Off-Grid emergency heating for bug in.

[HoneyBadger]

Our "off-grid" heating plan sounds a lot like Kazoo's. After not having a furnace for several days when it was below 10* outside in March 2013, we learned some valuable lessons. Fortunately, we could rely on still having gas and electric then.

Off grid? Isolate one small living space in your house to keep warm. Insulate it well with blankets, bed comforters, sleeping bags, plastic sheeting, whatever you have. We have a big buddy with several spare 20lb propane tanks, but that won't last forever and those aren't safe to use in a confined space. We could run a couple of 1500W electric heaters from our generator, but that also wouldn't last forever.

Assuming this is not a permanent condition, draining water pipes would be a wise decision to avoid freezing pipes and water damage. If we lost gas and electric at our house, without an expected return time and the long term forecast was significantly below freezing, we'd probably bug out.

[StagLefty]

those aren't safe to use in a confined space.

I highly recommend a carbon monoxide detector nearby, which is what I did.
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[Great-Kazoo]

have a big buddy with several spare 20lb propane tanks, but that won't last forever and those aren't safe to use in a confined space. We could run a couple of 1500W electric heaters from our generator, but that also wouldn't last forever.

Assuming this is not a permanent condition, draining water pipes would be a wise decision to avoid freezing pipes and water damage. If we lost gas and electric at our house, without an expected return time and the long term forecast was significantly below freezing, we'd probably bug out.

I highly recommend a carbon monoxide detector nearby, which is what I did.
Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2

The Big Buddy has an O2 sensor / shut off. Unless you really are sealed off w/out ANY outside airflow from other rooms, the O2 issue is ALMOST non-existent .
Back east we had such a draft no matter what we did, short of redoing the wall and roof , there was always air movement within the house. Back then we used a large passive kerosun heater during winter months. Having a guy with access to kero our cost was minimal during colder months.

Everyone should have the detectors already in place.

[HoneyBadger]

The Big Buddy has an O2 sensor / shut off. Unless you really are sealed off w/out ANY outside airflow from other rooms, the O2 issue is ALMOST non-existent .
Everyone should have the detectors already in place.

Yeah, mine shut off after about 4 hours while I was using it to heat my garage (I was conducting a test to see how well it could heat my garage - Answer: not very well) You'll visibly notice that it isn't burning very well if there isn't enough O2.

[rbeau30]

Yeah, mine shut off after about 4 hours while I was using it to heat my garage (I was conducting a test to see how well it could heat my garage - Answer: not very well) You'll visibly notice that it isn't burning very well if there isn't enough O2.

And not as efficient. Normally you cannot smell any combustion.

[Great-Kazoo]

Yeah, mine shut off after about 4 hours while I was using it to heat my garage (I was conducting a test to see how well it could heat my garage - Answer: not very well) You'll visibly notice that it isn't burning very well if there isn't enough O2.

You turn the fan on? Mine works well, BUT the shop is also like the house, insulated. For what it is it works keeping you warm. Will it heat a structure of course not it's radiant heat .