The Self-Sufficient House

by Frank Coffee

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0030536111
• ISBN13: 9780030536113
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Holt McDougal
• Length: 213 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Excellent review of available technology circa 1981

Written after the 1970s oil price crisis, this book pulls together the available technologies to make a house (more) independent of outside systems. This is not limited to energy (heating, cooling, and electricity), but also includes water supplies and septic systems.The coverage is pretty comprehensive. The only problem with this book is that specific technologies are dated because the book was written over 20 years ago.SECTION ONE: PRIVATE WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMSGROUNDWATER Types of Wells Selecting the Proper Pump Pressure/Storage Tanks Disinfection and Filtration Natural SpringsSURFACE WATER Cisterns Farm Ponds, Lakes, and Rivers DistillationCONSERVING WATERSECTION TWO: BEYOND THE SEWER LINESTHE 5-GALLON FLUSHSOIL PERCOLATION TESTSEPTIC TANKSAEROBIC SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMSWASTEWATER RECYCLING SYSTEMSCOMPOSTING TOILETSGRAYWATER DISPOSALLOW-FLUSH TOILETS Portable Toilets UrinalsSECTION THREE: HEATING AND COOLINGINSULATION Windows DoorsVENTILATIONPASSIVE SOLAR HEATING Direct-Gain Systems Indirect-Gain Systems Isolated-Gain Systems Earth-Sheltered HousesACTIVE SOLAR HEATING Solar Water-Heating Systems Solar Space-Heating Systems Going Solar Without Getting BurnedACTIVE SOLAR COOLINGHEAT PUMPS Air-to-Air Heat Pumps Groundwater-to-Air Heat Pumps Solar-Assisted Heat PumpsHIGH-EFFICIENCY FIREPLACES Heat-Circulating Fireplaces Curved-Tube Convection HeatersFREESTANDING FIREPLACES AND FIREPLACE/STOVESAIRTIGHT STOVES AND HEAT CIRCULATORS Wood to BurnMULTI-FUEL FURNACESBOTTLED GASSECTION FOUR: GENERATING YOUR OWN ELECTRICITYHARNESSING THE WIND Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) WindmillsINDEPENDENT WATER POWERENGINE-DRIVEN POWER PLANTSFUEL CELLSSOLAR CELLSFor Further ReadingProduct Source ListIndex