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As indicated elsewhere, there are in number of terrorist related activities, which can cause widespread inability to keep our homes warm and comfortable. Here are a few:

• A deliberate slowdown in production by OPEC, instigated by terrorists.
• The sabotage of one or more fuel processing facilities in the US.
• An interruption in our electric power supply.
• The sabotage of our underground natural gas infrastructure.
• Transportation systems such as highways and railroads are attacked and disrupted.
• The cost of fuel oil and/or natural gas become unaffordable.
• Major storms

SUPPLEMENTAL HEATING OPTIONS

• Propane heat
• Generators
• Wood heat
• Kerosene heat
• Oil heat
• Coal heat
• Solar heat

First of all propane should not be confused with natural gas. Natural gas is transported from its origin in underground pipes. Propane is stored in tanks located on the premises. It can be picked up from your supplier in small quantities, whereas larger quantities are delivered by truck. Another term for propane is LP gas.

Although propane is an exceptionally good source for heat, it may not be appropriate to rely on, during the crisis being discussed. The reason being, the source of supply of propane may be unreliable. Therefore a family should not set out to make propane their secondary source of heat. If on the other hand, if propane is your primary source of heat, we recommend you establish a secondary source of heat.

ELECTRIC GENERATORS

We have discussed generators at length in our section on lighting and electricity. We established the in-appropriateness of using the generators as a source for electricity. The same issues discussed in the lighting section are applicable in the heating section. Therefore, we shall not consider generators as a viable long-term source of heat during a survival crisis.

WOOD HEAT

Wood heat creates a pleasant and comforting environment. The problem with wood heat is this. First of all, if you plan on buying the wood, the source may dry-up and/or become unaffordable. When there is a run on supply, cost will skyrocket and local inventory will evaporate. If on the other hand you have plenty of wood available nearby, it may be a viable fuel for heating your home. You need to consider several factors in deciding to use wood. First, you need a chainsaw. You ought to have an extra chain and files to keep it sharp. You need to have fuel, and typically they are two cycle engines, which means you'll need two-cycle oil. If you run out of fuel and/or oil in the middle of the winter, you are cooked (pardon the pun). Another issue is your age, health and stamina. Foraging for wood, followed by splitting and stacking is a young persons job. Now I realize when your family is slowly freezing to death, you won't be considering your health. Think about it before hand, like now.

Another important issue is whether or not you live in the city, or in an area where using wood for heat is not practical or possible. If these considerations represent your state of affairs, we recommend you choose an alternative source for heat.

Fireplaces: The typical wood burning fireplace can provide heat, however, between 80 and 100 percent of the heat goes up the chimney. At times a house can even be made colder, because the up-draft in the chimney can be so powerful, that it sucks in cold air from the outside.

Fireplace Inserts: [There are basically two types of inserts]
The first type is commonly referred to as a heatilator. This category of insert actually replaces the firebrick cavity of the firebox with a metal liner, which has a heat exchange chamber. There are cold air intake vents along the bottom, and outgoing heated air vents along the top of the firebox. As an accessory, heatilators can be installed with a circulating fan, which really helps maximize the heat producing capacity of the unit. The downside is, heatilators are designed to be installed at the time the fireplace is built, as in new construction. Consequently heatilators are not a retrofit option.

Heatilators will be briefly discussed again further on.

The second and very popular type of insert is actually inserted into the fireplace's fire brick fire box cavity. The inserts chimney is actually ducted up through your original fireplace's masonry chimney with fire rated ducting. In a sense these inserts are a separate heating system from the fireplace, they merely make use of the cavity and the chimney of the original fireplace. These devices have a significant improvement of heating efficiency, from that of a traditional fireplace. There is no comparison. They can improve efficiency of 0-20% in a normal wood burning fireplace, to as high as 50-70% in an wood burning stove insert. Some units are available with electric blowers, which further improves the heat generating features of a wood burning insert. Obviously electric blowers are not necessarily a good option to have, since you probably will not have electricity either. There real value is gained when you use the unit while electricity is available. Hence, the blower makes sense in the long term, since hopefully, you will use the unit to reduce heating expenses under normal living conditions.

Wood stoves: Wood stoves are by far the preferred way to heat with wood. They are less expensive, easier to install and are more energy-efficient than wood fireplaces, with or without inserts. Be sure you purchase a serious wood stove, not a decorative wood stove. Alway purchase a stove with a damper. The damper will allow you to control the amount air entering the fire chamber and hence the amount of heat generated as well as how quickly the fuel [wood] is used. If you are planning to use a new wood-burning stove, either read the instructions carefully, or allow a professional to do the installation. The last thing you want to have happen is for your house catch on fire in the middle of a crisis - bad, bad problem.

HEATILATORS:

Heatilators were discussed in the wood burning section above. In this section we will address the use of heatilators as a gas [propane, natural gas] fired heating unit. The reliance on using a gas fired heatilator as a viable survival strategy should not be high on your gotta-get-one list. Without electricity to run their air blower, the unit has very limited use. Of course, the question of the reliability of a source of fuel such as gas, is very questionable during the crisis. Lots of folks have the units installed in their new home, but this author views them in the category of a novelty when addressing a survival situation.

KEROSENE STOVES

In recent years kerosene heaters have been improved significantly. They produce less smoke, less fumes, and are quite safe to use. The advantage of portable kerosene heaters is that they are safe, inexpensive, efficient, and can be moved from room to room. The disadvantage is, that you cannot easily heat your whole house, unless you have a unit for each room you wish to heat.

Be sure to examine the specifications sheet for the unit you are considering. Be careful to examine the amount of fuel consumption. Then calculate your fuel needs. For instance, a typical portable kerosene heater produces 23,000 BTU's by burning one gallon every six to eight hours. So if you're burning 16 hours a day, you will need two to three gallons per day. Four months of 16 hours a day will require 240 to 360 gallons of kerosene. That is a lot of 5 gallons cans. And of course, you're only using one heater in one room. Kerosene is similar to gasoline, it degrades in quality as it ages. Most manufacturers suggest kerosene not to be more than six months old. That does not provide you with a lengthy time in which you can keep your private stock ready. As indicated elsewhere, adding a fuel additive can help appreciably in lengthening the efficiency life of the fuel.

When using kerosene heaters, the following safety apparatus should also be on hand:

• Fire extinguishers
• Smoke detectors, battery operated
• Carbon monoxide detectors, battery operated

OIL HEAT

You may question why oil heat is in a section referred to as alternative heating sources. We included it because you may choose to have installed an alternative type of oil heat stove. It is a freestanding oil fired stove. It can create up to 13,000 BTU output, while burning a meager 1/4 gallon per hour. That means you can burn 10 hours for only 2.5 gallons. These stoves use a gravity fed fuel system and consequently need no electricity. You must provide a fuel source at a higher level than the unit itself. This type of oil fired stove costs between $1000 and $2000.

COAL STOVES

There is a new type of coal stove on the market, which can be easily retrofitted into a home, just like a wood stove can be. In fact, it is easier than adding a wood stove, in that it only requires a 6 in. diameter vent, which can be vented directly to the outside, through any wall or roof. These stoves use low-cost anthracite coal that is available in most areas of the country. The stoves are odorless and smokeless. They are very efficient and burn twice as hot as wood. They can easily heat a three-bedroom house and are very easy to operate. Many can operate 24-hours a day and are thermostatically controlled.

SOLAR

For the sake brevity, suffice it to say solar for a number of reasons is not a viable option, for heating your home during a survival related crisis.

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Last edited on ... March 15, 2007
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