Room heater for power cuts

I’ve had a portable carbon monoxide detector since they came to the market.
That’s because many years ago 3 of us were overcome by fumes. We were staying the weekend on my boyfriend’s yacht.
It was a bitterly cold night so we stupidly left a Tilly bowl fire heater on.
It run out of fuel but they carry on pumping out fumes 😱
Fortunately a friend who was on his boat found us semi conscious.
When I bought the detector I was advised to Allways keep it in the bedroom and high up. That’s because if there are fumes you are going to feel sleepy and go to bed.
Then it’s goodnight Vienna.

I think the alarms start at about £12.
They are actually portable.

Casdon

I wouldn’t let that put me off though, as portable carbon monoxide monitors are only about £30. It’s more about the peace of mind I think if you have no alternative heating- if the predictions about the snow dump on Thursday night turn out to be true, I’d be happier knowing I had a calor gas heater and a monitor in case my power went off. We’ve got a log burner, so I don’t have to worry, but I would definitely want a reliable back up otherwise.

I quite agree, but so many people who use portable heaters occasionally, do not use it in conjuncture with CO detector.

When we bought our house last year, the owner had to have a CH service done. As far as we could make out, the boiler was 15 years old and had never been serviced. It was discovered to be emitting CO above the safe limit and adjustments were ineffective, so the boiler was switched off and disconnected. The boiler was in a cupboard off the occupiers bedroom. Fortunately the house is so drafty and uninsulated, she seems to have experienced no symptoms of CO.

We have replaced the whole CH system, and the new system incorporates a CO detector - and we will have it serviced regularly. We are putting an additional detector in the LR close to the wood burning stove, when it is installed.

It remember my father using parrafin heaters I recall them being really good but I don’t know whether you can still buy them.

The regulations have been tightened considerably, and provided your stove meets the emissions regulations when you purchase it, there is no plan to phase them out. Another alternative could be a fire which runs off calor gas, which is stored in a tank outside your house and filled by a supplier rather than you having to lug a bottle yourself. My neighbours have one.

I have been reading about wood burning stoves/ log burners on this thread and the one about living in cold weather.
I thought that some time ago they were considered to be very bad for the environment and may be phased out.
Am I wrong in my thinking or remembering.
I have a gas fire in my living room which has been decommissioned as there was a small leak in the pipe leading to it.
It hasn’t been used for years and at the time I should have loved a wood burning stove in its place.
Has the thinking changed and they are acceptable?

I wouldn’t let that put me off though, as portable carbon monoxide monitors are only about £30. It’s more about the peace of mind I think if you have no alternative heating- if the predictions about the snow dump on Thursday night turn out to be true, I’d be happier knowing I had a calor gas heater and a monitor in case my power went off. We’ve got a log burner, so I don’t have to worry, but I would definitely want a reliable back up otherwise.

NotSpaghetti

I have a carbon monoxide detector.
Surely one of those would pick it up ?

The problem iss, that when someone normally depends on central heating for their heating needs, they either do not need a CO detecter or it will be situated close to the CH boiler.

When a supplementary portable heater is used just occasionally - and possibly in several different locations as needed, the need to monitor for CO is not usually considered.

I have a carbon monoxide detector.
Surely one of those would pick it up ?

That does sound the best idea.

I am beginning to think I might just decamp to my DD's when a power cut strikes!

AuntieE

You can get oil heaters that work on vegetable oil, if you are nervous about gas.

Check the nearest DIY store, or their homepage.

Unfortunately the dangers are the same. The gas or vegetable oil produces carbon monoxide if it does not have an adequate supply of oxygen for full combustion - and if your house is well insulated and draught protected, this can quickly occur.

The victim is poisoned without knowing about it and dies painlessly, just gently drifting to sleep and then onwards.

Any heater that produces heat by combustion needs to be used only in spaces with plenty of ventilation and, ideally, a flue

Thank you for all the suggestions - I will do some research...

You can get oil heaters that work on vegetable oil, if you are nervous about gas.

Check the nearest DIY store, or their homepage.

I've used a Calor gas heater for years, I've never had any problems. I would suggest the 12kg as it has two spaces to pick it up. The 14kg only has one space. I'm in my 70s and I can lift the 12kg easily enough. Xx

Can't help with the heater problem but I also have lots of power cuts and bought a small, very portable gas ring. It has small gas cylinders, max a foot long and one gas ring . It's proved invaluable as it means I can warm up a tin of beans or soup or water for a cuppa. Got it from Amazon, I think around £25-£30 and works really well.

We have a bungalow which gets pretty cold in the winter so we bought a portable calor gas heater last year which is excellent. As previously said those gas bottles can be very heavy so make sure to get a 7.5kg not the 15kg. It’s really efficient and in the summer we wheeled it outside and it lived in the shed till we needed it.

Our solution is wood fireplaces.

There is no space nor chimney in my new build for a wood burner. And I would not be able to lift the wood! It would be really lovely to have one.

M0nica

We have a wood burning stove. In our last house we were without gas for nearly a fortnight and the wood burner kept us toastie and warm.

When we moved house we thought long and hard as to whether we wanted the hassle of a wood burner when we could have a fake one running on electricity. But in this cold weather and the thought of a power cut and a cold house with DH's heart problems. I am glad that we have decided to go for the wood burner, albeit, it will not be installed until the end of the month.

I had a wood burner installed two years ago and it’s really no hassle at all. I get a half load of seasoned wood delivered every 8 weeks, they stack it for us and it’s so efficient I actually turn the radiators in the living room/dining room off when it’s alight.
It warms up the whole of the downstairs easily (3 bed semi)
During a recent power cut I boiled a kettle on it and heated up pre-prepared stew which we enjoyed with baked potatoes cooked in the embers (just like being at my granny’s as a small child!)

We have a wood burning stove. In our last house we were without gas for nearly a fortnight and the wood burner kept us toastie and warm.

When we moved house we thought long and hard as to whether we wanted the hassle of a wood burner when we could have a fake one running on electricity. But in this cold weather and the thought of a power cut and a cold house with DH's heart problems. I am glad that we have decided to go for the wood burner, albeit, it will not be installed until the end of the month.

Could you manage with a small generator Luckygirl we often got power cuts, not so much now. We used the generator to power the freezer and heating alternately.

Some of the issues associated with long term use of course will also not be an issue.

Unless a disaster of course snd then I think it will the least of our worries

We are beginning to look at having some sort of alternative heating.

So far we have discovered that propane is the preferred gas, and of course adequate ventilation is necessary.

It also needs to be as small as possible given our room of choice to be heated and easily stored, because in theory we would not need it very often if at all, but as we are getting pretty ancient now we will need heating in the middle of winter.

Calor gas heaters cause significant condensation issues. You'd need to run a dehumidifier with it.
Carbon monoxide could be an issue too. I wouldn't use one of these heaters.