CountryPlans Forum

General => General Forum => Topic started by: archimedes on December 12, 2010, 11:21:01 AM

Title: heater question
Post by: archimedes on December 12, 2010, 11:21:01 AM
Would a 23k BTU kerosene heater be able to heat a 14' X 20' uninsulated building.

We're about to have a hard freeze in FL and my water heater and washing machine are in this currently unheated building.  I've got to figure out a way to keep them from freezing tonite.

Don't need to make the room comfortable, just raise the temp. to 33 degrees or better.  It's supposed to go down to 26 degrees tonite.

Anyone try to heat there building before it was insulated?
Title: Re: heater question
Post by: Don_P on December 12, 2010, 12:01:28 PM
The water heater will take care of itself except for the feed lines, the washer is another story. If there is little or no wind blowing through the building it should be fine with the little heater, it doesn't take much. If you can tent off the area safely it will help with air movement and the volume of space to be heated. We left the masons stonework and water drum tented and with heaters on it last night. It's blizzarding out right now and it looks like we might not get back in till late next week, wind chills are supposed to hit 10 below. Hoping for the best!
Title: Re: heater question
Post by: cmsilvay on December 12, 2010, 12:53:09 PM
We live in OK and I hate to say it but I am a bit behind on the luandry/utility room that we added on. Currently it is just closed in no insulation and not skirted. Our temps have dropped quickly the only thing I use is a small milk house style heater kept on real low seetings and we have not had any problems. One thing I would do is make sure a faucet in left on drip in the house and depending on the setup for outside hose fuacets either shut them off or leave them drip. I lived in FL for a while and saw some pipes burst from what I consider nice chilly mornings when I lived up north and in WY
Title: Re: heater question
Post by: archimedes on December 12, 2010, 02:36:32 PM
thanks guys.

Apparently everyone in town had the same idea I did.  Not a heater to be found in any store.

I think I'll just disconnect the washer,  and bring it in the house for the night.  I can hear water swishing around inside the machine when I shake it (I guess the pump doesn't completely drain it during the pump out cycle).  Kind of a pain in the butt,  but better safe than sorry.   

I closed up all the crawl space vents under the house which I hope will warm it a couple of degrees to protect the house plumbing.  And I have a 5100 BTU electric heater so I may just build some kind of tent around the washer plumbing in the garage and use the electric heater - and hope for the best.

I hate cold weather.   :-\
Title: Re: heater question
Post by: glenn kangiser on December 12, 2010, 06:47:57 PM
G/L everyone.... this global warming is really freezing up a lot of things.