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Stock spare parts and tools

Remote estates wait longer for parts. Keep spares for the items that fail most often and would cause the most disruption.

How

1. Walk through each system with its manual and list consumables and common failure parts: water filters and cartridges, UV lamps, pump seals, fuses, generator oil and filters, canner gaskets and safety plugs, hose fittings, tap washers.
2. Rank each item by how bad its failure would be (no water, no power, no heat) and how long a replacement takes to arrive.
3. Keep at least one spare of every critical consumable, and order a replacement as soon as you use it.
4. For pressure canners, note your model number; UNH Extension notes gaskets and parts are ordered by model.
5. Store spares labelled, dry and in one place, with a list taped inside the cupboard.
6. Keep a basic tool kit: screwdrivers, spanners, pipe wrench, multimeter (for checking, not live work), torch, ladder, plumbing tape, sealant, cable ties and safety gear.
7. Review the spares list each year (living-16).

Do these first

• living-16

Sources

1. Testing Pressure Canner Dial Gauges. University of New Hampshire Extension, accessed 2026-11
2. Balance-of-System Equipment Required for Renewable Energy Systems. US Department of Energy, Energy Saver, accessed 2026-11

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