Disclaimer and Safety Notes

Estimates for planning only

Every calculator, finder and converter on HomesteadCalcs is a planning aid. Results depend on the numbers you enter and on assumptions built into the tool, and real situations vary. We work to base each tool on published sources and to state its assumptions, but we cannot guarantee that a result is correct for your animals, land, equipment or local conditions. You use the tools at your own risk, and you are responsible for decisions you make with the results.

Animal health and dosing

The goat and sheep dewormer calculator and other animal tools are not veterinary advice. Doses on a product label and the advice of a veterinarian take priority over any figure here. Do not treat a sick, very young, pregnant or underweight animal based on a calculator result. Parasite resistance to dewormers is common, so ask a veterinarian about fecal egg counts and about a treatment plan for your herd. Weigh animals or use a weight tape, because estimating weight by eye is a common cause of wrong doses. In an emergency, call a veterinarian.

Food preservation and food safety

The canning altitude calculator adjusts times or pressures for altitude. It does not make a recipe safe. Use recipes tested by your state extension service, the USDA or the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and follow them exactly. Process low-acid foods in a pressure canner, never in a boiling water bath. Discard any jar with a bulging lid, leaking seal, spurting liquid, off odours or mould. Botulism is rare but can be fatal, and it cannot be detected by looking at the food.

Water, septic and structural decisions

The well pump, septic and cistern calculators give approximate sizes. Wells and septic systems are regulated, and local health departments set minimum sizes, setbacks and testing rules. A licensed installer or engineer must design and a local authority must approve these systems. Do not drink untreated collected rainwater or well water without testing it.

Electrical, fuel and heating

Results from the generator and solar and battery calculators are not electrical designs. Wiring, battery systems and generator connections can cause fires, shock and carbon monoxide poisoning if installed wrongly. Use a licensed electrician, never run a generator indoors or in an enclosed space, and install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Burn only seasoned firewood, and have chimneys inspected and cleaned.

Craft and workshop work

The maker tools involve hazards such as lead, heat and chemical mordants. Follow the safety data for your materials, use eye and hand protection and work with good ventilation.

Legal and regulatory matters

Livestock numbers, bees, trapping, burning, water use and building work are regulated differently in different places. Information on this site is general. Check with your local government, state agencies and, where relevant, your insurer before you act.

Accuracy and external links

We review and correct pages when errors are reported, but we cannot promise that every page is free from mistakes or up to date. Links to other sites are provided for convenience, and we are not responsible for their content. To report an error, use the Report an Issue form.