Community Forums

Sandcassle · 11-11-2013, 08:09 AM

Hello, All...

I have taken a contracting job in Pennsylvania for this winter. I will be living in my 98 Beaver Monterey. They're predicting a cold winter up here, so I want to be ready.

What precautions should I take to prevent busted pipes?

Also, where does the heat for the heated basement come from?

Lastly, I'm only going to use my diesel fired Aqua Heat system as a back up or if the temps get really cold. Plan on my primary heat to be a catalytic Buddy propane heater in combination with a couple electric space heaters. Is this a good plan?

Thanks for your suggestions!

Roy

palehorse89 · 11-11-2013, 08:16 AM

Not sure about your Coach and if it has basement heat, a small space heater in the water bay with a thermostat on it so you can set it at a desired temp. The only problem with heating with aux. heaters and not using your furnace is things in the floor and below will not stay as warm. Like I stated I am not sure of your system but a small heater in the basement will keep things warm and your floors also. Where are you going to be in Pa.? north or south?

Sandcassle · 11-15-2013, 10:22 AM

Hey, Palehorse...I'm kind of Southeast PA...close to Lancaster...
I'm thinking I have basement heat and this is how it probably works...when it gets cold, I can hear a fan running somewhere under the floor in the area of the basement.

I'm guessing about the way this works...there's probably a heat exchanger with water from my hot water heater circulating through it...when the temp drops, a circulating fan kicks on to distribute the heat...

What do ya think?

palehorse89 · 11-16-2013, 06:38 AM

My basement heat (fan) has a switch in my wet bay that says heater on-off. When turned on, and the furnace starts up that fan in my basement also starts blowing along with the Coachs furnace fan. So my basement is heated from the proopane furnace and a blower supplys heat to the basement with a fan through a flexable 4" hose. Do you have a hydro-heat or some sort of a hydronic heating in your Coach? (Hot water heating)?

Sandcassle · 11-16-2013, 07:22 AM

Yes, I have the Hurricane Diesel fired hydronic heating system.

palehorse89 · 11-16-2013, 07:31 AM

Take a look in your wet bay and let us know what you find.

Sandcassle · 11-17-2013, 07:15 AM

No switches in my wet bay whatsoever...but I do hear a fan running and it's cold...

palehorse89 · 11-17-2013, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandcassle

No switches in my wet bay whatsoever...but I do hear a fan running and it's cold...

What heating do you have on when you hear the fan? Do you have a furnace along with the hydronic heating?

Sandcassle · 11-18-2013, 07:05 AM

No furnace at all. Just the Hydronic system. I've been using electric space heaters and I just bought a Little Buddy propane heater, which works well.

djhinds · 11-18-2013, 07:55 AM

What about carbon monoxide from the propane heater?? Make sure you have a working CO detector!!!! I would not use a propane fired heater in my coach...

Dave

Sandcassle · 11-19-2013, 09:06 AM

I have 3 brand new carbon monoxide detectors and I crack a vent when using the heater. Also, it's turned completely off before I go to bed.

I really don't have any other options. The hydronic heat would be way to expensive to operate full time with diesels prices like they are, not to mention depleting my fuel tank on a regular basis.

The electric space heater are also expensive to operate and they only work so well.

I really don't have any other choices I can think of, other then the propane heat.