Hi,
I need ideas on how to go about making this cottage I am living in
year round winter ready. During the winter the floors get very cold
and pipes often freeze.
The old part of the cottage is about 70 years old. It is sitting on
raised cinderblock pillars. In some parts of the "crawl space" it is
4 ft in others it is just about a foot. The ceiling of the crawl space
is insulated with pink insulation. Albeit, I think it could be done
better. The pipes from both the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room
have heat wires, even so, they still sometimes freeze. The cottage is
heated inside primarily with a woodstove and there is a small propane
stove as well in a different section. During the winter I have been
known to go through 4 bush cords of wood to heat the place. I have put
plywood sheets all around the outside to cut down on wind going
through the underside of the cottage. It sits high on a hill and does
get quite a bit of wind.

It does get quite toasty after the wood stove has been on for a while.
However, at night, it generally gets quite cold. For example to test
the theory, I put a bottled water on the floor in the bathroom, got up
in the morning and it was frozen.

A friend suggested that I could get a "propane furnace" that could be
hung in the larger area of the crawlspace under the cottage and then
ducts sent through out the cottage for heat, as well as allowing an
opening for keeping the underside of the cottage warmer. The underside
would have to be sealed and insulated completely in order for this to
work apparently.

I just wondered if anyone had heard of doing this? Is it feasible? Is
it costly? Are there alternative ideas? Also, keeping in mind that the
property only has 60 amp service.

Thanks in advance for any input and advice.
Regards
Janet

It certainly is feasible. It would require completely enclosing the
crawlspace first. It would require a single 15 amp circuit to operate. Call
a few HVAC companies and get ideas and prices



wrote in message
...
Hi,
I need ideas on how to go about making this cottage I am living in
year round winter ready. During the winter the floors get very cold
and pipes often freeze.
The old part of the cottage is about 70 years old. It is sitting on
raised cinderblock pillars. In some parts of the "crawl space" it is
4 ft in others it is just about a foot. The ceiling of the crawl space
is insulated with pink insulation. Albeit, I think it could be done
better. The pipes from both the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room
have heat wires, even so, they still sometimes freeze. The cottage is
heated inside primarily with a woodstove and there is a small propane
stove as well in a different section. During the winter I have been
known to go through 4 bush cords of wood to heat the place. I have put
plywood sheets all around the outside to cut down on wind going
through the underside of the cottage. It sits high on a hill and does
get quite a bit of wind.

It does get quite toasty after the wood stove has been on for a while.
However, at night, it generally gets quite cold. For example to test
the theory, I put a bottled water on the floor in the bathroom, got up
in the morning and it was frozen.

A friend suggested that I could get a "propane furnace" that could be
hung in the larger area of the crawlspace under the cottage and then
ducts sent through out the cottage for heat, as well as allowing an
opening for keeping the underside of the cottage warmer. The underside
would have to be sealed and insulated completely in order for this to
work apparently.

I just wondered if anyone had heard of doing this? Is it feasible? Is
it costly? Are there alternative ideas? Also, keeping in mind that the
property only has 60 amp service.

Thanks in advance for any input and advice.
Regards
Janet

wrote:

I need ideas on how to go about making this cottage I am living in
year round winter ready.

Where is the cottage? What are the dimensions and compass orientation?
You might solar heat it with a new low-mass sunspace...

Nick

Janet,

You need to come up with a plan based on the curerent condition of the
cottage. How well is it insulated right now? Ceilings? Walls? Have you
checked for wind leaks and caulked them? How are the windows and doors? Do
you have storm windows and storm doors?
I'd install some masonry around the cottage periphery, enclose the crawl
space, insulate it and then remove the floor insulation..
What's a bush cord of wood? I've never heard the term. When does Winter
start where you live? There are lots of books on insulating housing so head
for the library.

Dave M.

wrote:
Hi,
I need ideas on how to go about making this cottage I am living in
year round winter ready. During the winter the floors get very cold
and pipes often freeze.
The old part of the cottage is about 70 years old. It is sitting on
raised cinderblock pillars. In some parts of the "crawl space" it is
4 ft in others it is just about a foot. The ceiling of the crawl space
is insulated with pink insulation. Albeit, I think it could be done
better. The pipes from both the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room
have heat wires, even so, they still sometimes freeze. The cottage is
heated inside primarily with a woodstove and there is a small propane
stove as well in a different section. During the winter I have been
known to go through 4 bush cords of wood to heat the place. I have put
plywood sheets all around the outside to cut down on wind going
through the underside of the cottage. It sits high on a hill and does
get quite a bit of wind.

It does get quite toasty after the wood stove has been on for a while.
However, at night, it generally gets quite cold. For example to test
the theory, I put a bottled water on the floor in the bathroom, got up
in the morning and it was frozen.

A friend suggested that I could get a "propane furnace" that could be
hung in the larger area of the crawlspace under the cottage and then
ducts sent through out the cottage for heat, as well as allowing an
opening for keeping the underside of the cottage warmer. The underside
would have to be sealed and insulated completely in order for this to
work apparently.

I just wondered if anyone had heard of doing this? Is it feasible? Is
it costly? Are there alternative ideas? Also, keeping in mind that the
property only has 60 amp service.

Thanks in advance for any input and advice.


Writing from across The Pond. I've lived in houses of that age and older
over the years but not had frostication in a house since at least the
late'60s. It sounds like you need to attend to insulation. The first point I
would address is the one that David commented upon. That crawl space needs
to be cladded to prevent the wind chill on the underside - the first thing
to address.

Timber/metal/plastic sheeting is going to save $$$$s. Then I'd be
considering insulation of the building and thinking about the glazing.

I like looking on to a cold frosty morning - on the outside- from the warm
comfort of my home!

wrote in message
...
Hi,
I need ideas on how to go about making this cottage I am living in
year round winter ready. During the winter the floors get very cold
and pipes often freeze. snip


Only one small stop-gap measure to help with the freezing pipes. Leave the
water running just a small amount - they told us about the diameter of a
pencil - through the night until you get up and moving. Apparantly, if
water will freeze in your bathroom overnight, you have no insulation in the
walls. You are in a tight spot; many places to spend money and all of them
important. Best wishes.