something warm for this winter

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Okay Gentlemen: Part two of my earlier post regarding heat for a cooold apartment. Amazon.com is advertising a 'universalP 80-v 30,000-80,000 btu round, floor-stand convection heater. It requires a hose and uses propane in a portable tank. Cost is $129.99 (plus tax).The price only applies to the heater. The smell of kerosene makes me sick, so that kind of heater is out. Please--what's your experience, opinion. Would this help warm up my 12x14 uninsulated living room that has a ceiling vent for the forced-air furnace housed in the attic. (P.S. Dear Ladies--I apologize-many of you probably have input/ideas for a solution on this. Thanks.) Stef.

-- Stef (sbrogers@csonline.net), July 26, 2001

Answers

Hey Stef! Propane is probably more safe than kerosene but the products of combustion [fumes] are still inside the house. As long as everything is working properly and as designed it would probably be safe enough but---things happen that changes the operation of these type heaters. A little lint, dust or even a spider web will change the air/fuel mixture. The byproduct of these heaters is carbon dioxide. That in itself is not harmful in small amounts but with one part air removed from the combustion mixture the byproduct is carbon Monoxide! Very deadly in any form. The only safe way to use a fossile fuel heater is one with a vent- vented to the outside.

These little heaters you're describing are not designed for inside living quarters. They are meant to be used in a workshop, garage or someplace where humans don't live. Oh, BTW--the chance of lint, dust and spiderwebs in these little dudes is almost 100%. At sometime they WILL perform in a deadly fashion unless watched everyday and kept clean.

I wouldn't recommend it at all for a primary heat source--only as a temporary supplimental to help out the primary heater and then turn it off. ole hoot. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 28, 2001.


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