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Not sure where you get that idea. I have septic and get water from my creek. Air conditioning is your biggest challenge. It uses significant electricity.
Lol. I don't think "air conditioning" and "off grid" belong in the same sentence.
Lol. I don't think "air conditioning" and "off grid" belong in the same sentence.
A swamp cooler just uses a fan, or you can install a hydronic heat/cool system that disposes of excess heat through a cooling tower. Either of those systems would run fine off of solar. I know one guy who modified a heat pump to run off of a windmill to feed a hydronic system. His well pump was a low volume solar/piston that filled a cistern up the hill from his house. I thought he should have installed a second windmill for water.
Everything you can enjoy on-grid can be enjoyed off-grid, but if you want to be truly off-grid (no propane or diesel) it will be expensive.
Zoning restrictions and new "sanitation laws" make it pretty difficult to live 100 percent off grid, independent of all utility companies and monthly bills. Has anyone tried off-grid living and succeeded? If so, how did you do it? The main obstacle I'm seeing is zoning restrictions, requirements to install a septic tank, etc.
Hmm...I posted here, but maybe this would be better in the real estate section?
I keep seeing news articles about this happening, in other states. It has not happened here though.
If you want to live in a house that has no connection to; power grid, phone line, municipal water or sewer it is pretty common here. Our town has no municipal water or sewer. Only a small fraction of our road pavement has power line alongside it, a smaller portion has phone line available. Most parcels of land in our town do not have paved road access.
We do not have much zoning restrictions. There are 'wetland' restrictions and setbacks from waterways called 'shoreland protection'.
I was told that I needed a septic tank. I later learned that within the context of that guy, he had a pre-conceived idea that formed a box within which he held his idea of what he thought I wanted to do. Now that I have lived here 11 years, I know better. We have neighbors using out-houses. Perfectly legal.
The requirement on me was due to my home design, I needed to have an approved septic system design. Even after 11 years, there is no requirement for me to have the septic system installed. We would be perfectly legal using an out-house or composting toilet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PacoMartin
... But 100% is a bit of a fantasy and it would undoubtedly be ultra expensive. You can't really build an electrical generation and distribution system on your own for less than you can buy electricity from a utility company.
Most properties I looked at when I was shopping, the power grid would cost >$20,000 to bring on-site.
Your list of criteria and my list of criteria will be different.
I truly do not like drought or water-stress. I must have surplus water year-round. I grew-up farming in droughts. My siblings are still trying to farm with droughts. So for me that is a high priority. I will not settle anywhere that has water shortages.
Well, for me, it would probably mean having to connect to and use city water. Plugging into and using a utility means that you are not technically being self-sufficient.
A septic system is not tied to city sewage system.
Lol. I don't think "air conditioning" and "off grid" belong in the same sentence.
My husband and I use air conditioning but only when it is really needed and when there is a lot of sun out. Our system has been getting a workout this summer. All is good though
Ideally, I would like to bury a shelter underground and access it from the roof (or maybe a side door if that's not practical or feasible). If I used the right materials, (maybe fiberglass?) it would be water-tight and insulated from harsh temperature changes (not to mention it would also be a safe haven for when violent storms come). I would have no need for a costly septic system that could back up; instead, I could just use a composting toilet and get water from a well if one is available.
Without all of the stupid restrictions, I could even have this thing built in a subdivision (because it would be underground and mostly hidden). I could even maybe build a little cottage on top to make it match the rest of the neighborhood.
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Where is the best place?
