Space heater for emergency home use

yam said:
I have heard decent things about the Mr. Heaters. But whatever you use, keep a window cracked open as they all use/burn the oxygen that's in the room.
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Copy that. My dad taught me well. :)

Not to mention that waking up dead is a lousy way to start a new day.
 
cardimon said:
Copy that. My dad taught me well. :)

Not to mention that waking up dead is a lousy way to start a new day.
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Nothing a little strong black coffee can't cure. ;)
 
I have two of the portable buddies I bought last fall to keep pipes from freezing in winter power outages.This hasn't happened since I bought them but I did test one for a full tank last winter and I was not impressed with the heat output,not nearly as much as a 1500 watt ceramic electric portable,for instance.

They are well built and will serve my purpose of keeping an outside laundry room and a pumphouse above freezing in a power outage.
One of them would keep a smallish bedroom sorta comfortable,I would still need plenty blankets.
 
mad cow said:
One of them would keep a smallish bedroom sorta comfortable,I would still need plenty blankets.
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Then you wouldn't describe their output as enough to keep a living room toasty.
 
I have a Reddy Heater RCP25 25,000 BTU that I run off my 5 and 7 gallon bbq propane tanks for my un-insulated garage, it get's it nice and hot. The problem with my Reddy Heater is that the whole unit gets hot (all sides and top) so you need adequate space around it as well as the ventilation we discussed earlier. ;)

Though your not supposed to cook on it, you could use the top as a cook surface for things in pots, pans, foil, etc. If you have children, pets or simply not enough room this wouldn't be the unit for you.
 
cardimon said:
Then you wouldn't describe their output as enough to keep a living room toasty.
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No,not at all.They claim 9000 BTU/hr on the box but I don't see it.
It also says heats up to 200 square feet,I definately don't see that.Two of them might,I will try it this winter.
 
I can tell you that they are illegal in this state. And for good reason, potentially dangerous items for the reasons mentioned above. I have a very good friend who was badly burned in a heater mishap and spent several months in the burn unit....I would avoid these. Just my opinion....
 
Peter Atwood said:
I can tell you that they are illegal in this state. And for good reason, potentially dangerous items for the reasons mentioned above. I have a very good friend who was badly burned in a heater mishap and spent several months in the burn unit....I would avoid these. Just my opinion....
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Which one? Mr. Heater or Coleman?
 
All free-standing heaters are illegal to use in a house in Massachusetts, and I think most places. It's not just that they produce carbon dioxide; they also get tipped over and set the house on fire. I remember when they passed that law and my grandparents got rid of the kerosene heater they had in their kitchen. A lot of people didn't get rid of theirs, of course....

As I understand it, it's legal to use one in a garage or workshop, just not in a house, and that's why you can still buy them -- but I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice (I am a dork with an internet account and this is internet dork advice).
 
I have a Mr. Heater Big Buddy and love it. I use a CO monitor in the garage, and in the house, and change them every year, and they've never gone off. I do always make sure to keep a window vented just a little, to play it safe. My garage is insulated and attached, but measures 26 x 28. If I turn it on when I get home at 5:00, the temp will go from about 35-38 degrees to 65-70 by 9:00. If used in the basement, it will cook you out.

Highly recommended by me, anyway.
 
Cougar Allen said:
All free-standing heaters are illegal to use in a house in Massachusetts, and I think most places. It's not just that they produce carbon dioxide; they also get tipped over and set the house on fire. I remember when they passed that law and my grandparents got rid of the kerosene heater they had in their kitchen. A lot of people didn't get rid of theirs, of course....

As I understand it, it's legal to use one in a garage or workshop, just not in a house, and that's why you can still buy them -- but I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice (I am a dork with an internet account and this is internet dork advice).
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Most of our neighborhood bought kerosene heaters back during the 1973 oil embargo. My parents did. Smelly thing, too. My mom has the latest generation of kerosene heaters because I bought it for her. Not nearly as smelly and messy. We have one because our townhouse is all-electric and we live in southeastern PA. If the power goes out in a winter storm, we'd be screwed. Don't want to have to find a pet-friendly accommodations at night in the middle of winter. I'd like to go to propane and ditch the kerosene. Seems like it would be easier to handle. My migranous head can't deal with the kerosene any longer. :(
 
farmboy said:
I have a Mr. Heater Big Buddy and love it. I use a CO monitor in the garage, and in the house, and change them every year, and they've never gone off. I do always make sure to keep a window vented just a little, to play it safe. My garage is insulated and attached, but measures 26 x 28. If I turn it on when I get home at 5:00, the temp will go from about 35-38 degrees to 65-70 by 9:00. If used in the basement, it will cook you out.

Highly recommended by me, anyway.
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So you use and recommend the Big Buddy (as opposed to the Portable Buddy). Thank you. And yes, always play it safe. Fortunately, our townhouse is just drafty enough that I don't have to crack a window. Plenty of air gets in underneath the front door!
 
Be careful Craig. Seriously, my good friend was as safe as they come and it just so happened his heater had a small leak that developed. He was tending to it and moved it slightly when he noticed the leak and then without further warning the thing caught on fire. He happened to be buck naked since it was the middle of the night. He's literally standing in a puddle of burning kerosene. He threw the heater out the window and attempted to smother the fire with a comforter but it didn't work. He got the hell out of there snatching up papers for his business on the way. Everyone in the family got out and survived but their beautiful Maine farmhouse burned to the ground and he was hospitalized for months like I said. If you asked him he would tell you to forget it or at least only use it for emergencies.
 
Peter Atwood said:
...at least only use it for emergencies.
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That's all I intend to use it for. Emergencies only.

We have an electric quartz element space heater to augment the heat pump. We use it every night once the cold weather sets in and it does a fine job.
 
It looks like you're out of luck on the Buddy:
Read what that site says:
Please note: The Portable Buddy is Certified for Outdoor
Use Only In Canada
It looks like you can't use it in USA or any other country.
 
Walking Man said:
It looks like you're out of luck on the Buddy:
Read what that site says:
Please note: The Portable Buddy is Certified for Outdoor
Use Only In Canada
It looks like you can't use it in USA or any other country.
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No,that means you can't use it indoors in Canada but you can use it indoors elsewhere.

The box this thing comes in says "Indoor Safe" in at least seven places,it also says "Power Outages,Home Emergencies",this is exactly the use cardimon was asking about.
The box also says "Accidental tip-over safety shut-off",a major reason I purchased it.
It also says "Automatic 'Low-Oxygen' Shut-Off System",Something I heretofore assumed was a design feature of all fires.

Like millions of people,I have electric heat,a heat pump,but I also have exellent wood heat back up.
If you don't have back up,this thing is probably as safe as these things get and would certainly beat freezing to death,just break out the spare blankets if you expect to keep comfort in the equation.
 
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