Off-grid living in the UK and beyond is becoming increasingly possible. The trend of
increasing energy costs
and the fall in the price of renewable energy equipment has dovetailed to provide homeowners with both the motivation and means to live off the grid. Doing so can seem like a daunting task and there’s certainly a lot to consider. From having home heating oil delivered to your off-grid site and growing the food required to feed yourself, there’s plenty to keep in mind.
However, doing so can be a liberating experience for you and your family. Living off-grid provides you with freedom and autonomy. You will also have a valuable opportunity to learn more about the land and our relationship with the environment. This experience can bring us closer to our ancestors and ensure that we are only ever having a positive impact on the world we live in. There are, of course, sacrifices to be made with this life, but if you can survive without some of life’s luxuries, it is worth considering. To give you a helping hand, we’ve guided you on everything from sourcing home heating oil to growing produce.
Living off the grid means that you will not be connected to the normal sources of energy we are used to in cities and towns. A popular energy source for those living off the grid is home heating oil. Home heating oil like kerosene is an efficient and safe way to provide power to the home. Heating oil is not explosive and provides a fast and warm source of heat. Home heating oil burns far hotter than natural gas which ensures that a property is heating quickly and makes the home cosy during the winter.
Home heating oil is often cheaper than natural gas, so this high-quality heat is also far more cost-effective than other sources of energy. If you are deciding to live off-grid, it’s vital to install a home heating oil tank as your primary or secondary source of energy.
Consider Alternative Sources of Energy As Well As Home Heating Oil
When living off the grid, it’s important to have more than one source of energy. As previously discussed, home heating oil is a good first choice. Secondly, it’s worth considering alternative and renewable sources of energy. Installing a renewable source of energy, like solar or wind power, is an excellent way to back up your home heating oil system.
If you miss a delivery of home heating oil, you can ensure that you won’t be out of energy. Alternatively, you could use your home heating oil as a way to power your home and a renewable energy source to provide outside lights or the energy needed for agriculture. Having more than one way to power your home and land when living off the grid will give you and your family the peace of mind that you won’t be left without light or heat.
Install a Septic Tank To Manage Sewage
As well as finding a reliable source of energy for your off-grid home, it’s critical to have a reliable and environmentally-friendly way to dispose of your waste. One of the best ways to do this is to install a septic tank at your home.
Although septic tanks still need emptying by professionals on a scheduled basis, they treat some of the waste as well. This means that they do not need to be cleaned and emptied as often as holding tanks and they’re a more eco-friendly option too.
Be Sustainable By Growing Produce
Living off-grid is all about being self-sufficient and moving away from the pressures of life in cities and towns. One of the best ways to do this and to truly embrace life off the grid is to grow produce. If you’ve bought a large area of land to live on, part of that land should certainly be used for agricultural means.
When setting up your new home, create a space for fruit and vegetables to grow, ensure you’re clued up on the type of soil you have at your property and stock up on the relevant equipment. You should know which foods are best to grow during which seasons and be vigilant about keeping them healthy. Doing this means you will hardly have to leave your land if you don’t want to!
Consider Having Livestock
On top of growing fruit and veg, it’s worth considering whether you’d like to begin keeping livestock too. Chickens, in particular, are a relatively easy animal to keep fed and will provide you with a steady supply of eggs. Cows can provide you with milk and sheep can provide you with wool.
If you’re a vegetarian, there’s no need to kill these animals for their meat. However, there is the possibility to keep some animals for slaughter as well as for their produce.
Choose The Right Location
Choosing a location should be your very first decision when living off-grid. Although the land is expensive here in the UK, there is still land available which is cost-effective and which you won’t be too restricted by permissions. Where you want to live is, of course, completely at your discretion. However, it’s good to ensure that you have enough space for a sufficient-sized home for your family as well as plenty of surrounding land to grow food, keep livestock and have areas to simply enjoy.
Try to stay clear of areas which may be particularly exposed to flooding and other natural disasters. Living off the grid, you’ll be further away from the emergency services. This means that you should do ample research and planning before purchasing any land.
Collect Rainwater
By collecting rainwater and recycling it for use in your home, you can further increase your independence and sufficiency. With a good rainwater collection system and filtration system, you can provide yourself with all of the drinking water you’ll need. You can also use the water for washing and plant irrigation. Locating yourself nearby a river, as well as collecting rainwater, means you should have all of the water you and your family need to survive and thrive.
Build a Home Suited To Off-Grid Living
When building your off-grid home, consider methods and techniques which will allow you to make the most of your natural surroundings. For example, integrating a network of skylights and solar tubes into the roof will reduce your reliance on electricity for light. You can also build sloping roofs for the perfect rainwater collection system and place your house in a direction which will get you the most sunlight and can make the most of the weather to your advantage.
Consider the space you have and how the trees and land you live on can improve the design and structure of your home rather than getting rid of nature to accommodate your place.
If you’re looking for home heating oil suppliers in Nottingham and the surrounding area, look no further than Northern Oil. We’re experts in the industry with more than 135 years of experience providing heating oil for domestic, commercial and agricultural clients. For advice on home heating oil prices and to discuss delivery options, choose Northern Oil.
We provide high-quality heating oil for a wide range of industries as well as for homeowners who require home heating oil. We’ll discuss all of the relevant requirements with you, from the type of tank you have and heating oil you need to home heating oil prices. We’ll make sure you are never left without fuel.
To find out more about our services, please feel free to
contact us
today. You can find us at Northern Oil Co. Ltd, Wollaton Road, Nottingham, NG8 1HJ. Alternatively, call us on 0115 928 5250 or email us at
sales@northernoil.co.uk.
