Heat when the power goes down

[SavedByGrace3]

Fired up the fireplace the first time since we been back. Working pretty well. If we lose power this weekend, we will try to tough it out with the fireplace. I will cut up the branches that fell last weekend into fireplace length logs and there should be enough for days. Back in the 70s and early 80s we heated the house with wood. Nothing new to us. I just wanted to make sure the chimney was unobstructed, and the fire had a good draw.

 

[mama2one]

if house is insulated, shouldn't lose heat too fast

when our furnace was broke for hours one winter, house temp went down to about 50-52 degrees

considering it was 65 to begin with, I thought that wasn't too bad of a heat loss

now we keep house a little warmer at 67

 

[dqhall]

if house is insulated, shouldn't lose heat too fast

when our furnace was broke for hours one winter, house temp went down to about 50-52 degrees

considering it was 65 to begin with, I thought that wasn't too bad of a heat loss

now we keep house a little warmer at 67

One winter I turned off my electric central heat and heated my bedroom with a space heater at night. We do not get freezes this far south. I recently bought an artificial down blanket that is warm. I do not worry about blizzards or pipes freezing anymore, but had to worry about hurricanes instead.

 

[Sabertooth]

The blower fans (hence our NG furnace) do not work in blackouts.
We looked at an NG fireplace (no blower) as a backup heat source* in our basement,
but are getting a backup NG generator, instead, for the furnace, fridge & medical electronics.
(Its shipment has been delayed, though.)

*The fireplace is less expensive to purchase & operate, if you don't need the electricity.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

if house is insulated, shouldn't lose heat too fast

when our furnace was broke for hours one winter, house temp went down to about 50-52 degrees

considering it was 65 to begin with, I thought that wasn't too bad of a heat loss

now we keep house a little warmer at 67

We lost power last week when the winter storm came through last week. Power went out at 10 in the morning and by 4pm the temperature inside dropped to 55. So that is not bad.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Sawed up a full wagon of firewood from last week's fallen branches. Most of there were dead and dried so they are ready if we need them.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

It's gonna be 4 degrees tonight here in NY We heat with wood and coal, but I do have a space heater in the bedroom.

Where do you live?

I always heard fireplaces were inefficient. Our house was built in the 1830s and originally had a fireplace, but it was removed a long time ago. I think before my father was even born. We have a wood-burning stove in the kitchen now. We've also got a furnace down stairs in the basement. We need both running during the coldest parts of winter.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

It's gonna be 4 degrees tonight here in NY We heat with wood and coal, but I do have a space heater in the bedroom.

Where do you live?

I always heard fireplaces were inefficient. Our house was built in the 1830s and originally had a fireplace, but it was removed a long time ago. I think before my father was even born. We have a wood-burning stove in the kitchen now. We've also got a furnace down stairs in the basement. We need both running during the coldest parts of winter.

I am from NY. I was born and raised in Massena.
Now we live in South Carolina. Cold weather is rare. At least weather like we had in Massena.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

I am from NY. I was born and raised in Massena.
Now we live in South Carolina. Cold weather is rare. At least weather like we had in Massena.

Oh you were way up there! I'm outside Buffalo. Lake Effect Snow is always fun. The only good thing is that the lakes do keep us warmer. We're zone 5-6.

My aunt is in South Carolina.

How big is your wagon? And how cold are you expecting?

 

[bekkilyn]

My new kerosene heater arrived just a little while ago! So now I have it, and I have 5 gallons of fuel, and some carbon monoxide alarms, all with batteries, so I'm set for the type of shorter term power outages we have in my area. At least once I figure out how to use it and test it and all those sorts of things. We are having some icy weather today and tomorrow, but they aren't expecting any power issues in my area, but it's still good to be prepared!

 

[SavedByGrace3]

My daughter bought me a kero-heat kerosene heater for my birthday. Very sweet of her. I was surprised that it cost 165 bucks on Amazon and kerosene down the street costs 5.29 a gallon!!!!

 

[bekkilyn]

My daughter bought me a kero-heat kerosene heater for my birthday. Very sweet of her. I was surprised that it cost 165 bucks on Amazon and kerosene down the street costs 5.29 a gallon!!!!

Awesome!!!

 

[chad kincham]

Gas stoves are good, because they can heat the house without a lot of heat going up the chimney - as occurs with a fireplace - and no wood cutting is required.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

Fuel shortages would nullify gas and kerosene. Wood is easier to come by. Most people don’t have working fireplaces or wood stoves. Demand is much smaller. The former is more convenient.

Harbor Freight has electric chainsaws, and I just want to say I like them so much I own two ^.^ Yes, you have to charge the batteries, but if you're in a pickle and you have no fuel for the chainsaw to cut up some wood, the HF electric ones are really nice, especially for those ultra preppers who have solar-power set-ups.