Our houses give up places to hang our hats, but the most important reason why we should have houses is so that they can protect as from elements like cold. Most people would die very fast because of hypothermia which makes us lose a lot of body heat.

The main reason why we heat our homes is to get protected from hypothermia as well as to make us feel comfortable.

It is unfortunate that all the modern heating methods that we use need electricity to either create or distribute heat. The electricity is used in controlling the central heating systems as well. This means that should we lose our electrical power then we consequently lose the ability to maintain warmth in our homes.

It is better off being in a home that is not heated as compared to sitting out there in the cold. It makes a lot of sense to have an emergency method of heating our homes should all the other methods of heating fail. This means that we also have to stock some fuel that we would use for powering our heaters.

The Details
•Fireplace.Most homes normally use this method for heating. It has been used for a very long period of time. It is not an easy task to retrofit fireplaces into homes but they are still present in many homes solely to decorate the homes.

A fireplace is somehow inefficient as a source of heat because most of the heat escapes through the chimney. Placing in a fireplace insert would normally solve this problem by transferring most of the heat inside the room. These inserts may need electricity to operate but others work using convectional currents, hence removing cold air from the floor and replacing it with heated air.

Another important factor to consider is the type of wood that you burn. Hardwood firewood burns for long and produces more heat as compared to softwoods though hardwood will be expensive.

•Wood-Burning Stove. There was a need to replace the use of the fireplace and this is why the wood-burning stoves were invented and developed as they increase the efficiency of heat production as well. They are normally manufactured using cast iron. The wood burning in the stove will heat up the stove and then the stove will radiate the heat uniformly inside the house.

It is quite easy to retrofit wood burning stoves into a house as compared to retrofitting a fireplace. The only complication will be trying to locate a place for running the chimney. Most chimneys nowadays have three walls so that the outer part of the chimney does not get heated up. This enables the chimneys to run up in places that would otherwise be considered fire risky.

It is possible to use wood burning stoves in temporary installations when in situations of emergencies. Place the stove on a surface that is inflammable (metal, stone or brick). You can route the chimney through a window by removing an upper glass pane. Use plywood to fill the extra space left in the glass opening.

•Kerosene Heater. If you have a steady supply of kerosene then using a kerosene heater is the best choice for you. They are known to produce some odor but produce no soot. In a situation where by the grid goes down, purchasing kerosene will be next to impossibility so it is wise to keep some in your stockpile.

Similar to wood burning stoves, kerosene heaters are also know to radiate heat uniformly from all the sides hence making it more efficient. These heaters do not need a chimney though some fresh supply of air is necessary. It is important to ensure that the room where this heater is to be used has some source of fresh air.

•Propane Heater. Also called catalytic heaters, this is perfect for those who have propane tanks already at home. The propane is passed via a het into a ceramic element that is perforated and burns. Similar to a kerosene heater, the element is always hidden inside a wire grating to avoid burns.

Speaking from a survivor’s point of view, propane heaters are great because they use very little fuel and can burn as long as there is some propane in the tank. The average tanks can hold 500 gallons and it is advisable to always keep it filled up.

The Bottom Line
All these methods will be very effective in heating at least a single room in your house. Heating your entire home will be somehow difficult as this can only be possible if you will decide to place heaters in all the rooms.

One would need to have enough fuel for all those heaters to operate on which is never the case when in faced with a crisis.

The only challenge you will face when you decide to use an alternative method to heat your home is the availability of enough fuel. Does some calculation to know how much fuel your system consumes then multiply the result by an estimated number of days you anticipate using the fuel.

By doing this, you might be able to know the amount of fuel you will be required to have in your stockpile.

It may not feel as comfortable as it would if your entire house was heated; there is that possibility of moving your family into a single room for the entire the emergency will last. If there are no doors to close so that the heat is concentrated into one room then you can place blankets above the doorways so that the heat can be held in the room.