District heating - alternatives for heating my house during a crisis

[Skyroth]

I own a brick house from 2017, and as is normal in Denmark, it is heated by district heating (hot water heated by a company a few miles away, and sent through hot water pipes around our area, and into the house, through hot water cables in our floors.)

It’s fairly cheap, easy to regulate temperature in individual rooms, and it keeps the floor warm for my kids crawling on it.

But, if the power goes out for a few days, a week, or god forbid, longer, then I’m screwed.

So I’m trying to look into alternatives, for heating my house during extended power outages and such. Don’t need to heat the entire house but at least a couple of rooms we can stay in. The house is well insulated. I have looked into some oil and gas ovens but am worried about carbon monoxide, and how to vent the gas.

Any tips?

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

It is good that you are planning ahead! Don’t want your babies to freeze. The planet has started going through an every 400 year cycle of weather that will cause more drastic storms, cold and lose of crops. This cycle has changed the jet streams. The cycle might last 30 to 50 years.

As far as heat, do you have wood available to burn? If so, a wood stove is by far your best option. You must have a heat source YOU control.

 

[Amish Heart]

Can you find portable heaters where you live? We use lots of things for alternative...what do you have access to? Firewood, portable electric room heater, portable propane heater (like a Mr Buddy). Minimally have a tent your can set up in one room and some candles so you don't freeze to death.

 

[Skyroth]

I don’t own any wood, besides from the small sacks I use for our fire pit in the yard, but that is just small stuff.

We considered getting a fire place when we built the house, but it was another time, and we didn’t really see a situation coming, where district heating wouldnt be quick, easy and dependable. But times have changed, in regards to the dependability.

I think my best bet is probably saving up to get a fire place and chimney installed. Just sucks that we didnt build it from the start, that would have been a lot cheaper than doing it now.

I would be worried about using a wood stove to heat the house, due to carbon monoxide. Are there any good filter systems to use, or is it simply burn wood inside and then air the house out every now and then?

For food I feel good, have a good BBQ outside and a larger Trangia kit that both run on gas.

 

[Skyroth]

Can you find portable heaters where you live? We use lots of things for alternative...what do you have access to? Firewood, portable electric room heater, portable propane heater (like a Mr Buddy). Minimally have a tent your can set up in one room and some candles so you don't freeze to death.

Well Denmark doesnt get that cold, and the house is well insulated, so freezing to death is not really an issue, more like seriously uncomfortable until power comes back on. We’ve got candles and winter clothes.

Propane heaters, isnt that the same problem with bad gases accumulating inside? Otherwise it would be interesting!

Electrical portable sounds workable, if I can power it in some way with the power being gone.

 

[DrHenley]

Propane heaters, isnt that the same problem with bad gases accumulating inside? Otherwise it would be interesting!

Electrical portable sounds workable, if I can power it in some way with the power being gone.

In the US we have a brand of propane heaters called "Mr. Buddy" that are indoor safe. I've heated my entire house several times with them when either the power went out or the furnace went out.
They have an 02 sensor that shuts it off if the oxygen level falls too low, and I have CO monitors scattered around the house. The CO monitors have never detected any CO while using the Mr. Buddy propane heaters.

Electric portables...
Two problems:

1. Require electricity.
2. So damned inefficient you will NOT want to use them on standby power.

 

[Arcticdude]

We use a Mr Buddy heater for heating our bathroom, no vent needed. If you go with a larger propane heater then you will need to vent it outside, which is easy to do.
If you're considering a fireplace, why not a wood stove? You would get more heat from a wood stove and use less firewood. I heat my whole house (1700 sqft) with wood. Plus you can cook on top of a wood stove, if you get the right stove.

 

[Skyroth]

I’ll look info Mr. Buddy, I can see they are sold here too.