Replace your electric company!
Silver Snowball Preparation Today
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Imagine living in a home nestled in pristine woods on a tract of land that you have always wanted. Imagine that there are no miles and mile of power lines connecting you to your local power grid and there are also no monthly power bills.
Rustic you might think. Stay with me. This house does have all the conveniences you would normally associate with a house hooked up to the local electrical grid. You don’t have to worry about taking a bath in a tub full of luke warm or at the worse, cold water. You don’t have to worry about reading under the limitations of available sunlight or the illumination provided by candles. Your food does not spoil in the refrigerator and yes you can power up the computer.
So what type of daily lifestyle allows you to maintain your standard of living? The answer lies with alternative sources of renewable energy. Living off the grid is possible. Successfully living off the grid does take planning and preparation.
Hybrid energy sytems, solar power, and wind power all contribute to energy utility for the consumer. Some energy systems are so efficient that you actually sell energy back to the local power company for a profit. Imagine having a power meter that actually runs backwacks. A meter running backward is an indication that you are saving money.
Hybrid systems often make use of battery banks connected to solar panels connected to wind mills to form a loop of renewable available energy. Thermometers are connected to appliances such as the water heater and throughout the house to measure three things:
1) Heat loss.
2) Heat retention.
3) And the difference between the two.
The climate conditions dictate the amount and type of insulation applicable to supporting a successful hybrid power system. Insulation that is not thick enough will result in the loss of heat which translates into wasted energy. And even though you may not be paying a monthly power bill, you still need to know what changes and improvements are required to maximize your efforts to be smart power consumers. This is one of the reasons that thermometers placed strategically throughout your house are monitored as required.
Depending upon the construction of the house, if possible, major windows should face south to allow the maximum amount of daily sunlight. This is critically important. Not only does the direction of your windows impact the overall efficiency of your hybrid system, but there are psychological considerations as well. Have you ever heard of seasonal affective disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder, also known as S.A.D. is manifested as moodiness and sometimes depression simply because we are not getting enough sunlight. If your house is well insulated then make sure you open your curtains often during the winter months. The benefits of your mental health are just as important as the benefits of your power health.
That being said, we have to ask ourselves, “ Are there any more considerations?”. The only answer is ---yes. We have looked briefly at the overall structural considerations of our home, but what about the small things such as appliances that we need and use. Sitting at my desk in my dining room ( this is where I like to sit, think, and write ) the first thing that I notice is my refrigerator. I will be the first to admit it is old and probably consumes way too much energy. But you can do better than me in that aspect.
There are many products that are built to be energy efficient. A consideration for a replacement refrigerator can be a combination Sun Frost refrigerator and freezer. This unit is at least five times more efficient than the standard refrigerator models. Next in the kitchen is the microwave. Depending upon the age and model of your microwave be aware of two critical things.
1) Older microwaves consume tremendous amounts of power, and
2) Microwaves destroy many of the health benefits of food simply because they are being bombarded with radiation.
3) An additional consideration is the wiring of your house. Do you need to change your circuit breaker to accommodate increased power usage or do you have to rewire your house?
Are your light bulbs energy efficient or not? New energy efficient light bulbs may cost more than your average light bulbs, but they require less power in the long run than standard light bulbs.
All peripheral electrical appliances draw power. Determine what needs to be plugged up and when. Believe it or not, simply turning off an appliance does not stop the draw on the power source. For instance, if you are not watching the television, don’t just cut it off, but also unplug it. Similar small steps increase the energy efficiency of your home.
Improvements in technology and a greater awareness of our impact on the environment make it easier than ever to find products that help us better manage our power consumption. Getting of the commercial power grid, whether partially or completely is the goal. If the power grid is ever compromised for whatever reason, you must be able to adapt quickly and efficiently in a manner that is renewable without under strain upon your resources.
Traditional coal-fired power plants generate a yearly minimum of 1.5 billion tons of pollution in the forms of carbon dioxide and sulfur. The acid rain that results is corrosive to our environment and the pollution contributes to respiratory distress in many people. Hydrogen and nuclear substitutes while appearing cleaner are vulnerable to terrorist threats and problems such as radiation leaks, improper shielding, and melt downs. Additionally, up to fifty percent of the energy produced by these sources are lost in the transmission and delivery from the location of production to the actual consumers.
The aforementioned reasons are excellent considerations to manage your own power production and not depend upon the commercial power grid. As consumers of commercial property we often do not see the unseen consequences of a system developed with the mindset that all energy is safe and abundant.
As a backup plan if you are completely dependent upon the commercial grid and the power fails, consider the following.
1) Can I use mechanical devices in place of devices powered by electricity?
2) Do I have a plan to keep food refrigerated, such as always having bottles of ice in the refrigerator to maintain a cold temeperature?
3) Are there any common resources that I have arranged with my neighbors if a power outage occurs
4) Is it required that you temporarily relocate?
5) Are adequate medicines available as well as first aid kits.
In closing this article is simply a beginning blueprint to start thinking about energy self-sufficiency. There are no limits to any considerations simply because each person’s situations are unique. Knowing what you can live with and live without before emergencies occur prevent you from being a victim of circumstances. Living off the power grid requires planning. Start your planning today!
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Ronald Roberts is a former Army Officer and MPA graduate. His many interests include public administration and academia. His favorite quote: Never despise a humble beginning. He is also an ezine article expert.
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