Home Heating

[btcave]

So I bought a home in the country five years ago. Built in 1994 it had only electric hot water and forced air electric heat. No fireplace or stove.

WTF?

So I bought a wood burning stove and installed it this year. I chose wood burning over pellet, so I could have heat without electric and without relying on the purchasing of pellets for heat. I can gather wood or harvest wood to burn it in my stove.

We had a few power outages over the years, and it got a bit chilly in the house. No more.

Think about how your going to stay warm or heat water when times get bad.

[El Laton Caliente]

My new place has two fireplaces and propane cooking but the central heat is still electric. I've been thinking about coverting to propane when I can. I do want to add ducted air to the fireplaces so they produce and distribute heat better.

[swampdragon]

My new place has two fireplaces and propane cooking but the central heat is still electric. I've been thinking about coverting to propane when I can. I do want to add ducted air to the fireplaces so they produce and distribute heat better.

I had propane, but switched to electric.
Electric is cheaper here.
May vary in your area.
Like btcave though, I also have a Franklin wood burning stove for when the power goes out, or just as supplemental heat.

[jojo]

I've got electric. If that fails, I have propane. If I can't get propane, I have a fireplace and if I get too lazy to cut wood after I use up the 2 1/2 chords I have then I have a couple pot belly stoves and about 8 tons of coal. Did I mention that I have a generator and 250 gallons of diesel too.

Now I need a well and some more food.

[swampdragon]

I've got electric. If that fails, I have propane. If I can't get propane, I have a fireplace and if I get too lazy to cut wood after I use up the 2 1/2 chords I have then I have a couple pot belly stoves and about 8 tons of coal. Did I mention that I have a generator and 250 gallons of diesel too.

Now I need a well and some more food.

I'm afraid to ask what all you have to stay cool in the summer!
You'll never be cold at least!
:lool::thumbsup:

[ubersoldate]

Toyo red diesel stove.

You might need a generator for when the power goes off, but I can honestly say, that my toyo is the best heater Ive ever used.
There isnt any cons I guess except for the initial cost and set up, and even thats not that bad if you get a used one and do the work yourself, which is what I did.

Ive got two woodstoves and a fireplace with an insert, but I dont use them unless Im in the mood, or the power is out.
My house is heated at 70 all the time, and it costs about a 3rd of a gallon of fuel a day.

[abpt1]

Well with Oil up I been using 2 of the 4 fire stoves 90% wood 10% coal

[Uncle Scary]

Living in SoCal does have a few advantages when it comes to heating in SHTF conditions. All I need to do is throw on another blanket if the heating goes out.

[HDR]

Wood for long term or shtf.

OTOH, for power outages from ice storms etc I prefer a couple of kerosuns keep the whole house in the 70s.

Instead of the one room sweating hot, two rooms hot and most in the 70s and two in the mid sixties..

They just don't make wood stoves that can move yet.. LOL.

[Moebrown20]

They just don't make wood stoves that can move yet.. LOL.

That is a good idea!
Steel bearings, some nuts & bolts. A bit of drilling and welding...... and walaa!

[hawk1911]

Going along the lines of this thread I have a question. I have a natural gas fireplace. If needed can it also be used to burn wood? Say if the gas ran out?

[Helen Keller]

No. Unless it has a proper flu and it's listed as being able to do it in.








I have forced oil air, wood/coal furnace and a propane insert and I'm getting a large pellet stove is the spring.

[O.S.O.K.]

As there are a large number of them nearby in Austin, I was thinking of getting a liberal burning stove. This way I'd have plenty of fuel. :terminator:

:jump:

[Helen Keller]

Your chimney would get plugged up with bullshit faster than you could clean it.

[swampdragon]

Your chimney would get plugged up with bullshit faster than you could clean it.

That's why we have BBQ's.

[JTHunter]

Natural gas heat, small generator to run the blower, if necessary, and a small fireplace insert that can run you out of that room. We've been very lucky with the electric - in 6 years, it's only gone out one time of any length (3 days).

[sksAL]

have forced air, havent ran it yet. bought a "Kogy 100" from like the 80's new in the box $40!. 15k btu kerosene heater, and a platinum screen catylist from miles stair kero heater website. runs 22 hrs on 1.9 gallons and keeps the top of my home 72 @ -15 outside.NO SMELL AT ALL . also have a Dura-Heat 23k btu that is just too much unless i put it down stairs.got this on off craigslist too, $70 hardly used. gas and electric to run the furnace is $400 or more a month, im saving $$$. the heat is nice too, i can put the Kogy in the hall and feel the warmth 7-8' away. the main thing is if the power goes out, im all set with a 1/2 barrel of K-1 in the garage. anyone into survival should have one of these things, the square kero-sun radiant heaters are supposed to be great too, as HDR says. im looking for one of those on the cheap now.

[El Jefe]

We heat with natural gas. We also have a fireplace and use it a lot in the winter, it would sure beat nothing if the gas stopped flowing. Seasoned oak firewood is still pretty cheap out here, wood is plentiful and there's enough competition to keep the price about the same as it was 15 years ago. But in a SHTF scenario I'd probably have to scrounge for my own wood and eventually that would be a chore.

[HDR]

So I bought a wood burning stove and installed it this year. I chose wood burning over pellet, so I could have heat without electric and without relying on the purchasing of pellets for heat. I can gather wood or harvest wood to burn it in my stove.

Most pellet stoves have a hand crank for the auger; however, I'll still stick to wood. ;)

Wood is easy for me to get; hell there is a couple of years supply in down timber. :D

[aliceinchains]

I burn coal or wood and supplement with kerosene heater when need be.The electric base board heaters or just for looks.

[HDR]

That is a good idea!
Steel bearings, some nuts & bolts. A bit of drilling and welding...... and walaa!


We can patent the movable chimney. :D