Martin (@another.time.anot3) has been living on a houseboat for five years and handled a lightning round of questions while pulling up to his home.

Most of the questions he addressed regarded heating, but he also went into water supply and construction.

Martin gets his drinking water from a nearby marina. He uses filtered river and rainwater to do dishes and shower.

Propane heats the water and runs the refrigerator, while his electronics are charged by solar energy. A generator powers the air conditioner when he needs it in the summer, while diesel and a fireplace heat the home in winter.

Martin built the boat himself using three pontoons that collectively carry 6,000 pounds. He says the only real maintenance is changing oil on the outboard motor. He goes into many more details on his YouTube channel.

Houseboats are a novel way to get off the grid. Some make it work on a sailboat, while others have squared away precious claims on isolated lakes.

Running solar panels is a must-have in situations like this. Not only is solar power enough to handle any electronics needs, but it’s also the cheapest power source available.

With ample battery storage, solar power can provide juice when other sources fail, increasing resilience and independence. The one downside to the off-grid lifestyle is the reliance on fossil fuels for so many other needs.

Not only are these fuels more expensive than solar, but burning gas is also bad for your health. Dirty fuels also produce atmospheric pollution, which contributes to destructive weather events that are even harder to contend with when you’re separated from civilization.

To turn off the gas and enjoy all the benefits of cheap solar power in your own home, be it on-grid or off, EnergySage has free online tools that can connect you to vetted local installers. The platform can knock $10,000 from the installation cost of solar panels with the help of government incentives.

If those perks aren’t enough to move the upfront investment cost within your budget, Palmetto offers a solar panel leasing program called LightReach. It can get you hooked up with cheap solar power for no money down.

Users loved getting a look inside Martin’s floating home.

“That’s the life,” one said.

“Living free, buddy! Love it,” another wrote.

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