BajaNomad

Home Heating

Borregoman - 12-7-2009 at 04:53 PM

I live in Bahia Santa Maria and as you know November-March it can be pretty cold and windy. I have a pretty good wood stove but wood is extremely hard to find or get in these parts. I am looking at kerosene or propane space heaters. I have used the portable kerosene heaters a lot in the States, but I don't know about the ability to get good kerosene in the San Felipe area. Propane is readily available but it costs more to operate.

Any ideas?

Donjulio - 12-7-2009 at 06:30 PM

Kerosene costs a fortune in SF. Can your wood stove burn pellets? Also wood is not really that hard to find. Head over to SFAR area and there is a lot of it over in that area. Just make sure you have a good chainsaw.

Woooosh - 12-7-2009 at 06:32 PM

The portable propane space heaters that take the 20lb tanks are fairly efficient. Available at Home Depot Mexico. Not sold or legal in the CA.

BajaWarrior - 12-7-2009 at 07:43 PM

Maybe get a truckload of Ironwood delivered from town. i've seen them selling it above town but just below Playa del Sol on the west side of the road. Maybe your water guy (Marco?) knows someone in town that provides this service.

Otherwise, the propane heaters are the way to go, mount one on one of the local tall boy bottles and it will last for some time. Propane may not be the cheapest but the Z Propane truck comes every Saturday.

We're in Playa Hermosa just about 80 houses south, Casa #24. Are you the guy with the Bronco?

tjBill - 12-7-2009 at 11:52 PM

Don't forget the Mexican way of staying warm; warm clothes. I've gotten into the habit of wearing a wool sweater and thermal under garmets.

Keep warm in El Pescador

wessongroup - 12-8-2009 at 06:01 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by tjBill
Don't forget the Mexican way of staying warm; warm clothes. I've gotten into the habit of wearing a wool sweater and thermal under garmets.


got my North Face fleece on this morning along over my thermal tee shirt with some really good boots, feet are nice and warm...

as it warms... off goes what needs too..

Have a very small fire going just for sitting here drinking coffee in the morning, when it goes out, that's it for the day....

But, the wood deal seems to be pretty tough.. used to cut and heat years ago.. and it's been my question when they show up with "oak" where did you get this... I'm up North, and they are telling me, back over Tecate way, but on private land.. And where else would GOOD wood be... least that was always the way I found it, when cutting ... the really good wood, you had to know someone, or where willing to take a chance getting a fine for cutting it down..

Looking at the propane my self.. it's not perfect.. but after thinking about the work... I'm getting a bit old for the "bring in the wood and taking out the ashes"...

Going to give it a try, had an old "tank" mount burner that i used to use in the garage... did not think i would ever have a use for it.. it's here, but the tanks I brought down were empty... so waiting for the "propane" man this morning...

wouldn't you know it, he has been by like just about every day "honking" his horn.. now for the past four days no show, and not even on Monday.. well maybe today..

For that one tank will run on full for 15 hours on HIGH.. much longer on low
High puts out 38,000 BTU's can't remember the low out put, think it was like 8,000 BTU. Also found that there are 4.2 gallons of propane in one 20 LB tank.

Hope this helps... might throw just one more log on the fire it's still only 5 am right now..

Plus I need a refill on my coffee

:):)

The Heat is ON....

Borregoman - 12-8-2009 at 10:17 AM

Too bad the kerosene is so expensive...you can buy those tank top heaters in CA but they don't recommend their use indoors although I think with proper ventilation they can be used safely. Propane is much easier to get as the honking propane guy comes by about every other day. Marcos is our water guy and I will chat about fire wood, but I know that won't be the cheapest avenue.

I did buy the large Big Buddy Heater that has a built in fan with a hose that will connect to a 20lb tank to take down for this trip. I justified the cost as I can also safely use in in my RV.
Big Buddy Heater

I think I will take some measurements when I am down there in a few days for the permanent installation of the wall mount propane heaters that are safe for indoor use. Something like this would be ideal.
Blue Flame Heater

I really don't want to buy wood, cost isn't the issue I really don't want the locals chopping down what beauty is left in the area. I will check to see if my stove does burn the wood pellets as that might be an option as well.

Not the guy with the Bronco, we live near the southern most part of BSM.

arrowhead - 12-8-2009 at 01:07 PM

If you have the time to look around, look into a diesel space heater. They use them in Europe a lot, but they do sell them in the US. They use the very same diesel that you put into a truck and is available everywhere in Mexico. These type of heaters are vented to the outside with a stovepipe, just like a pot belly stove. A gallon of diesel puts out about 50% more BTU's than a gallon of propane, so for the same heat you would burn 1-1/2 gallons of propane to each gallon of diesel.

Hook - 12-8-2009 at 01:10 PM

Heaters not really necessary on the coast of Sonora. Overnight low was 65 last night. :P

And, of course, no prevailing winds off the Sierra de Juarez or San Pedro Martir. With the water still above 70 over here, our prevailing winds are pretty moderate in temp.

Looks like SF got gusts up to 39 mph yesterday where you "live", Mr. MV. I think you should concentrate on erecting wind blockades that prevent blowing sand.:lol:

It will be interesting to see what they will be charging for propane delivery down there. We are paying 1.49/gallon at 13/1 exchange rate.

That p!ss ant heater wont heat even a corner of that structure. Remember, those "bricks" let wind and water right through.

[Edited on 12-8-2009 by Hook]

DianaT - 12-8-2009 at 02:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh
The portable propane space heaters that take the 20lb tanks are fairly efficient. Available at Home Depot Mexico. Not sold or legal in the CA.


I imagine they will work with a smaller tank? How big of an area will they heat?

bajalou - 12-8-2009 at 03:10 PM

Sams Club Mexicali ans a propane heater that rolls around and you put a 5 gal propane bottle in it. It also had thermostat and electric fan. $193 US.

There is a refrigeration/heating man in San Felipe that has similar heaters. Also found them on Ebay without fan for about $120 as I recall.

I have one without fan that I use in the garage here in SF. Works great.

Joelt - 12-8-2009 at 03:23 PM

Have you looked into the ventless gas fireplaces? They use either natural or propane gas. I've seen a couple of them and they seem put out a lot of heat. Type in ventless fireplace in google and you wil get all toe info you want or need. Good luck

DianaT - 12-8-2009 at 03:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
Sams Club Mexicali ans a propane heater that rolls around and you put a 5 gal propane bottle in it. It also had thermostat and electric fan. $193 US.

There is a refrigeration/heating man in San Felipe that has similar heaters. Also found them on Ebay without fan for about $120 as I recall.

I have one without fan that I use in the garage here in SF. Works great.


Thanks---our place is small enough we probably would not need the fan---right now we just open the oven.

dianaji - 12-8-2009 at 04:37 PM

Dangers of heating using an oven:

http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/ota/section/2/releas...

bajalou - 12-8-2009 at 04:40 PM

I am in a 5th wheel here in SF so use the oven also.

But we got a place in New Mexico that is pretty good size (at least for us) and we don't want to have to heat the whole place with the furnace, so are getting one for there to be able to just heat the room we are in.

BajaGringo - 12-8-2009 at 06:38 PM

Rather than going to the expense of pursuing one of the good options offered here, i would just spend the money to find a way to get some good firewood out to your place. You already have a wood burning stove and they do work great IMHO...

bajabass - 12-9-2009 at 11:22 AM

My wife bought a propane heater like the one Bajalou described. Dual adj. fans, with a thermostat. They work very well for small places, just keep a widow cracked.

dianaji - 12-9-2009 at 12:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
I am in a 5th wheel here in SF so use the oven also.

But we got a place in New Mexico that is pretty good size (at least for us) and we don't want to have to heat the whole place with the furnace, so are getting one for there to be able to just heat the room we are in.


can u tell me where u got the heater and/or the model?

Borregoman - 12-9-2009 at 12:24 PM

I saw one of those roll around units with the 5 gallon tank in it Bajlou in Cedar City for $150 at Home Depot, should have picked it up as they are $250 online.

I love the diesel option Arrowhead, they have some cool ones online, I could swap out one of the wood stoves and use the flue for the kerosene heater. God knows diesel is cheap....Here is a website with some...

dianaji - 12-9-2009 at 12:29 PM

wow! i would love that, cause i could move it from room to room! will check HD today.

thanks diana

Diesel Heater!!!

Borregoman - 12-9-2009 at 12:30 PM

Sorry for the partial post above, hit the button before I was done.

Bahalou, saw one of those roll around units with the 5 gallon tank in Cedar City for $150 at Home Depot, should have picked it up as they are $250 online.

I love the diesel option Arrowhead, they have some cool ones online, I could swap out one of the wood stoves and use the flue for the kerosene heater. God knows diesel is cheap....Here is a website with some...Diesel Heater

I agree totally with Hook, need to seal those porous bricks, they do let the wind through.

Old days

wessongroup - 12-10-2009 at 05:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by arrowhead
If you have the time to look around, look into a diesel space heater. They use them in Europe a lot, but they do sell them in the US. They use the very same diesel that you put into a truck and is available everywhere in Mexico. These type of heaters are vented to the outside with a stovepipe, just like a pot belly stove. A gallon of diesel puts out about 50% more BTU's than a gallon of propane, so for the same heat you would burn 1-1/2 gallons of propane to each gallon of diesel.


Thanks never even thought "heating oil"

Thanks for that one, however, the wife hates the smell of diesel .. once tried "coal" too, that's not to good one on smell either... and it's a bit messy too..

But, they are a means to heat and very good bang for the buck.. again thanks

:):)

[Edited on 12-11-2009 by wessongroup]

astrobaja - 12-11-2009 at 12:21 PM

We have a small kerosene space heater but find it almost impossible to find proper clear 1-K fuel for it! In Ensenada closest we found was something they call "petroleo" smelled like cheap solvent. besides even in the states its like $7 a gallon, hardly cost effective!

Since Bajais so sunny the best option is in floor hydronic with passive solar panels! $$ to start with but free except for on cloudy days where a propane powered boiler would take over.

http://www.radiantsolar.com/index.php

wessongroup - 12-12-2009 at 06:37 AM

The propane man never showed up, so the wife and I drove up to Rosarito and got them filled... the cost to fill two 20LB cylinder (the guys took them out of the trunk and put them back for this old "viejo").. funny folks down here treat old folks a lot better down here than in the states..

The cost to fill was $12 USD.... or 4.2 gallon per tank = 8.4 gallons @12 = figures out to be $1.43 a gallon. Fill date was 12/8/09.. the place is in downtown on the right side of the street on a corner, so you can enter from a side street or off the main street/road through town..

They were busy, you have to stand in line for a bit.. but, the folks were nice and all helped out...

Another good day in Baja, for us :):):)

[Edited on 12-12-2009 by wessongroup]