A Long Cold Winter

It's going to be a very long cold winter for 2008-2009. With petroleum based product prices going up and the economy tanking we who live the alternative lifestyle of thrift and frugality need to prepare ourselves for the coming hard times.

At this time I have both a van to travel in and live out of, plus a small mobile home in Missouri. The van is warm enough for camping, really. My plans to outfit that small space are not as extensive as my plans to prepare the mobile home for this winter. The trailer uses propane for heating and cooking. Ordinarily, using heat like it's water, the propane tank has to be filled up approximately three times during the year. I would like to get that down to only two times per year.

The issue is the fluctuating price of propane, and the fact that you need quite a bit of cash to fill the tank each time. The cost was about $550 per fill-up last winter. I plan to set things up so that I rely on electric heat and other measures to avoid using the propane furnace as much as possible. The 10 year old furnace needs service to be sure it is most efficient. Then the water pipes need heat wrap, to allow the trailer temperature to be kept lower. If I set the heater to 50 degrees, then I can use electrical appliances to provide comfort heat in areas where I most need it. The electric company is cheaper than propane now, due to the economy of scale. The electric company can obtain power from many sources, not only petroleum based sources.

Some of the windows are like sieves, while the rest are good quality storm windows. I'll tape up the windows from the outside, then fill the insides of the windows with filler of any kind. Then I'll hang heavy quilts and blankets on the walls and behind curtains, to provide a bit more insulation. Of course I'll leave a few places for the wind to whistle through. The idea is to keep my heat inside the trailer. I may add some insulation boards inside the skirting of the trailer, depending upon the cost and what I can obtain. Of course I'll research the concept to be sure it is "safe".

To use supplemental electrical appliances for heat means ensuring that I don't overload any wiring. The wiring is up-to-date, and I would space the appliances carefully. For instance, I would use a fan heater in the bathroom to use while in the shower and dressing warmly. Two forced oil heaters would go into the living room and the one bedroom I use, to be used singly. I'm in one room or the other, not both at the same time. Generally, only one heater would be used at a time.

I have a second bathroom that isn't being used. I want to make that room a storage area. If I can get someone to pull out the plumbing and cap it off, then I can keep that room unheated. We aren't allowed to have wood stoves in the trailer park, for safety reasons. If I could have one it would be great for keeping warm and for cooking stews. But I can put one in my empty storage shed for emergency warmth. If the electric goes out, we are kind of screwed, even with a propane furnace. I'd need propane heaters for backup. Or something. It's the water pipes that scare me in the winter. I don't need an expensive plumbing problem. I know, I can run the water. What fun! Pipes bursting or water flooding. There is are several cold snaps to look forward to.

In any case, whether I use my propane furnace or not, my total living expenses are expected to be no more than $300 for land-locked needs. Including lot rent, electric, cable, and propane deliveries. I wanted to just live out of the van but I have interests in life that make having at least one permanent homesite more convenient.