[Jim1611]

We talk about the day that things will fall apart in our country and if that happens many of the services we take for granted may not be working. If that's the case what ideas do you folks have for heating your home?

[JTJ]

My problem would be air conditioning.

[bkt]

Firewood. (we always have at least a couple cords seasoned and split and a huge back yard full of trees...)

[Jim1611]

Originally Posted by JTJ

My problem would be air conditioning.

Well where you live I can see that.

Originally Posted by bkt

Firewood. (we always have at least a couple cords seasoned and split and a huge back yard full of trees...)

I'm going that direction too but was wondering what brands or types of stoves.

[trip286]

Fire wood for heat, it's worked for thousands of years, it's laziness that is the reason it's not so mainstream anymore.

terra cotta jugs of water in the window with a crossbreeze through a window on the opposite side of the house for A/C.

And, I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, a person can survive some pretty nasty temps with no A/C, just so long as they stay hydrated. In fact, you get to the point where you hardly even miss it.

[hiwall]

Those that have a large propane tank could last quite a while if they had a gas space heater(no electric required). Wood or coal for most. Down here we would just put on a sweater.

[orangello]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_solar
Passive solar can help.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/hands-on-how-to/hands-on-guy-makes-pellets-burn-efficiently-in-airtight-woodstove.aspx
Wood pellet heat. That magazine spends a good bit of time on renewable energy and had a nice article on choosing a wood stove http://www.motherearthnews.com/modern-homesteading/how-to-choose-a-woodstove-zm0z11zphe.aspx .

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2006-12-01/Build-a-Simple-Solar-Heater.aspx I have seen applications of this idea as small as a window sitting below the actual window on the south-facing side of the house. It won't do it all, but it could save some saw gas.

[bkt]

Originally Posted by Jim1611

I'm going that direction too but was wondering what brands or types of stoves.

It depends on what your house can accommodate easily. There's usually room in a corner of the kitchen or living room or family room for a freestanding stove. Most modern ones have damper systems that burn wood efficiently.

If you have a fireplace with a working flu, a cast iron insert may be an option. That's what I have and it has a firebox surrounded by an outer iron box. An electric fan blows hot air into the room along with the stove itself radiating heat. We can heat the entire first floor to about 85 in less than half an hour. The fan will run fine on a generator if necessary. But even without power it will keep the house comfy.

I have a couple friends who recently did this - one got a freestanding stove and the other got a fireplace insert. If you want, I'll ask them specifically what they got. Both are efficient and very effective.

[Chainfire]

Originally Posted by trip286

Fire wood for heat, it's worked for thousands of years, it's laziness that is the reason it's not so mainstream anymore.

terra cotta jugs of water in the window with a crossbreeze through a window on the opposite side of the house for A/C.

And, I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, a person can survive some pretty nasty temps with no A/C, just so long as they stay hydrated. In fact, you get to the point where you hardly even miss it.

Your AC solution will not work where I live. Our humidity is too high to get much evaporative cooling.

We have all become spoiled. The first AC I lived in was when I went to boot camp. I do not remember being miserable as a kid in the summers, but I sure would be now.

[vincent]

Well, here's kind of a poor man's fix...save all your metal cans, soup, coffee etc. Center a candle inside the can, light candle (obviously) and the can will radiate heat. It'll take several cans and if you can confine the airflow to one area of the house, eventually it'll warm you up. Last ice storm we hung plastic sheets in the doorways of the living room and it worked like a charm. We used around 15 cans and candles, small area. It's not going to be exactly balmy but it sure takes the edge off.