Living Off The Grid

You’ve surely heard the phrase “Living Off The Grid” before, and you likely have a basic understanding of the lifestyle. You may not have realized exactly how many and to what extent the aspects of day-to-day life are impacted when transitioning to living off the grid.

 “Off the grid” may not mean the same thing to everyone, but as a general notion it means to be disconnected from the electrical power grid. The electric grid, however, is not the only grid. Other grids may include city water/plumbing/sewer, natural gas, garbage service, and transportation lines. Most predominantly, when you hear “Living Off The Grid” you can safely assume it refers to at least living off of the electric utility grid. 

The electrical power grid is largely powered by burning fossil fuels, a costly and contributing factor in climate change. The burning of fossil fuels creates heat, heat boils water into steam and under high pressure that steam turns turbines. The spinning of which interact with a system of magnets. The spinning turbine and magnets create electricity. This high voltage electricity is carried via high voltage transmission lines to demand centers. The demand centers then distribute power via power lines to the end consumers. Oil, natural gas and coal are most common, but some alternatives in producing electricity can include wind, hydropower, solar power, biomass and geothermal. 

Some may choose to generate their own electricity, but still utilize public water and/or sewer. To  varying degrees, the common goal is self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency, however, can come at a cost. For example, living independently of city water means drilling a well or boiling water from a renewable source, like a river or creek. And off the grid doesn’t mean escaping all other costs of owning a property. Occupying land still comes at a cost. Even if you’re fully off all public utilities, you will still owe property taxes. Those charges can be based on the assessed land value, county and state taxes, and available county services. And those taxes are due even if you don’t partake in the consumption of the services.

In addition to the costs of occupying land, there are setup and other residual costs, the cost of the building, and other resources you may use. Electric power from the public utility company can be subsidized by using solar panels, wind turbines, or hydroelectric, and it can be stored within batteries. Small electric generators that run on gasoline are also very common, but typically only as a backup supply. As with nearly everything in real estate and home ownership, you can finance or buy these items outright. Many people underestimate these costs. The cost to maintain the setup also tends to be higher than living on the grid because there is no utility company to come and repair a blown generator or bad wiring job. The responsibility lies on the owner.

Upfront costs may be prohibitive for some, but others who can get started must be prepared for regular costs that can accrue in sustaining the lifestyle. Heat in the winter can be a necessity to survive in some climates. That most often means fire and fire usually means wood. Wood is timely to harvest or expensive to buy and relatively inefficient. Transportation is another cost that cannot be ignored. Most Off-Gridders use gasoline-powered vehicles. Fuel and maintenance for those must also be factored into cost of living. It’s important to understand that off-grid is not at all cost-free. Health care and access to medicine cannot be ignored if you’re located far from town. 

A big attractor of the lifestyle and a cost-reducing factor is growing one’s own food supply. Hunting and gathering can be the primary means to feed you and your family, but it’s also risky. Some will choose to make runs to local grocery stores, while others may self-harvest and preserve food. Remember that along the spectrum of living off of the grid, some may prefer to be more or less self-sustaining than others. 

Living off the grid is typically cheaper than a more conventional home tied to the grid, but living off the grid is not living free from cost. Some are able to achieve a fully self-sustainable operation with minimal or no need for outside employment. While some may find it necessary to retain some version of a job. 

Should you consider living off the grid?

Do you hate modern society and want to get away from it all? Do you want a house built on an ecologically sustainable and self-sufficient platform? Are you sick of giving your money to large utility companies with poor track records of environmental stewardship and general corruption? Do you like chopping wood in knee-deep snow to fuel your wood stove because your solar panels don’t work in a blizzard? Do you like pooping and seeing your breath at the same time? Are you a registered sex offender who doesn’t feel like knocking on every door of your new neighborhood to give a legally obligated speech detailing your legal status? Then living off the grid might just be for you! 

People are drawn to the idea of self-sufficiency and independence. Living off the grid is the embodiment of this ideal. No wires running to your house, no utility bills, and nobody to blame but yourself if something goes wrong. Some people are drawn to this radical reformulation of what it is like to live in the modern age. You can still have plenty of creature comforts such as internet through a satellite connection. 

The trade-off is almost always in the form of either reliability or convenience. Living on the grid may subject you to the whims of the utility companies, but barring natural disasters they are remarkably reliable in their delivery of service. Relying on your own resources for heat and electricity means you are responsible for fixing any system failures. Solar power may be a great way to generate electricity at no cost, but if the weather doesn’t cooperate then you only have electricity as long as your batteries can last. 

You may also be at higher risk for natural disasters as living off the grid will likely put you in a more geographically remote area. A house fire or wildfire poses a much greater risk to someone living off the grid.  

How to transition off the grid?

There’s a serious level of commitment needed when it comes to dropping the grid and making the transition to get free. The first step is more mental than action-taking. It’s the full consideration of everything involved. 

Once you’ve decided to live off the grid it’s time to get moving. Finding a good piece of land is a priority. Accessibility has its pros and cons. Seclusion allows for more privacy, but it makes reconnecting with humanity that much more difficult. Land should be ample in resources, be properly zoned and have a legal access point. Land trapped by other privately owned lands could be legally inaccessible. 

Once you’ve identified the location you must choose to either buy a structure or to build a structure. If the land came with a home it may be possible to retrofit and renovate. If it’s vacant land, then you’ll have to build the structure yourself or pay a contractor. Some prefabricated options are available but may be of lower quality and have fewer custom options.

There seems to be a small sector of the internet devoted to off-grid homes for sale. The availability of these homes online can seem a bit ironic. 

Once the structure is built you’ll need to decide on how you will get power and water. Are you planning on running completely free from electricity? That means no electric power whatsoever. If not, where will you source and store electricity? These are all decisions that need to be made prior to building. 

Your water supply is crucial. Whether you will be digging a well, collecting rainwater or are planning to boil water from a nearby supply; all of these choices will have an impact on daily life. 

Incoming freshwater is important, but it is just as important and easier to overlook how to dispose of wastewater and sewage. An outhouse may be a solution for some, but in certain environments, it may be unpalatable to relieve yourself in freezing temperatures or otherwise inclement weather. By the way, outhouses don’t fare well in high heat either. A professional septic system might be the simplest and most efficient way to keep things running smoothly. 

Food planning is also more complicated if you won’t be shopping at a grocery store. Learning to grow, harvest, and store food will be critically important. A basic understanding of gardening and farming may not be enough for long-term sustainability. Understanding how much land is needed to grow, what to plant, when to plant, and how to care for crops should be well researched before attempting to live off the grid. Planning and preparing for the fluctuation in yield may be the sole element impacting your survival if you are not able to access a grocery store or preserve the food you have.

Hunting and fishing are additional options available to those living off the grid provided their location has abundant wildlife. The storage and preservation of meat are considerably more difficult than produce, so you will need to learn basic butchery skills and preservation techniques along with your training in farming. 

While storing food will keep it edible and keep you alive, you will also have to account for waste. Keeping waste and byproducts at a minimum makes you more environmentally friendly, and keeps your area clean and pest free. Mismanagement can lead to a contaminated food supply, bugs, and small animals, or worse, dangerous large animals.

Clothing and gear to bear the elements needs to be planned as well. Without proper attire, you can get sick or even worse, not survive the changing seasons. Heavy winter clothes and light summer clothes should be stockpiled and kept dry. 

Lastly, personal health and wellbeing: Living off the grid can be lonely at times, it can be stressful at others and it is generally more demanding than traditional lifestyles. Strong mental and physical health are a must. Failing cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular strength can be the downfall of any person, especially one who is self-dependent. Make sure you have the capacity to take on this great endeavor of living off the grid. 

If you do choose to make the transition, then you have some exciting changes ahead. Think, plan and act smart, and you’ll be that much better aligned with success. Good luck.