So... the reason I've been asking so many gas questions in these groups is
that we have had wells put in on the farm here and now get some gas for
free. We changed my rickety old oil furnace over to gas at Christmas time,
but the bucks really are about dried up after that and the cost of having
lines installed inside and out and etc. I know I'm asking a lot of questions
in a lot of groups, and do appreciate the replies even if I've gotten
careless about saying that.

So... here's another gas post. The lines here belong to the driller and not
the gas company. He said that one of his requirements concerning tieing into
his lines is that he wanted a small shelter covered with black felt built
over the tap, meter and regulators (little one, not his monster) out in the
field to help prevent any possible freeze up. I hope to get to that this
week or next. I figure some sort of little A frame might be best.

But here's where the questions come in... he also said he wants a back-up
heat source in case there would be a freeze up at the regulator as 'we're
not a utility with trucks out around the clock and I'd have to wait till my
guys come in in the morning or Monday if it's a weekend and if it's cold
enough to happen to you then it's cold enough to have happened to someone
else, too. It might not happen for many years but it might happen several
times in one year, from our experience.'

Q: Now... knowing that these guys are the used car salesmen of energy, is he
just covering his ass or is this a real possibility?

I added one of those 30,000 BTU ventless space heaters to the basement and
am extremely happy with it (I know experiences vary) and I no longer need
space heaters all around to keep the pipes flowing in the worst but spinning
the electric meter in the process. One evening, when it was 3degF during the
day a few weeks ago, our power went out for 5 1/2 hours and I turned it up
to high and opened the cellar step door above it and it kept the house at
70deg just fine for the duration. It is a small single story and I realize
there's a lot of difference between keeping it warm and getting it warm.
Nonetheless, I'm considering getting another one (LP style) at season-end
prices and getting a little bar-b-que sized tank and keeping it down there
just in case of his emergency line freeze.

Q: How much time would I get from this tank running a 30,000 BTU vent free
heater at full tilt. Is this a viable emergency source?


I really would like to keep my chimney free for another purpose (subject for
another thread) if I can and this might be a cheap way out.





Thanks again.