Safely heating a skid house

[south_metro_fish]

So I finally have enough plywood and planks saved up at work to start seriously thinking about a design. I plan to rip the planks down and build a frame and use the plywood for the floor and the roof and the outside. Figuring on insulating it with some of that foam installation and finishing the inside walls with veneer from my work. Have no experience with ice houses other then portables, I am wondering what kind of heaters work good and safe in perms.

[JSK76]

Do you plan to sleep in it ever?

If not I would say a non vented would work but I would make a few vent holes or make sure to leave a window cracked a bit. Get your self a carbon monoxide detector no mater what you get!

[broken_line]

go with a vented heater no smell and best of all YOU WONT DIE IF YOU FALL ASLEEP.. they also seem to make more warmth

[south_metro_fish]

Im not planing to sleep in it most of the time but there might be a night or 2 that we would spend the night in it. What are some good examples of vented heaters? As you can see we are trying to keep it inexpensive but quality. Any help is appreciated.

[JSK76]

I went from a non vented to a vented wall heater last year and here are some facts, People die in their sleep with both heaters. The non vented have an low oxygen safety shut down so some people think they are safer. a vented heater can in some cases blow the exhaust back into the house if the wind is right and not shut down. I remember few years ago some people dieing on L.O.W because of this.

As far as one being warmer, the non vented puts moister in the house and moister hold more heat then dry air so it would actually fell warmer then a dryer vented house at the same temp.

also a vented heater is much less efficient because about 20% or so of the heat goes out the vent so you would need a bigger BTU vented heater to do the same job as a non vented.

I like my vented heater because it's much dryer in the house and the air feels less thick no so much like a sauna and you can get frost on the walls after running the non vented for a long while and then shutting it down and letting the house cool.

I personally think the non vented might be slightly safer but I would never take the chance of sleeping in it with out a carbon monoxide detector I take the approach that neither one is 100% safe.

[out_fisherman]

Get yourself 1 or 2 12 volt COMPUTER fans no matter

what you heat it with. These work wonders for getting

the warm air where its needed. Mount or suspend them

about 1-2" from the ceiling pointing down.

Don't get the automotive-type fans meant for defrosting windshields - they draw too much power and just make

it drafty. Figure on putting in a 2" circular-type vent

in each corner, with internal close-offs to adjust for wind direction. And consider a solar battery-charger.

And of course a CO detector if you plan on sleeping in it.

Then sit back and wait for jingle-bells.

[Phred52]

South_metro_fish, In the near viscinity of Canterbury Downs, (~2 blocks south of the old highway 101) there is a motor home/camper type salvage company. It's been a bunch of years since I was there (I hope they're not closed now), but what they do is strip the units out and store parts in a couple of big sheds. They have/had used direct vent camper furnaces (take-outs)that will easily heat a skid house and run off propane and a battery. It may take some legwork on your part to find the place but if they haven't closed up, they should have what you need. Phred52

[Sifty]

you can also check here.

http://fishhousesupply.com/furnaces.htm

Many chocies.

Sifty