Alternative Home Heating for the Apartment Bound

S

Smash05

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Jul 16, 2007
Messages
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I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about alternative heating. There is a thread running about long term power outages. I have gas heat with an ancient steam system. I was wondering if there is a method to run this system w/o gas or electric. Could I for instance, run the electric solenoid off of a battery of some kind, and either use a propane burner to heat the boiler(I would hit the gas cutoff first.) Just wondering if anyone has tackled this issue before. Thanks.
P
 
I heat my garage with a turkey frier and a 20lb propane bottle, it works very well and puts out enough heat to heat a good size room. I am not sure about ventilation, perhaps someone else can chime in, I would always make sure I kept a window cracked and never sleep with it on. Chris
 
I feel the trick in alternative heating for your apt. is the concept of minimizing space. Live in one room. Or even 1/2 a room. Close off the rest of the apt. Next, take advantage of any opportunities the building gives you, i.e. do you have a southern exposure? If so, use it for sunlight and if you put up clear plastic over the window you not only have a cold/wind barrier you've created a micro-climate that will warm with the sun and transfer that heat into your space. Minimal but every bit counts.
If you have a corner unit, be sure that your "space" uses only one exterior wall. Insulate, insulate, insulate. If your insulation is good enough and your space small enough, even a few candle lanterns will provide enough heat to survive. I would recommend Tom Brown's Urban & Suburban Survival. Some of stuff is dated or seems unrealistic but there is still enough for me to believe it is worthwhile.
 
I read somewhere about a heater that used two clay (terra cotta) pots.
A small pot upside down inside a larger pot - also upside down - bolted together.
The 2 pots are suspended so that the small pot is separated via a spacer
inside the large pot, and a small candle (tea candle or similar) is placed
under the smaller pot.
The smaller pot heats up, and warm air flows out of the pot
into the larger pot (warm air rises) and the large pot radiates the
heat into the room.
The whole thing needs suspending to allow air for the candle
e.g. put on wire cake stand on hard floor, or fireproof tile/plate etc.

just found these links that give more detail
http://www.topix.com/forum/tech/alt-energy/T7GKLB7KFJ5AVFV1L
http://www.heatstick.com/
 
Has anyone used the alcohol heaters? I read that they put out less less CO and odor then kerosene or propane.

http://www.swego.com/mall/heat_pal_5100.asp

We have so many power outages where I live that we put in a wood stove the first year after we built our house. The wood is free and is a great way to get outside and get some exercise. It works great for cooking on also even though we have a 6.5kw generator. Not using the oven free's up more juice for other uses.
 
Stickwhistler, I like that heat sitck. only $30. seems reasonable.

ViperSTD, yeah, I am a believer of that seriously. I just got a kettlebell for christmas. Deffinitely generates heat but not 24-7. You could do a set of 30, do what you got to do then do another when you started to feel cold.
 
Theres some info out there regarding isopropyl alcohol burners, no carbon monoxide is produced. Along the same lines but more expensive are propane catalytic heaters - again no C monoxide is produced.

With either of these units you do need a fresh air source but no ventilation for fumes. I believe the byproduct is CO and H2O, which unfortunately the body will prefer CO if it is in high enough concentrations.

Looks like this topic is on many city dwellers minds these days.

J.
 
studio said:
Theres some info out there regarding isopropyl alcohol burners, no carbon monoxide is produced. Along the same lines but more expensive are propane catalytic heaters - again no C monoxide is produced.

With either of these units you do need a fresh air source but no ventilation for fumes. I believe the byproduct is CO and H2O, which unfortunately the body will prefer CO if it is in high enough concentrations.

Looks like this topic is on many city dwellers minds these days.

J.
Click to expand...
I'm confused. I'm assuming a typo but CO is carbon monoxide.
 
stingray4540 said:
"Alternative Home Heating for the Apartment Bound"

A blanket and a good woman.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the dog :)

How about heating rocks outside on a BBQ and bringing them inside in a spaghetti pot or metal bucket?

We just had a gas insert installed that doesn't need electricity to operate-- no fan that way, so it's less efficient, but we can all camp out in the living room. We have enough camping gear to cover the rest. I can turn the porch into a camp kitchen in about 10 minutes. Remember to let the taps drip a little so they don't freeze.
 
Using a keyhole saw, cut two vents into the adjacent apartment. Install grates on the other side. Insert a small fan into each new vent, one as an intake, one as an exhaust. Install grates on your side and plug in the fans. Heat for only the cost of running a couple of small fans! :thumbup:
 
Smash05 said:
I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about alternative heating. There is a thread running about long term power outages. I have gas heat with an ancient steam system. I was wondering if there is a method to run this system w/o gas or electric. Could I for instance, run the electric solenoid off of a battery of some kind, and either use a propane burner to heat the boiler(I would hit the gas cutoff first.) Just wondering if anyone has tackled this issue before. Thanks.
P
Click to expand...

I have a low pressure steam boiler in my house. The burner assembly removes for cleaning, so in a pinch, yeah, you could stoke a fire under it, although it would have to be one hell of a fire to heat 15+ gallons of water to near boiling. I don't know anything about the pumps, mine just runs off steam pressure with a millivolt ignition, so as long as we have gas, we have heat.
 
I've seen a lot of advertisment recently regarding "ethanol fireplaces" that use Ethanol or gelified ethanol.

Not sure how they work and how different they are from an average alcohol stove, and how much those claims can be trusted, but they claim power about 3kW (1/3 of a small wood stove - small but enough for a few rooms), with so little emissions that you don't need a chimney nor a particular ventilation system (although I wouldn't try it in a too well insulated house).

http://www.heater-store.com/ethanol_heaters_33_ctg.htm
 
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