Need advice on a heater for a fish house

[jpaulson]

I am in the process of building a fish house for the first time. I am thinking about getting a inwall ventless heater. The fish house will be about 8x8 and insulated well. Anybody have any suggestions? Also anybody know a good place to get a few windows 16" width or under at a good price? Thanks for all the help.

[MuskieJunkie]

I would spend the money and get a direct vent heater. The ventless heaters work, and they are cheap, but they are not comfortable to use IMO. The floor is cold, the holes freeze over and the top bunk is 90 degrees. Plus there is always the saftey issues of not having a vent, and they create moisture problems inside the house.

[coldmark]

I put in a ventless heater last year and now I'm about to purchase an Empire direct vent heater. At times the ventless worked great, other times, not so great. If the humidity was low it would be very comfortable. But when it got damp, the moisture would really build up in the shack. The walls would start dripping. I spent 3 nights in there and the conditions were perfect, but it was during a stretch of high pressure. I also had to use my oven to help heat it because the 10K BTU wasn't enough. In some situations, ventless performs well. But I'm going to bite the bullet and get the direct vent. They are a bit pricey but almost every guy says it's worth it.

[jpaulson]

thanks for the replies guys. I am going to be putting the house on a lake that can be notorius for break ins and theft. Is it common for heaters to be stolen out of houses? Also what btu should I be looking for?

[cold one sd]

I have a 15.000 BTU direct vent in my 6 1/2 x 12 and it works well for me. The nice part about the 15k BTU is that it has a remote thermostat instead of a knob that you turn to control the heat. I got it from Fish House Supply for a lot less than I could have bought a 10k BTU direct vent from our local propane dealer.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Dude, if you are concerned about a heater being stolen you are best to not leave your shanty on the lake.

Yes, they will steal it.

[jpaulson]

I decided to put it on this lake because I have a cousin that lives on the lake that could help out keeping a eye on it. I rather choose a lake with some issues with theft with someone I know to keep an eye on it then every other metro lake with theft problems and not having an extra set of eyes on it. So with that being said any other opinions?

[beer batter]

I was in your boat with my new shack I built about 5 years ago. Had it on Lake Sarah west metro, a guy I knew lived on the lake, said he'd keep an eye on things - yada, yada yada. Short version, thieves broke into both houses, stole my vented $300 furnace off the wall, trashed both doors getting in with crow bars.

House never stays on the ice without someone in it any more.

[Mike L]

I think that a hot upper bunk is a problem common to both vented and unvented heaters. I'm experimenting a bit this season with a PVC duct (pipe) extending from near the ceiling to near the floor with an in-line fan to pull the heat down. The fan is right at the bottom and is powered straight off a Vex-type battery.

[Augusta]

How about a 12 volt ceiling fan (36 inch)..they work great and draw less than one amp per hour...

[jpaulson]

How would a big buddy heater work for this situation?

[Mike L]

a ceiling fan would help, as well, if yer a short SOB like me

what I've put together is dirt cheap, scrap out of my garage and my computer spare parts.

I have 2 bunks and a cot in my wheelhouse. The discharge is directly under the cot where I sleep. Hopefully it will help keep my back warm. The grandsons get the bunks.