Leaving the heat on....

[merkman]

So this is my first time trying it out for an extended period...

Anyone here have a vented propane furnace in a spear shack and leave the heat on low when you are not there?

Does it work to keep the hole open?

Any worries about muskrats or other critters?

I am thinking making a mesh hole cover I can fasten down when I am not there to keep the muskrats from bringing a bunch of stuff inside the shack. (and possibly starting it on fire) but still allowing away for the heat to warm the hole.

Muskrats are not a problem in the location I am set up on now, but the location I am goging to move to will have many many muskrats.

4X5 shack with a 44" X 24" hole.

aprox 6' tall

1.5" bead board insulation on walls and ceiling.

2x2 floor with pink insulatation in the cavities.

Tin all the way around.

I have a 12,000 BTU direct vent heater from a popup camper in there.

Some have told me I need to watch out or it wil melt the ice around the hole and the shack might fall in, but I am not so sure about that... ?

Thanks

Merk

[MJ1657]

I think the mesh muskrat cover is a good idea.

[Gissert]

I have a 7 x 10, well insulated house. The spear hole is about 6 foot by 22 inches.

I have a couple of wall mounted gas lights, along with a wall mounted propane heater.

I used to leave my heater on low, and that would keep the hole open, but not melt the banking too bad. It did, however, use propane at a pretty good clip.

I added a couple of computer fans near the ceiling, and angled them towards the floor. Now I just leave one of the gas lights on, or both if its really cold and leave the fans on. I'll have some skim ice on the hole if its -10 or below. Above that, the hole stays open as long as my banking is good.

I'll get muskrats from time to time. This year maybe I'll set a colony trap in there and make some money, lol. If you have a trapping license, they're worth 5 bucks and up in the round.

[Spike76]

When I used to spear on a lake where I could keep an eye on it, I would leave the heat on low over the weekend only. You know why I don't spear there now. The one house was a 6x10 with a 2x4 hole at each end. Very nice going out in the morning with a warm house and the holes open. The other house a 5x7, worked great too, with the heat on low. The muscrat problem is different though. They forced me to move every time. Besides getting slapped in the face with water, when they suddenly appear, they would bring so many weeds in the hole during my absence from the house, that I would have to move it. Good luck.

[merkman]

I'll get muskrats from time to time. This year maybe I'll set a colony trap in there and make some money, lol. If you have a trapping license, they're worth 5 bucks and up in the round.

Who do I give the dead rats to if I do get a trapping licence?

cause I aint cleaning and skining them for $5 ...

[merkman]

Thanks for all your help on this...

I am seeing the propane take a hit....

.

[Laska]

rats can be taken in as is... To a fur dealer... they'll do all that stuff for ya, some guys do it but I dont I let the fur guys deal with the little rats.

[merkman]

I came out this morning to a warm Shack with the hole totally open.

have to say nice is an understatement!!!!

Plus the Fish are moving today

.

[MJ1657]

Last night was defenitely a good test for it