How To Create A Self-Sufficient Tiny Home

In uncertain economic times, tiny homes offer a more affordable way of living, but the benefits don't stop there. These , and support off-grid living or travel-focused dreams. While their footprint might be limited, there are many tiny home hacks to maximize small spaces, and customization options are almost endless. Best of all, the savings don't stop at the home's purchase price. You can turn your home into one that is self-sufficient and doesn't depend on local utilities by addressing four main systems: .

Unlike a traditional home hooked up to local utilities, creating a self-sufficient tiny home requires more careful thought, as every ounce of water and watt of power must be considered. Regional weather patterns can also affect the systems you choose, which is why you should keep weather in mind when buying a tiny house. For example, areas with consistently sunny conditions will be better at capturing solar energy than tiny homes in cloudier regions, and homes in frigid regions will need more attention to their heating systems than those in mild areas.

The most important self-sufficiency features in a tiny home may vary by user preference, but typically encompass water and electricity. Fortunately, you can can be installed to store excess energy, allowing you to generate electricity whenever you need it.

Capturing water is a bit trickier, though. There are generally two ways to go about this when complete self-sufficiency is the goal: if your tiny home is stationary, consider adding a well or cistern; if the tiny house won't be stationary, a rainwater collection system can be used, . With either of these systems, and consume. A third option (somewhat less sufficient) is to install a water

With water and electricity in place, two more essential systems remain: waste and warmth. One of the best ways to handle human waste is to install a Compost toilets are the perfect choice for tiny home bathrooms because and as long as they're well-maintained, .

Finally, you'll need to address your heating and cooling systems, and depending on your needs, the options are pretty vast. If you live in a cooler region and are only concerned about heating, . You can further boost your home's efficiency by . However, the systems of power, water, warmth, and waste are the four cornerstones you need to address when aiming for complete self-sufficiency.