More about flower pot heaters

With winters getting harsher, heat is important.  My main heat is an electric furnace.  My back-up heat is a propane heater.  But if a power outage lasts longer than my week's supply of propane, then what?  Next on my list is to get a wood-burning stove, but that's an expense I've saving for and probably can't get until the spring.  

I went on the internet and found a make-shift heater that works with candles and clay flower pots, which I posted before.  For your easy reference, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfQ3e1is4F4 for the how-to, but also see this warning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnna1PAakV4

Note, he had this heater on a boat, so the boat motion may have caused the flare.  Take all precautions and put your flower pot heater on a stable surface with at least a foot of space around it 360* and definitely surround it with ceramic tiles or other flame retardant material. 

Take his advice and don't let the tea lights touch.  Another possibility is burn regular, small stout candles on a bed of aluminum foil to catch the wax drippings?

Another design is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3iWEclgj8Y.  He shows the temperatures far exceed the 160* stated on other flower pot heater sites.  His design may be safer, so it's worth watching.

And, as with any use of fire, make sure you have proper ventilation.  Fire burns oxygen and having a heater like this in a closed room without ventilation can use up all the oxygen and kill you.  Of course, freezing to death can kill you, too, so weigh the risks and take all the precautions. 

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Replies

  • Yes, indeed.  During a winter power outage last year, I burned my oil lamp in my bedroom, dressed warmly, and didn't freeze.

    Bill said:

    Alot of heat just from candles.

  • Alot of heat just from candles.

  • Good!  I lived in a house that had a wood cook stove in the basement, and a wood burning stove in the dining room.  But, alas, my back-up heater at the moment is a propane space heater, and flower pot heaters if the propane gets used up.  You can also get everyone in the same room and burn an oil lamp.  Dress warmly and add extra blankets, and you can survive the cold okay for a couple of days.  Try to keep going in and out of the room to a minimum.  Have a sawdust toilet or a camping toilet in the room to minimize it.  You can cook with tea lights.  Get a rack, like a fondue rack (sometimes found at thrift stores) to elevate your pot/pan so the tea light can go underneath.  It works fine to warm water for tea/coffee, and to heat already cooked food.  I have a stash of canned soups and beef stew for such an occasion.

  • So far still in my home with wood burning stove in basement.....

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