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From: dwl@hou4b.UUCP (D Levenson)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Heat without electricity
Message-ID: <1314@hou4b.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 4-Feb-85 17:33:49 EST
Article-I.D.: hou4b.1314
Posted: Mon Feb  4 17:33:49 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Feb-85 01:46:52 EST
References: <7946@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 34

I have gas-heated fan-forced air heat.  Electricity opens the gas
valve when the thermostat decides heat is needed.  Electricity also
operates the blower motor, which is switched on by another
thermostat, that senses sufficient heat in the furnace itself
(generally about 30 seconds after the main burner has lit).

Without electrical power, the furnace defaults to an off state. 
There is, however, a manual override control on the gas control
valve, allowing me to light the main burner with a manual control. 
As the furnace heats, the air within it rises, into the hot-air
plenum, and into the house via the normal distribution ducts.  The
old-fashioned "gravity-flow" hot air systems worked this way by
design.  It is less efficient than using the fan. Also, the safety
devices which shut off the burner when the temperature goes too high
are bypassed.  In practice, it means standing by the furnace and
watching it carefully (feeling it, smelling it, etc) for about ten
minutes.  Then turn off the gas.  Hot air will flow slowly from most
of the air registers for the next half hour or so.  Then go
downstairs and repeat the cycle.

This works if the furnace is below the living space (in the
basement) and if the furnace uses an upward air flow internally. 
Not terribly convenient, but far more convenient than being
evacuated to a shelter while your house freezes and your pipes
burst.  I can maintain a temperature close to the normal set-point
of the thermostat with only a few minutes per hour devoted to the
job.

It automatically lowers the temperature at night (which my
old-fashioned thermostat only does if I turn it down) because I get
up and run it less often!

Dave Levenson
AT&T-IS, Holmdel