Portable Gas Heaters for a house.

Belenus

We live in a standard construction 4 bed detached house built in 2005. We have gas central heating which relies on both gas and electricity to operate.

A few years ago the gas boiler failed in winter so we used electric heaters until it was repaired. We have a gas fire in the living room that does not need electricity.

We are considering buying one or two portable gas heaters for other rooms to use in the event of a power failure or a boiler failure this coming winter.

We would like one with at least 3kw output and preferably more.

What are our options and what sort of things should we consider? Butane, Propane or something else etc.

We can store the heater in a garage or shed so size is not much of an issue.

We do have a half full Butane gas cylinder from an exterior BBQ that we no longer use. If possible and sensible we would like an internal gas heater that would suit this cylinder but also take alternative cylinders. Pictures are attached.

Advice and suggestions please.

Jonboy_1984

Something along these lines - https://appliances.calor.co.uk/home-essentials/portable-gas-heaters.html that is properly designed for internal use.

Avoid anything such as camping or greenhouse heaters as they need much more ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide issues.

Make sure you have a Co2 alarm in the same room.

TadleyBaggie

Jonboy_1984 said:

Make sure you have a Co2 alarm in the same room.

That should be a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector, not CO2.

Devongardener

Portable gas heaters produce a lot of condensation, and therefore damp and mould on walls if used a lot.

ColdPensioner

Don't do it.

They're a fire risk, they churn out condensation, and as has been said they increase the risk from carbon monoxide unless you keep windows open.

Plus bottled gas is going up in price and getting harder to find.

Spend the money on warm jumpers and furry slippers! 

Look at the way heat (or cold) moves through your house and take action. This might be opening or closing certain doors, or putting up some extra curtains.

I have yet to turn on my heating (and I can afford to run it), but I'm about to go upstairs to put on my fleecy trousers and warm slippers. 

Belenus

Thanks everyone.

We will stick to electric heaters and the gas fire.

Eldi_Dos

Another consideration is if storing gas cylinders in house how that would impact on your house insurance.

Vehicles that carry gas bottles are required to have labels on back doors so emergency services know what they are dealing with.

unforeseen

The only gas bottles in the house would be the ones fitted in the heaters themselves. Insurance companies are not worried about those.
When I used those heaters the only time there were unconnected bottles was just before the current ones run out. Even then they weren't kept in the house. 

Bendy_House

Belenus said:

Thanks everyone.

We will stick to electric heaters and the gas fire.

Surely the best option.

Electric heaters (eg oil-filled types): £20 each, light, small, safe. 

Gas heaters: £120 each, heavy, large, ugly, produces water, minor CO risk, high temps, can have a smell.

Although gas is cheaper than leccy, this is bottled stuff, so I suspect it's almost the same?

Q, if you left your home and realised an hour later you'd left a heater on, which one would cause more concern - gas or lec?

Your existing gas fire, Bel, it doesn't have a fanned flue? What kind does it have? And do you have a CO alarm in the room? :-)

macman

Get your boiler serviced now to ensure that it's not likely to break down over the winter. If you are concerned about power cuts, then (to state the obvious), a portable electric fire is not going to be much use as a substitute: your only viable options are an open fire or a portable gas fire.
If we do get rolling power cuts, they are unlikely to be more than 3 hours in duration, so a reasonably well insulated property is not going to turn into a freezer in that period.

FreeBear

Bendy_House said: Gas heaters: £120 each, heavy, large, ugly, produces water, minor CO risk, high temps, can have a smell.

I would go as far as to say the risk of Carbon Monoxide (CO) is more than just a minor risk. It is a very real danger that does kill.