well in your backyard is one of the best ways to ensure off-grid self-sufficiency for your house.
While digging a well is not an easy task, the benefits clearly outweigh the potential costs. To illustrate the point, imagine how much easier it is to access water when compared with other alternatives like collecting rainwater or manually getting it from a nearby river. Besides ensuring off-grid self-sufficiency for your house, they also make it much easier to keep the entire property well-watered during the hot summer months – all without having to pay a single cent through expensive bills.
Invest in a Fireplace for Heating
If you’re looking for an alternative heat source, you should definitely invest in a fireplace. Despite being one of the oldest forms of heating available, fireplaces are still incredibly useful today, especially if you live in a house that doesn’t have access to other energy sources.
There are several types of fires that you can use for heating, including wood and oil stoves, with the former being the best to ensure off-grid self-sufficiency for your house due to the omnipresence of wood everywhere, especially if you have a house close to a forest. Besides heating your entire house without much trouble, they also allow you to cook and bake food easily, making them ideal for those who don’t want to rely on any energy providers.
Conclusion
The pieces of advice above are just a few of the ways in which you can ensure off-grid self-sufficiency for your house, regardless of its location. While it’s not easy to achieve, if you invest time and money in getting these things ready, you’ll be able to make sure that your home is still a safe place even when there’s no electricity or water around.
Although modern amenities will most likely return after a short while, in case they don’t, you’d be much better off than others in this situation. Good luck!