How about a cheap way to heat in case of an emergency?

[Dani]

I do save my wax pieces from old candles, but hadn't thought of using them with the lint. Great suggestion! The calves are Jr., a Guernsey and Charlie, a Holstein. We had just unloaded them after picking them up at an auction barn. They were about 7 days old here and they were bottle fed for about 4 months. I am 5'9" and Charlie's back comes up to my neck, so he is my big boy now.

 

[Shenandoah]

Thank you! I seen a POT BELLY wood stove for sale and I am going to get it! Trying to make sure it will be safe and cheap to put in!

We heat solely with wood, our home, shop, and cabins so just a suggestion on the pot-belly stove....Yes, it will keep you from freezing but you will be putting wood in it every hour or so as they are anything BUT airtight! As their firebox is smaller, they just can't hold a fire very long. Also, with a pot-belly, get a damper for the stove pipe or all your heat will be going out the window...literally. You will want single wall pipe coming off the pot-belly stove and put the damper in the single wall pipe. Then use double or triple wall pipe where the pipe goes through anything combustable (ceiling or wall).
Also, I would opt for Masonite as opposed to sheet rock for behind the stove. The paper on sheetrock can and will burn. One 4'x8' sheet of Masonite will work wonders.
Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains, I have often seen stove pipes run out the window but just know they tend not to "draw" very well. But again....we are taking about shtf emergencies here and I vote for heat from the pot-belly as opposed to frozen extremities!!

Blessings,
Shenandoah

 

[Shenandoah]

Thank you! I seen a POT BELLY wood stove for sale and I am going to get it! Trying to make sure it will be safe and cheap to put in!

We have a pot-belly in the tack room and also one in the parlor...when buying yours, be sure you can feed it from the top. If you can only feed it from the front door, pass. The problem we have is when putting wood in the front door, because the fire box is small, coals and sparks pop out the whole time we are trying to put wood in. When you feed the stove from the top, you can completely avoid this problem.

You also asked about placing the stove on the granite...honestly, the floor under ours barely gets warm. The stove in the parlor has 8" legs so it sits safely on the floor, without anything under it. The one in the tack room we do have sitting on a large piece of flagstone just to be safe as its legs are shorter.

Blessings,
Shenandoah

 

[GWprepper]

I know I'm going a bit modern but we do live in a technologically advanced time. I would go to wal mart and get a mini propane heater that takes the green Colman propane tanks the green tanks are like 3 dollars for two at academy here in Texas so for 100 bucks you can get 66 tanks which I'm assuming each tank last about 5-9 hours for heating. Little bit warmer than candle power

That would work if Walmart had any in stock.

 

[Unknown]

I'm sure any sporting good store has some

 

[Dani]

With a pot belly stove you will need to make it air tight. Focus on the burner plate, firebox door, and ash door. You will need to buy fiberglass gaskets, gasket cement and high temperature black paint. They really are great in warming a home, cheap and you are only looking at about $50 dollar to make air tight. Just be careful on what you buy. . Make sure it is of good quality because making it air tight is only going to put more pressure on the stove walls and a cheaper version will end up cracking after years of use.

 

[jontte]

in an emergency,when you need heat,usually you always have candles and possibly a flowerpot,it gives you some comfort,and candles are nice

 

[Dani]

I love my fireplace and now that the wood burning stove has been installed in the back of the house has helped warm up getting out of the shower and the electric heater doesn't run so often. We did have a cold snap that was about 4 days

 

[Mountain trapper]

I love my fireplace and now that the wood burning stove has been installed in the back of the house has helped warm up getting out of the shower and the electric heater doesn't run so often. We did have a cold snap that was about 4 days

I think anyone that can should have a wood stove installed in their house. It should have a flat top for cooking on too.

 

[Brent S]

I think anyone that can should have a wood stove installed in their house. It should have a flat top for cooking on too.

I put in a medium sized vogelzang. It has a two burner flat top that is great for cooking on. It was 125.00 when I bought it but are closer to 200 now. If patient you could do well on Craigslist or yard sales though. One consideration is where to place it. I have it in a seperate area I can close off if needed. So when it's cold I open it to the house, but if needed for cooking in the summer I can close the house and open the room to the outside. One other issue to have in mind is the flue. You will spend as much on it as you do the stove. You need double or triple wall pipe where going thru a ceiling, wall or attic. These things get really hot, so don't get cheap on heat shielding or using the proper flue pipe. Your house burning down will certainly keep you warm for a short while though.

 

[lonewolf]

I use a mobile "gas" heater with the blue cylinders, have used one for years, just make sure you open a window first!

 

[DrHenley]

This is my emergency heating system. (even though it's supposedly safe to use indoors, I still have a CO detector just in case)

 

[user 6493]

I use the best and cheapest way to heat your home you can even cook with it ,a wood burning stove,,mine has saved my butt once and a shitload of money to boot ,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Dani]

When my sweet hunny did the install on Sunday, I stressed and I mean BIG TIME! He lit it since it was in the 30s that night. I was still needing to take my shower and wash my hair and had all these images flashing thru my head. . . The wood stove is located in the corner of my bedroom which on the other side of the wall is the shower. I did ask hunny to just crawl up there to make sure everything looked good. . . as in no fires in the attic or smoke. How in the heck I have gone thru life without one of these babies, I just don't know now. It was an amazing Christmas gift for certain! I totally agree that if anyone buys a wooden stove to have a flat surface on top! I have already teased hunny about getting the percolator out to make my coffee the night before so it is ready for me in the morning and I don't even have to get out of bed

 

[Mountain trapper]

I put in a medium sized vogelzang. It has a two burner flat top that is great for cooking on. It was 125.00 when I bought it but are closer to 200 now. If patient you could do well on Craigslist or yard sales though. One consideration is where to place it. I have it in a seperate area I can close off if needed. So when it's cold I open it to the house, but if needed for cooking in the summer I can close the house and open the room to the outside. One other issue to have in mind is the flue. You will spend as much on it as you do the stove. You need double or triple wall pipe where going thru a ceiling, wall or attic. These things get really hot, so don't get cheap on heat shielding or using the proper flue pipe. Your house burning down will certainly keep you warm for a short while though.

That sounds like the same stove I'm planning on putting in my fur shed. The Vogelzang appears to be a well built, but inexpensive stove. I installed a similar stove in a cabin I built years ago. With the flat top they're great for cooking on and heating water. I used to always keep a metal bucket on top during winter to heat water for the chickens and rabbits.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The only possible drawback when heating with wood is if you have to buy your wood it can be expensive. It's best if you have your own woodlot or access to free/cheap wood. Around here the Forest Service permits each person to cut up to 10 cords per year on the National Forest.

 

[Dani]

We are always on the look out for fallen and dead trees when driving to wherever. We will ask the owner first but they are normally more than happy for you to take down and haul off. It's a win win situation for all. I have seen some of the corner stores that sell 4 pieces of wood for $5. That is outrageous!

 

[lonewolf]

i'm always picking up fallen bits of timber, that and any pallets I can find!

 

[DrHenley]

Well, my emergency heating system has been getting a good workout. Last week at deer camp, because the furnace is burned out (I already knew about that so I took it with me), and then last night the blower went out on our furnace at home. Between running two burners on the stove and the propane heater I was able to get the temp inside up to a livable 64. The sun kept the house fairly warm during the day (south side brick wall stores a lot of heat), so I left it off. But I'm about to have to fire it up again. The repairman is supposed to come tomorrow - just in time for the weather to turn warm

 

[Brent S]

The only possible drawback when heating with wood is if you have to buy your wood it can be expensive. It's best if you have your own woodlot or access to free/cheap wood. Around here the Forest Service permits each person to cut up to 10 cords per year on the National Forest.

That's awesome, here they lock you up for disturbing the Eco system.

 

[Brent S]

My wood stove has been going nonstop for about four days now. I'm going through my supply faster than I've ever done before. Oh well, at least I haven't had to turn the heater on hardly at all. I am going to have to start sourcing wood soon though. I don't want to cut any more of the trees here unless I have to.

 

[WGregMiller]

I don't know about your weather forecast, but last weekend's freeze will loosen up here. Saturday and Sunday the temp will be pushing 70...

 

[Brent S]

I don't know about your weather forecast, but last weekend's freeze will loosen up here. Saturday and Sunday the temp will be pushing 70...

It was great to get the three inches of snow. Now it can go away and warm the heck back up like its supposed to be in the south! I burned through a large chunk of my firewood just in a few days here. Come on warmth!

 

[WGregMiller]

Thought you'd like to hear that!