On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:35:45 -0800 (PST), wrote:

if you can't get a furnace to run and the outside temp is in the teens
or lower, what should you do? I'd guess the first thing is to shut off
the water main. Then do you have to open taps in the kitchen and
bathroom? Do you have to open every one a little?

Would all of that insure that pipes won't burst?


no. Low spots can occur. Best thing to do would be to call the
furnace guy and plug in enough electric heaters (each on its own
circuit) to keep the house warm. They cost under $20 a piece, not
like it is going to break the bank.

On Jan 18, 11:28�am, Chris Hill wrote:
On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:35:45 -0800 (PST), wrote:
if you can't get a furnace to run and the outside temp is in the teens
or lower, what should you do? I'd guess the first thing is to shut off
the water main. Then do you have to open taps in the kitchen and
bathroom? Do you have to open every one a little?

Would all of that insure that pipes won't burst?

no. �Low spots can occur. �Best thing to do would be to call the
furnace guy and plug in enough electric heaters (each on its own
circuit) to keep the house warm. �They cost under $20 a piece, not
like it is going to break the bank.

I have a propane torpedo heater with some spare full tanks for
emergencies. like 50,000 BTU. A buddy has frozen pipes at his home he
just called to borrow it

those 20 buck electric heaters with no other nheat in a zero
temperature are almost useless

wrote in message
...
On Jan 18, 11:28?am, Chris Hill wrote:
On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:35:45 -0800 (PST), wrote:
if you can't get a furnace to run and the outside temp is in the teens
or lower, what should you do? I'd guess the first thing is to shut off
the water main. Then do you have to open taps in the kitchen and
bathroom? Do you have to open every one a little?

Would all of that insure that pipes won't burst?

no. ?Low spots can occur. ?Best thing to do would be to call the
furnace guy and plug in enough electric heaters (each on its own
circuit) to keep the house warm. ?They cost under $20 a piece, not
like it is going to break the bank.

I have a propane torpedo heater with some spare full tanks for
emergencies. like 50,000 BTU. A buddy has frozen pipes at his home he
just called to borrow it

those 20 buck electric heaters with no other nheat in a zero
temperature are almost useless

BTU's are the same regardless of the heat source and how much they cost.
Although it would take a pile of 1500 watt electric heaters to do the job,
they are made for use in enclosed non vented spaces unlike propane heaters,
and they don't smell of combustion gases

"RBM" wrote in message

I have a propane torpedo heater with some spare full tanks for
emergencies. like 50,000 BTU. A buddy has frozen pipes at his home he
just called to borrow it

those 20 buck electric heaters with no other nheat in a zero
temperature are almost useless

BTU's are the same regardless of the heat source and how much they cost.
Although it would take a pile of 1500 watt electric heaters to do the job,
they are made for use in enclosed non vented spaces unlike propane
heaters, and they don't smell of combustion gases

That 1500 watt heater is only 5000 Btu so you'd need ten of them to equal
one good sized propane heater. Propane is best if it does not need
electricity at all. If power is out, you need an independent heat source.

I never did the calculations, but my home heater is 100,000 Btu and it does
not run all the time so actual heat needed to maintain temperature is below
that. While it may not be full comfort, about 35,000 Btu would stave off
freezing.

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 12:59:01 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"RBM" wrote in message

I have a propane torpedo heater with some spare full tanks for
emergencies. like 50,000 BTU. A buddy has frozen pipes at his home he
just called to borrow it

those 20 buck electric heaters with no other nheat in a zero
temperature are almost useless

BTU's are the same regardless of the heat source and how much they cost.
Although it would take a pile of 1500 watt electric heaters to do the job,
they are made for use in enclosed non vented spaces unlike propane
heaters, and they don't smell of combustion gases

That 1500 watt heater is only 5000 Btu so you'd need ten of them to equal
one good sized propane heater. Propane is best if it does not need
electricity at all. If power is out, you need an independent heat source.

I never did the calculations, but my home heater is 100,000 Btu and it does
not run all the time so actual heat needed to maintain temperature is below
that. While it may not be full comfort, about 35,000 Btu would stave off
freezing.

My furnace is a 2 stage 35/50kbtu.
House is 1350 sq ft 2 story with full basement (aproc 670 sq ft).
Here in central/south-western ontario it has NEVER run on high, and
with -20C temperatures it runs about 8 hours a day.
That means about 10000 BTUs are required on the coldest days.

That would be 3KW of heat on steady.
We have never spent $700 a year on gas - and we have a gas water
heater as well.
If my furnace quit and I could not get it repaired quickly I would
grab the 3KW heater from the garage along with the welder extention
cord and plug it into the drier plug in the basement, open the furnace
blower compartment lid and run the furnace fan with the heater in the
furnace room.

If the power goes out the 2500 watt Onan will run the furnace. (put
the Onan in the shed and run 12Ga extention cord to the plug-in for
the furnace in the garage at the panel. (poor man's disconnect)

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:41:01 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Jan 18, 11:28?am, Chris Hill wrote:
On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:35:45 -0800 (PST), wrote:
if you can't get a furnace to run and the outside temp is in the teens
or lower, what should you do? I'd guess the first thing is to shut off
the water main. Then do you have to open taps in the kitchen and
bathroom? Do you have to open every one a little?

Would all of that insure that pipes won't burst?

no. ?Low spots can occur. ?Best thing to do would be to call the
furnace guy and plug in enough electric heaters (each on its own
circuit) to keep the house warm. ?They cost under $20 a piece, not
like it is going to break the bank.

I have a propane torpedo heater with some spare full tanks for
emergencies. like 50,000 BTU. A buddy has frozen pipes at his home he
just called to borrow it

those 20 buck electric heaters with no other nheat in a zero
temperature are almost useless


Each will produce 6450btu. A few will keep the place warm enough for
the pipes. I prefer more comfort, so I have a 10,000 btu propane unit
and a 18,000 btu kerosene unit. Even if the electric goes off, we
will be warm.

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:50:11 -0600, Chris Hill

Each will produce 6450btu. A few will keep the place warm enough for
the pipes. I prefer more comfort, so I have a 10,000 btu propane unit
and a 18,000 btu kerosene unit. Even if the electric goes off, we
will be warm.

oops. each will produce 5100btu. Still, probably with strategic
location,, enough to keep pipes from freezing.

Chris Hill wrote:

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:41:01 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:


On Jan 18, 11:28?am, Chris Hill wrote:

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:35:45 -0800 (PST), wrote:

if you can't get a furnace to run and the outside temp is in the teens
or lower, what should you do? I'd guess the first thing is to shut off
the water main. Then do you have to open taps in the kitchen and
bathroom? Do you have to open every one a little?

Would all of that insure that pipes won't burst?

no. ?Low spots can occur. ?Best thing to do would be to call the
furnace guy and plug in enough electric heaters (each on its own
circuit) to keep the house warm. ?They cost under $20 a piece, not
like it is going to break the bank.

I have a propane torpedo heater with some spare full tanks for
emergencies. like 50,000 BTU. A buddy has frozen pipes at his home he
just called to borrow it

those 20 buck electric heaters with no other nheat in a zero
temperature are almost useless



Each will produce 6450btu. A few will keep the place warm enough for
the pipes. I prefer more comfort, so I have a 10,000 btu propane unit
and a 18,000 btu kerosene unit. Even if the electric goes off, we
will be warm.

I'd invest in a CO monitor.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

If the home is occupied, consider letting the water run/trickle rather
than shutting it off. You will have toilets to flush, water to drink
and wash with. Water coming from a city supply will be cold but not
freezing.
If the home will not be occupied, then it's time to shut off the water
supply, drain water heater tanks, leave all the faucets open and put
antifreeze in the toilet bowl and tank. Don't forget the washing
machine and water remaining in the pump.

Other have already listed alternative heat sources: heaters, ovens,
stoves, fireplaces, etc. being careful of carbon dioxide or carbon
monoxide risks. Leave cabinets with water supplies on outside walls
open so that some heat can get in there.

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:40:32 -0600, CJT wrote:


I'd invest in a CO monitor.



Both heaters have oxygen depletion sensors and I already have a co
monitor.