Back up heater for power cuts

My bungalow has no gas, we have no chimney and although my heating is oil, yet again it needs electricity to run. So no cooking, no heating and no hot water here when the electricity cuts out. I bought a single ring camping gaz hob and the necessary bottles of gaz as a 'just in case'. At least then I can have hot drinks and soup.

Luckygirl3

I am in a new build and although I have LPG for central heating it is no use during a power cut because the boiler needs electricity.
I decamped to my Dd's place yesterday during a power cut induced by the storm.
I could have managed with no light, but not with no heat.
I need a small safe backup heater for these situations. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thank you.

Would you be able to have a wood burning fireplace installed?

You can get all you need from a caravan and camping outlet. It's amazing how long you can manage with a small bottle of calor gas and some basic camping equipment.

Don’t rely on the priority register. We are on it as dh has a heart condition and we are both over 70. The power was off before 6am on Saturday and did not come back on until 9pm. Thankfully we have a wood burning stove and a gas hob plus plenty of battery operated lanterns.

The bedroom end of the bungalow was down to 14 degrees without central heating which was way too cold so we were ready to spend the night sat up in the lounge.

Do try to have back up power if you can.

All my heating, cooking etc. relies on electricity so I have a small camping stove which runs on canisters of GAZ (kept in shed when not in use). It’s safe to use on top of my ceramic hob. I can cook on it & heat water for hot water bottles.

I live in a very rural area with frequent power cuts.

Our next door neighbours have a huge house and a generator that kicks in when we have a power cut. It sounds like a truck has left it’s engine running……..

Do you actually get power cuts or is it theoretical?
We have no gas and frequent power cuts.
A multi fuel stove with a back boiler is a life saver. Obviously not a cheap option.
I also have no mobile signal and the phone doesn't work without power as BT took our landline away and insisted on digital voice.
We have a huge battery called a UPS. Yu can buy from Amazon for about £120. This keeps our WiFi and phone going for about 6 hours after a power cut.

I cannot have a chimney and do not want the expense to be honest.

This is what I have done:
- ordered a rechargeable lantern
- ordered some little circular motion sensor lights to put in the hallway and up the stairs.
- replenished the batteries for my big torch.
- been in communication with a company that makes calor gas indoor heaters

To be honest I am very nervous of gas as my grandad committed suicide using a gas oven when I was about 5 - at Christmas. It has stuck in my memory. And my GP DH had to deal with a family who all got CO poisoning from a gas fire. Neurotic, moi!?

Luckygirl3 I understand your concerns, but the solution is ventilation. Put a person in a sealed room and eventually they will die of oxygen deprivation.

Wherever you put your calor gas heater make sure that a window or door is slightly open to ensure a small steady flow of fresh air.

In our last house, when we installed a log effect fire in the living room we had to put two small vents in the floot either side of it, to make sure there was an adequate supply of fresh air in the room.

I suspect that your grandfather committed suicide in the days of coal gas, which was poisonous. Natural gas is not, which is why people no longer use this method of committing suicide, but a tragedy like that your family has suffered is going to be traumatising no matter how it is done.

I live in a retirement flat, so no options other than electricity.

I bought myself a little camping gas stove, the flat sort, some years ago, in case of power cuts. It means I can heat food, boil water for tea, or for a hot water bottle, etc. It's so useful, I've used it several times.

MaryXYX

I live in a retirement flat, so no options other than electricity.

No reason why you shouldn't have a small calor gas heater and/or camping gas stove as henetha suggests.

The main thing is to always have a window open slightly to ensure that there is adequate fresh air.

Old house
Don’t worry about windows for ventilation
They do it all by themselves

Gwyllt

Old house
Don’t worry about windows for ventilation
They do it all by themselves

Yes, that applies to us as well, but most people live in much more modern houses.

If you have Facebook, try joining preppers groups. Some are better than others. They don't all envisage the end of the world but do have some good ideas for emergencies ranging from a power cut lasting a few hours to theoretical invasions such as happened in Ukraine where some had no power or food for several weeks/months.

We were without electricity for 10 days 2 years ago - fortunately we had log burners and a gas hob. New house is all electric - no gas at all so I’m also thinking about this. We’ve underfloor heating, triple glazing and lots of insulation so house stays warm for some time - but not for 10 days ! I’d get the smallest possible portable calor gas heater and a carbon monoxide alarm. I’d use a small camping gas stove for hot drinks and soup - not meant to be used indoors but with ventilation it would be fine. I’d also get some of those heat relief patches for back pain - the ones that last for hours and hours - I’ve used these for camping in the past and they do keep one toasty . Our neighbours who were all electric did he the loan of a portable heater and some people with medical needs or cows to mail got a small diesel generator. You probably don’t want to go that far but it’s really wise to plan !

Luckygirl3

I am on the priority list but did not even get a text to say when the power might return.
Can't make hwb as no means of heating water .... grr.

I am on the priority list but did not even get a text to say when the power might return.

We are both on it - no text message either.

You complete the form / questionnaire stating your vulnerability - then, zilch. It's all a bit hit-and-miss.

Personally, I think it's one of those exercises where the company / organisation wants to be seen to "care", but when you actually look into it - there's very little practical help.

Our power cut lasted 24 hours. Neighbour came over with hot water and soup in flasks. We sat around in thermal vests and blankets, then went to bed to wait it out...

I haven't, as requested, updated the questionnaire - what's the point? And, anyway - our situation hasn't changed from the original status - but the form doesn't allow for you to state that, you have to go through it all again.

It must depend where you are, because I had five messages on Saturday updating on the power cut we had, and they over estimated how long it would be off, so it was a nice surprise when it came back on. We also got given a local number to ring, and our leisure centre opened for anybody who needed it, they had an emergency generator so it was warm.

GrannySomerset

And my gas hob requires electricity and will not operate without. It is a very real,problem.

Is that just to light it?
I bought a pack of gas/barbecue lighters last winter when we were threatened with power cuts.

We do have a coal-effect gas fire but I suppose some people have no grate in modern houses.

Gas space heater. Really excellent run for ages. The gas bottle can stay outside when not in use, making the casing very light to store away.
Good luck.

Luckygirl3

I cannot have a chimney and do not want the expense to be honest.

This is what I have done:
- ordered a rechargeable lantern
- ordered some little circular motion sensor lights to put in the hallway and up the stairs.
- replenished the batteries for my big torch.
- been in communication with a company that makes calor gas indoor heaters

To be honest I am very nervous of gas as my grandad committed suicide using a gas oven when I was about 5 - at Christmas. It has stuck in my memory. And my GP DH had to deal with a family who all got CO poisoning from a gas fire. Neurotic, moi!?

Carbon monoxide alarms can easily be installed.

No flames allowed in the property.

MaryXYX

No flames allowed in the property.

Ask the managers/ management company for details of their heating policy should there be power cuts of a longer than, say, 1 hour.

If their answer is not satisfactory, go and see Age UK and ask for asdvice.

M0nica: We use storage heaters, so a short power cut - which would extend to an hour or two in this context - wouldn't cause a problem. We wouldn't be able to cook or make coffee though. The development manager says that as vulnerable adults we would have priority from the supplier. I don't know if this would do any good.

MaryXYX

M0nica: We use storage heaters, so a short power cut - which would extend to an hour or two in this context - wouldn't cause a problem. We wouldn't be able to cook or make coffee though. The development manager says that as vulnerable adults we would have priority from the supplier. I don't know if this would do any good.

Priority for what? If there is a generalised power cut, it would be impossible to restore paower, ahead of the whole area.

Usually they issue people with alternative heating, but it looks as if the manager would forbid you to use anything they would be likely to issue.

Assuming you heat water with an immersion heater, then if your tank is thoroughly insulated that should be able to supply hot water for a significant period after a power cut. The immersion heater in our French property used to keep the water really hot for well over 24 hours. It could be used for hotwater bottles and even hot drinks.