Backup heat

[Noob]

Does anyone have a backup heater that doesn’t require electricity? I currently have a ng heater with an electric igniter which works fine but would be useless in the event the power goes out.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Not as a back-up, but I used these as my primary heat source.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Dyna-Glo-10000-BTU-Wall-Or-Floor-Mount-Natural-Gas-Or-Liquid-Propane-Vent-free-Convection-Heater/1001043450?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-ggl-_-LIA_SOL_237_Seasonal-Heat-Coolers-_-1001043450-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-oqdBhDfARIsAO0TrGGD8_Is-f5qEOM2yK4A3AIAJQyPDPAf9uBofzjZchZYtscIW9_S1dwaAmMuEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Noob]

I.B. I was thinking about the same thing. How many do you use and what’s the size of your equipment room?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I.B. I was thinking about the same thing. How many do you use and what’s the size of your equipment room?

I've sold my washes, but my largest equipment room was about 20 X 35. It worked great. I don't remember which BTU I picked, but 30K was more than enough. I think it may have actually been a 20K. If Dakota Hoskins sees this, maybe he can chime in on the size.

 

[OurTown]

We have an overhead natural gas fired radiant heater that is controlled by a wall mounted millivolt thermostat that requires no electricity. (technically it does but it produces its own from magic) As long as we have natural gas service then we have heat.

 

[Robert2181]

We have an overhead natural gas fired radiant heater that is controlled by a wall mounted millivolt thermostat that requires no electricity. (technically it does but it produces its own from magic) As long as we have natural gas service then we have heat.

We have the same unit, made by Dayton

 

[2Biz]

I have the Mr Heater twin ceramic wall mount ng heater. When temps are below freezing I turn one burner on. When temps get below 15 deg, I turn both burners on. No power required. I've never had a power failure to where it was needed, but am positive it would keep the ER from freezing. Another benefit, is its 100% efficient. No exhaust stack, so you get 100% of the heat it produces. Unlike a furnace. I also have the Mr Heater ceiling mounted furnace. The wall unit gives the furnace a break!

Mr. Heater Corporation Vent-Free 10,000 BTU Radiant Natural Gas Heater, 10000, Multi https://a.co/d/j6vd00v

 

[MEP001]

Patio heater, because some of us in Texas losr power, water, AND gas.

 

[traveler17]

Patio heater, because some of us in Texas losr power, water, AND gas.

I have a patio heater at one wash. They work great!!

 

[Randy]

Has anyone installed one of those small Chinese diesel heaters?

 

[MEP001]

Not a lot of BTU, but two or three of them in a well insulated room might work. Running them off a deep cycle battery kept charged with an AC powered charger would be an affordable backup during a power failure that would last a couple days.

 

[bert79]

Weather is supposed to get real nasty here today (Michigan) and for a LOT of the rest of the country. I would love to have one of the Mr. Heater style that 2biz mentioned and a lot of others have already. I'm running out of room on the equipment room walls though so I have to get creative. In the meantime, like we've done in the past winters when it gets really, really cold we will run a kerosene heater in the equipment room on a very low setting Just in case we were to lose power during the night.

 

[soapy]

I have a 80lb propane bottle that I can attach a radiant heater to. Will run heater a couple of days. If the tank runs out I put heater on 20lb bottle while I refill the propane bottle.

 

[2Biz]

The Mr Heater also comes in a three burner. If you don't have wall space, it comes with feet. Just put it on the floor and run a flexible hose to it.

 

[Randy]

You want to be very careful with those kerosene heaters. If they go partially out they’ll put out a black oily soot that will coat the entire equipment room with an oily sooty mess that will get into everything and will ruin every electronic device in the equipment room. A friend of mine had that happen, it took him over a year to clean up the mess. For months after the incident whenever he touched anything his hands would be black.

I had a Radiant Natural Gas Brick Heater as my backup heater and worked well for a few years then it died. I have a 5000btu electric heater as my primary heater and I have a backup propane heater on standby that I haven’t had to use.

 

[2Biz]

My experience with the ceramic style heater: the thermostat control ones are problematic. I had one at home for backup and it never worked right. I switched it out with a 3 burner manual one and it works great! It's probably 10 years old. The two burner manual one at the cw is over 5 years old and at least one burner runs all winter long. The ceramic ones burn so clean there is no smell. But you still need to be cautious of the carbon dioxide. I have co2 sensors and it has never been an issue.

 

[wash4me]

Mr. Heater | Garage/Workshop Heaters

Safe and reliable heat since 1957. Manufacturers of the Buddy series of portable propane heaters, as well as many other heating products to fit your needs.

www.mrheater.com

Dayton makes one and there are chicken house heaters also that have millivolt gas valves. I don’t believe any of those have a carbon dioxide sensor to shut the gas off.

30,000 is the largest one made I believe of the ceramic style heaters with a thermostat and I have had several of those with no problems over the years. I guess if you were worried about it failing you can get two 15,000 BTUs and mount them both in the equipment room that way if one failed you will still have one working. These have the carbon dioxide sensor for safety because they are made for inside a home.