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For those of you who are interested my husband and I built an Off Grid home one year ago. Our goal was not really to be green but to see if we could do it. We have learned in the past year to conserve quite a bit. We use very little electric now and about 95% of our power comes from the sun. We had some instances during the winter when we had to use our generator for back up power. My husband designed and installed our system 3 different times but I think he got it now. I could never live without electric so the solar is great for us. We really wanted to see if we could survive in comfort without the electric company and we can.
We learn more and more each day. Through a lot of trial and error it has been a wonderful experience and we are still learning as we go. Along with producing our own power I am also learning to garden to produce some of our own food in the summer. This is a big thing for a former city girl. Although to a lot of you this is a small thing, it has provided me with a lot of happiness and it saves on the grocery bill, lol. It's all about taking small steps to become more reliable on yourself.
So if any of you want to see our story and share in the process of building your own home and going solar you can read our story with many pictures at: //www.city-data.com/forum/tenne...tennessee.html
So c'mon over and visit. Hopefully we can all learn from each other. We are by no means experts. We are just a hard working couple going after one of many of our dreams.
Oh Lisa I am so glad you finally got the place you wanted too . I know I cannot wait to get back up north right now we are with my cousin untill she dies and that might be another yr hubby has a job here and that is good and he can get a transfer when time comes which is good . Im so glad you sound so happy .
Congratulations! Happy Anniversary! I admire you for doing so much! I would have to have my electricity too! I think solar or wind power is a great thing! Good for you!
Lot's here and you can be sure I will read it later this evening.
Many of us are jealous and being off grid with electric is interesting but doubt I could do it in the deep south. Could not live without air conditioning in summer.
Lot's here and you can be sure I will read it later this evening.
Many of us are jealous and being off grid with electric is interesting but doubt I could do it in the deep south. Could not live without air conditioning in summer.
We knew we wouldn't be able to run A/C on solar and I hate the heat. That is why we built a berm house. It is covered by earth on 3 sides. The house stays very comfortable without A/C or fans. So far we don't get warmer than about 70 degrees inside as long as we close up before the sun hits us directly.
We also knew it would be easier to heat in the winter and we have no trouble there. It never gets below 58 degrees inside the house in the winter.
Congratulations, a whole year has passed so quickly (or perhaps that's how it seems). I used to go to school where the middle schools were all berm designs, definitely cooler in the hot weather.
We knew we wouldn't be able to run A/C on solar and I hate the heat. That is why we built a berm house. It is covered by earth on 3 sides. The house stays very comfortable without A/C or fans. So far we don't get warmer than about 70 degrees inside as long as we close up before the sun hits us directly.
We also knew it would be easier to heat in the winter and we have no trouble there. It never gets below 58 degrees inside the house in the winter.
I should have clarified that it never gets below 58 degrees in the winter without any type of heat. It is very easy to maintain a comfortable temperature. Do you feel better Rach?
Thank you all for all the congratulations. I can't believe we have come so far in just one year. There is still so much more to be done, lol.
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