Options for keeping a house warm with zero electric or gas.

[CathyInBlue]

How about a passive solar thermal collector on the roof/attic with a heat exchanger in the tank to transfer that heat to the subfloors? As long as the pumps heep the heat moving from the tank to the subfloors, that heat is free.

 

[actaeon277]

Closing off rooms without plumbing wouldn't work very well when your plumbing is in the crawl space would it?

You close off the rooms without plumbing, because you do not NEED to heat them to keep the water pipes from bursting. You are saving energy.
You are talking about keeping water pipes warm? That would be completely different.

 

[IndyGunworks]

You close off the rooms without plumbing, because you do not NEED to heat them to keep the water pipes from bursting. You are saving energy.
You are talking about keeping water pipes warm? That would be completely different.

Mostly just wondering that if I were to only try and keep say the main living area warm for the family, I could close off all the bedrooms, which would mean closing off the master bath as well. Would only heating that space allow enough heat to leak into the crawl space to keep it above freezing?

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Mostly just wondering that if I were to only try and keep say the main living area warm for the family, I could close off all the bedrooms, which would mean closing off the master bath as well. Would only heating that space allow enough heat to leak into the crawl space to keep it above freezing?

I heat with a wood stove and I wondered last winter when it got so cold if my pipes might freeze in the unheated crawlspace. I thought that, if heat rises, not much would get into the crawlspace to keep it from freezing. I did cover my vents really well (which I don't normally do) last winter, so that must have helped. I also keep all the heat registers open and I wonder if heated air rises up into the cold air returns (in the ceiling) and slowly cycles through the furnace and into the ducts in the crawlspace. Or, with the woodstove cranked, it just makes enough heat to keep the whole house warm from top to bottom (probably what happens).

But, with supplemental heat, I'm not sure you'd keep the pipes from freezing if it got really, really cold.

 

[Sailor]

Heat your body not your house.

 

[chubbs]

If it looks like the power will be out for a long period of time we open the line at the well bladder and the faucets in the house. Then blow a little compressed air through the system to clear most of the water out. If it gets truely bad I have rv antifreeze to dump in toilets and drains. As others have said, keep the family warn not the house.

 

[IndyGunworks]

If it looks like the power will be out for a long period of time we open the line at the well bladder and the faucets in the house. Then blow a little compressed air through the system to clear most of the water out. If it gets truely bad I have rv antifreeze to dump in toilets and drains. As others have said, keep the family warn not the house.

This will be a good thing to practice once we move. My exterior water faucets will not be hooked up to the softener so I should be able to use that point to drain all the water and blow air into the system... It will be mostly pex so some freezing may not be a large concern. Ill put about 10 jugs of antifreeze in the crawl space that way if power does go out long enough that I have to drain the system when I go down there to drain the pressure tank I can bring the antifreeze up with me.

 

[Car Ramrod]

Try the Facebook fad of putting tea candles under terracota/clay pots....

 

[IndyGunworks]

Try the Facebook fad of putting tea candles under terracota/clay pots....

Whats that all about?

 

[CathyInBlue]

Candle wax/incense heaters?

 

[shibumiseeker]

Whats that all about?

Absolutely nothing.

 

[actaeon277]

Mostly just wondering that if I were to only try and keep say the main living area warm for the family, I could close off all the bedrooms, which would mean closing off the master bath as well. Would only heating that space allow enough heat to leak into the crawl space to keep it above freezing?

If you need to stop heating where there are pipes, you can use a small heater on low. You only need to keep the pipes from freezing. Say 40 F or so, cause they're in walls and may be cooler than the room.
When using ANY heater, be SMART.
Monitor CO.
Keep combustible materials away.
Periodically check it out.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Absolutely nothing.

Not exactly. It causes the heat to be concentrated and radiated from a fixed point where it can be detected readily by an ignorant human making it seem like its doing more than it really is. I dont know how many times I have tried to explain that the heat is still in the room just spread out to these people and most just dont get it.

 

[CathyInBlue]

The candle's heat budget doesn't change just because it's expended over a more solid mass.

 

[Cameramonkey]

The candle's heat budget doesn't change just because it's expended over a more solid mass.

Exactly! It is simply concentrated so that we can feel it better. Overall gross output is the same when you consider the volume of the room. (just dont tell idiots that. they wont believe you)

 

[BrewerGeorge]

IIRC, four tea lights provide about as much heat as a 75W lightbulb. But if you just light the candles, all that heat goes up to the ceiling in a thin column. The terracotta pots keep it down low and convert much of it to radiant energy so it's more useful for keeping people warm. They're not useless, but they're not magic as so many Likers on Facebook seem to think they are.

 

[z96Cobra]

I have a kerosene heater and one of each of the buddy heaters. The nice thing about the kerosene heater is that you can easily use it to cook/heat food with. It's much easier to store/use kerosene than it is to store, and use, propane tanks for the buddy heaters. You shouldn't have the 40lb. grill tanks inside your house. So you need lots of the 1 lb bottles (I do) or the extended hose kit (I do also) for the grill tanks.

And always have working, battery powered, smoke & CO alarms!

Another option for those of us with propane (natural gas too) are the Blue Flame heaters.

 

[z96Cobra]

Mostly just wondering that if I were to only try and keep say the main living area warm for the family, I could close off all the bedrooms, which would mean closing off the master bath as well. Would only heating that space allow enough heat to leak into the crawl space to keep it above freezing?

Depending on the size of your family & the size of the master bedroom & bath, you may want to make that area your living quarters.

 

[indiucky]

Don't discount the kerosene heater. They crank out a lot of BTU's for a little fuel and are pretty safe. Just keep the fuel away from the kids (or, alternatively, teach them safety) 23,000+ BTU's is nothing to laugh at.
Amazon.com - Sengoku CV-23K KeroHeat Convection 23, 500-BTU Portable Kerosene Heater -

Tractor Supply has comparable models for sale in store.

mrj has a very valid point...We have a small 120 year old farm house in BF Egypt...We tried heating it with both large and small electric heaters and it never warmed up, we then bought two kerosene heaters for around $100 each or so and they work great...We get to BF, light a fire in the fireplace and crank up the two kerosene heaters (one in the bedroom and one in the kitchen), within an hour it is right at 70 degrees, we then open the bedroom door and turn off one of the kerosene heaters, by this time the fireplace is putting out heat pretty good...When we go to bed we turn off the remaining kerosene heater, close the bedroom door and turn on a small electric heater that maintains the temp (only in the bedroom) the rest of the night...First one up in the am cranks the kerosene heater up in the kitchen and 30 minutes later the house is warm again.....Electric bill is the only expense we have up there and keeping 10 gallons or so of kerosene up there is not that big of a deal....After the fireplace has been going 24 hours the heat radiating from it (along with the electric heater in the bedroom) maintains that 70 degree temp....Kerosene heaters heat up the house fast and there is no need to keep them going 24/7 as long as you seal up for the night....

 

[Nodonutz]

My - I live in rural ND. It gets stupid cold here (-6 this AM) last week we were at -22/-35 WC. Once lost power for 3 days in sub-zero to single digits. I have a cheapo generator that is noisy, but has never let me down. I run an extension cord to power refer and an electric radiator. Have UPS power to run phone/internet, and 12v car batteries and an inverter for other low draw power needs (laptops/cell phones etc).
I picked up a Mr. Heater at an estate auction for $25, and a kerosene tower for $20 (looked brand new - never used). The Mr. heater is ok, but only for small spaces. I also have a couple of ones that attach to top of the tank that are rated for 'indoors'. I also use a faux fireplace that burns canned heat - I use the spent cans by putting in some paper towels as a wick and use 91% isopropyl. Kicks out a lot of heat - but you have to be careful since you have kids. Can use those sparingly just to kick it up a notch if needed. We have several spare propane tanks for the grill, and also bigger tanks from our travel trailer if needed.
There are several options, look for 'deals' like others have said. I don't know about IN, but in ND there are estate auctions all the time and you can get some screaming good buys. Got a Coleman 2 burner propane stove for $3, in the box. It is part of the home 'emergency' kit.
Good luck, hope it helps.
ND in ND