How to Winter in an Off-Grid Tiny House
T R U T H
Tiny house living isn’t for everyone. Off-grid, tiny house living is for even fewer. Northeast, winter, off-grid, tiny house living is for a rare breed. There is no magic fairy or handsome man to tend to emptying and cleaning the compost toilet, cleaning out the gutters, clearing the sediment screens before it rain, removing the snow from the solar panels, pumping water up from the external rain-barrel to the internal holding tank when water is low, planting seeds or tending gardens. Turns out I am the “magic fairy” and the “handsome man”. Living as a solo woman in an off grid tiny house in the dead of winter certainly comes with its challenges but it also comes with incredible teachings and insights. It is an empowering and beautiful way to live but I’ll admit it some days it’s hard.
This time of year I am generally on a wild adventure, running around half naked on a beach somewhere in the southern hemisphere. But due to unforeseen external circumstances I have opted to adventure inward, all bundled up right here in Bucks County, PA. Right now I am in the depths of my first full winter in Minimus, my beloved off-grid, tiny house on wheels. I built Minimus with my own two hands and the help of my family and loving community back in 2017 as a community education project at Delaware Valley University.
And let me tell y'all, last week I got my adventure at Minimus! Sunday we had an incredibly magical daytime snowstorm. I was out amongst it for about four hours; walking, sitting, taking photos doing nudie snow angels– ya know, the norm. Monday I had an epic day of fresh powder snowboarding. Tuesday… Oh, Tuesday went something like this:
Woke up to a very cold house due to a propane miscalculation.
A pipe burst and spewed precious water everywhere, luckily it was an external pipe!
Front door knob fell off in my hand.
New lithium ion solar batteries died and I lost all power.
Fortunately, when shit hits the fan I do have my “go to” to call, my best friend, my Papa, aka Richie Matarese. Between the two of us we went on a mission, got the supplies needed and mended all of the issues by sunset! Except the electricity. It was still a bit of a mystery as to why the batteries had completely died and I had zero power? But we called it a day and I spent the evening enjoying a candlelit dinner.
Waking to Wednesday… phone calls, troubleshooting… turns out if you do not clear the snow off of all of the solar panels they do not properly charge and it drains your batteries. Since I have recently upgraded to lithium ion from lead acid batteries I was also unaware that they hold charge great until they simply don’t. My old lead acid batteries did not hold charge as long but they drained gradually, unlike the new lithium ions batteries that hold their charge much longer and then quickly crash. I removed the protective box and insulation that surrounds my precious batteries and tested them with a voltage meeting to confirm that they were dead. So the next step was to haul them out of the utility closet and recharge them using grid power (something my ego is not crazy about). . Also keep in mind there are 2 batteries and they each weigh over 100lbs. Hence why I am happy to have a little extra meat on my bones– I like beer, vegan cookies and lifting heavy things!!!
Needless to say, I have learned some pretty important Do’s & Don’ts on how to winter in an off-grid tiny house this season.
DO
Have an extra full tank of propane hand at all times
Have extra cozy bedding
Insulate all plumbing
Always keep some extra jugs of water on hand
Upgrade to lithium ion solar batteries from lead acid but be sure to keep them well insulated
When building your tiny house pitch your roofline to at least 30 degrees so the snow more easily falls off naturally
Melt down snow to make water (*if drinking make sure it is fresh and boiled for 10 min. then I let it cool. Then to be extra safe I run it through my Berkey Water Filter.)
Use your common sense!
DON’T
Only clear a portion of your solar panel array.
Waste water by leaving the water on while washing hands, brushing teeth, doing dishes, washing hair or soaping up in the shower! Water is SACRED!!!
Melt the yellow snow
Let the challenges overwhelm you and get the best of you, remember off-grid, tiny house living is an adventure!
At Minimus my entire existence revolves around nature, the same is true for every human living on Earth but for me it is a bit more “in your face” on an everyday basis. No rain, no water. No sun, no power. There is no back up grid system here. This makes me extremely aware of what is going on in my natural surroundings everyday, and what behaviors I need to alter to live in synergy. This is what I love most about my lifestyle, the intimate connection with nature. My observation skills have become more keen, awareness heightened and respect deepened. Tiny house living may not be for everyone, but it is most definitely for me and I can’t help but imagine what the world would be like if it was for everyone!
