The dreaded broken furnace

[Spoons]

Heat is fixed! Argus is out roaming his tank again, so I assume while he probably wasn't thrilled with the situation it didn't affect him too much. I'm in a rented property, and I think there are laws about the winter months and heat being considered an emergency if it goes out here because it can be devastating and dangerous. I do have a heat blanket, but I wrapped the bird cage with it to keep her toasty in the AM, so I just had one measly blanket, lol.

I was thinking, if it was about 40 degrees in the house in the middle of the day (which was -10 and SUPER sunny) then over the night time, when it was -20something, and NO sun, I wouldn't be surprised if it legitimately dropped to freezing in the house, as the furnace went out around 9PM. The pipes took a bit to start up in the morning. It took a long while and a shower as hot as it coul go to warm up/get feeling in my extremities after the heat kicked back in.

I am going to get a space heater. A good oil filled one. I am actually moving in May to an apartment with a significantly better insulated unit (when we went to see it, the heat had been off and it was 58 - plastic the windows and patio door and it'll be comfortable). It has a fireplace too just in case. But, after this, I would like a backup! it is MISERABLE sleeping in freezing temps. You just wake up with that awful cold that seeps into your bones and you can't get rid of.

....Why do I live here again?

[Reinz]

Great news!

Heat is great isn't it!

[bcr229]

I am actually moving in May to an apartment with a significantly better insulated unit (when we went to see it, the heat had been off and it was 58 - plastic the windows and patio door and it'll be comfortable). It has a fireplace too just in case.

Great to hear that the heat is back on! Just an FYI though, fireplaces aren't the best for emergency heat, unless it's natural gas or propane, or it has a wood stove insert, with a blower to throw warm air into the house. Otherwise it tends to suck heat out of the house and send it up the chimney.

[Sonny1318]

I live in Chicago, I have a styrofoam cooler and pillow cases for everybody. Enough heat packs for three days. If I can't get it fixed in a day. Everyone, wife, kids and snakes are going to the local holiday inn. And the best part is, nobody will even think twice about us bringing in a cooler to the hotel. I've used this method in a emergancy before. It might not be perfect, but it gets the job done. I guess it also matters how big your collection is. My furnace just went out about a month ago, put everyone in there. But it got fixed relatively fast. So no mini bar or swimming pool. I also use this set up for winter vet trips.

[Spoons]

Great to hear that the heat is back on! Just an FYI though, fireplaces aren't the best for emergency heat, unless it's natural gas or propane, or it has a wood stove insert, with a blower to throw warm air into the house. Otherwise it tends to suck heat out of the house and send it up the chimney.

It is a gas fireplace, and it is fantastic for heating the place up in a pinch. Probably not the cheapest option, though! Tried it out last weekend (as we technically already have the apartment, my current lease just doesn't end till May) and it warmed the place right up in no time.

The coolers are a good idea too. I will definitely have to pick one up.

[bcr229]

It is a gas fireplace, and it is fantastic for heating the place up in a pinch.

Oh yeah they rock, my in-laws have one that will chase you out of the house!