Off Grid Homes
Off Grid Homes
Whether you live in a remote area, or just want to be responsible for your own energy production, you can certainly accomplish having fully functioning power with an off grid home. These types of homes have no conventional power line connection, they create all of their own energy themselves. Not only are these types of homes perfect for those who like to maintain their privacy, they also are a great way to show the world how you feel about our consumption of fossil fuels.
Setting up off grid homes is fairly easy, all you need to do is to figure out how much and what types of energy you need for your home, and then strive to meet those needs with clean, renewable energy sources.
Most people choose to go with solar power for their electricity since it is readily available and easy to install. Types of solar panels vary widely and they can be mounted on the home or in a sunny location on racks.
For homes that don’t have as much sun, or that are in windy locales a wind turbine or several will provide a consistent source of electricity. Most places have the most wind when they need the most energy, such as during the summer in hot places or in the winter in cold locations.
As for heat and hot water, there are many types of solar heat panels that can be used to heat water. The water circulates through the panel and is heated up by the sun, and then it is pumped into the house. Since the most heat is absorbed in the summer there might still be a need for more conventional energy to heat the home in the winter, such as a generator or fireplace.
Whatever you choose, ensure that you have a backup source of energy in case your primary source should fail. In the middle of a storm or in the depths of winter you will want to make sure that you don’t go cold or lose electricity.
Designing an off grid home is a great way to get in touch with renewable energy sources and ways to help the planet get healthy again. With proper planning your home can be completely independent and rely mainly on clean wind and solar energy for heat and electricity. Whether you are living in the woods, a lake or even in amongst civilization you can have an off grid home.
It is important to remember that there are certain drawbacks to having an off grid home – the largest one being that many banks will not mortgage a home that is not tied into a conventional electricity line. There may also be certain restrictions as to zoning in your area that could restrict an off grid home from being built, which is why you should contact local authorities before you begin.
Take a page from Mother Nature and harness the power of the sun and the wind to give you heat and electricity wherever you are.
