Like the illusion of Wall Street, with its vast and powerful investment banks, now shuttered, China too is an illusion perpetuated by the Globalists that gave us the 15,000 mile Caesar salad, poisoned cat food and lead based paint on babies' pacifiers. Like the illusion that money would come from thin air to always push housing prices higher, China has spent a generation pursuing its illusion. Pursuing an unattainable dream to be like the West, while 6000 years of its carefully shepherded top soil blows into the sea.
Joined: Feb 01, 2006 Posts: 510 Location: Northern US
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:32 am Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
azreal60 -- Sorry for the late reply, been busy. It depends if you have a well or are on city water.
Basically you should have a shut-off inside your home where the water line enters from the outside or a shut-off at the well pump. If you have a pump you can simply turn it off. Close the shut-off and then open all faucets (both hot and cold). Water should run for a bit as the pressure drops to nil.
This will only drain the system to the lowest faucet level. There will be water in the supply line from the shut-off (unless your supply line is higher than the lowest faucet.
This is a very basic example, it would be best to have someone who knows plumbing to actually look at your home.
And if the need to do this would come, you may have to physically remove the water from the toilet bowls, pour some RV-type antifreeze into the bowls (since they have a trap that is/should always have liqiud in) and pour antifreeze into the drains to protect those traps as well.
Hope this helps. At least you will have some ideas as to what to ask someone if/when they look at your individual needs.
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:49 am Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
I live in Edmonton Alberta. I once rented a section of a old house and the heat never did work properly. I used to wake up and be able to see my own breath, and the shampoo used to freeze in the bottle.
I used to sleep with several pairs of socks on, and layering your clothing helps a little. The best combination for me is longjohns, jogging pants, several layers of wool socks and a thick fleece top. Then crawl under the blankets. I won't kid you though, it is still cold, but at least you won't freeze.
If I had to do it again I would take my extra blankets, and nail them to the bedroom wall, or nail anything to the walls that would provide extra insulation. Move everyone in your home to that one bedroom. the heat the human body gives off would help that one room seem a little warmer.
Times are still good in 2006, but i think it is time to start picking up a few extra's, like a warm mummy sleeping bag, and a solar stove for cooking food, and heating water. Prepare now or be sorry later.
Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 269 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 5:09 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
I am confident that I could keep myself warm, even in a Wisconsin winter.
I would probably retreat to the smallest room in the house, which is the bathroom. I already have a solar oven which I have used since last March. I am still concerned about the pipes freezing, but depending upon the reason for a lack of heat I could always let the water run a little.
Joined: Jul 29, 2006 Posts: 19 Location: Southern California
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
elocs and sciencegirl:
One thing to remember if you are ever in a small room and really cold - if you have electricity, a small space heater makes all the difference in the world. Even in my 2-BR house, when the heat went out one winter and before my landlord fixed it, I used a space heater. Just set it next to me wherever I was sitting, and closed all the doors to that room, and it was cold, but liveable.
Of course this is Los Angeles, but in my area we get both terrible summer heat and quite chilly winters (down to freezing most years). _________________ Kestrel
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Gandhi
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4911 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
I had my basement pretty much unheated (the furnace is located down there and so is the hot water heater, but vents are closed down there). It was cold down there, but never came close to freezing. _________________ Clothing should be optional.
Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 269 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:15 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
kestrel91316 wrote:
elocs and sciencegirl:
One thing to remember if you are ever in a small room and really cold - if you have electricity, a small space heater makes all the difference in the world. Even in my 2-BR house, when the heat went out one winter and before my landlord fixed it, I used a space heater. Just set it next to me wherever I was sitting, and closed all the doors to that room, and it was cold, but liveable. Of course, this is Los Angeles, but in my area we get both terrible summer heat and quite chilly winters (down to freezing most years).
I live in a small, but nice mobile home which suits my needs nicely and I could not get an efficency apartment for what I pay in lot rent. On 9/11 my fuel oil tank which had been filled in August sunk on 2 legs because of a great amount of rain. I was ordered to level it, and that is where I made my mistake in not leaving well enough alone. The tank would not have fallen over since it sunk on the 2 legs on the end. I jacked it up the evening of 9/11 and just when I nearly had it done the side leg collapsed and the tank fell over. I watched helplessly as over 200 gallons of fuel oil glubbed into the ground. Fortunately everybody was inside or one of my nosey neighbors would have had the DNR and EPA out there.
The fuel oil company promised to bring me another tank to keep me as a customer, but they never did, so that winter I used space heaters and got along nicely. I have been using space heater ever since, mostly oil filled radiator types and the work perfectly. I only heat the rooms I am in and the heat is quiet and even with a furnance coming on and roaring and heating the house until it cools down enough and it comes on again. I love it and my budget payment for electricity is only $88 a month and this past winter I had a "clean-up" bill that was only $30 higher than what I had been paying.
I only wish that my small room was my kitchen which recieves full sun in the winter. But my bathroom is not a bad choice since it is nearly 9' long and only about 3.5' wide, but has access to water and has a small window for ventilation if I use a nonelectric space heater. It would sort of be like a camping out adventure for which I am prepared, but one that I would rather forego.
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
When I build my cob cottage someday it'll be passive solar with a rocket stove, but until then....
Other means. We use sleeping bags right now of various ratings with nice comforter covers. Looks traditional, but was cheap with cheap sleeping bags from WalMart for $25. They work great. Not sure I'd camp in them, but just fine for the home. Have a couple of nice bags for camping... all a size and a half for snuggling with a cold child or (better yet) a significant other Body heat is great!
Wear a hat to bed. Most of your heat is lost out of your head. Wear wool socks to bed, too, and silk long undies.
Proper clothing, of course. Why on earth do we think it's weird to have to dress warmly in winter? My sister freaks if she can't wear shorts around her house in December. Oye.
Eat or drink something warm before retiring. Heat your body internally and you'll at least fall asleap warm.
Heat up water in your solar cooker for a hot water bottle with a nice fuzzy cover. Ahhhh....
And if you have to go outside in non-waterproof boots, save lots of the see-through plastic bags that you get veggies in from the market. Put on a pair of poly or light wool socks, put on the bags like another pair, and put on a pair of wool socks over it. The wool will keep you warm and the plastic will keep your feet dry. Don't use the white plastic bags...they crinkle and drive you nuts!!!
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
Oh, and to help keep your pipes from freezing, open the cabinet doors under all your sinks and leave the bathroom doors open so whatever heat remains can circulate around them with out being stopped by a closed door.
Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 269 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
madison wrote:
Heat up water in your solar cooker for a hot water bottle with a nice fuzzy cover. Ahhhh....
Owning a solar oven, that has occurred to me. Use the oven to heat water and put it into a thermos and then into a hot water bottle for use in the sleeping bag. There must be other methods of using the solar oven to help in keeping warm.
I grew up in Wisconsin, so I know all about how to dress to stay warm. I have been out flooding skating rinks at night when the temperature was -20 and actually lower with the wind chill. I have found it easier to dress properly and work outside when it is bitterly cold as opposed to when it is ungodly hot and you could take off everything and still be miserable. The good thing is that most people who have not lived and dealt well with winter and bitter cold cannot stand it and so avoid the climate.
Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 269 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
madison wrote:
Oh, and to help keep your pipes from freezing, open the cabinet doors under all your sinks and leave the bathroom doors open so whatever heat remains can circulate around them with out being stopped by a closed door.
If there is no heat available other than possibly one room in my house, then my water will freeze in my pipes if it is not running. If I am out of town for a few days in the dead of winter when the temps will be getting below zero I will leave the water running a trickle so it will not freeze. Especially to my kitchen sink where there is a 40' run of pipe from the source along an outside wall. I have had pipes freeze before, but fortunately never burst.
Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
While searching for alternative solutions for the heating of my chalet, I've come across the following website which has cool videos showing how you can heat your home with no or very little fossil fuel: www.alternative-heating.com
You'll also find lots of info about grain stoves, pellet stoves, geothermal pumps, etc.
Anyone else found interesting resources about green heating solutions?
Joined: Dec 26, 2006 Posts: 315 Location: Eastern Washington
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 1:52 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
I am figuring that with my plan for a strawbale house and solar gain (orientation of the south facing part of the house) and lot's of thermal mass I really shouldn't have to use much secondary heating.
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
I had the idea of having a family tent in one of the rooms if heating failed over the winter, the average person gives off 100w of heat, so 2 adults and a couple of kids would give off more then enough heat to keep the space warm
Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 7:29 am Post subject: Re: [Shelter] Heat - General
Well shoot. Right now I use geothermal heat pump, but it requires electricty to run it.
I have a fireplace and I'm looking into having an insert installed.
Hot water bottles are a good idea. Even in the old days heating a brick and putting in your bed to warm it before getting in works.
I do have a down sleeping bag from my old backpacking days, as well as a campstove.
I do know how to dress sensibly. And I have the clothing.
I'm going to start looking for lots of extra heavy wool blankets, see if I can pick them up from ebay or even the local thrift stores. I really don't think I have enough to hang to block off a room. And really not any extra to layer up my bed.
And I'll see about solar hot water heating, if it's feasible for me in my locale and the cost. I'd be hiring someone to do the whole project.
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Body heat is great!
