THE ANSWER:
On a normal day without large tub baths or laundry we use: 58 Gallons
On a large tub bath day add: 10-15 gallons
On a laundry day add: 25 gallons
SO Janet, Tiffibug and Peggy were correct guessing.
We fill the large bath tub 4-7 days a week.
Regarding the carbon foot print question: We only had to heat our water for about 9 weeks with the propane burners, now we have a hot water reservoir heated by wood. Regarding the gasoline engine for the windmill, that is ran about 10 minutes a day. The wash machine about 3 hours MAX a week. We have one family car that is driven only 5,000 miles maximum an entire year. The Gentle Giant does have a daily commute above the 5,000 miles, but we are not runners. We combine trips quite a bit. I dare say that even people who live in the city put on more miles than our family with their little jaunts here and there. They figure, I am only about 5 minutes from the nearest grocery store so its ok to run there once, if not twice a day. The wash machine engine is run daily for an hour. I would be more concerned about "loose electricity aka stray voltage". Whether a myth to some or not, studies have shown that to be real. This is an interesting book on the subject itself.
"Everyone who uses a shower, hot tub or swimming pool, or even touches an outside
water spigot, needs to read Russ Allen s book as it discloses the shocking truth
about the North American electric distribution system. Even through the book
details the slow death by electrocution of Mr. Allen s dairy cows by the local
electric utility and the ensuing trial, what happened to Mr. Allen can happen to
anyone." --Donald W. Zipse, P.E., electrical forensics engineer, IEEE Life Fellow
On a normal day (not a laundry day) how much water do you think our family of 7 uses? It is very neat to think we know how much we use.
How much do you use? Remember a bathtub can hold up to 30-40 gallons. Each toilet flush is a few gallons…
Place your answer below. Thanks.
29 comments:
Well, I have a family of 7 and I'm guessing at least 300 gallons?! That sounds like a lot though. Hmmmm
I wll guess 450.
I was going to guess about 20 or 30.
I'm thinking 80-100 gallons. But....that's a good question to be asking!
Kris
I'm guessing that you use around 10 - 15 gallons on a non-laundry day. For my family of 7 w/ a typical american home and the typical appliances? I'm guessing that we use 300 - 350 gallons - but I'd bet I'd cringe to know what we actually use - it's probably more.
I haven't a clue how much water you use. It's funny that you should ask this question today, as earlier this a.m. while rinsing out a diapee I asked myself the same question about our home. I found your site via Down-to-Earth. I read all of your past posts since goingoff grid. congratulations. I will be following your jourmey, at leat until our computer dies at which time it will not be replaced. The same goes for our other electric appliances. Until that time I look forward to your posts. God bless you all. Mammamamma
I am guessing 50 gallons.
I will guess 10 gallons,
one gallon for each person and enough to cook and clean up after wards.
I'm gonna guess 50 gallons.
My guess for a family of 7 would be close to 750 gallons. That is if everyone got a bath, plus everyone flushed EVERYTIMe they went potty and a couple loads of dishes to wash-plus handwashing-yep...that's my guess.
if each person took one bath a week, that would be 210 to 280 gallons. I would guess you all take baths at least half the week, so maybe 250 * 3, so 750... then if you added toilet and miscellaneous... maybe 10 gallons each day for toilet * 7 days... 70 gallons... i'd say 850 or so.
Of course, since we don't know how often you all take baths instead of just washing off...or, do you flush since you have outhouses now?
Good question. I need to pay more attention here to water usage, and I know we are a bit overboard ourselves.
We are a family of 10 here and use, without bathing or watering animals included, we go through 7 jugs, so 21 gallons. Some days more than that, but never less.
With bathing and animal needs I'm not altogether sure what we use...I dread to consider that portion of it as we are more of a shower clan and not a bath clan...and summer with the gardens??? Oh my...I shudder to think!
LOL...my guess would be at least 20 gallons. With laundry in that wringer, I'd jump you up another 15-25 gallons.
Deanna
I guess I'd have to say about 40 gallons each. But I may be way off. We are a 2 person family. Food for thought though.
Blessings Gail
I have no idea...and I'm washing usually all day every day. Family of 8 with six under age 8.
We just got our water bill last week. Over the past three months, we averaged 213 litres a day for the two of us. So 106.5 litres each or 28 gallons per day. So, multiply that by 7, I'd say about 196 gallons a day.
Good Question!!!
Can't wait to see the answer..I see people answered are very varied...
Not even sure what to guess...not even sure what our amounts of usage would be in our home...the dishwasher alone uses tons even on a light load...we replaced all the toilet with those energy flush ones and got a front loading washing machine and that sure cut things down...
So I will guess...at 7 to 10 gallons for your family...??
This is on a non-laundry DAY, right? This past month, we had 3300 gallons, so that's about 100/day for a family of 5. THAT's HORRIBLE! We're not nearly as conservative with our water as we SHOULD be. Take out laundry... say... 80 on a non-laundry day for us. So I bet you're using about 20gallons, since you don't have toilets to flush and don't probably let it run!
I used a water calculator and it showed we used 70 gallons/day indoors and 170 gallons/day outdoors (in the summer with a lawn and garden)...it's 0 gallons/day from late-fall to spring.
My calculations included the laundry though...and we don't have a dish washer, we wash by hand.
Hmmm since you have an outhouse I am going to guess at 50 gallons.
Okay I give up...
How many do you use?
About 13 gallons?
Hmmm -- our family of 7 uses 21 gallons a day. This includes flushing (sparingly) and adding humidity to the air. To actually drink, cook, or wash dishes, I would gather that we use about 14-16. We have only been in our Amish house for 3 weeks, and are still adjusting and learning!
Shasha
(http://simplicityfirst.com)
We have a family of 7 and I'm thinking we probably use 300 gal. a day which is scarey! I'm thinking you use less because you have a different way of getting it, heating it and I'm thinking I'd be a LOT more frugal with the water in your circumstances. Plus, you don't flush do you?? if it's the kind of outhouses I'm thinking. So for you guys I'd guess at 85 - 100.
Remembering back to when I lived in my cabin for about a year and following my water pattern, I'm ready to venture a guess now after pondering all night. 2 gal per meal to wash dishes, 1 gal to cook, 2 gal to drink, and 1/2 gal each to wash off before meals, 2 1/2 gal for diapee pail, 2 gal before bed wash offs each.... I'd say 30 gallon. And I still bet I'm too high especially if you were as frugal and tired after work as I was and didn't feel like carrying that much water a half mile every day. For one person working away from home I used approximately 6 gallon a day.
Mammamamma
OK Little miss popular - call me when you get a chance. Joel had an answer to the carbon footprint question that was hilarious.
I think my cousin lives like 20 minutes or closer from you! Wow!!!
Miss you - how's that growing baby????
i just found your blog ! i think it is amazing what you are doing. i stayed up till 1 am reading the whole thing last night . i sooo want to get of the rush of this world and live a simple life , Its so encouraging to hear that Gods is doing in your life personally .
i cant wait for an update! your family is amazing
christina
ok, so i was way off! lol but it was fun guessing. :)
btw, i LOVE reading about your journey.
melissa
Hi,
Thanks for the response about the carbon footprint question, both here and on my site. I was shocked that you can get 60 gallons of water out in 10 minutes, much faster than I would have thought.
I was taken for a turn with the reference to Mr Allen. I remember that from way back when. Reminds me of seeing fluorescent bulbs glowing underneath power lines. I have not come to a conclusion myself on stay voltage (other than I would never live near high power lines.) I more am concerned I live in a way that is ecologically fit for the world. Asking if everyone did what I am doing would it work? There are many examples of whole cultures failing when they used up all the wood.
Ok I am sounding way to much like a naysayer. That is far from the truth. I have a lot of envy and like so many others want to follow in your footsteps. Thankyou for what you post it is teaching us so much. I should have said that in my first message. Thank you most for writing about the family and spiritual closeness you are finding. Then also thank you for sharing about living on the farm.
Ryan
Post a Comment