Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Propane Tank Prices & Septic Tanks: Life Off The Grid

By Cath Buhr


There are many reasons why people choose to live the off the grid. Perhaps they live in a rural area and aren't close to city services. Others just prefer to be as self-sufficient as possible, and others are hoping to lower their overall carbon footprint. While there are many great reasons to go off the grid, it does cost money to set up your energy systems.

Propane is an ideal source of energy for those who don't wish to use traditional fuels such as natural gas or coal for heat. All you have to do is find propane tanks for sale and select a propane delivery service to fill up your tank from time to time. These propane tank prices are determined by how large of a tank you need, and the cost varies for a new propane tank versus a refurbished propane tank. However, there are ways to cut propane tank prices. For example, companies such as Thrifty Propane offer a free tank for those customers who pre-buy a large amount of propane.

Propane prices do fluctuate, but if you pre-buy your fuel when propane prices are very low, you can save as much as half off your yearly propane expenses. In general, propane is not only an affordable energy source; it also is considered a greener energy source as it releases no greenhouse gases into the environment.

Aside from shopping around for propane tanks for sale and researching those propane prices, you also need to think about sewage. There are a few options and building a septic tank is a popular choice. This does have larger set-up costs than options such as composting toilets, but it's a bit more like your traditional sewage system. No matter what type of sewage system you select, this will take some research to learn how to set it up and maintain it.

Water is one crucial element to consider prior to going off the grid and especially prior to buying any piece of property. You need to ensure that there will be a source of water available on the property. Sometimes there might already be a well, but you might have to have this constructed. In some cases, there isn't enough groundwater for a well or perhaps there are local restrictions regarding groundwater containment systems. In those cases, you might be forced to store and treat water in large containers for drinking and eating and bathing.

Using wells for water, propane for heat and septic tanks to deal with sewage all have been around for many years, but what about electricity? You can power your stove, heater, water heater and dryer using propane in your propane tank, but for regular electricity, you need to find an off-the-grid source. Solar power has gained a lot of popularity and for many people, this will be the best option. It is important to note that while generally those with solar panels are creating their own home energy, they are still attached to the grid and the solar power is not being stored in solar batteries in their home. If you wish to truly be off the grid, you will need a solar power system or wind system that not only produces energy but also stores it.




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