Do You Want to Live off the Grid?
Have you always dreamed of being self sufficient, being able to live off the grid and supply your own energy? If you’re like most of us, you’ve at least thought about it before. It once was that just about the only way to do this was to live in an area so remote that no existing electrical grid would reach. Now, the choice to live off the gridis something which is available to an increasing number of people, most concerned more with saving on their electric bill than with living off the land. However, if you’ve found some remote property, you may have to learn to live off the grid out of necessity rather than choice.
If you’re building a new home on your property, then you should decide on what sort of power you want to use in your home before construction begins. Since you’re moving here to live off the grid, you should make your energy source part of your home from the ground up.
If you’d prefer to use solar power, you’ll have to make sure that the property receives plenty of full sun to ensure that you can produce enough energy to meet your needs. A solar power system generally performs best when it faces south. You’ll need to have some idea of how much power you need to produce; remember that you’ll need enough energy to power your home and heat your water as well.
If you happen to live in an area which gets a lot of wind, then you may be able to meet your energy needs by using wind turbines as well as solar power systems. Together, the two should be able to supply all of the power you’ll need.
One part of living off the grid is being able to support yourself. Chances are you can’t keep your current job, so you’ll need to either develop some marketable skills or use some skills you already have to make a living in your new home.
For example, if you were raised on a farm, you may be able to support yourself with a small organic farm. This is a lifestyle which meshes perfectly with the idea of living off the grid using only clean, sustainable energy sources.
If you’re a writer or an artist, then you may be able to continue your current line of work and live off the grid. You’ll have a peaceful place to create your work; and you can sell it online and keep in touch with the outside world via email and phone (make sure that the area has cell phone reception and that you can get on the web though).
Is living off the grid something you’d like to do? If you have a way to support yourself, you really can do this. Remember that being a heavy electricity user and life off the grid are not compatible. You’ll be responsible for meeting your own energy needs, so you’ll need to conserve power.