let's face it when it's cold outside and service has been disrupted due to storm damage, you might need to spend quality time with a wool blanket and cuddled with the family hound.
OR you could go straight to plan "B", alternative heat.
Without power (or generator) furnace functions wont work. If you are the type that has a wood stove (and I suggest you do) you are ahead of the pack. The wood stove for all it's glory is not the easiest thing to sling on your back and relocate to other parts of the house/garage/basement/Mom's house, or any place heat is urgently needed.
Here "portable" heaters are the rule.
Manufactures like Kero Sun (Toyotomi) Corona (Manning) or Dyna-Glo (Northern) Dura-Heat and others produce stand up units that generate 10,000+ BTU of warm wonderful waves of comfort. Today's heaters are far safer and more reliable then the units your Dad used years ago. They burn cleaner, and are liter and more efficient then ever before. A Kero heater kept well stored in the garage/basement can be a God send when and if the temp drops.
Kerosene itself can be stored in safe quantities for years without chemical degradation like gasoline does. I know it is common knowledge but it's worth repeating for the sake of neophytes: NEVER PUT GASOLINE IN A KEROSENE HEATER....you will only blow yourself up along with most of your house and part of the yard outside. These are oil heaters only.
Kero heaters burn fairly cleanly and only really smell of fumes while lighting and extinguishing. I find if you turn them on and off outside, you will never detect an odor. Moreover there are additives that cut the odor down considerably and help the wick burn more efficiently. By keeping the crown of the wick clean of crust and carbon (that build up after long term use) and trimmed even, the heater will work long and well. I use a small steel brush to "groom" the edge of the wick once in a while. At the end of each season, my wife takes the heater apart and cleans any parts that need it (they seldom do). Always store the heater with some kero in it to keep the wick from drying out and have spare wick on hand.
Now on to "Catalytic" heaters:
Coleman, Elston, Brinkmann, Olympian, and others manufacture small portable heaters just perfect for "area" heating. Although these small heaters are not as good as Kero at putting out high volumes of heat, they are fair at providing localized comfort. 3,000 to 5,000 BTUs are the expected output of heat. Most of these units use propane that can be stockpiled. kept on a shelf in the garage, they take up little space and are worth owning two or three.NOTICE: these units will use allot of the oxygen in the room, so use these units only in well ventilated areas. There have been reports of these units producing headaches and in some cases death due to carbon monoxide fumes. They are illegal in some parts of Canada for this reason. Reports vary, but claims of improvements to the latest designs have reduced the hazards associated with these heaters.
Think Small: Personal Warmers (Hand warmer) these suckers get HOT!
Jon-e and Zippo as well as others are small, cheap and they work!
Units that fit in your pocket can help you get through a cold night. I have put one of these in my sleeping bag more then once and was thankful for it. Some of these units burn lighter fluid type fuel while others actually burn preformed charcoal sticks. Light em, let them come up to temp, put them in their safety bags (so you wont be burned) and enjoy the warmth. They can burn for four to eight hours depending on type and size.
This may not the answer to warming the home but for lack of anything else or while in your Car/R-V or while roughing it on the floor, these units are the ticket. The cost of personal heaters is not high and they can be found in any sporting goods store/department. Stock up on a few and the fuel you will need NOW. keep one or two in your car. Don't forget a lighter, you'll need it to get em started.Warm your six
RJ
