DIY Projects for the Self-Sufficient Homeowner : 25 Ways to Build a Self-Reliant Lifestyle

Build your way to a more self-sufficient lifestyle with step-by-step projects for backup and supplementary utilities--including independent water, heat, and electricity--growing and storing food, raising small livestock, beekeeping, and more. Many of the projects require basic materials available at your everyday home center, but this book also provides valuable DIY resources for solar, hydro, greenhouse, and gardening needs. This book will help you build security with utility backup systems and become more sustainable, resulting in less dependence on city systems for basic needs. Whether you have a city plot or simply pots, this book includes all of the information needed to plan, build, and succeed with greater self-sufficiency. A step-by-step guide to building a lifestyle based on independence, security, and sustainability—includes color photos.Build your way to a more self-sufficient lifestyle with step-by-step projects for backup and supplementary utilities—including independent water, heat, and electricity—growing and storing food, raising small livestock, beekeeping, and more. Many of the projects require basic materials available at your everyday home center, but this book also provides valuable DIY resources for solar, hydro, greenhouse, and gardening needs.This book will help you build security with utility backup systems and become more sustainable, resulting in less dependence on city systems for basic needs. No matter where you live, this book gives you the information to plan, build, and succeed with greater self-sufficiency.

Advances in solar technology have made many DIY-friendly products available to consumers, several of which will be hitting the market for the first time in 2011. These include solar water heaters, solar battery charging stations, solar powered lights, photovoltaic shingles that provide supplementary electricity, solar heat pumps, and solar panel kits that generate primary home electrical service. Among the step-by-step projects is a solar water heating system you can build and install yourself for under $1000; simple thermosyphon solar heat collectors for barns and outbuildings; or "heat grabbers" that you can fabricate for $50 in materials and position below a south-facing window to provide auxiliary winter heat.

Even if you live on a small urban lot, you can take steps to gain a little more control over the things you consume. Start some tomato plants from seed and grow them in a container on your balcony. Build a chicken ark and harvest enough fresh eggs to feed a family of four all year long from one pair of laying hens. Learn to make productive use of clean household wastewater. This book includes plans and information on 25 projects to become a more self-sufficient homeowner including building a movable chicken ark, creating a raised vegetable garden, making a root cellar in any corner of any basement, raising bees for honey and wax, and crafting a solar hotbox that can help heat your home "Provides homeowners with do-it-yourself information on building and installing a wide variety of solar projects for use in the home. Projects include water heaters, lights, heat pumps, charging stations and supplemental electricity"-- Provided by publisher "Step-by-step, how-to projects for home rain collection, solar panels, food storage, solar energy systems, eco-friendly improvements, bee keeping, and more"-- Provided by publisher