Hi to all

my boiler broke down 2 nights ago and we have been without heating until now.

As you can imagine, it has been quite uncomfortable without heat, I had my coat on until bedtime, hubby was scared to get in the shower and my daughter even went to bed with gloves on!! This may seem extreme but it is true.

Now, as you will see from my name details, I am still in the UK - but this situation has got me thinking about how those of you in Canada cope when this happens to you. Do you have a secondary source of heating? Do your plumbers merchants keep every conceivable part in stock for every type of boiler?

Although we have had a particularly bad cold snap in the UK, the temperatures are relatively warm when compared with the Canadian temperatures and the thought of surviving during a boiler breakdown under those conditions seems unbearable.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks

Rubie

x

In Ontario the immediate problem would be that, without heat, the pipes freeze and burst.

That is why when I built my house in Nova Scotia I installed an Opal fireplace in the basement as a secondary source of heat. When the power goes off, which it does more than it should, no furnace is not a problem as far as heating the house.

Does it switch in automatically? Our neighbours have an oil furnace backed up by a wood stove but also a horrific amount of damage from the furnace failing last month (they winter in Texas and have yet to see it).

No it doesn't but the fireplace is in use almost constantly throughout the winter as I have a house sitter when I'm down here. In the event that the furnace quits and there is someone in the house, which there is, it takes little time to get the heat up.

I hadn't even thought of that!

Which is why radiator heating isnt that common here.


We have oil fired forced air furnace and seperate oil fired water heater.

Plus a generator in case the power is out for significant periods to run the pump and fan, plus a wood fireplace insert that requires no power.

Having a "plan B" is a good idea here.

You get the heating system inspected every year, for one thing. In urban areas there will be HVAC service companies offering 24-hour emergency service. In rural areas, you have a backup plan. Generator, wood stove, propane heater, etc.

Hi Iaink,

I don't want to appear stupid, but please can you tell me how a forced air furnace works. Is it exactly what it says, ie a fire where the heat is sent through the house through vents etc, or am I completely off the mark?

Thanks

Rubie

http://www.hometips.com/how-it-works...g-systems.html

Thanks for that link steve - I get it now.

Not really a reply to you here Iain, more an FYI for anyone considering 'back-up' heating solutions:-

Unfortunately retrofitting can be quite an expensive option (when considering adding a wood stove as a backup to an oil furnace). Local code will likely say a single flue can not be shared by two systems, so either the existing chimney has to be wide enough for two flues or you have to get it widened or add a second chimney.

I know some people look at getting pellet stoves as a secondary source of heat. I looked into adding a pellet stove too and learned:-

• Pellet stoves are a lot more expensive than wood stoves
• A WETT certified installation engineer has to install them
• WETT certified installation 'engineers' like to charge around $500 per hour for installation
• Pellets can be low supply/high demand
• Pellet stoves don't work when the power is out, they shut off.