[PunchyHamster]

solar + storage + water sheath fireplace can run pretty much till you run out of wood.

But yes, unless you spend serious money (own sewer, water from underground etc), it's basically solution for "the power pole is down", not any grid wide problems.

[bob1029]

> unless you spend serious money (own sewer, water from underground etc)

It is often the case (at least where I live) that having a septic system and well is far more economical than obtaining a property with access to city utilities.

[GnarfGnarf]

Perhaps, but municipal water runs by gravity whereas your well pump doesn’t operate during a power failure.

[defrost]

Our bore pumps are all solar powered inline immersion pumps fitted to boreholes under older still standing windmills.

They're off grid, and can be swapped out if the PV panels or immersion pumps fail.

Ideally you should be pumping into tanks in any case, for the buffer, and those tanks can be placed on a hill to gravity feed .. or pump with a motor.

Here's a typical setup, sans old windmill: https://youtu.be/iZAMm_S3GNQ?t=383

(same rough area (W.Australian wheatbelt) not our land)

[XorNot]

I mean "run out of wood" is the problem though. There aren't that many trees, certainly not enough for everyone in a region to start doing it.

You'd be better off with an air sourced hear pump for hot water anyway - the one in my house uses less power then my dehumidifier.