Room Heater

[Flatfish]

Following the terrible storm we had on the western side of the UK last weekend, I am still without phone or wifi at home. Power is back thankfully, though my heating is a bit hit and miss until I get a new control panel.

Do any of you have a suggestion for a room heater that does not require mains electricity?
I don't want to know about wood burners. I don't have one, can't afford one, no-where to put one.

So I'm thinking either bottled gas (propane) or kerosene.

My wife is objecting because "she does not like the smell". But between smell or freezing, I'll chose the smell.

Our power cuts are fortunately quite rare. I read somewhere that Kerosene goes bad but propane does not. So that might sway it for me. Maybe something like this might suffice.


I would be interested in any alternatives, recommendations, and ideally, to keep my wife happy, something that doesn't stink.

Thanks

 

[Sigmund]

I dont know about the UK but in the EU propane is considered unsafe for inside use. Butane is permitted. I think it has to do with propane being heavy and if it leaks it gathers up along the floor and can become a bomb. Butane is lighter and disperses. Kerosene smells. Maybe less if its a good heater and less if its high quality fuel.

I think Id do kerosene if its for emergencies...smell beats freezing

 

[mawnansmiff]

So I'm thinking either bottled gas (propane) or kerosene.

Do bear in mine both of those also give off copious amounts of carbon monoxide which of course is odourless yet highly toxic.

Many, many years ago I brought in a paraffin heater from my greenhouse during a power cut. The stink was horrendous and the headaches were intolerable. It went back to the greenhouse.

"I read somewhere that Kerosene goes bad but propane does not".

I used to use red diesel in my Tilley lamps, those things will run on pretty much anything!

Jay.

 

[dd57chevy]

Do you have a gas cooking stove ?

 

[Steddy]

Be careful if you use a propane heater, I’ve seen one catch fire. And of course you have to be aware of the carbon monoxide. Do you have natural gas?

 

[SBC]

Cheaper than a wood burner is a tobacco burner, but no, @Flatfish, you didn't want that. And yet you come around asking what to burn. We tried to help you already.

;-) I jest, my beloved abstaining brother.

I'm going to throw out a possibility that many are not aware of, mainly out of interest, knowing that you are unlikely to act on this:

A more expensive and permanent residentail wood stove is *not* the only wood burning option. For emergency use, a much more affordable option lies in drafting a small, portable tent wood stove out a window.

Not sure about your neck of the woods, but in the US, portable tent woodstoves can be had for about $100. I've seen guys cut holes in cookie sheets through which the small stove pipe can be put, and the cookie sheets put into windows (perhaps with some plywood or foam to make it fit).

You won't heat a house this way, but you could survive in a small bedroom this way, if temps plummet to deadly levels and you have no other options.

Just throwing out an option that involves neither the cost and permanence of a standard wood stove, nor the liabilities of various forms of gas. But it is a bit more of a project, granted.

Stay alive! It was -4 here last night (which I believe would be -20 C). I wouldn't want to be unprepared in that too long.

Scott

 

[Pipke]

Kerosene doesn't go bad like gasoline (petrol) does, assuming that my US language for that fuel is like UK terminology.

Indoor heat with an open flame needs to be monitored. You can't turn your back on these devices, like leave the room and/or go to bed. Get a carbon monoxide monitor.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

About seven or so years ago, I bought a Generac Home Generator that kicks on automatically when the power goes out. Seems like it was just $2k and can heat the whole house with our HVAC. You just don't want to wash clothes and run a dishwasher and leave every light in the house on while it's on.

It seemed to make more sense to me than trying to burn things to heat our home, plus, when the power goes out in Spring storm season, the fridge and freezer stay on.

 

[shanez]

For emergency use I like the catalytic models like the one in your picture (Mr. Buddy brand in the US). I do not like them for long term use. I have a hose with adapter to run mine on a 20Lb bottle of propane which gets me through a weekend of camping.

If I had no other option and truly wanted a safe home heating option for longer term use (think weeks or months instead of days) I would install a sealed/external combustion unit from an RV source. Any power requirements can be met with a 12V battery and/or small solar panel setup. This is an Atwood Dometic model:


You can run a small amount of ducting if it suits your needs and if there is some sort of emission issue it would be outside your home and safe for you.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

Years ago (dunno if they still make it) there was a Coleman Catalytic heater that screwed directly onto one of those (roughly) quart-sized propane (or other) bottles of gas. Meant for a tent, they unfortunately, didn't put out enough heat for a house.

 

[Flatfish]

Just some comments and answered questions from the posts above.

Propane, Butane, I'm probably mixing these two up.

I have a small gas bottle which is connected to a two burner camping stove. So hot food and water is not a problem. Until the gas bottle runs out.

Defo carbon monoxide alarm

We don't have mains gas

Scotts idea has merit. But it needs to be about this big. And I'd need to install a chimney. And Mrs Flatfish wouldn't approve. And the fuel would cost £34985095480932480934809342.99
And the lighter to light it would be enough to heat my house anyway.

 

[BingBong]

Just some comments and answered questions from the posts above.

Propane, Butane, I'm probably mixing these two up.

I have a small gas bottle which is connected to a two burner camping stove. So hot food and water is not a problem. Until the gas bottle runs out.

Defo carbon monoxide alarm

We don't have mains gas

Scotts idea has merit. But it needs to be about this big. And I'd need to install a chimney. And Mrs Flatfish wouldn't approve. And the fuel would cost £34985095480932480934809342.99
And the lighter to light it would be enough to heat my house anyway.
View attachment 355465

Wow. Even a UFO landed to check that one out. "These humans serious can not be!".

 

[Flatfish]

What about this?
Does anyone know if being "catalytic" (not to mention ugly) does anything to reduce smells, headaches, or anything undesirable?

Super Heat 3kW Catalytic Portable Gas Heater

Super Heat 3kW Catalytic Portable Gas Heater – Efficient, Safe & Portable Heating The Super Heat 3kW Catalytic Portable Gas Heater is a high-performance, energy-efficient heating solution, ideal for use in homes, offices, or conservatories. Featuring catalytic burner technology, this heater...

appliances.calor.co.uk

 

[Sigmund]

Butane should not smell. The room will need some ventalation I think. If you get anything that burns fuel you should get a secondary sensor in the room. They recommend it on the page so Im assuming it is an issue

 

[mawnansmiff]

Beware the advertising blurb and try to find reviews from genuine folk who have actual experience of the device would be my suggestion.

Got my new storage heater being fitted tomorrow.....after a 3 month wait!

Jay.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

IMHO open flame heaters in an enclosed space are a bad idea.

 

[prairiedruid]

I use a Mr. Buddy heater and it works great for heating a room. When clean and operating correctly no smell and no carbon monoxide worries. Works with 1 pound propane canisters or I have the hose to use a 20 pound propane tank. I've used mine for 5 years now and no problems.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I just looked into catalytic heaters and was amazed at the fact there is no flame involved

A catalytic heater is a flameless heater which relies on catalyzed chemical reactions to break down molecules and produce calefaction (heat).[1] When the catalyst, fuel (e.g., natural gas), and oxygen combine together, they react at a low enough temperature that a flame is not produced. This process keeps repeating itself until either oxygen or the fuel source is taken out of the equation.

Yet they can still give off carbon monoxide so I'm rather puzzled.

Catalytic heaters can have several potential safety issues if incorrectly installed or placed in poorly ventilated areas, including fuel leakage and carbon monoxide poisoning from insufficient exhaust extraction or improperly tuned reaction.

Jay.

 

[Flatfish]

IMHO open flame heaters in an enclosed space are a bad idea.

Its not ideal I agree. What would you do in cold weather and no electricity?

 

[Sigmund]

Its not the cheapest solution but the safest is probably a generator that runs in the open air providing electric power to where you need it.