Post by yvonnemm on Jan 20, 2013 14:15:56 GMT -5
I think preparing to be without electricity is a really good idea. No matter what the political or economic climate, it's a good idea. We have a sun, that sun is known to have explosions. If it exploded in another Carrington event as in the latter half of the 1800's (63 I think but not sure) electricity would be questionable the world over for a very long time. The grid in this country is of questionable reliability absent any interference from the sun.
I haven't solved our water problem yet, for long term lack of electricity, because the options seem cost prohibitive. I'll certainly be looking up some of the ones I saw on this thread.
We heat our house with a medium sized wood stove. We have a heat pump but haven't used it since the stove was installed. Our main floor, where the wood stove is, is 1500 sq feet. The wood stove is in one corner of that level of the house, the kitchen and bath are in the other. Our family room (wood stove location) is about 74 during the day, the rest of the rooms take a while to heat up but then hover between 68 and 70.
Our 2nd story is 600sqft, it has 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on an outside wall. It has only dipped into the 50's once this year. We close off the stair that leads to the 2nd floor because we don't really want to heat it that much. Otherwise it would be warmer.
Our basement, well most basements, stays right around 50. It has a walk-up-and out and some large windows but freezing is never a concern. Plus that's where my freezers and canned goods are so I don't want it heated either.
Our house is 3500 square feet being heated by about 750 dollars in wood through the coldest winters. The coldest winter was 2 years ago and we had 3 solid weeks of below zero day and night, night was -28.
The stove has paid for itself, in 4 years, more than 4 times over.
Also, while not being a fancy cook stove, it does have a cooking surface on top with 2 pieces over it that 'wing' out for keep warm trays. So we can cook and heat our house without power.
Knowing how you're going to live, absent electricity, is an extremely good idea. If you never lose power, you've really not lost anything by preparing and you've gained peace of mind.
I haven't solved our water problem yet, for long term lack of electricity, because the options seem cost prohibitive. I'll certainly be looking up some of the ones I saw on this thread.
We heat our house with a medium sized wood stove. We have a heat pump but haven't used it since the stove was installed. Our main floor, where the wood stove is, is 1500 sq feet. The wood stove is in one corner of that level of the house, the kitchen and bath are in the other. Our family room (wood stove location) is about 74 during the day, the rest of the rooms take a while to heat up but then hover between 68 and 70.
Our 2nd story is 600sqft, it has 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on an outside wall. It has only dipped into the 50's once this year. We close off the stair that leads to the 2nd floor because we don't really want to heat it that much. Otherwise it would be warmer.
Our basement, well most basements, stays right around 50. It has a walk-up-and out and some large windows but freezing is never a concern. Plus that's where my freezers and canned goods are so I don't want it heated either.
Our house is 3500 square feet being heated by about 750 dollars in wood through the coldest winters. The coldest winter was 2 years ago and we had 3 solid weeks of below zero day and night, night was -28.
The stove has paid for itself, in 4 years, more than 4 times over.
Also, while not being a fancy cook stove, it does have a cooking surface on top with 2 pieces over it that 'wing' out for keep warm trays. So we can cook and heat our house without power.
Knowing how you're going to live, absent electricity, is an extremely good idea. If you never lose power, you've really not lost anything by preparing and you've gained peace of mind.
