Solar Air Heater

[Possibilities]

We all shudder if the pandemic comes in winter. If it comes then, or when the 3rd waves comes, we can expect severe shortages of gasoline, natural gas, electricity, propane, and kerosene.

We all know about layers. That's the first thing to do to stay warm.

Next consider caulking your windows to cut out drafts. Whatever windows I can't fix, I plan on putting up plastic to cover the insides of windows. Possibly leaving a small opening for the solar heater (see below)

I've considered all the possibilities, and I'm thinking of constructing several solar air heaters. They can be found here:
http://www.jrwhipple.com/sr/solheater.html

They shouldn't cost very much to make, and should increase the inside temperature of rooms. Obviously you're going to have to change your idea of what is a comfortable temperature.

I imagine in my own family that we would all sleep in the same room huddled under the blankets, in the best insulated warmest room of the house.

 

[Lizw]

Re: Solar Air Heater

We all shudder if the pandemic comes in winter. If it comes then, or when the 3rd waves comes, we can expect severe shortages of gasoline, natural gas, electricity, propane, and kerosene.

We all know about layers. That's the first thing to do to stay warm.

Next consider caulking your windows to cut out drafts. Whatever windows I can't fix, I plan on putting up plastic to cover the insides of windows. Possibly leaving a small opening for the solar heater (see below).

The solar heaters are indeed interesting, but another thing you can do is cover the windows with plain old bubble wrap, the stuff you buy to pack breakables in for shipping. I did this last year, and was amazed at how much warmer the rooms were. Part of the effect is from sealing drafts at the edges of the windows and part is from the insulation provided by the dead air space in each bubble. Make sure you get the stuff with the big bubbles--it comes in two sizes. The kind with the small bubbles probably doesn't have enough dead air space in it overall to provide much insulation.

 

[Possibilities]

Re: Solar Air Heater

Here's three additions about staying warm.

One thing that I've recently read is to actually use a tent indoors and insulate it with blankets and coverings inside and out. Move everyone inside and where layers and use each other's body warmth to stay warm. It's a practical tip. I recall Tom Brown's book on Urban Survival too. He suggested using the inside insulation from couches or merely sleeping between the pillows of couches to add to insulation. In his classes, Mr. Brown suggested using simple newspaper or dry leaves to work in an emergency as insulation.

Here's yet another tip on making a cheap solar air heater from aluminum cans that are painted black:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/04/26/almost-free-garage-heat-just-drink-a-lot-of-soda/

Finally making a solar sponge. It's a bit more involved since you would need to punch a hole in your roof.
http://www.solarsponge.com/index.html