Hello everyone! Rob Raskin of Las Vegas here again, and today I’d like to talk about steps you can take to make sure you are prepared to live off-grid during the winter. Homesteading in an area where it snows presents many special challenges. These will require preparations in advance if you want to get through the worst of it. From frozen pipes to frozen chickens, there are many problems that can and will arise for homesteaders who don’t take steps to ensure they’ll have what they need to survive until the spring thaw.
If you live in a region where it snows, the following tips are for you:
Check Your Generators
Even if your generator looks great, it’s important to start them up and to give them an oil change prior to each winter to give yourself the best possible chance of having a generator that is in top working order.
Protect Your Pipes Against Freezing
If you have a house with plumbing or you are living in a trailer or other shelter with pipes, you’ll need to take precautions to ensure your pipes don’t freeze, and this also includes your tanks and your water pump. Pointing a propane heater at your water and septic tanks can help keep them from freezing, and it also helps to use an insulated shell whenever possible.
Stay on Top of Your Plowing
Keeping access to the roads open can be essential in the winter, so you’ll want to make sure you plow regularly to make sure you aren’t snowed in. It can pile up faster than you might think! You can find many snow removal tips for homesteaders online, and it may take some trial and error to figure out which ones work for you.
Do you have any winter tips you’d like to share? Let me, Rob Raskin, know in the comments!
Here is a Winter Prep Checklist that will help you to make sure you are prepared for the season: