Post by 1greatamerican on Mar 22, 2011 21:03:56 GMT -5
Techno Girl:
I've had quite a bit of survival experience and surviving cold over the past several years. about 10 years ago I ended up homeless then was donated a school bus to live in. WOOL is one of the best things for keeping warm.
I've had quite a bit of survival experience and surviving cold over the past several years. about 10 years ago I ended up homeless then was donated a school bus to live in. WOOL is one of the best things for keeping warm. Fleece blankets are another amazingly warm cloth and much lighter and easier to get. thermal blankets are good on windows BUT they're better at keeping out heat than keeping in warm. :/ there are a few other things you will want to do. Get some of the spray foam insulation cans and seal any cracks and crevices you have around doors windows etc. What I did in the school bus to stay warm in winter was use the foamboard wall insulation. Its easily cut to shape and doesn't have the problems of working with fiberglass. (Fiberglass splinters are painful) You will want to make window sized pieces that you fit in your windows at night or in severe cold conditions. When it got really cold I added blankets on top of that. People used to use heavy velvet wall coverings for the same purpose. Also because the floor was not insulated I bought rubber gym matting. you can get it in Walmart or Target. It fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. and is excellent at insulating the floor. I agree a wood stove is excellent, make sure you have proper venting. DO NOT USE treated wood in your wood stove or fireplace, it creates toxic fumes and can clog your chimney. and can even cause fires. Plastics are even worse. Candles placed around a well insulated room can actually be enough warmth in a pinch.
I also agree the pointers in "Man vs Wild" and "Survivor Man" are invaluable.
As for the cold snap in February that we had here in TX: It froze all our pipes and CRACKED our pump.
We were caught unprepared because we were moving in when it hit. My sis uses chicken heat lamps to keep the well house warm. She lived for 20 years in South Dakota so she knows about 20+ feet of snow. :/ One thing they used do: You can build a shelter out of branches tied together like a dome tent and covered with blankets and tarps. then put a small fire in the middle. with lots of stones to keep the warmth. (make sure tall enough to stand in so won't catch fire. )
another thing if you're in a makeshift shelter. if you can bury the walls with dirt that will offer some insulation
I've had quite a bit of survival experience and surviving cold over the past several years. about 10 years ago I ended up homeless then was donated a school bus to live in. WOOL is one of the best things for keeping warm.
I've had quite a bit of survival experience and surviving cold over the past several years. about 10 years ago I ended up homeless then was donated a school bus to live in. WOOL is one of the best things for keeping warm. Fleece blankets are another amazingly warm cloth and much lighter and easier to get. thermal blankets are good on windows BUT they're better at keeping out heat than keeping in warm. :/ there are a few other things you will want to do. Get some of the spray foam insulation cans and seal any cracks and crevices you have around doors windows etc. What I did in the school bus to stay warm in winter was use the foamboard wall insulation. Its easily cut to shape and doesn't have the problems of working with fiberglass. (Fiberglass splinters are painful) You will want to make window sized pieces that you fit in your windows at night or in severe cold conditions. When it got really cold I added blankets on top of that. People used to use heavy velvet wall coverings for the same purpose. Also because the floor was not insulated I bought rubber gym matting. you can get it in Walmart or Target. It fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. and is excellent at insulating the floor. I agree a wood stove is excellent, make sure you have proper venting. DO NOT USE treated wood in your wood stove or fireplace, it creates toxic fumes and can clog your chimney. and can even cause fires. Plastics are even worse. Candles placed around a well insulated room can actually be enough warmth in a pinch.
I also agree the pointers in "Man vs Wild" and "Survivor Man" are invaluable.
As for the cold snap in February that we had here in TX: It froze all our pipes and CRACKED our pump.
We were caught unprepared because we were moving in when it hit. My sis uses chicken heat lamps to keep the well house warm. She lived for 20 years in South Dakota so she knows about 20+ feet of snow. :/ One thing they used do: You can build a shelter out of branches tied together like a dome tent and covered with blankets and tarps. then put a small fire in the middle. with lots of stones to keep the warmth. (make sure tall enough to stand in so won't catch fire. )another thing if you're in a makeshift shelter. if you can bury the walls with dirt that will offer some insulation