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Simple Grid-Down Home Heating Solutions: DRH Part 7 - #099

Simple Grid-Down Home Heating Solutions: DRH Part 7 - #099

Listen to the Podcast: Click Here - Today my good friend Creek Stewart are going to get into THE very important topic “Grid-down home heating.  

We’re going to discuss:

  • Why having 3 Layers of reliable backup “off grid” heat is vital for survival
  • How to mitigate the chaos you will face when the grid goes down and you lose heat and electricity
  • ONE simple “off-grid” heating solution that will cost you less than $200.
  • AS WELL AS one HEATING Solution that can provide safe, secure and soul warming home heat forever.
  • Then we will discuss two heating solutions that can provide both heat AND power…
  • Along the way Creek and I will share the Pros and Cons of each heating solution (we discuss) and what we both currently use as backups in our own home.

Download FULL Show Notes PDF: Click Here

Listen to the Podcast: Click Here

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Here's ALL the Emergency, Disaster / Survival Gear  We Recommend  CLICK HERE

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See Notes Below for Links to All the Gear Mentioned in this Podcast....

[DISCUSSION POINTS]

WHY IS OFF-GRID HEATING So IMPORTANT?

BASICS - Regulation of Body Temperature - Rule of 3s - MUST maintain core body temperature or you die. 

Major Disruptions Like Loss of Heat and / or electricity are not only inconvenient and potentially dangerous - but can also create a layer of chaos for the unprepared.

Wood fireplaces and stoves - gave way to convenient / on demand heating solutions: oil, gas, electric.

LESSONS to Learn - In affluent societies - Independence is often traded for EASY solutions.

STATISTICS:

  • 2016 USA Census (Primary Heat Source): ● 38% Electric ● 48% Utility Gas ● 2% Wood - 86% of Homes Rely on the Utility Grid.  
  • TEXAS ROLLING BLACKOUT - 2021
  • Remember the 2021 Texas Blackouts - Dependence of Electricity for Heat in a winter storm… and TEXAS is generally a 2 - 3 season state.
  • It even gets COLD in the Desert. So BE PREPARED…
  • REMEMBER - Having a Back Up (OFF - GRID) Heat Source can be life saving in a disaster or weather anomaly.

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HEATING SOLUTIONS:

WOOD - A POTENTIAL FOREVER Heating Solution

Wood-Burning Fireplace

PROS

  • Heat independence - 100% if access to wood and have the means to process it - even in an extended disaster.  
  • More even heat than many forced air furnaces.
  • Pretty affordable even if wood is purchased - for an average sized home.
  • Others?  


CONS

  • Requires some work and maintenance (cutting, stacking, seasoning wood - stocking fireplace several times per day. Cleaning and maintaining fireplace and chimney etc.).
  • Must be careful / Safety
  • OPEN Fireplaces are usually NOT very efficient
  • Cost
  • Others


- CREEK’s Experience
- DAVID’s Experience

Wood Stove / High Efficiency

  • Often Made of Cast Iron or Thick Steel
  • Secondary Burn Technology Burns Gas (that Normally Goes up the Chimney) to Additional Heat.


PROS

  • More Efficient than Open Fireplace.
  • Many have a cook or warming top for boiling water or heating up food.
  • Can be fairly easy to install.


CONS - Similar to Fireplace.

Hybrid Wood Stove / Fireplace Units are highly efficient and often have ceramic glass in the doors for the fireplace FEEL (this is what DAVID has - we heat a 3,000 sf house with open floor plan).

GEAR: We’ll list some quality Wood Stoves (Links below).

PRO TIP: Want to get a wood stove? Unless you are a handy person - visit a few local companies who sell and install wood stoves. They will ensure that your stove is properly sized for you home and installed correctly.

NOTE: For People in the Right Situation - Wood Heat is One of the FEW Potentially FOREVER Heating Solutions…

SOURCES of WOOD
- Delivery - Cut, Split and Seasoned to your door.
- Tree Cutting Companies
- Facebook Marketplace
- A Friend’s or Your Own Land
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PROCESSING YOUR OWN WOOD - Felling, Cutting, Splitting

Modern Tools:

Traditional Tools:


GEAR: Links Above.

CREEK’s WOOD Truths - Wood Warms You Thrice…

  • Once Cutting It
  • Twice Splitting It
  • Thrice Burning It

NOTE: Since Seasoning (Drying) Your firewood takes a year plan now for future if you are going to cut it yourself.

PRO TIP: To get up to speed quick - purchase seasoned firewood in early summer. Stack and cover. Wood will last for MANY Years if properly protected from the elements

BONUS TIP: Generally speaking get 3 FULL Cords of wood per 1,000 Square Foot Home should easily take you through a hard winter in the Northeastern United States. 1 Cord is 4’x4’x8’ = 128 cubic feet

MONEY (and BACK) SAVING TIPS: If you have the space and want to save some money and do some of the work yourself - There are many companies that will deliver cut 8’ long logs that can then cut and split.

You can process a LOT of logs in a weekend with a good chainsaw, a rented log splitter and 3 or 4 friends.
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KEROSENE SPACE HEATERS

PROS

  • Cheap and Easy Heating Backup Solution
  • Cost for Heater - $150 +/- from Local Home Improvement Store
  • Kerosene - Can be Stored in 1 - 5 Gallon BLUE Kerosene Containers - or Bought and Stored in Higher Quantity. Cost varies from year to year.
  • Kerosene Readily Available
  • Can use in heater inside
  • Kerosene - Can be used in oil lamps if needed (for lighting) - 1 gallon of kerosene per 500 hours of oil lamp light
  • 2 Gallons of Kerosene in Heater will HEAT 1,000 sf for 8-12 hours.


CONS

  • Kerosene heaters can be a fire hazard and a hazard for small children. FOLLOW ALL Manufacturer Instructions.
  • Price of Kerosene fluctuates.
  • Kerosene smell and Carbon monoxide risk (so ventilate).
  • Not a long term solution


PRO TIP: Recently all petroleum based fuels fluctuate in price and have gone up dramatically in price. So if kerosene is your major backup plan ahead and buy in bulk at the fuel price dips.

GEAR: Various Quality Kerosene Space Heaters: https://amzn.to/3LCwuw0
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PROPANE HEAT

PROS

  • Propane stores for decades - Long term preparedness potential.
  • Propane can also be used to power large and small generators - Dual purpose fuel
  • It’s Easy and relatively inexpensive to have vent-less propane heaters installed.
  • Common, readily available fuel


CONS

  • Big tank - You need space for It
  • Big tank telegraphs to neighbors that you have fuel / resources.
  • Price fluctuations for propane
  • Initial cost for setup can be high


NATURAL GAS HEAT

If you already have natural gas coming into your house you can have vent-free natural gas heaters installed.

PROS

  • Easy installation
  • Easy to use
  • Safe
  • Affordable $300 - $500
  • Gas is the least likely utility to go down in a short to mid-length emergency or disaster

CONS

  • You are still tied to the gird
  • Cost of fuel fluctuates

GEAR: Vent-free heater: https://amzn.to/38JZUJL

 

PORTABLE PROPANE HEATER

Mr. Heater: Buddy Header - EMERGENCY PROPANE HEATER: https://amzn.to/3F7cjDZ

PROs

  • Cheap - Around $100
  • Portable - Take the heat where you need it. Even camping.
  • Can heat a room up to 150 - 200sf.
  • Can use any size propane canister or tank (For Instance a 1lb canister or even a 20lb barbecue grill tank)


CONS

  • Small - Can’t heat your home.
  • Not a Long Term Solution.

Creek - How can people find you? http://www.creekstewart.com/
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[EXIT / OUTRO]

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