How well can you keep you house going after SHTF?

wideym · 10-08-2009, 12:24 AM

I know everyone is always looking for the right SHTF gun, ammo, food storage, ect..., but how many of us could keep the lights burning or the plumbing working without going to Walmart or calling a plumber?

Last month I was short on money (bought too many guns) and I decided to for go anything not absolutley needed.

The first week I had two light bulbs burn out with no replacement bulbs in the house. I eventually found a bulb from my droplight to replace one bulb.

The second week a board broke on the porch and I had no lumber at all let alone any nails except a few carpet tacks and picture frame hanging nails. None were approprate for my needs.

The third week, after I got my water bill, I notice that it was a slightly higher than normal and checked the lines. Sure enough I had a small leak squirting water from the water heater. I had no pipe dope, but luckily my uncle has a plumbing company and he dropped off a can and checked my work. (You can learn stuff through ozmossis)

The last week was pretty much un-eventful, but I learned that just because Walmart is a short drive away doesn't mean you shouldn't stock up on a few household items.

Here are some things I would suggest you learn or stock up on:

Learn where you pipes are located and where your shutoff valves are.

Keep a supply of electical fuses if you have a fuse box, along with spare light bulbs.

You don't need a full set of all tools, but basic set along with a hand saw, nails, a few 2x4s and at least one sheet of plywood.

You may have the most awsomest SHTF arsenal, but whats the use in a 10th gun if you can't keep the toilets flushed or fall down the stairs because the lights bulbs are burned out.

Ninja Piper · 10-08-2009, 12:26 AM

Excellent point!

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 12:38 AM

Well , you havent seen My Place...I have everything from Kegs of nails , and Plumbing fittings to 7 Nissan pickups for parts, screws, water buckets , stove pipes, Torches, lanterns, pumps, generators, solar panels, water purifiers, Chem /Bio suits, gas masks, extra cold weather gear, tools, cannonballs, copper, PVC, and steel pipe , gasket material, extra cookware...the list is endless...and the knowledge to fix darn near anything.

Rich

larmus · 10-08-2009, 01:47 AM

whelp my bug out location just changed...LOL!!! moose i can shovel snow, cut fire wood, and I give a great foot massage... mind company when the shtf!!! haha!!!

CrazyIvan · 10-08-2009, 02:01 AM

Well, you don't really need lights, that is what kerosene lanterns, flashlights, candles and propane lanterns are for. It's good to have a generator, but they are pretty loud, and on a single-story house, it is a bit difficult to ward off the looters and moochers. I would generally want to stay dark at night, so they don't suspect anyone is here.

As far as plumbing, you can use grey water to flush the toilet, and if that fails, you can dig a hole in your back yard and cover it with a piece of plywood. Or, to distance yourself a bit, you can dig a hole in the neighbors back yard, they probably won't be home...hah.

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 03:14 AM

I also have a portable Out house and a Portable 5 gallon "Inhouse Outhouse" !
I also Have a good supply of sears catalogs !!!

If you can name it...I probably have it !LOL

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larmus

whelp my bug out location just changed...LOL!!! moose i can shovel snow, cut fire wood, and I give a great foot massage... mind company when the shtf!!! haha!!!

Just get here before I go ito full Lockdown Mode !!! The Password is "GunandGame"...!

thrillbilly · 10-08-2009, 03:25 AM

LOL my house? Wouldn't even try...my Dad's place is the BOL right now...15 miles away, and I know every gravel road between here and there. He's got a well with back-up well bucket for no power situations, land for hunting and trapping, a creek nearby for fishin, a stocked root cellar, a 1 acre garden to replenish the root cellar, a 30'x80' shop full of toys (he must be kin to mooseman LOL), and a rock house and 20'x20' rock bunkhouse in a nice area for fields of fire. Wood stoves, and plenty of saws and axes for wood replenishing.

With his tractor and "stuff" laying around, we could have it pretty well hardened in a day or less. I have enough brothers and kinfolks that'd be coming in to make the work load lighter and the guard duty shorter as well. LOL my Dad has enough odds and ends to fabricate almost anything...he's got a little junkyard going on over there.

LOL I am the only one who gives much thought to SHTF really, but the way we live normally and the skills we posses...it wouldn't be much of a task to go back to the land really. A lot of what people think is "survival" training is just the way we live. We hillbillys just grow up hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, and making stuff from odd ends of junk.

thrillbilly · 10-08-2009, 03:34 AM

I would miss my TV and intergooglyweb though...modern living is a lot easier then the post-SHTF scenarios a lot of us fantasize about. LOL giving up all the things we are accustomed to will not be a easy task for anyone...no matter how much we talk about it, I pray I die of old age and never see the day.
Eating nothing but what ya grow or kill will grow old VERY quickly...I'd say some people will take the ten-cent solution just thinking about never having another Snickers bar or Big Mac again...or seeing and communicating with your loved ones who didn't live close enough to you to unite with you.
I sincerly hope I never have to look down a gun barrel at a fellow human being...most of the people we contact won't be zombies or crazed looters or mad bikers like in the movies...they will be people just like you, just trying to survive and feed there families. I don't know if I could turn away or kill a man just because I had something he needed to keep his kids alive. I hope to build a community of decent people banded together to live, not just survive and be alive...but to LIVE.

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 03:37 AM

Thrillbilly....I wonder if we're related ????

larmus · 10-08-2009, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thrillbilly

I would miss my TV and intergooglyweb though...modern living is a lot easier then the post-SHTF scenarios a lot of us fantasize about. LOL giving up all the things we are accustomed to will not be a easy task for anyone...no matter how much we talk about it, I pray I die of old age and never see the day.
Eating nothing but what ya grow or kill will grow old VERY quickly...I'd say some people will take the ten-cent solution just thinking about never having another Snickers bar or Big Mac again...or seeing and communicating with your loved ones who didn't live close enough to you to unite with you.
I sincerly hope I never have to look down a gun barrel at a fellow human being...most of the people we contact won't be zombies or crazed looters or mad bikers like in the movies...they will be people just like you, just trying to survive and feed there families. I don't know if I could turn away or kill a man just because I had something he needed to keep his kids alive. I hope to build a community of decent people banded together to live, not just survive and be alive...but to LIVE.

+100 on that thrillbilly

thrillbilly · 10-08-2009, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooseman684

Thrillbilly....I wonder if we're related ????

I'm not sure if we could be...you being on the dark side with your Win70s and me being on the side of the angels with my Rem700s. LOL

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 04:34 AM

I'm the Bad Brother !!!

LOL

thrillbilly · 10-08-2009, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooseman684

I'm the Bad Brother !!!

LOL

With my two brothers and I, the title of "bad brother" would be hotly contested!

I am the "big brother" even though I'm the youngest. My oldest brother calls me his "little big baby brother" LOL

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 05:04 AM

I'm the Oldest of 3 boys...LOL

10-08-2009, 12:24 AM	#1
wideym Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oklahoma/Arkansas border Posts: 193	How well can you keep you house going after SHTF? I know everyone is always looking for the right SHTF gun, ammo, food storage, ect..., but how many of us could keep the lights burning or the plumbing working without going to Walmart or calling a plumber? Last month I was short on money (bought too many guns) and I decided to for go anything not absolutley needed. The first week I had two light bulbs burn out with no replacement bulbs in the house. I eventually found a bulb from my droplight to replace one bulb. The second week a board broke on the porch and I had no lumber at all let alone any nails except a few carpet tacks and picture frame hanging nails. None were approprate for my needs. The third week, after I got my water bill, I notice that it was a slightly higher than normal and checked the lines. Sure enough I had a small leak squirting water from the water heater. I had no pipe dope, but luckily my uncle has a plumbing company and he dropped off a can and checked my work. (You can learn stuff through ozmossis) The last week was pretty much un-eventful, but I learned that just because Walmart is a short drive away doesn't mean you shouldn't stock up on a few household items. Here are some things I would suggest you learn or stock up on: Learn where you pipes are located and where your shutoff valves are. Keep a supply of electical fuses if you have a fuse box, along with spare light bulbs. You don't need a full set of all tools, but basic set along with a hand saw, nails, a few 2x4s and at least one sheet of plywood. You may have the most awsomest SHTF arsenal, but whats the use in a 10th gun if you can't keep the toilets flushed or fall down the stairs because the lights bulbs are burned out.

10-08-2009, 12:26 AM	#2
Ninja Piper Pie > Cake Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Watertown, WI Posts: 1,089	Excellent point! __________________ The "Safety Briefing" should NEVER be confused with the "Safety Dance"

10-08-2009, 12:38 AM	#3
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 12,781	Well , you havent seen My Place...I have everything from Kegs of nails , and Plumbing fittings to 7 Nissan pickups for parts, screws, water buckets , stove pipes, Torches, lanterns, pumps, generators, solar panels, water purifiers, Chem /Bio suits, gas masks, extra cold weather gear, tools, cannonballs, copper, PVC, and steel pipe , gasket material, extra cookware...the list is endless...and the knowledge to fix darn near anything. Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

10-08-2009, 01:47 AM	#4
larmus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: arizona Posts: 3,435	whelp my bug out location just changed...LOL!!! moose i can shovel snow, cut fire wood, and I give a great foot massage... mind company when the shtf!!! haha!!! __________________ Lawrence Home Defense: .45 and a Shovel...

10-08-2009, 02:01 AM	#5
CrazyIvan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 3,533 Blog Entries: 1	Well, you don't really need lights, that is what kerosene lanterns, flashlights, candles and propane lanterns are for. It's good to have a generator, but they are pretty loud, and on a single-story house, it is a bit difficult to ward off the looters and moochers. I would generally want to stay dark at night, so they don't suspect anyone is here. As far as plumbing, you can use grey water to flush the toilet, and if that fails, you can dig a hole in your back yard and cover it with a piece of plywood. Or, to distance yourself a bit, you can dig a hole in the neighbors back yard, they probably won't be home...hah. __________________ "Minimum wage, minimum effort." "Never underestimate the power of stupidity." ~Me Last edited by CrazyIvan; 10-08-2009 at 02:03 AM.

10-08-2009, 03:14 AM	#6
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 12,781	I also have a portable Out house and a Portable 5 gallon "Inhouse Outhouse" ! I also Have a good supply of sears catalogs !!! If you can name it...I probably have it !LOL __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

10-08-2009, 03:25 AM	#8
thrillbilly Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ozark Hill Country Posts: 3,184	LOL my house? Wouldn't even try...my Dad's place is the BOL right now...15 miles away, and I know every gravel road between here and there. He's got a well with back-up well bucket for no power situations, land for hunting and trapping, a creek nearby for fishin, a stocked root cellar, a 1 acre garden to replenish the root cellar, a 30'x80' shop full of toys (he must be kin to mooseman LOL), and a rock house and 20'x20' rock bunkhouse in a nice area for fields of fire. Wood stoves, and plenty of saws and axes for wood replenishing. With his tractor and "stuff" laying around, we could have it pretty well hardened in a day or less. I have enough brothers and kinfolks that'd be coming in to make the work load lighter and the guard duty shorter as well. LOL my Dad has enough odds and ends to fabricate almost anything...he's got a little junkyard going on over there. LOL I am the only one who gives much thought to SHTF really, but the way we live normally and the skills we posses...it wouldn't be much of a task to go back to the land really. A lot of what people think is "survival" training is just the way we live. We hillbillys just grow up hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, and making stuff from odd ends of junk. __________________ *" I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on."* John Wayne

10-08-2009, 03:34 AM	#9
thrillbilly Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ozark Hill Country Posts: 3,184	I would miss my TV and intergooglyweb though...modern living is a lot easier then the post-SHTF scenarios a lot of us fantasize about. LOL giving up all the things we are accustomed to will not be a easy task for anyone...no matter how much we talk about it, I pray I die of old age and never see the day. Eating nothing but what ya grow or kill will grow old VERY quickly...I'd say some people will take the ten-cent solution just thinking about never having another Snickers bar or Big Mac again...or seeing and communicating with your loved ones who didn't live close enough to you to unite with you. I sincerly hope I never have to look down a gun barrel at a fellow human being...most of the people we contact won't be zombies or crazed looters or mad bikers like in the movies...they will be people just like you, just trying to survive and feed there families. I don't know if I could turn away or kill a man just because I had something he needed to keep his kids alive. I hope to build a community of decent people banded together to live, not just survive and be alive...but to LIVE. __________________ *" I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on."* John Wayne

10-08-2009, 03:37 AM	#10
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 12,781	Thrillbilly....I wonder if we're related ???? __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

10-08-2009, 04:34 AM	#13
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 12,781	I'm the Bad Brother !!!LOL __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

10-08-2009, 05:04 AM	#15
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 12,781	I'm the Oldest of 3 boys...LOL __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!