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I will not be caught unprepared again (heat)
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Anonymous
What kind of heater uses gel fuel? I've never heard of this? |
Anonymous
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Info on kerosene versus propane (I'm just researching this now and thought I'd post -- looks like kerosene is less expensive than propane; but propane maybe burns more cleanly)
http://www.uaf.edu/ces/hhfd/pdfs/SpaceHeaterSafety.pdf |
Anonymous
| We are going to convert our wood-burning fireplace to gas. It won't keep the whole house warm, but we could live in the living room under emergency conditions. I'd rather be at home with plenty of food, all my stuff, etc., than in a hotel. |
Anonymous
| I totally understand your frustration-DH has a herniated disk, we have a toddler, and I'm in my trimester of pregnancy so this storm was pretty tough on us. In hindsight, we would have checked into a hotel with garage parking for 3 days. Most hotels have back-up generators I think and if your car is in the garage, you don't have to shovel yourself out. To me, the cost and convenience of doing this sure bits all the hassle of buying a generator that you may not need for another 10 years, etc.. etc.. |
Anonymous
Keep in mind you still have to shovel out when you get home! and you have a bigger area to cover, since your cars weren't keeping their parking spots somewhat clear. I did this for the last snowstorm...when I got back I was met by rock hard snow plow snow i had to move before i could even begin to work on the drive way so i could park. |
Anonymous
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19:35 - every last gas FP we have had (different houses) we have absolutely hated. They just don't have the ambiance, heat, or (LACK OF) smell that the old fashioned wood burning fireplaces have for us. We had one house with both, and we turned off the gas FP in favor of the WB. Are we missing something? Anyone? We always have to shut off our gas FP because of the smell and it just does nothing for us (heat). These are "real"/"installed"/"original" gas FP's that just stink (literally). It does not seem worth it to us. [It's not a gas stink, it's like a waxy-type stink; thankfully, we use a C02 detector, just in case]. Not to hijack, but we'd LOVE To know how people keep warm. Please advise. We'd love to invest in a decent generator, if it is worth it. But I'm not listening to a noise maker all week, if that is what it means. |
Anonymous
Google gel fuel fireplaces. They look like regular fireplaces, but don't need chimneys. You use cans of alcohol gel that don't release any smoke and don't need venting. The flames are about 8 inches high and last for about 3 hours. I got mine off Craigslist for $100. New they are closer to $400. My plan was to move it into the bedroom and close the door if we lost power. |
Anonymous
Double-check to make sure it works if the electricity goes out. Our gas heat doesn't work because it needs an electric blower. Maybe it is not the same thing (as my gas oven does work). |
Anonymous
| Also look into a fireplace insert. massively increases the efficiency of a wood fireplace. |
Anonymous
"We're also going to recommend against using any kerosene or propane heaters in your home," said Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Capt. Oscar Garcia. "Besides being a fire hazard, it's going to be a carbon monoxide hazard." http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0210/703825.html I'd go with going to a hotel (think skiing!) over a generator unless you live somewhere where the power is out pretty frequently. |
Anonymous
It is absolutely true that any device that burns is going to emit carbon monoxide. But a properly made heater approved for equipped with safety devices and approved for indoor burns much more cleanly than a charcoal grill and so emits a lot less CO. And it should have a "low oxygen" shut off switch, as well. Even so, you should use a heater indoors with a battery operated CO monitor in place, and always in a ventilated area, and NEVER while sleeping. ANd I would not use such heat for long term use. It is only for true emergencies. But I woudl feel totally safe doing so. I think some people just aren't mechanical, don't follow directions, and truly can't use such heaters safely, or they push the envelope or do stupid things like totally seal off a room and bring a heater inside it. Those people definitely should NOT use any kind of indoor heater. They should get to a hotel (if one is open, and if the roads are clear and their car works, and there is a room available and they have the money) or a friend's house ( if they can get there and their friends have power and heat). Also the counties usually operate warming shelters where such families can take refuge for the duration of the storm and power outage. Or, they can hire someone to put in a generator for them. |
Anonymous
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10090.html
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Anonymous
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No heat?
If the temperature drops inside the house, then your pipes could burst |
Anonymous
Yes but the house has to get down to 32 degrees, right? And if you are home with your kerosene heater, you can always turn off your water and drain your pipes. You can't do that if you are at a hotel and your home power goes out. |
Anonymous
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If you are on well water, fill your tubs with water when you expect outages. You can use the water to fill the toilets and flush. If you are on well water you probably have heating oil for heat rather than an electric furnance. It doesn't take as much electricity to run the heat pump so a smaller to mid sized generator can work for several hours. The well pump does take a lot of power.
A good camping tent and sleeping bags are a good idea and warmer than a bed in a room with windows. Use towels to cover the doorway bottoms if your house is drafty and close off the rooms to keep heat in. |