Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

Nancy Boyd

Feb 10, 2005, 7:01 AM

Post #1 of 16 (1262 views)

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What choice for heating?

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We will have a fireplace in our living room (living/dining/kitchen sort of one big room) and one in our bedroom. Are ventless gas logs for fireplaces sold in the Ajijic/Guad area or should we bring them down when we move?

Would it be preferable to buy a portable gas heater?

Howard Botz

Feb 10, 2005, 7:36 AM

Post #2 of 16 (1247 views)

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Re: [Nancy Boyd] What choice for heating?

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I would recommend the portable gas heater. I am sure others will disagree with me but I have not needed any heating this season. Last winter was a different story. So much depends on your home, the direction it faces, trees, etc., etc.
Howard in Ajijic

1ajijic

Feb 10, 2005, 7:48 AM

Post #3 of 16 (1245 views)

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Re: [Howard Botz] What choice for heating?

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I completely agree with Howard. Ventless logs are the same as vented, but, without the toxic vermiculite underneath. A plumber friend in the US advised us to never use them ventless. Also, if you are lucky enough to have high ceilings, the fireplaces will be of little heating value. Whatever logs you use, bring them. They are expensive here.

BTW unless you are building and will be putting in a flu, you won't have to worry. There are no flus.

The portable heater puts out a lot more heat, quickly and effectively. We used ours for an hour or two two evenings this year. I brought down a CO2 detector as insurance, which has never gone off in three years of sparce use.

Bring a small portable electric heater for the bath. You might actually use that once and a while during our brief "winter"

All of the above relates to residency in Ajijic
http://www.newbeginningsmexico.com

gbatrucks

Feb 10, 2005, 7:52 AM

Post #4 of 16 (1243 views)

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Re: [1ajijic] What choice for heating?

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Hope you ment a CO1 detector...It's the Carbon Monoxide that'l get yuh, not the carbon dioxide.
"The trouble with life is there's no background music."

1ajijic

Feb 10, 2005, 7:55 AM

Post #5 of 16 (1240 views)

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Re: [gbatrucks] What choice for heating?

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You are right - carbon monoxide!
http://www.newbeginningsmexico.com

Bubba

Feb 10, 2005, 1:09 PM

Post #6 of 16 (1187 views)

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Re: [1ajijic] What choice for heating?

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No matter what anyone tells you, you need to have either portable or affixed propane gas heat at Lake Chapala in the dead of winter. The gas fireplaces one finds here are generally inefficient. The houses are not propery insulated in general as well.

These propane heaters are not that easy to find. This year, we bought a really nice portable propane heater at Muebles del Lago in Chapala but it was a bit pricy. Works like a charm although, with a 10 liter tank, we have had to make numerous trips to the propane station east of Chapala for refills. We read of a propane heater clearance sale at Sears in the Guadalajara newspapers and went up to Gran Plaza and bought two affixed propane wall heaters for about the equivalent of $180 USD each. By God, next winter we will not freeze our buns off here in December and January as we have in the past.

1ajijic

Feb 10, 2005, 1:36 PM

Post #7 of 16 (1181 views)

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Re: [Bubba] What choice for heating?

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Like Howard says. A lot depends on your house. A 10 liter tank lasts us several years.
http://www.newbeginningsmexico.com

johanson

Feb 10, 2005, 3:38 PM

Post #8 of 16 (1166 views)

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Why not unvented?

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Why not un-vented? You just have to know how to use them. I have a Robert H Peterson Co REAL FYRE un-vented gas lock. Oh yes, I have a CO monitor and next year I'm going to purchase as a backup those circular paper tabs used in small fixed wing aircraft.

I used same all winter. I followed the instructions in the manual and never left the unit burning at night after I had closed the slightly cracked outside door, during periods of sleep. It worked just great. That said, so does a bow and arrow or hunting knife. But you can kill yourself with the knife or an arrow, just as easily as you can with the un-vented gas log, should you do something stupid

(This post was edited by johanson on Feb 10, 2005, 3:40 PM)

Kip

Feb 10, 2005, 3:46 PM

Post #9 of 16 (1160 views)

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Re: [johanson] Why not unvented?

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We've been using unvented firleplaces for the past ten years. Both in Washington state and here in Mississippi. Other than the condensation on the windows, they've worked out wonderfully. We've never had any problems with them. Here in Mississippi, where the humidity is so high anyway, we added a little wood stove to combat the condensation.

I would think that the extra moisture in Ajijic would be a plus.

Kip
kip

juan david

Feb 11, 2005, 7:46 AM

Post #10 of 16 (1097 views)

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Re: [Nancy Boyd] What choice for heating?

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A wall mounted propane heater is great and cheapest solution provided that you can easily run a gas line from your main tank to the place that you want to mount the unit. On the other hand the portable kind allows you much more flexibility. I'd also recommend that you bring one down with you and buy the tank here. Bubba speaks la verdad....you will need one for 3 weeks and maybe a bit more to take the chill off in the mornings and evenings. Travel Aire seems to be the brand of choice and a 10 liter tank costs 350 pesos to buy and 82 pesos to fill. We've gone through almost 3 tanks this winter.
" let sleeping dogs lie"

1ajijic

Feb 11, 2005, 9:25 AM

Post #11 of 16 (1077 views)

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Re: [juan david] What choice for heating?

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For the last several years both Costco and Walmart have had Delonghi theromstatically controlled heaters in the 'fall' for 1650p. The book or packaging probably says how many BTUs. There are three ceramic plates on the front which produce the heat. There is a safety switch and you do need to buy and fill the tank. I've seen the tanks from 290 - 310 pesos early in the season. Last fall walmart on Vallarta had a pile as big as a two car garage. Giganti also sells a similar model at the same price or less.

If you wait until you need them, you may not be able to get them.
http://www.newbeginningsmexico.com

jaybear

Feb 11, 2005, 2:08 PM

Post #12 of 16 (1038 views)

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Re: [1ajijic] What choice for heating?

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Having been to Ajijic during the recent cold spell, I am definitely planning on bringing the electric blanket when we move. That's to supplement the propane heaters, which I will dutifully turn off before bedtime. Just hope we can afford the electricity and that the power supply is okay for this. When we were down there, I kept thinking of Wally Shawn talking about his electric blanket in My Dinner with Andre. Wonder if they have that movie at the LCS. Probably will have to go to San Miguel to find it:)
"Don't believe everything you think" - Maxine

JayBear

Jerry@Ajijic

Feb 11, 2005, 8:21 PM

Post #13 of 16 (990 views)

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Re: [jaybear] What choice for heating?

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We got tired of having to go get our little gas heater tank refilled. We had a man come in and run a flexible line from a outlet of our large stove tank. Since our heater is on wheels we just roll it around to where we need it.

mkdutch

Feb 12, 2005, 9:31 AM

Post #14 of 16 (943 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] What choice for heating?

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That could be potentially dangerous, Jerry. Hope you have a shutoff at the stove tank outlet that can be turned off after each use - especially at night, and regularly check the flex line and connections for leaks. Buena Suerte!...Dutch

Jerry@Ajijic

Feb 12, 2005, 6:47 PM

Post #15 of 16 (899 views)

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Re: [mkdutch] What choice for heating?

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That is true. The gas man thought it was a necessity and so at night when we turn it off (which we do and turn on the electric blanket) we do it by the turning the screw type valve until it is completely closed and the stove goes off. It is really no different from the piece of pipe with holes in it we had in the fireplace just a lot more effective.

mkdutch

Feb 13, 2005, 11:09 AM

Post #16 of 16 (858 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] What choice for heating?

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One way to dramatically increase the efficiency of a fireplace (log or gas) is to convert it to convection-aided operation. There are a lot of expensive units like this in the EUA, but it's also possible to have one custom-made at low cost. The idea is simple - hot air rises and cool air falls.

Make a series of U - shaped tubes or channels to fit inside the "firepit", placed vertically on their side with the base of the U toward the back and the open end of the U facing the front. Bolt or weld them together using steel straps top & bottom with a small space between each U. Attach short legs that rest on the hearth Place (or make) a firegrate to hold burning firewood or gas logs or pipes. Strike a match.

As the tubes/channels warm from the fire, the cooler air will be drawn into the lower openings, be heated by the fire, and expelled by convection out the top end. Some place fans to speed the flow of air, but I've found they weren't needed - even in Minnesota with below zero temps outside. Fireplaces are never very efficient, as a lot of heated air always escapes out the chimney - but in a moderate climate like Lakeside, this conversion should work well...and I'll bet a local metalworker supplied with dimensions and a rough drawing could whip one up in no time at all.