The GEO Method and Space Heaters - Thoughts?
Preparing for a week long trip. It will be approx. 300 miles one way to our destination. 1. I wanted to take this driving opportunity to clean my RV holding tanks. I was considering using the ...
Forum Discussion
Heater:
This is my full-time set up and the reasons behind it...
I have a dual control heated electric mattress pad on my bed. It's the kind you sleep on top of as opposed to sleeping under a heated electric blanket (heat rises). I have a 0°F sleeping bag opened up flat and tucked inside a "full" duvet cover as a "comforter". The duvet covers cut down on having to wash the bulky sleeping bag. The only problem with the duvet cover is that I had to add buttonholes to the sleeping bag (to secure it inside a duvet cover) and a full-size duvet cover fits widthwise but is a tad long by about 6-8 inches (I shorten the duvet cover).
I have a small electric space heater in the bedroom. I do use electric even though the first house my husband and I owned burned down due to an electrical fire. The bedroom is kept cooler at night for sleeping.
My main heating source is a fan-forced ventless propane residential fireplace with a thermostat. I do run it all night. The fan is not set up to run during a power outage. I also have a "Tag-a-long" indoor propane space heater (back-up heat source for the bedroom) and a Mr Buddy indoor propane space heater (just to warm up the bathroom for showers) plumbed into the main LP system. I do have a CO & LP detector.
I lived for a very long time in an area that tended to lose power a lot in the winter. I learned to have heat and cooking sources that could still be used in the event of a powder outage. I'm talking about power outages that could last up to a week. I haven't lost power for very long in years but it wasn't that long ago that northern NM lost power for over a week due to a winter storm. We only lost power for 1 day, but it was a very cold day and night. At that time, I was still running the fireplace off a single 20LB BBQ tank (to see how much LP it used). I learned that the fireplace could run 24 hours for 7 days on one full tank (4.7 gallons). That's better than the propane generator which eats a tank in 8 hours but always starts right up even after not having run for two years. The worst LP consumption the fireplace had was 5 days on the 20# tank but the fireplace was cranked up really high and ran constantly. I eventually put two marks on the thermostat knob (high and low) of the temps that I typically use. We get single digit temps in the worst of winter. Occasionally those single digits are negative.
Since I am on metered electric, and I do keep track of my actual usage (not dollar amount), I know that whether I use propane or electric, it is basically the same. I either pay for the propane (250 gallon propane tank gets filled to 200 gallons, or less as we pay up front before it gets delivered, every 8-10 months) or I pay for the electric. I do think I stay warmer with propane than electric (I "FEEL" warmer). I also think the electric oil filled radiator doesn't work once it gets below 45°F. Maybe I just got a sucky one.
BTW, statistically, unvented gas appliances put out less humidity than an adult does in normal breathing. So basically, for each unvented gas appliance you use, it's like adding an extra human breathing in the same time frame.
I used to live in 80% (and higher) humidity. I currently live in a desert. My aluminum-framed, single pane windows have PVC framed interior storm windows with a layer of Reflectix between the storm window and the aluminum-framed, single pane window. Creating a thermal break between the aluminum frames and inside had to be done otherwise it was all a waste of time. The front windshield and entry door have packing quilt-Reflectix curtains over them to keep the cold and heat out (or in, depending on the seasons). The curtain over the door means the dog can go in/out as she wants without me having to play door attendant for her. I bought cheap cotton (washable) drop cloths from Harbor Freight to cover the somewhat ugly packing quilts that come in odd colours at times. I'm a big fan of cotton drop cloths and I love the natural colour and texture of the washed canvas. I replace the quilts (Harbor Freight) and Reflectix every few years as the sun rots them. I tried clear bubble wrap and while it worked and it wasn't dark inside, the bubble wrap lasted less than a year before the sun destroyed it.
This is my full-time set up and the reasons behind it...
I have a dual control heated electric mattress pad on my bed. It's the kind you sleep on top of as opposed to sleeping under a heated electric blanket (heat rises). I have a 0°F sleeping bag opened up flat and tucked inside a "full" duvet cover as a "comforter". The duvet covers cut down on having to wash the bulky sleeping bag. The only problem with the duvet cover is that I had to add buttonholes to the sleeping bag (to secure it inside a duvet cover) and a full-size duvet cover fits widthwise but is a tad long by about 6-8 inches (I shorten the duvet cover).
I have a small electric space heater in the bedroom. I do use electric even though the first house my husband and I owned burned down due to an electrical fire. The bedroom is kept cooler at night for sleeping.
My main heating source is a fan-forced ventless propane residential fireplace with a thermostat. I do run it all night. The fan is not set up to run during a power outage. I also have a "Tag-a-long" indoor propane space heater (back-up heat source for the bedroom) and a Mr Buddy indoor propane space heater (just to warm up the bathroom for showers) plumbed into the main LP system. I do have a CO & LP detector.
I lived for a very long time in an area that tended to lose power a lot in the winter. I learned to have heat and cooking sources that could still be used in the event of a powder outage. I'm talking about power outages that could last up to a week. I haven't lost power for very long in years but it wasn't that long ago that northern NM lost power for over a week due to a winter storm. We only lost power for 1 day, but it was a very cold day and night. At that time, I was still running the fireplace off a single 20LB BBQ tank (to see how much LP it used). I learned that the fireplace could run 24 hours for 7 days on one full tank (4.7 gallons). That's better than the propane generator which eats a tank in 8 hours but always starts right up even after not having run for two years. The worst LP consumption the fireplace had was 5 days on the 20# tank but the fireplace was cranked up really high and ran constantly. I eventually put two marks on the thermostat knob (high and low) of the temps that I typically use. We get single digit temps in the worst of winter. Occasionally those single digits are negative.
Since I am on metered electric, and I do keep track of my actual usage (not dollar amount), I know that whether I use propane or electric, it is basically the same. I either pay for the propane (250 gallon propane tank gets filled to 200 gallons, or less as we pay up front before it gets delivered, every 8-10 months) or I pay for the electric. I do think I stay warmer with propane than electric (I "FEEL" warmer). I also think the electric oil filled radiator doesn't work once it gets below 45°F. Maybe I just got a sucky one.
BTW, statistically, unvented gas appliances put out less humidity than an adult does in normal breathing. So basically, for each unvented gas appliance you use, it's like adding an extra human breathing in the same time frame.
I used to live in 80% (and higher) humidity. I currently live in a desert. My aluminum-framed, single pane windows have PVC framed interior storm windows with a layer of Reflectix between the storm window and the aluminum-framed, single pane window. Creating a thermal break between the aluminum frames and inside had to be done otherwise it was all a waste of time. The front windshield and entry door have packing quilt-Reflectix curtains over them to keep the cold and heat out (or in, depending on the seasons). The curtain over the door means the dog can go in/out as she wants without me having to play door attendant for her. I bought cheap cotton (washable) drop cloths from Harbor Freight to cover the somewhat ugly packing quilts that come in odd colours at times. I'm a big fan of cotton drop cloths and I love the natural colour and texture of the washed canvas. I replace the quilts (Harbor Freight) and Reflectix every few years as the sun rots them. I tried clear bubble wrap and while it worked and it wasn't dark inside, the bubble wrap lasted less than a year before the sun destroyed it.
