Going Off the Grid in 5 Steps

Step 1. Do an energy inventory of your house.

Check out those old, inefficient appliances that gobble up power. Many of today’s energy efficient appliances consumer markedly less energy and can save you almost 50% of what the older ones used. The reason this will be relevant is that new green technology has streamlined the power habits of today’s new appliances. This is a significant point and really should be taken relatively seriously since taken as a whole, appliances contribute to a significant part of the home energy costs.

Step 2. Investigate solar power.

This vital step will need your entire attention for a little while. Here’s how to do it correctly: do some research on solar panels. You can buy expensive commercial panels, of course, but solar panels are not that complicated and there are many places that will help you actually build quite useable solar panels yourself. The reason why this is very important is that the average home can generate perhaps 20 to 70% of its energy needs through solar panels. That’s a big saver.

Step 3. Look into the solar heating of your water.

The same principle applies here. There are very efficient ways to heat your water using the power of the sun. You do this so you can offset those costs racked up in energy consumption by hot water heaters. Additionally you will want to look into a new more efficient heater, as well.

Step 4. Use wind power.

Windmills and wind turbines are all the rage these days. You can generate a surprising amount of reserve power from a homemade wind turbine that can easily fit on your lot. Meaning, the backup power of a windmill that charges batteries can help keep the lights on and heat going when a storm disrupts commercial power.

Step 5. Better insulate your house.

The more insulated your house, the less heat escapes. This makes a huge difference in wintertime energy bills. In addition to that, a well-insulated house stays cooler in the summer months, meaning you save money on air conditioning.