In the winter, homes should be heated to at least 65°F (18°C). So, if you live in a remote location, you’ll need an off-grid heating system for your property.
Every home is different, so there are many off-grid heating solutions that are used to warm up the air in a home. Modern off-grid solutions require electricity, but other methods include propane gas, wood, or solar energy as the main power source.
So if you are serious about going off-grid, you will not only be searching for off-grid heating solutions, but you’ll also be needing:
Read on to learn more about the heating solutions you can choose from.
Living off the grid involves not having access to utilities through wires, cables, or pipes. As a result, those living off the grid need to have alternative methods of getting essentials, such as electricity and heat, into their homes.
An off-grid heating system generates heat, distributing warm air throughout a house. These systems should be included in all homes, but they are especially important for people living in colder climates.
By ensuring your home is more than 65°F (18°C), you can prevent sickness, household equipment from being damaged and simply be more comfortable in your own home.
There are many options for heating your home when you live off the grid. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Here are some of the most effective off-grid heating methods:
One of the simplest ways to heat your off-grid home is a wood-burning stove. These stoves consist of a metal box with grates that allow oxygen to blow in and fuel the burning wood inside. They also have an outlet that directs the smoke from the fire outside your home.
Wood-burning stoves are a versatile option since they often have a stovetop that you can use for cooking.
There are many perks to using a wood-burning stove. For starters, these stoves are quite easy to maintain. In turn, you won’t need to spend on repairs or replacements for years to come.
Furthermore, wood-burning stoves are convenient and offer great portability. The reason is that you don’t need to connect them to a power source, which allows you to change their position in your home as you, please.
Wood-burning stoves aren’t without their downsides. These units cost a lot of money upfront to purchase and install.
Another issue with wood-burning stoves is heat distribution. No matter how intense your stove’s heat output is, you may need to install a heat distribution system for the stove’s heat to reach all the rooms in your home.
Next, we have propane heaters.
This heating solution uses propane gas as fuel to warm your home. You’ll need to connect a propane tank to your heater, where the gas will burn to produce heat.
Compared to other fossil fuels, propane has a cleaner combustion process. This makes it less harmful to the environment.
Propane is an excellent option for heating due to its efficiency and versatility. The former means you can heat your home while spending less, while the latter allows you to use propane to fuel several appliances.
You can use propane to power generators and cookers as well as your heater.
The primary disadvantage of propane heaters is that you’ll need to constantly pay for propane tanks to fuel them. In turn, propane heaters have reduced convenience.
If your propane supply is depleted and you can’t go out to buy a new tank for any reason, you won’t have heat in your home.
Solar thermal heaters utilize dark panels to capture energy from sunlight and convert it into heat using a heat-transfer medium, such as air or water. In turn, the heated medium relays warmth to the surrounding area.
Setting up a solar thermal system also involves installing pipes flowing beneath the floor. These pipes have the heat-transfer medium flowing through them, leading to heat radiating up into the room.
The number one pro of using solar thermal heat is that it’s a form of renewable energy. As a result, it has no carbon emissions and no harm to the environment. Furthermore, solar thermal systems require minimal maintenance.
Additionally, most manufacturers offer solar thermal systems with extended warranties.
The disadvantages of using solar thermal heaters are twofold. First off, these devices are weather-dependent. Since they rely on sunlight to serve their function, those living in certain areas may have to look elsewhere in their search for an off-grid heating solution.
Another downside of solar thermal systems is that they’re complex to install. You’ll need to hire a professional to set up the underground pipes and other required system components.
Biomass is any organic substance that you can use as a fuel. Biomass boilers are designed to use these materials effectively to produce heat.
They’re great options for off-grid homes because biomass is likely to be readily available in the surrounding area. Whether it’s wheat husk, logs, wood chips, or straw, these common materials can fuel your biomass boiler and provide central heating and water heating solutions.
Since you can find biomass lying around, you don’t need to buy fuel for your biomass boiler. This gives biomass boilers an edge over propane heaters in terms of cost-effectiveness.
Additionally, they’re easier on the environment than propane heaters because biomass is naturally occurring, unlike propane.
Like all of the heating solutions on this list, biomass boilers come with some issues.
One of these issues is storage space for the fuel. Keeping biomass nearby can take up a lot of space. If you don’t have a storage shed, this can become problematic.
Furthermore, feeding the fuel into the boiler can also be a hassle. This is because you have to do it manually.
Geothermal heat pumps have grown in popularity over the years as heating solutions for off-the-grid households. These devices distribute water and antifreeze solution through an array of underground tubes.
This “loop field” transfers heat from the ground to your home.
Geothermal heat pumps can save you lots of money in energy bills. This is because their operation isn’t energy-intensive at all.
Another advantage of geothermal heat pumps is the way they work. These devices don’t rely on burning fuel to produce heat. As a result, they don’t have any emissions, making them not harmful to the environment.
The issues surrounding geothermal heat pumps come to light on particularly cold days. On such occasions, geothermal heat pumps may prove ineffective in providing sufficient heat.
Therefore, they rely on a backup heat source to make due. When this occurs, the advantages of geothermal heat pumps are partially nullified.
Electric heat pumps work by extracting heat from the outdoor air. This mechanism may seem counterintuitive because it’s the cold outdoor air you’re trying to escape in the first place.
These pumps have a coil containing a liquid refrigerant that’s highly heat-absorbent. The refrigerant has a very low boiling point, allowing it to vaporize even with the slightest heat. The vapor then flows into your household through another coil and warms it.
The lack of maintenance required is the most significant advantage of electric heat pumps, but it’s not the only one.
Electric heat pumps are also highly efficient, which is essential in heating methods for off-grid homes.
Furthermore, these heat pumps can cool your home on hot days using the same mechanism they utilize to heat it.
The main problem with electric heat pumps is apparent in their name. These devices need a reliable off-grid source of electricity to be effective. This means that you’ll likely need to install solar panels to provide this electricity.
Additionally, electric heat pumps are difficult and expensive to install.
Kerosene heaters are a solution to strongly consider if you live in an off-grid setting.
The way kerosene heaters work is highly similar to propane heaters. These devices are also connected to a kerosene fuel tank, which they burn to produce heat.
Kerosene heaters have many advantages. Their primary appeal is their portability and ease of use. Additionally, kerosene is an efficient fuel that provides many hours of heat from a single tank.
Furthermore, kerosene is a stable gas. Therefore, it’s less likely to be a fire hazard than other fuels.
The main drawback of kerosene heaters is that they require a lot of maintenance to keep them functioning. Failing to maintain these devices can be dangerous because it can lead to them emitting poisonous fumes that can cause health issues if you inhale them.
Pellet stoves are highly similar to wood-burning stoves. However, there are some differences between these two heating options.
Instead of wood, pellet stoves use recycled leftover wood and various other organic materials as fuel to produce heat.
The pellets these stoves use have more efficient combustion than traditional wood.
If ease of use is a priority for you, pellet stoves are the better option compared to wood-burning stoves.
Since they use ready-made pellets, you don’t need to chop, stack, or haul them as you would with traditional firewood.
Additionally, pellet stoves are easier to vent. In turn, they’re easier to install.
The main concern with pellet stoves is that you’ll need to spend serious cash upfront to get one. These devices can cost up to $6,000 to buy and install. Furthermore, you’ll need to keep buying pellets for the stove. These pellets will set you back around $1,800 every four months.
In terms of heating solutions, it doesn’t get simpler than a fireplace. This age-old heating method is highly effective in many ways. Not only do fireplaces fill your home with warmth, but they also have an aesthetic appeal and act as a beautiful decorative element in any home.
Fireplaces have many advantages. The main one is that you’ll only need one fireplace to provide heat for every corner of a moderately-sized home.
Additionally, all you need to work a fireplace is wood, which is a cheap fuel that’s easy to store.
If your off-grid location is near the woods, all you’ll need to do is take a stroll and bring back a couple of logs.
Safety is the main issue with fireplaces. Having an open fire indoors can be dangerous, especially if there are kids running around the house. Additionally, fireplaces aren’t the best option for those with existing houses due to the difficulty and cost of installing them.
Another problem with fireplaces is that you’ll need to clean them every time you use them.
If you’re thinking of saying goodbye to city life and moving to a remote location, you’re likely to be in search of off-grid heating options for your property.
There are many heating solutions to choose from. They include fireplaces, biomass boilers, propane heaters, and kerosene heaters.
You can also opt for renewable heat energy sources such as solar thermal systems and geothermal heat pumps.
Carefully weigh your options and choose the heating solution that suits you best.
When living off the grid, you’re likely to be in a remote area that has no access to utilities such as electricity and natural gas. As a result, you need to have a plan in place for how you’re going to address this issue and keep your house warm during those, especially cold days.
The most efficient off-grid heating solution is an electric heat pump. Using this device can significantly reduce your energy bills while providing an effective heating method.
Additionally, electric heat pumps can also work as cooling devices, giving you more flexibility and control over your off-grid home’s climate.
The cheapest off-grid heating solution is a biomass boiler.
This is because these devices use organic material that you can simply pick up from your backyard or from nearby forests or woods. By doing so, you’ll forgo the need to buy propane or kerosene fuel tanks.
Additionally, buying and installing a biomass boiler has a relatively low upfront cost compared to other heating solutions.
Ceramic cookware has become a safe, and popular alternative to stainless steel and Telfon cookware. But to have them last a long time, it is important to learn how to clean stained ceramic pans.
If you are looking to buy cookware, you probably came down to ceramic cookware vs stainless steel cookware. Learn to see which is better for you.
At this point, you should be aware of the harmful chemicals found in traditional non-stick pans. Fortunately, ceramic pans are non-stick and do not contain harmful chemicals. Learn their pros and cons.
Who We Are
Our team brings over a decade of experience in prepping and holistic living. We share our knowledge with you, here on Soulful Prepper. Read more about us, here.
SoulfulPrepper.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participate in other affiliate programs including but not limited to ShareASale, CJ, and ClickBank, and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.
