How to stay warm while bugging in?

[chewbacca]

Like QuietBear said, the buddy heaters, kerosene heaters, even too many kerosene lamps and candles can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Cody Lundin addresses this in "When All Hell Breaks Loose". Basically, here is a summary:
- Sleep together in the same room, this should be a south facing room on the upper level, if you have one.
- Cover exterior doors with blankets or extra sleeping bags. Seal gaps for drafts.
- Cover windows with clear plastic during the day, at night add mylar space blankets (reflective side in) and close drapes, or add blankets or towels over the window.
- floors that recieve sunlight should be dark to absorb heat (if you live in a cold climate, a dark tile floor would be ideal...just in case you are thinking of remoldeling)
- Again, as Quiet Bear said, sleeping in a sofa cushion fort covered with a blanket will keep you warm, but you can insulate the whole room using cushions, mattresses and pillows if you have extra. Even sleeping in a tent, in the room will keep you warmer.
- Last but not least, snuggle up with your honey. Two bodies are warmer than one.

It's not just a SHTF book, it has a lot of good short term stuff for power outages and the like.

By the way, 6000 people lost power about an hour south of me today, and at 9:00 am it was -16°F...so this is something that might be good to know - great post Sharp Eye

 

[Bufford]

Every house should have a woodstove in cold countries such as Canada and many parts of the USA. I have never lived in a house without some kind of wood heat. Power grids and fuel delivery are all unreliable, and furnaces do and will break down often when they are needed the most.

Wood has remained the main heat source throughout my life, and I would feel like I am just burning money if I had to rely on oil, gas or heaven forbid- electric heat. People spend thousands of $s just to heat their home, I couldn't justify that living here where we are blessed with cheap wood.

As mentioned utilities are unreliable. I use a forced air wood furnace, I purposely oversized the ducts that supply the livingroom directly above the furnace incase the power goes out. Power black outs happen often, and by having large vents the furnace will not overheat when the power does go down. Without the fan the heat has no place to go unless the vents are large enough. Undersized venting can lead to fires should the fan fail.

I also wired the house to use a generator when the power fails. Power goes to only the important circuits being the furnace,TV/sattelite, freezer, fridge and kitchen. In a pinch the airconditioner too, but I need to juggle power since even a window unit uses a large portion of the generator's output.

It pays to be self sufficient when the going gets difficult.

 

[texastonydobbs]

I am in the same boat as Sharp eye but in TX cold snaps are far and few between,gas heated house but nothing a few extra blankets could not over come,plus wearing clothes or maybe a light jacket inside maybe uncomfortable but beats being cold...Wood stove is what I am looking at for me but trying to convince the wifey is another thing. LOL !

 

[Sharp Eye]

These are great suggestions guys.
Thanks for your input.
In looking around the web after Ritch S suggested kerosene heaters, discovered that they they make closed combustion space heaters fueled by oil, propane and they may make a kerosene version.
These with an outside tank might be a not too expensive disaster backup.

Powernoodle- how much gasoline did you go through in a week?

 

[beau5278]

Every house should have a woodstove in cold countries such as Canada and many parts of the USA. I have never lived in a house without some kind of wood heat. Power grids and fuel delivery are all unreliable, and furnaces do and will break down often when they are needed the most.

Wood has remained the main heat source throughout my life, and I would feel like I am just burning money if I had to rely on oil, gas or heaven forbid- electric heat. People spend thousands of $s just to heat their home, I couldn't justify that living here where we are blessed with cheap wood.

As mentioned utilities are unreliable. I use a forced air wood furnace, I purposely oversized the ducts that supply the livingroom directly above the furnace incase the power goes out. Power black outs happen often, and by having large vents the furnace will not overheat when the power does go down. Without the fan the heat has no place to go unless the vents are large enough. Undersized venting can lead to fires should the fan fail.

I also wired the house to use a generator when the power fails. Power goes to only the important circuits being the furnace,TV/sattelite, freezer, fridge and kitchen. In a pinch the airconditioner too, but I need to juggle power since even a window unit uses a large portion of the generator's output.

It pays to be self sufficient when the going gets difficult.

I'm with Bufford on this one,I've heated with wood for as long as I've owned a house.Pellet stoves are a little more convenient but you can't beat a good woodburner.I have 2 in this house,if I had to I could stay,comfortably,for any period of time without power in any weather.I've seen areas around here that have been out of power for a week or 2 since I've lived here.I have 2 small gas camp stoves plus the grill on the back porch,a small generator for lights but I can also light things up with a Coleman gas lantern.

 

[tknife]

My wife loves candles and usually has a few lit throught the house. I'm amazed by the warmth that a couple candles can project in a small room, they easily raise it by a few degees. Just makes sure you're not sealed in air tight though.

 

[hollowdweller]

Depends on how long you are without gas.

We have a gas well and it is not subject to disruption, but the gas straight from the well freezes up the regulator some times.

We have several small electric heaters and also a kerosene. Then we own a cabin across the hollow that has a big wood stove in it.

We also have lots of blankets and zero degree sleeping bags.

If you were really worried I'd grab a larger propane tank and buy a propane heater too. Tractor Supply sells them

 

[silenthunterstudios]

How many people in the ol' homestead? All of the pets and two legged occupants should sleep together, maybe on the floor under some comforters, where the heat source is. My dogs have decided that my bed is their bed :grumpy:, but in the winter, it does get nice and toasty. Three dog night and all that.

Remember ventilation, whatever you do!

 

[1Tracker]

There are 2 sizes of 'Buddy brand' propane heaters. There is the SMALL 'Mr Buddy', and the LARGER 'Big Buddy' which comes with a fan, ability to store onboard 2 propane tanks, ability to use the bulk tank hose WITH inline filter, and it's rated SAFE FOR INDOOR USE. I'm not dead and mine has been running since DEC 1st 10 hours a day with no windows open! Every house is drafty unless it's a brand new construction sealed up for the 'Greenies'/yuppie buyers. You need to eat too so having the extra propane arouns serves 2 purposes. First, you can get one of those single burner propane stoves that screw on top of a single can of propane. Secondly, you could buy a 'Cat Burner Head' (Catalytic burner kinda like your car's catalytic converter similiar principle) that attaches to a single propane canister. Third, the 'Big Buddy' heater beats the heck out of the cost effeciency of a generator; plus the hassle of storing quantities of explosive gasoline around your home, can you say MAJOR fire hazard not covered by your homeowners insurance?!! The woodstove has merits if you are aware of CO2 dangers associated with wood burning in a home. Either way buy and install at least 1 CO2 detector in your home if you do not have one now.

 

[Sharp Eye]

1Tracker,
I just got a chance to look at the Big Buddy heater. It looks like a great solution. You can get almost 5 days heat on the low setting out of a 20lb (grill sized) propane tank.
It looks like one of these and 5 or six tanks plus a CO detector just for safety is a great and cost effective solution.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this heater with all of us.

 

[1Tracker]

Sharp Eye, yes it is very economical to run, and if you were somehow incapcatiated someone else could work it. Not that a woodstove is complicated but someone has to fetch the wood in, make sure it does'nt go out, clean out the ashtray, adjust the damper/flue; so it's more of a guy thing in my mind. You can get the whole rig at Cabelas and a few slingshots too! Get the FUEL FILTER with the LONGER HOSE so you can place the tank out of the way and the heater in the center of the room. The Big Buddy has the fan which I think actually doubles the heating because it circulates it actively vs passively with the Mr Buddy (smaller one). A CO2 detector should be in every home regardless so pick one up. I was at a friends house awhile back and he was asking me if I had 'cut one', ya know, farted. I said, heck no the windows would be open!LOL Why do you ask? Well, he said, it sure smells like it?! I walked into his kitchen and sure enough someone had to have brushed up against one of the gas stove controls and it was on medium high!! OK, I told him to start opening windows and no one turn on anything including a light switch. After 30 minutes the place smeeled better and we closed it up, just imagine if he had gone to sleep and flicked on a light, would'a been quite a crater where his house used to be!

 

[Fraser]

SE - how about a pot belly stove and some Pennsylvania anthracite coal? A ton should last a month.

In the summer your wife could put flowers on the stove.

 

[Scott Free]

Something to consider, is that with exposure and time, you toughen up. I've lived and worked outdoors in both heat and cold. After a short while your body adjusts, and you are suddenly comfortable in shirt leaves while everyone else is wearing hats and gloves. Same goes for living and working in the heat. Live and work in it for a bit, and you adjust. Then it will be you with hat and gloves anytime you encounter air conditioning.

 

[James_Terrio]

My Dad was almost a fanatic about clearing snow from our driveway and sidewalks, and piling it tight against the basement of the house. Right up to the windows if possible. It does help some, just like plastic over the windows and other things mentioned already.

Even a little weather-stripping around door-jambs or window frames can help quite a bit. It's amazing how much COLD air can seep through a leaky spot like that.

Something to consider, is that with exposure and time, you toughen up. I've lived and worked outdoors in both heat and cold. After a short while your body adjusts, and you are suddenly comfortable in shirt leaves while everyone else is wearing hats and gloves.

Ummm... what? You magically toughen up while everyone else around you freezes or sweats?
I've lived and worked outdoors too, and what keeps you warm is nutrition and CLOTHES. Shelter is a big plus, too, which brings us back to the OP's point of keepin his home warm.

 

[veryquietdude]

I heated a house for years with a kerosene heater with no problems. A 12000 BTU unit kept a 2 bedroom townhouse toasty on the coldest days. Here is my suggestion: get two 10000 BTU kerosene heaters with removable fuel tanks. Removable tanks make refueling safe, easy and fast. Get a 50 gallon drum of kerosene or ten 5 gallon cans. Buy water clear K-1 kerosene. the red dyed kerosene is XXXX. Good kerosene should smell "fresh" just like mineral spirits (oil base paint thinner) Kerosene that smells like diesel or home heating oil is old or contaminated, do not buy it. 50 gallons of kero will run one 10000 BTU heater 24/7 for 25 days. You can use the second heater on the coldest days. Kerosene heaters should always be run at a high setting. Running a larger heater at a lower setting causes smoke and smell. Most kerosene heater problems are caused by lousy fuel. Start with new heaters and good fuel and you are set.

 

[Loosearrow]

Like QuietBear said, the buddy heaters, kerosene heaters, even too many kerosene lamps and candles can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Cody Lundin addresses this in "When All Hell Breaks Loose". Basically, here is a summary:
- Sleep together in the same room, this should be a south facing room on the upper level, if you have one.
- Cover exterior doors with blankets or extra sleeping bags. Seal gaps for drafts.
- Cover windows with clear plastic during the day, at night add mylar space blankets (reflective side in) and close drapes, or add blankets or towels over the window.
- floors that recieve sunlight should be dark to absorb heat (if you live in a cold climate, a dark tile floor would be ideal...just in case you are thinking of remoldeling)
- Again, as Quiet Bear said, sleeping in a sofa cushion fort covered with a blanket will keep you warm, but you can insulate the whole room using cushions, mattresses and pillows if you have extra. Even sleeping in a tent, in the room will keep you warmer.
- Last but not least, snuggle up with your honey. Two bodies are warmer than one.

It's not just a SHTF book, it has a lot of good short term stuff for power outages and the like.

By the way, 6000 people lost power about an hour south of me today, and at 9:00 am it was -16°F...so this is something that might be good to know - great post Sharp Eye

I have done the above for a week and never left the house. It is good to have a gas kitchen stove and a gas hot water heater. Something to consider when you buy a house. Have slept in a dome tent in the living room with the kids and blankets over the tent. Used candle boxes safely and kerosene lamps. Kids loved the adventure and the attention. Cried when the power came back on. All rooms were closed off and the kitchen and the living room were it. Small nails always in place in the corners of the trim let heavy blankets hang over the doors. Curtains were opened during the day on the south side. Had cheap windows so I already had shrink plastic over the windows. When the stove was used a pot of water was on the stove , humid air feels warmer. Put too many pots with water on the stove once and the inside of the picture frames were condensing on the inside and the paint on the walls streaked from the humidity. Too much of a good thing. Wear warm clothes in the house. Wear a stocking hat. Your body adjusts to the cold.

 

[Scott Free]

Ummm... what? You magically toughen up while everyone else around you freezes or sweats?

It's not magic, and it DOES happen. It doesn't happen over night. It's why Alaskans can't take Arizona summers and people from Florida get cold so easily when they visit New Englanders. The term most people use for this is that Southerners have "thin blood" (although thickness or thinness of blood has nothing to do with it.)

I have a friend that lives in a yurt. I doubt the temp rarely gets much about 50 degrees in the winter. Lots of times I'll be wanting a down vest while his wife walks around in a tank top. It makes me feel like a sissy.

 

[wetdog1911]

Zip, I am assuming that I am going to be a week or two without gas, water or electricity.
I have the water taken care of and I have enough flashlights and candles for light.
However, we are going to have a stretch of coolish weather (highs in the lower 20's) in the next few days.
I am looking to be able to keep one room warm while we wait for things to become more normal.

Tracker1 and Siguy,
Thanks for the suggestions. Those heaters might be something that would work.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Well, what I do here in SC is go really old school.

I use Aladdin 'Blue Flame' kerosene heaters than were made in the '50s and '60s. They work forever since the old ones (Series 8 and 15), have brass fuel tanks and burner assemblys. Heat output is 5-9000 BTUs, just right for smaller areas. The top comes off and you can cook on it.

Downside is, there are no safety features on them at all other than common sense so, if you're the type that needs a safety on a single bbl hammer shotgun .....:jerkit:

You can find them on epray for ???? $$$$, depending on the season. I've gotten one for $18 in the summer, and just saw a NOS one go for close to $200. The average I paid was ~$35+shipping. I have 6, mainly because I like them and it's easier to keep 1 in each room rather than lug it around. For normal use, I keep the T-stat on 62* or so, and use a heater for whatever room is being used. My electric bill went from $250+ to $89. Biggest no no is carrying a lit one, but guess why safety features started getting added?:jerkit: Runs about 20 hrs/tank/1 1/2gal.

The newer ones @10 to 13,000 BTUs are just too hot for me. Not enough for the whole house and WAAAAAY too much for one room.

Second solution is also from Aladdin, and still being made. That is the mantle lamp. Puts out light about = to a 60 watt bulb. Very bright and runs on kerosene, although I use mineral spirits, cleaner. The burner assembly is pretty much a minature of the heater, although the lamp came first, either in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Puts out enough heat for a small room to boot. Nice in SC after a ice storm, not so good in SoFl after a hurricane. Not cheap,~$125 for a new plain version, but there is a reason they are still making them and people still buying them after 90+years.

Rob