Emergency Heating Options

Staying warm is a big concern right now for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. While the initial 8 million+ people without power has been reduced to about 1 million, that’s still lots of people who can’t just turn on the heat when the winter storm hits on Thursday.

This is a good time to consider how you can keep your family warm when the power goes out. Here are a few emergency heating options.

Wood

Wood heat is probably the most common form of backup heat in this county. A wood stove or fireplace can literally be a life saver if severe weather knocks out your power for any length of time. Even if the stove is only big enough to heat a room, your family can gather in that room to stay warm while the rest of your home is closed off until the power is back on.

A wood stove or fireplace can even double as a way to cook if need be. I would recommend practicing before you lose power, because it takes a bit of know-how to cook your food correctly. After all, you can’t just turn the heat up or down like you can on your kitchen stove.

Even if a wood stove or fireplace isn’t your primary heat source, make sure you have a good supply of firewood, just to be safe. You don’t want to be roaming around in bad weather trying to find some wood to burn when you could just get it from your yard or porch.

If you opt to purchase a wood stove, keep in mind that you can’t just plunk it down in your home and build a fire. It must be sitting on a heatproof pad and must be properly vented out of the house. Take the time to do it properly or hire someone to install it for you.

Wood stoves come in various sizes and range in price from several hundred to a couple thousand dollars if you buy new. You can also look for a used one to save some money.

Propane Heater

A propane heater is nice because it is portable. Some people shy away from using propane because they feel it is dangerous, and it can be if you don’t use some common sense and follow the directions. Improperly used propane can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, so having a CO2 detector is a good precaution. Additionally, some indoor models have an automatic shut off if the oxygen level in the room gets too low.

Make sure your heater is labeled for indoor use and pay attention to the size space it is designed to heat. This is essential to prevent CO2 poisoning. Follow the directions carefully and you will be toasty warm in no time.

Propane heaters can range from $80 to $200, more or less, depending on the type and size.

Kerosene Heater

Kerosene heaters provide vital emergency heat, but you must be sure to use kerosene and not gasoline. Using gasoline can increase the risk of a fire, which is the last thing you need when you are already in an emergency situation. Also, be sure to have proper ventilation. As with propane heaters, make sure you follow the directions to a T.

Kerosene heaters can range from $120 on up.

Generator

This is probably the most expensive option, but it allows you to live fairly normally, depending on the size generator you have. A generator can keep your refrigerator running so you don’t lose your food. Depending on the size of the generator, you may be able to keep your whole home running normally.

A small generator can be several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Solar Generators

Solar generators also come in a variety of sizes. The big perk is that not only are they portable, but you don’t have to worry about having a fuel supply. As long as the sun is in the sky, you have fuel. Small solar generators may only have enough power to charge small electronics, but larger ones will give you lights and run an electric space heater.

Solar units run less than $100 up to under $2000 with no need to purchase fuel.

What is your backup heating plan? Do you use a combination of these things, or something different all together?

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Best Wood For Heating

Have you ever wondered what is the best wood to use for heating and burning in a wood stove? Ever wondered how much heat that a particular wood species will provide when burned?


Did you know that one cord of firewood provides the heat equivalent to that produced by burning 200 to 250 gallons of heating oil, depending on the type of hardwood you are using?

A cord of Oak will burn about 29 Million BTU’s, and is one of the better (more efficient) types of wood to heat with. Oak is very hard and dense, and will burn for a long time compared with many others.


On the flip-side, a cord of Pine will only provide 60% of the heat as Oak, while Cedar will provide less than half the heat as Oak.

If we compared the wood burning capacity by weight, instead of by cord, most wood would produce about the same amount of heat. The difference is that dense hard woods are heavier, pack more heat, and therefore a cord (or any quantity) of hard wood will produce more heat than the same quantity of a softer wood.

For heating, in general it is best to consume dense hard woods. Hardwoods, or woods from broadleaved trees, tend to be denser than softwoods or woods from conifers.

In case you wondered, a standard cord of wood is 128 cubic feet – 8 feet x 4 feet x 4 feet.
Really though, the best firewood is going to be whatever is locally available to you, so long as it’s dry and fits in your stove. If you have a choice though, choose a hardwood for fewer trips to the log pile.

List of wood species, heating BTU’s per cord, from most to least,

Note: This list of wood species is not all inclusive, but is what I could find data on – so as to sort most to least BTU’s per cord.
Oak
Beech
Apple
Mulberry
Maple
Walnut
Juniper
Birch
Douglas-fir
Cherry
Ash
Elm
Sycamore
Hemlock
Aspen
Chestnut
Willow
Alder
Pine
Cottonwood
Spruce
Cedar

In case you were wondering about those waxy energy ‘Duraflame’ type fire-logs…

Typical Oak firewood has about 8,500 BTU’s per pound.

A typical wax-fiber firelog has about 14,000 BTU’s per pound.

While energy logs might be a nice quick fix for a fire, it’s an expensive fire…

NOTE: Be wary of using soft and oily woods like Pine in a stove or fireplace due the buildup of creosote (a residue that is highly flammable) in the flu over time, especially if not fully dried. Pine makes for a great firestarter because it burns very hot and fast, but not good for long-term use.

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heater

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heater

Made in USA or Imported

4,000- to 9,000-BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 200 square feet

Approved for indoor/outdoor use; clean-burning; nearly 100-percent efficient

Auto shut-off if tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if detects low oxygen levels

Fold-down handle; swivel-out regulator; connects to propane tank (not included)

Measures 9 by 14-1/5 by 14-2/5 inches; 1-year limited warranty