I live in a fairly small aprtment in a small town(25,000) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The U.P is known for very cold winters, some below zero temps. I have two south facing windows, and from past experience, I can almost get enough sunlight to warm one room(bedroom/bathroom). There's also a window in the kitchen. I plan to close off the north facing living room and just heat the Kitchen/bedroom/bathroom(about 300sq ft) What I have been considering is a propane powered outdoor grill, which could be used for both heat and cooking. Good/bad? I've read the precautions from other posts about using propane, but does anyone have a suggestion on increasing the solar capabilities of the two windows, particularly the bedroom,(150 sq ft) and/or other propane heating suggestions? Thank you Actionbill

-- Bill Stivers (actionbil@aol.com), August 14, 1999

Answers

Bill, here's a link to an article on ventless propane heaters that might help you: http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/Tip/Lord/lord9902.htm I'm still looking for a small unvented heater that requires no electricity for ignition, and has no propane-wasting standing pilot light, sufficient for a 400sqft room. If you come across anything suitable, please e-mail me.

-- Norm Harrold (nharrold@tymewyse.com), August 14, 1999.

Various companies make catalytic heaters for camping, usually in the 5,000 - 10,000 BTU size. They are not really designed for indoor use, so be sure you have some ventilation when using them. Farm & Fleet also has a heater that clamps to the collar of a propane cylinder.

If you decide to use propane, I would suggest turning the heater off while you are asleep. In fact, I think it may be illegal to use in a sleeping room.

If you are only heating about 300 square feet, you could almost heat it with a couple of oil lamps if it is well insulated.

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), August 14, 1999.

Here's a trick for you: stack full containers of water (2 liter bottles are good, you can stack them like firewood) in front of the window. They'll absorb heat in the day and radiate it into the house at night. Close the drapes between the bottles and the window at night. You could hang a reflective mylar 'space blanket' up with the drapes.

-- biker (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), August 14, 1999.

Here's another trick, box the window in w/ 1x6 and plywood, vent top and bottom, paint the inside flat black. Also you can get " storm windows " that mount to the inside window sill, this will stop alot of heat loss. If the windows are tall, only cover the bottom with the solar heater, you'll still be able to see out the top. Weather strip all windows and doors, check for drafts. Even if Y2k is a BITR, this will cut your winter heating costs to next to nothin'.

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 14, 1999.

I hope I'm not belaboring the obvious here, but if you want to take full advantage of solar heating, make sure your windows are as clean as you can get them, inside and out. It doesn't take much dirt to drastically cut down the amount of sunlight that gets thru. I speak from experience, since some autumns I get around to doing a pre-winter wash, and some I don't. I can always tell a big difference.
As an apartment dweller, it may be tempting to decide it's the landlord's job to wash windows. But if your landlord is like a goodly number of them, that might happen every decade or so.

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), August 14, 1999.

Bill;

I suggest a small Kerosene heater, a carbon monixide detector, and a window left a crack open. I use a kerosene heater with and electronic (battery and a hot filiment) ignition to heat my small out building every winter. The monoxide detector only comes on when I put the "wick out" to shut the unit off. (Incomplete combustion).

I have a Kerosun unit, but there are many good units around. A five gallon can of fuel goes a long way used 6-8 hours a day.

Good Luck.

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), August 15, 1999.

Check out AlcoBrite from Walton. A case (384 ounces, 24 16 ounce cans) costs about $80 including shipping, and that's about 1/3 the cost of sterno in those little bitty cans. Walton sells a clip-on stove to go with it, so you can cook and heat with the same thing. They also sell a little free-standing heater, don't know whether that actually gains you anything over just opening a can and lighting it. They say each can is about 10k BTU, less than the equivalent weight of propane, but no compressed-fuel problems (leaking, etc).

I get mixed reviews on CO output, some say this stuff generates only water vapor, others say EVERYTHING puts out CO. Me, I'm no engineer, so you judge for yourself.

Can also buy 1-gallon cans of jelled fuel at restaurant supply places, to refill little sterno cans. The gallon can works out to about the same as the AlcoBrite case.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), August 16, 1999.

I would recommend putting an Aladdin Lamp in the rooms where people will be (with adequate venting of course) Temp at the top of the chimney is 400 plus degrees and should heat a small room pretty well with the lamp turned down but not out.

-- ExCop (yinadral@juno.com), August 17, 1999.

This is a great subject, and also applies to me, with my small apartment and two south facing windows. I have the same question, and I also want to share what I know.

CT mentions "boxing in the window, venting it, and also making storm window, and using a solar heater". I would like to understand more on how to visualize or make these things. Is boxing in the window like making a greenhouse on the outside, or is it something inside? Also, what is the storm window? A sheet of plexiglas? Details would be appreciated.

Should one have a dark absorbtive material on the floor by the window? or mirrors to reflect the sun into the room? should one use mylar or tin foil or another reflective agent on the opposite wall, or something dark and absorbtive? Is corkboard useful as an absorber?

I'm also wondering if anyone know what rocks to choose or avoid for heating in an outdoor BBQ to bring inside in a metal bucket. I understand some rocks may explode. Not good!

One thing I'm going to try is bubble wrap as a thermal addition. All those little air pockets are heating up in the sun. Apparently, 1/2" - 1" of air being heated is the most efficient.

Thanks for your input, everyone. We'll get through it together!

Blessings, Dinah

-- Dinah Kudatsky (kudatsky@acad.umass.edu), September 04, 1999.