Portable Propane Heaters

Winter camping can be miserable, and I’ve winter camped in Washington State in the snow and the wet and the cold as a Boy Scout. Now I’m camping in Georgia year-round with my son’s Trail Life Troop, and “below freezing in Georgia” is just as miserable as “below freezing in Washington.”

There are two schools of thought among the adults who provide some level of safety for our troop. One is “I need to be able to carry all my kit long distance,” and the other is “What the heck, I own a truck, and I’ll carry my gear from the truck to the campsite.” The first group doesn’t use any artificial heat sources, and the second group does. At the last campout, the second group was more comfortable than the first group because they had bigger, roomier tents. In two of those tents were Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heaters, and I got to enjoy them simply by being there.

https://amzn.to/4hJdxY7

In Use

First observation: even the smallest Mr. Heater product is plenty for a tent that a single person can pack. The advertisement says “up to 225 square feet” which I think is a bit generous for most tents, but in a well-insulated room or small cabin it would make sense.

Second: plan to use one 1lb bottle of propane per night, or six hours of burn time. You can get an adapter to use any size of propane bottle you want if you need more than six hours of heat production. 

Note: while commercial locations won’t refill most 1lb propane bottles, you can buy adapters to refill them yourself.  This is obviously discouraged by single-use propane vendors, but there are  refillable bottles on the market.

Pros and Cons

A Mr. Heater is a bit of a luxury item for camping in Georgia or Washington, even in the winter time. But as a survival/resiliency prep it has a few things going for it. 

1. If you have a gas grill and adapter hose, or a few 1lb propane bottles on hand, you have a safe indoor heating in a pinch. 
2. A heat source can be used to heat food. One YouTuber I watch routinely opens canned food and gently heats it using his Mr. Heater in the depth of Canadian winter, and toasting frankfurters or marshmallows is very similar to using a campfire.

Is it perfect? No, not really.

1. It takes up space when not in use. Not much, but some.
2. Unlike a rocket stove or Solo Stove or Kelly Kettle, it uses a fossil fuel that may or may not be easy to get in an emergency. If you live in an apartment where wood or twigs aren’t plentiful, that might be a positive rather than a negative.
3. It’s big enough that I wouldn’t bother keeping one in a full size van unless the van had been converted into a small camper. In a large camper, a Mr. Heater makes quite a bit of sense.

Should You Get One?

I’m not in a hurry to go out and buy a Mr. Heater of my own, but if I see a good sale I’ll probably snag one. They run very quietly, and in an elevated deer stand in the winter where I sit still for hours on end, it might be really nice to not feel the cold so deep in my bones.

Also, don’t underestimate the value of the “nice to haves” in a situation where you have to rely on your preps and not public infrastructure. The little luxuries can make all the difference between a miserable experience and a merely inconvenient experience.

Cold Air Precautions

Living as I do in the frozen wastelands of the northern US, I've seen a lot of bitterly cold winters. We're not Arctic cold, but we experience seasonal temperature swings that require some preparation and forethought. If you're just visiting, you'll probably spend most of your time inside a comfortable building, but getting stuck outside can be dangerous.

Winter travel preparations have been covered here before; check the archives by using the search box in the upper left corner. This post, however, is about a small thing that can make a big difference in your comfort and health. The best part is that you probably already have the equipment, or you can get it for free.

Humans have built-in systems to help preheat and moisturize cold, dry air in our nasal passages, but they can get overwhelmed in extreme weather. The beard and mustache you see in my picture are helpful insulation for my face and neck, but only provide minor help with breathing cold air. 

Those of us who live in areas with cold winters get acclimated over a few weeks of dealing with it, but if you're dropped into it without that time to adjust it can be painful. The human body is mostly water (roughly 70%) so when the really cold air settles in and the humidity follows the temperature to the bottom of the bulb, we lose heat and moisture, aka water, just by breathing. If it's cold enough that you can see your breath, you're losing water.* 

Winter air hitting your lungs can dry out the lining and cause poor oxygen transfer, often causing panting, coughing, or wheezing. Cold air will also cause your airways to tighten or “constrict”, reducing airflow. Lungs don't like cold air; it's not what they were made to handle. Strenuous activity in winter air will tax your airways and can lead to bronchitis, or make you really miserable if you have asthma or COPD.

The simplest thing you can do to take the edge off of the cold air entering your body is to wear a scarf or mask over your mouth and nose. I have family that have COPD and limited lung function as a result of lung cancer, so I have seen what has worked for them and what hasn't.

• The cloth masks that everyone has hanging from their rear-view mirror or stuffed in the glovebox for when they have to wear one to gain entrance to a store will trap some of the heat and moisture of your exhaled breath and transfer it to the next inhalation. 
• The flat paper surgical masks aren't as effective as a close-fitting cloth or N95 dust mask, but are better than nothing.
• Thin, woven scarfs are better at keeping your face and neck warm but will freeze over faster. 
• A thick, knitted scarf will work longer than any mask because it has more surface area for frost to build up on.  
• The old-fashioned ski masks and balaclava are time-tested and efficient, but make you look like a bank robber. 

 I work outside in all weather and have a few wool scarves that I keep handy this time of year. The old Army-issue wool scarves are harder to find now, but they are medium-thick and loosely woven so they are a good middle ground option that works for many situations (even if they are ugly as sin, according to my wife). If you have a crafty friend, or even knit yourself, wool is the best option since it will insulate even when wet.

We've had a fairly mild winter so far this year, but it's not over yet and there's always next year to think of. I may be transferring to a different job which will mean more outside work and travel in the crappiest weather, so my winter preps are getting extra attention.

* Staying hydrated in the winter is another subject that we've covered, so I won't repeat the details. The simplest hydration check is to observe your urine color: the clearer it is, the better. Drink water until you have to pee and keep drinking even if you're not thirsty.

Winter Weather Car Survival

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

Winter is definitely here, even in California. While my part of the state is not cold, the Sierra mountains have quite a bit of snow for this time of year, but even at just a bit over 17ft, this is still short of what is needed to get drought worries put to rest. We haven't had travel problems like those in Virginia, but there certainly have been road closures. Over the holidays, a friend was leery of being stranded and so drove south from the Bay Area, east towards Las Vegas and then north to Reno! I don't know if I would have gone to that extreme to avoid being stuck, but planning ahead is sometimes better than scrambling to find a solution.

Winter Prepping

I said I don't get snow, but this year we are getting rain, and being wet at 50° will get you in trouble almost as fast as being dry inside a 10° car. Being adequately prepared for the areas you will travel through is as important as your normal, day-to-day preps. If you are living in areas that freeze regularly, many of the suggestions from the AAA will be things that are second nature to you, but not so much for us. Some excerpts from the linked page:

Cold Weather Driving Tips

• Keep a bundle of cold-weather gear in your car, such as extra food and water, warm clothing, a flashlight, a glass scraper, blankets, medications, and more.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated and have plenty of tread.
• Keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times.
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface, such as on ice and snow.
  
• Stay home. Only go out if necessary. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.

One of the things I learned the hard way was not to leave my extra water in the trunk when traveling to Reno. While I didn't need any on that trip, it would have been... inconvenient... to need to defrost  it before drinking. Another was to get antifreeze windshield washer fluid, since the standard Rain-x Bug Remover I use will freeze solid, which is enough to damage the little pump.

If You Get Stranded

Since you planned ahead (right?), being stuck will only be an inconvenience and hopefully not life-threatening. More tips from AAA for what to do if you get stuck in the snow:

• Stay with your vehicle: Your vehicle provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Do not try to walk in a severe storm. It is easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost.
• Don’t over exert yourself: When digging out your vehicle, listen to your body and stop if you become tired.
• Be Visible: Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna of your vehicle or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you.
• Clear the Exhaust Pipe: Make sure the exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust pipe can cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment of the vehicle while the engine is running.
• Stay Warm: Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps. Pre-pack blankets and heavy clothing to use in case of an emergency.
• Conserve Fuel: If possible, only run the engine and heater long enough to remove the chill. This will help to conserve fuel.

Nature Calls

Yes, there's the potential for needing to use the toilet when there's no place to go. Believe it or not, there are several different guides on how to deal with this not unexpected situation, and the one I have passed on to several friends is this one from wikiHow. It addresses both men and women's needs, with more details given from a woman's point of view. After several road trips with women of varying degrees of squeamishness, I can tell you that wikiHow covered all the important parts. 

For the budget-minded, mayonnaise jars will also work for a disposable container and from a very small sample group of one, the female 'directing device' works better than expected. The important points recapped:

• If you’re a male (and aren’t driving), you can try peeing out of an open car window. Take note that you’re risking getting caught by authorities, possibly paying a hefty fine.
• If you don’t want to stop the car and pull over, an adult diaper is an alternative option.
• Females squatting by the car should pay attention not to pee onto their pants or shoes.
• For males urinating behind the passenger door: Pointing the stream directly at the ground rather than having it arch out, will avoid the stream sparkling in oncoming headlights, thus drawing less attention.
• If you are female, make sure to open both passenger doors so no passersby see you.
• Make sure you alert the driver before the urge is unbearable, because stopping may not be possible and you could end up peeing your pants.
• You may want to cover up with a blanket when in a car urinating; just make sure you can see what you are doing.
• If you are really desperate, you can use something else with a wide mouth, like a shopping bag.

 Recap And Takeaway

• Add to your normal preps with weather-specific gear when traveling. I put in extra socks, pants and rain coat or poncho.
• Don't forget high calorie, low-bulk and easy to eat snacks. If you're in a cold winter/snow area, a small stove with pots and easily cooked food would be a good addition. Keep your water from freezing, if possible.
• STAY HOME. If you have to travel, be ready for the worst.
• Prep your vehicle as thoroughly as you plan for you and your passengers.

* * *

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If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Diesel Treatment for Cold Weather

Cold weather is finally here. When the temperatures drop to freezing or below, I start to see a lot of customers buying various treatments for their diesel vehicles and storage tanks. I took care of the company vehicles and storage tanks back in October -- it's easier to prepare than to repair -- but some folks just have to put things off until it's an emergency so they have a reason to complain and panic.

Cold Weather Diesel Problems
Once it gets cold enough, diesel fuel will "gel", meaning that the components of the fuel will solidify and fall out of suspension. Normal #2 diesel has a fair percentage of paraffin wax as a component which solidifies easily. Solid wax doesn't flow, so fuel lines and filters tend to get blocked and fuel pumps have a hard time moving it through the injectors. This means that a cold diesel engine won't start or won't stay running once the fuel starts to gel.

The exact temperature of "cold enough" will vary with the grade of fuel, so in the winter most sellers will either switch to the more expensive, wax-free, #1 diesel (kerosene), or they will blend their #2 diesel about 60/40 with #1 diesel to keep the price down while still being able to pump it.*

Lets look at a few of the problem points of #2 diesel.

Cloud Point
At about 32°F, diesel fuel starts to get cloudy due to the wax starting to form solid crystals. Cloudy fuel will flow through pumps and pipes, but will start to plug filters unless those filters are kept warm. Engine efficiency will suffer and fuel mileage will drop because the fuel system is struggling to move enough fuel.

Cold Filter Plug Point
Since a fuel filter is designed to trap particles, once the wax starts to solidify it will get trapped in and blind off the filter. #2 diesel hits this point at about 15°F and engines start to stall... if they'll start at all.

Pour Point
Once the temperature drops down to 0°F, the wax will have gelled to a point that the fuel will no longer flow (or pour). No fuel means an engine will not run.

Fuel Treatment

This is what we have on the shelf at work and can be found in most truck stops.

The white bottles on the left are Power Service diesel supplement. It provides good anti-gelling and stabilizes the fuel for storage, and a one-quart bottle will treat up to 100 gallons of fuel. This is my choice for my diesel truck with a 50 gallon fuel tank.

The red bottles are Power Service 911, and that is used to fix already gelled fuel. The normal method is to remove the fuel filter and pour the 911 into the canister, where it can dissolve the congealed wax and allow fuel flow. The rest of the container, or another one, is dumped into the fuel tank and left to sit for an hour or two so it can do the same to the fuel there.

The clear bottles of brown liquid are Howes Diesel Treat, our best seller. Howes does everything that the Power Serve does, but backs it up with a guarantee that if you run six bottles of it through your equipment and it still gels, they will pay for the tow to get you fixed up. The two-quart bottles shown will treat up to 320 gallons of fuel, which is easier to use in storage tanks and commercial vehicles with large fuel tanks.


If you have a diesel generator or vehicle, winter can make life more difficult. Keep them warm if you can and treat your fuel so they will start when you need them.


* As a point of interest, home heating oil is basically #3 diesel and has even more wax content. This provides more heat per gallon, but gels up faster if unheated.

Glass Windows and Cold Weather

Where I live, the windows change with the seasons for a lot of people. There are some high-tech (very expensive) windows that do everything for you, but most of us still use screens in the spring and storm windows in the fall and winter.

Erin covered how to protect your windows from extreme weather a while back. I have nothing to add to that particular subject, so I'll work with other aspects of window work, specifically older styles.

Storm Windows
Older houses often have permanent brackets mounted on the outside to allow the residents to attach storm windows, which are basically a separate pane and frame assembly that covers the outside of the window in place of the screen and frame assembly used in fair weather. The extra layer of glass and, more importantly, the dead air trapped between the two layers of windows, adds insulation value while creating another barrier to wind and weather.

The glass is almost always single layer and frames are made of wood. Since glass is expensive and hard to ship in large sizes, most windows will be broken up into several small “lights” or pieces of glass. This makes replacing a broken pane easier and cheaper, but adds seams that require more effort to keep sealed. Unless you have a glazier in the family, learning how to replace a broken window pane can be a challenge.

Updated older houses usually have “combination” storm windows. These are generally an aluminum frame with a large, fixed upper pane of glass and a fixed screen on the bottom half, with a sliding glass pane that allows some control of the amount of air flow. Permanently attached, combination storm windows eliminate the seasonal chore of switching screens and storms. Normally single layers of glass, they perform the same insulating function as removable storm windows. Their quality and ease of repair varies drastically with the multitude of “installers” that sold these for many years.

Newer houses have multi-layered windows with built-in screens. Much more efficient at keeping heat on the proper side of the window, these are now standard. Frames are rarely made of wood any more, plastics require less maintenance and last longer than the original owner of a house, so they have replaced wood. Various gasses sealed between the layers of glass are touted as being better, but once the seal breaks you're going to have fun trying to wipe the condensation off of the inner surfaces.

Insulating Windows
A few of the tricks we use up north to keep the cold outside will also help if you're ever in a situation where your house has no heat and you're needing to conserve what you can. They all come down the the same basic idea as clothing: layers. Anything that will trap a layer of air provides insulation value; being able to see through it is a bonus.

Exterior Plastic Sheeting
This is clear or translucent plastic sheeting placed over the outside of a window and held in place with thin strips of wood called lath or strong tape, normally 4-6 mils (thousandths of an inch) thick. There are several types available, with plain plastic and shrinkable plastic being the main difference. Plain plastic needs to be anchored securely and stretched tight to keep it from flapping in the wind; any movement will put stress on the attachment points and can cause tears. Shrinkable plastics can be installed looser and then snugged up by applying gentle heat to make it contract.

If you're expecting severe storms or doing windows on the north side of a house you might want to look into one of the construction sheeting plastics like Visqueen reinforced sheeting. It has a netting of plastic cord embedded in the plastic, making it much more durable.

As tempting as it may be, don't wrap the exterior of your walls with plastic. Creating a complete vapor barrier like that increases your exposure to any toxins in the house (like from emergency heat sources) and will cause condensation and mold on your walls. Houses need to “breathe”, too.

Interior Plastic Sheeting
These can be found on Amazon or in most home improvement stores fairly cheap. They're all “shrinkable” plastics and much thinner (less than 1 mil) than what you'll see used for exterior work. The ones I use at work are crystal clear and do a great job of killing drafts coming through the antique windows in our office. Simply run a strip of double-sided tape around the window, stick the plastic onto the tape (start from the top to make it easier), and run a hair dryer over it to make it shrink to a tight fit. Get extra tape, because the rolls they include in the kits can be shorter than you'll need. I have to use the patio door sized kits for the 4' x 5' windows in our office -- we have more glass than walls.


Keeping a couple of window insulating kits or a roll of sturdy, clear plastic on a shelf could serve you well if you ever have to deal with a broken window for a few days until it gets replaced or need to seal off a room or two to heat in an emergency. It looks better and is a lot more useful than slapping a piece of plywood over the window.

Mouse-Away

It's that time of year again when the weather is cooling off and the mice are moving back to where it's warmer, which means your house and other buildings will be seeing more furry traffic unless you've taken steps to keep them out. 

The main reason I worry about mice is because they can and will destroy my stored preps. Food and clothing are their main targets, but bedding and anything else they can use to make comfy nests are also in danger: books, cardboard, and anything else made of paper will be repurposed as nest lining. They also leave a urine trail where ever they go and I hate the smell of mouse pee.

At work our tractors and medium trucks just don't get used much between the time the crops are harvested and the next batch is planted, so we store them over the winter. Vehicles garaged this way can become infested, and the little buggers just love to chew on electrical wiring, which makes for a fun time when you go to start up next spring. One of their other tricks is to use empty spaces in your vehicle as a storage place for their food; it's a mess trying to clear heater ducts that are full of nuts, grain, dog food, or other dry foods they've found and moved for storage.

In short, mice are a constant problem so we've tested a few ways to keep them out of places. Rather than kill the little furry buggers and have to smell dead, rotting mouse for a week I prefer to keep them out of where I live and work. Mice have poor eyesight so they rely on their sense of smell to navigate, and that is where most methods aim. Pungent or strong odors will make them turn away and look for easier pickings.

Fresh Cab
An herbal/botanical repellent, this one works quite well in vehicle cabs and small spaces. Basically a mesh bag full of sawdust that has been infused with the oils from a Balsam tree, they are good for a month or two in the cab of a tractor or truck. Balsam is a pleasant fragrance, not overpowering or irritating. I've tried placing one in a sealed tote full of winter clothes, and after four months it was still pungent enough to be effective. A bit expensive, one of our local stores carries them in a four-pack box for about $15; Amazon has them for about $25.

Dryer Sheets
Cheap and easy to find, dryer sheets placed between layers of clothes in a storage tote will make the stored clothes smell better while keeping the critters away. Think of them as the modern version of the cachet of flowers used in the past to keep clothes smelling fresh. We have used dryer sheets in a skid loader for several years, and the slow release of fragrance from the sheets means they will last for a month or two.

Dryer sheets are not a good choice for use around stored food unless you want your crackers to taste like "Spring Blossoms" or whatever fragrance they are, as the odor will penetrate cardboard and plastic and get into your food. Metal cans are already mouse-proof, but will keep out the fragrances.

Seasonings

Dried pepper, cinnamon, and other strong-smelling seasonings will work, but they can get expensive. Best used around stored food, their lifespan will vary by the age and strength of the spices you're using. I've seen truckers sprinkle a pound of cinnamon in the box of a van trailer to absorb odors and repel mice, and it works for both.

A subset of seasonings is the mint family of herbs. Peppermint and spearmint oils are used in a couple of commercial repellents and are commonly seen in DIY videos. Placing a few drops of these oils on a cotton ball and placing the cotton ball where needed does deter mice, but the oils evaporate quickly and need to be replaced every few weeks. Avoid getting concentrated mint oil on your skin; it will cause burns and irritation.

Mothballs
You can still find mothballs in some stores, but they aren't as common as they once were. The original napthalene formula is outlawed in the EU because they have declared it a cancer risk, and the newer para-dichlorobenzene formula is an EPA-registered pesticide with evidence of causing cancer as well. The pungent petroleum-based chemical odor kills moths and repels rodents, but both types are flammable and have a distinct odor that some people find offensive. In my opinion, the best use for mothballs is in closets or other open spaces with plenty of clothes to protect.


I've started using a couple of these methods at home in my storage areas, and it has made a difference. Having a few cats around will help, but mine are too well-fed to be interested in hunting mice. 

"It's 4 wheel drive, not 4 wheel stop."

That's an axiom here in the land of the ice and snow, and we had a nasty little storm Sunday night into Monday morning that drove that point home. The storm didn't put down much snow, but it rained first, then got really cold, and then we got a dusting of snow, which resulted in very slick conditions on the roads. It took me 45 minutes to go less than 5 miles on the freeway to the exit where they kicked us off onto surface streets. In that 5 mile stretch of freeway, there were 20 accidents before 6 am, and they kept coming until mid-morning. A disproportionate number of those wrecks involved 4 wheel drive trucks and SUVs.

4 wheel drive is a wonderful asset to have. I've driven exclusively 4x4 vehicles daily for over 15 years, and I will never be without one again. Sadly, their capability can convey a false sense of security to their owners who feel like their large, stable vehicles can go anywhere and do anything. Sadly, this causes them to encounter risks they don't even know they're taking, so I'd like to review what 4 wheel drive can and cannot do.

What 4x4 Can Do
Four wheel drive increases driving traction by delivering power to all four corners of the vehicle. This keeps slipping wheels from spinning in rough or loose terrain. They can also help in rough terrain by invoking gear reduction, increasing torque at the cost of speed. This same gear reduction aids in slowing the vehicle without using the brakes.

What 4x4 Cannot Do, 
or How It Doesn't Help
Four wheel drive does nothing to increase friction between your tires and the surface you're driving on. No matter the gearing or how built your rig is, without friction you won't be stopping. This is the thing that many people forget: they buy big fancy 4x4 rigs and get a false sense of security right up until they hit the car in front of them or a road barrier.

The other issue of concern with a four wheel drive is that with the system engaged, your steering ability greatly diminishes. When your steering wheels are also providing power, turning will be rougher riding and more difficult, especially at low speeds.


Knowing what your vehicle is and isn't capable of will save you a world of hurt.

Lokidude

Yes, it's Winter

It's snowing here, which means the temperature finally got warm enough that it could snow. Below-zero temperatures and six inches of snow make it hard to do much outside that isn't absolutely necessary, so most of my time has been spent indoors this month. What's a prepper to do when it's too early to garden, too late to harvest, and too cold to go outside?

Check Your Supplies

• I've gone through some of my stored goods and cold-weather supplies. Rotating food supplies is an on-going process, not an event, but I found some jars and cans that had been lost in the shadows of the pantry. Soups and stews got a little extra added to them to make use of the odd ingredients that weren't useful alone.
• I have oil lamps as back-up lighting, so I check the stored lamp oil this time of year. Several of the plastic bottles have gotten brittle after mumble years of storage in a dark corner of the basement, so the contents got transferred to metal storage containers like these.
• We went shopping for cold-weather clothing a week ago, as this is the time of year when stores are getting ready for their spring clothing to arrive and the winter clothing is going on sale. Some of my thermal underwear is aging out and got replaced, and I'm still looking for a few more pair of wool socks. I dress in layers, so adding a few long-sleeved T-shirts and some new flannel shirts to the closet was a good investment.

Check Your Gear

• I pulled out the sleeping bags and made sure they were still in good shape. With cold weather we get extremely low humidity, so now is a good time to air them out and know that they will be put away dry.
• Extra blankets have been breeding in my closet for some time. I'm not even sure where some of these came from, but I have plenty stored. A quick check to make sure the vermin are leaving them alone and then running a few through the laundry before putting them back in storage. I like to leave a scented dryer sheet folded in with the blankets; it helps repel rodents and adds a pleasant fragrance.
• My GHB got reorganized back in October before the cold set in, and switching to my spring/summer gear will happen around April. Cleaning and checking that warm-weather gear in its storage tote doesn't take much time or effort and gives me a chance to consider upgrades/changes.
• The winter boots are ready for their mid-season water-proofing. I use Sno-Seal on my leather boots, and it does wear off eventually. Follow the instructions on the can for best result, but the basics are to apply it to clean, dry boots and then place them in a warm spot to allow it to soak in. Getting things clean and dry can take some time in this weather, which is why I have more than one pair of boots.

Check Your Weapons

• The hunting seasons are mostly done around here, so it's time to put some of the toys back in storage. I'm stocked well enough that I can have dedicated defense guns and others for hunting. Putting the hunting guns in the back of the safe means giving them a thorough cleaning and making sure they're properly lubed and rust-proofed.
• Some of the toys haven't been out of the safe for a while, so the cold nights are a good time to scrub the barrels clean of dust and give them a good inspection. The saying is that weapons only have two enemies, rust and politicians, and cleaning and oiling will take care of the rust.
• Several of my rifles shoot corrosive ammo, so I make sure the barrels get cleaned even when I'm not using them. That surplus Russian ammo was cheap when I laid in a lifetime supply, but it requires extra cleaning. The corrosive salts are hard to get completely cleaned out, and running a brush/oiled patch down the bore doesn't take much time.
• My wife thinks I'm just “playing with my toys”, but I'm doing preventative maintenance. Really, I am. This isn't just an excuse to f̵o̵n̵d̵l̵e̵ handle my collection of tools and toys.

Check on Your Tribe

• Winter is a good time to gather with friends and talk. Sitting around a campfire in the fall is ideal, but sharing a meal and some time with fellow preppers is a good way to reconnect and offer/receive aid.
• Winter can be hard on the older and less-well prepared members of your tribe, so take the time to check up on them and make sure they're healthy and doing well. Living up north, we get significantly less daylight during the winter and that can have an effect on people (Seasonal Affective Disorder), so watch for symptoms of increased depression.
• Cabin fever is real and can be an issue. If you have tribe members that are susceptible, find ways to get them out of the house once in a while. Being cooped up with a cranky, hyperactive, and morose roommate is not good for your mental health, so find ways to get them some fresh air.
• If your tribe is scattered like mine, stay in contact as best you can. I've been falling short in this area for a while and am trying to make changes.

Living in the frozen wastes of the northern tier of states isn't ideal, but it's something I've grown up doing. I'll trade the snow and cold for alligators and snakes any day, and I don't have to worry about insects for at least another two months. Spring is coming; we just have to get through the last of winter and it'll be planting season before we know it.

Blizzards (not from Dairy Queen)

Up here in the northern plains we have a weather condition that most of the country doesn't have to deal with: blizzards. The definition of a blizzard is “a severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds of at least 56 km/h (35 mph) and lasting for a prolonged period of time” and I've seen more than a few. 

• 1977 was a nasty one, with no school for a week and the Interstate highways were closed for three days; secondary roads didn't get cleared for a week and some of the country roads were buried for three weeks. 
• 1986 was a sudden blast that surprised a lot people. I was visiting my parents and couldn't make it to the highway for two days. Power lines went down in both of those storms, adding to the experience. 
• 2010 gave us a 12 hour storm that shut down all travel for a day and slowed everything for another three days. If you have a spare hour to watch a documentary, here's one about a blizzard that hit shortly before my time (1949).

We don't normally see the huge snowfalls that occur in the mountains, measuring our normal accumulations in inches rather than feet. We do however see at least one good blizzard up here every year, with the bad years giving us one or two a month from December to March. The natives are used to it and tend to be prepared, but the transplants from the warmer states need to experience one or two blizzards to get the hint.

Snow

We're not talking about the Christmas card type of snow! Blizzards tend to hit hard and fast. Wet air from the Gulf of Mexico meeting cold air from the North Pole is a recipe for snow, and fly-over country is where the two like to dance. Thunder and lightning during a snowstorm is usually a bad sign, since they're indications that there is a lot of energy built up in the storm clouds, so thundersnow is a warning that you need to check your supplies.

A typical blizzard for my area will have 12-20 inches of snow over a day or two, which is enough to cause “white-out” conditions, which is when you look out the window and don't see anything but snow. Falling and blowing snow can cut visibility to less than 10 feet, so travel is not an option.

Wind

The dangerous part of a blizzard is the wind. Once the snow stops falling, the wind pushes it around into drifts that reform as soon as they are cleared. The winds coming down out of Canada have few natural barriers, so anything that sticks up more than a couple of feet will create a drift.

For those of you who have never seen much snow, think of sand dunes and how they shift and form; snow drifts form from the same action of wind, but being made of smaller particles they form faster and have a higher angle of repose which allows them to build to higher, steeper, piles. Sustained winds will reform drifts over roads almost as fast as a plow can clear them, and I've seen this happen many times.

Preparation

How do we prepare for weather like this? The basics don't change: food, water, shelter, and heat are the priorities. There are plenty of articles in our archives that cover these areas, so use the search box in the upper left corner if you want to see them.

Blizzards are a good reason for "bugging in" because "bugging out" is no longer an option. I keep a stocked pantry and more warm clothes/blankets than I really need on hand to stay fed and warm. Water isn't much of an issue as long as it's snowing and my house has a steep roof to shed snow. I also have a good library to keep me entertained, and I can read by oil lamps if the power goes out.

The one abnormal thing that we have to deal with is other people. I live near an Interstate highway, and the DOT installed gates on it a few years ago. When the weather gets too bad, they close the highway and force all of the traffic into small towns. We have limited motel rooms available, so the local community center and high school get turned into emergency shelters for stranded travelers. Society has evolved past the point of people taking strangers into their homes, but if there is any shared relationship or good common friends, it can still happen.

Here's to hoping we have a quiet winter, but preparing for whatever comes our way.

A Little Fun Practice Shelter Assembly

All work and no play makes for some psychotic little preppers, so I decided to make an igloo out of cargo pallets.

Godspeed to you all.

Prudent Prepping: Checkup

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

The weather is finally changing here, just not as fast as some of you seem to be experiencing! Friends in Minnesota said they didn't have their normal two weeks of fall this year; it lasted a weekend, and then went right to winter. Reports from all over are saying if you normally have snow, expect some far sooner than normal if you don't already have some. Since the weather is changing, my preps will be changing too.

Changing Up
What is my normal winter gear? I add a wool sweater, rain gear and extra socks to my GHB. Water and food stay the same as last year, since I'm normally now a manageable one day walk from home. Rain gear and socks go in because it will rain here, eventually.

Checking Up
This is also the time I go over my car for winterizing fixes. I don't usually see temperatures below freezing, but I do travel to the mountains, so window washer fluid that is rated for just a little below freezing is on my shopping list.

Where I live now has very large pine trees that drop sap and pine needles pretty much all year, and so my car has little sticky droplets all over the body and the windows. I have to use a tar and pitch remover before washing and waxing or else I'm just covering up the mess. The windows are especially bad when sap is on them, since light hitting the drops wants to start a microscopic light show in my face. In the heat, the drops soften a little and just smear around: when it's cold in the mornings I don't get the smears, but the wiper blades take a beating trying to clear the mist over the hard sap.

Check Up
I went in to get myself looked over/at recently. It's been a while for a really thorough check up, so the doc went overboard (in my opinion) with what was done. I need to be in shape; not to look good, but to be a benefit to those around me. If you have ever flown, the boring Emergency Speech can be used as a wakeup call for me and others: the part about placing the oxygen mask on yourself and then others applies to life as well. I need to be able to help those close to me in an emergency, and If I'm not in as good a shape as possible, I'm failing what I think is my job.

So, the usual fluid was drawn and a probe was made in the usual uncomfortable place for men. Preliminary results say I'm doing quite well for someone my age: blood pressure is in the lower range, cholesterol is what they say is a little high but they don't want to listen to what I have as hereditary numbers -- my family runs well over 200, with a couple close to 250, and I can keep mine about 180 with a good diet and an OTC supplement. So far I'm blessed to be in fairly good shape, even after crashing motorcycles, Achilles tendon surgery, a dislocated shoulder, and bad thumbs from the crashes. What is important is checking on the diseases and health issues that seem to affect we men in particular. That's why I'm following a movement this month...

Movember
Yes, I'm growing a mustache this month. It's been most of 30 years since I've had a mustache and a friend challenged me to participate this year. There is more to this thing than just growing a mustache; the Movember movement is there to shine a light on more than just Prostate Cancer. Just a small sample from the website:

From the Men's Health sub menu:

At 50, talk to your doctor about prostate cancer and whether it’s right for you to have a PSA test. If you are African American or have a father or brother with prostate cancer, you should be having this conversation at 45. Know your numbers, know your risk, talk to your doctor.

Something that also affects men disproportionately is suicide. From the Mental Health page:

Globally, every minute, a man dies by suicide. In the United States, 75% of suicides are men. 

What can we do? 

Talk. 

Ask. 

Listen. 

Encourage action.

Check in.

Look at the video on the above page. Think about who you talk to and who you can share problems with. I know that most men try to be the Lone Ranger, fighting the good fight by themselves, but having a friend to talk to can make a real difference.

Please look over the entire website, apply what you can, and encourage the men close to you to read it also. Even if you get a late start like me, it's never too late to take care of yourself!

Takeaway And Recap

• Nothing was purchased this month, but I've saved maybe $0.10 in shave cream.
• Take care of yourself first, so you can then care for those around you.

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Love Thy Eggs: New Coop 2019

o.
This week: Keeping my chickens dry and warm.

I just bought a new coop. It’s awesome, complete, and should outlast my desire to need it. However, winter is coming soon and I’m in a rush to get it covered, so I had to do a little thinking on my feet.




Did I mention it was pre-wired? That light bulb survived the trip right where it's at!

Here’s a couple of pics in case you missed it.

Here's that ash I was talking about. Be careful what you burn!

Godspeed to you all.

Prepping for Winter

It's once again that time of year to switch from shorts and T-shirts to wool socks and flannel shirts. Fall is here, and that means winter is not far behind.

Here in fly-over country, the temperatures went from 90 to 55 like they saw a state trooper. Older building will switch from heat in the mornings to air conditioning in the afternoons, and they're predicting the first frost for this weekend. Most of today's post will concern those of us who live in colder regions, so the folks down south can read it for entertainment purposes.

Winter means that most of us have to rethink our daily preps and “change gears” in our thinking about the short-term preps. Staying warm moves up on the list of importance and insects become less of a problem. The BOB/GHB will grow in size as the extra layers of clothes are added. It's time to take stock and see where changes need to be made.

Shelter

• Check your doors and windows, make sure they close and seal properly. Adding a doorsweep/draft stopper to outside doors is an easy project that will keep some of the cold air out of your house. Putting them on interior doors may be an option if you want to close off unused rooms and heat only the ones you're actually living in.
• Heaters need to be checked. If you have a furnace, either have it checked or do it yourself. Change to filters to improve airflow and at least look at the gas lines/ wiring to make sure they are still in good shape.
• If you use fuel to provide heat, it's time to make sure you have enough. Propane and fuel oil tank levels should be checked and wood piles need to be refilled and covered. Natural gas and electrical heat are at the mercy of your utility companies (see David's post from yesterday), so you should look at your backup heat sources.
• Years ago I lived in an old house with water pipes that were so poorly placed that they would freeze when the temperatures dropped down to about 10° F. Frozen pipes means no water and possibly busted pipes, so I had to insulate the vulnerable ones and place heat tapes on most of them. This is the time of year to check the heat tapes and insulation to ensure that vermin haven't destroyed them.
• It's also time to winterize the lawn mower and get out the snow shovels. I don't have enough sidewalk or driveway to warrant a snowblower, but if you have one it's time to get it serviced before everyone panics after the first snowfall. Shovels are simple tools, but they need to be kept clean and straight to work best. I use an aluminum grain shovel for snow and have to smooth out the nicks and dents every year.

Food

• I have a fairly high metabolism, so I change my diet with the weather. It's time to switch to high-calorie foods and warm beverages to stay warm.
• Fats and oils provide dense calories and store better than fresh vegetables, so my menus change with the seasons. As I get older, it takes my body a bit longer to adjust to changes in diet so I try to make the changes slowly.
• Harvest season is in full swing, so there are plenty of locally-grown foods to stock up on. The orchards and farmers markets are open and prices are better than they'll be in a few months. If you can your own food, you're already in full production by now.
• Cold weather and freezing temps means that I can't store water in my vehicles, so I switch to empty water bottles and a way to melt ice and snow.

Vehicles

• Winterizing a vehicle is an annual chore. The most common issue I've run into over the years is weak batteries; once the temps drop below freezing it takes more power to start an engine, so a battery that worked fine all summer will pick the coldest day to die on you. Have your battery tested at an auto parts store and replace it before it leaves you stranded somewhere.
• Modern technology has improved the coolant in most cars, but it still needs to be checked. Any auto parts store will sell you a hygrometer to check the density of your anti-freeze and most oil-change shops will check it for you as part of their service. Add or change your anti-freeze as needed; it's a lot cheaper than replacing a cracked engine.
• Tires have also been improving over the years, but you still need to make sure you have enough tread left to give you traction in mud/snow/ice. Check your tires now, before you need that extra traction.
• Those who live in mountainous regions or drive through them will know what tire chains are and how to use them. If you carry chains, it's time to pull them out and inspect them. Repair or replace worn chains, because having one fail while driving is a nerve-wracking experience that can do serious damage to your car.

Fall is busy for me. My day job is working with farmers, so I'm working long hours and don't get many days off between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. My preps are always a work in progress, so there are some that are closer to what I want to have than others. Keep improving what you have and try to get ready for what is coming -- that's the basics of prepping for me.

The Comfort of Wool

Cold weather has arrived a bit early this year, so I've had to break open the tubs of warm clothing before Thanksgiving. Most years I can get by working outside in November wearing insulated underwear under my jeans and a few more layers on the top half of my body, but not this year. Snow on the ground before Halloween isn't a good sign around here, we're in for a long winter.

I realize that some of you are laughing at me right now, since you live in areas that rarely see snow or temps below 40°F. That's fine; laugh all you want as you're slapping mosquitoes in December. I've lived in a lot of different climates, and know that even in the desert it get cold at night, so I try to plan ahead for cold weather or having to live without heat. The camping trips and other overnight stays in the great outdoors have instilled in me a sense of appreciation for warm clothes. If you ever travel at night in the winter, you should at least have warm clothes in your vehicle bag.

There is an old saying about winter clothing: “cotton kills.” It's based on the fact that cotton loses its insulating value if it gets wet. Sweating in cotton long-johns is a good way to learn about hypothermia, so it's best to avoid either sweating or cotton. Most of my insulated underwear is cotton, but I have learned how to adjust my clothing to avoid sweating in it.

The whole concept of dressing in layers is designed to allow you to remove clothes as you start to warm up, and it's always better to be a bit chilly than to start sweating in winter. The sweet spot is between shivering and sweating, and it varies from person to person. I'm one of the people with single-digit body fat so I don't have a lot of natural insulation, I have to buy my warmth instead.

• Silk is a fair insulator, and I do own a few undershirts and socks made of it. Pleasant on the skin, but expensive and very touchy to wash/dry. Silk socks don't work very well in boots because they're too “slick” and tend to slide around my feet as I walk. Since I don't want to deal with the hassles of wearing garters, I avoid silk socks now.
• Modern fibers like polypropylene (PP) don't absorb moisture and will retain more of their insulating value than cotton when wet, but they aren't as comfortable to wear as a natural fiber. I have PP long-johns, but they're stiff fibers and tend to be more irritating to the skin than natural fibers. 
• Polyester (PE) is one to avoid, since it doesn't “breathe” very well and will trap moisture next to your skin, making you feel clammy and cold.
• Nylon is a tricky one. There are so many different ways to spin nylon into a yarn that it's hard to know how it's going to treat your feet. Basic nylon dress socks are horrible; they don't breathe worth a darn and will trap moisture inside your footwear. Some of the “fluffier” nylon yarns that I've seen fall between the PE and PP fibers for insulation value.
• For basic winter socks, I prefer wool. I've had wool socks last for up to four years of daily wear when properly cared for (the Army used to issue only wool socks, and I wish I had a good source for them now). They're expensive and need to be washed with care, but they breathe enough to allow sweat out and will retain their insulating value even when wet. I've inadvertently tested this several times over the years, by having a foot break through a thin layer of ice and ending up knee-deep in water. You extract your foot, pour the water out of your boot, wring out your socks, and put them back on. While not exactly pleasant, a wet wool sock will keep your foot warm. Cotton and cheap plastic socks need to be dried before putting them back on or you'll lose more heat from your feet than if you went without socks. Wool also has the advantage of being a lot easier to dry with unconventional heat sources; plastic fibers are prone to melting before they get dry near a campfire, while wool and cotton will be completely dry before they start to burn.

This post came about because I haven't had time to do much laundry lately and I ran out of wool socks, so I dug down to the bottom of my cold-weather tubs and found some “insulated” socks that were received as a gift a few years ago. They were cheap and mostly polyester, so while they were abundantly thick and warm for a few hours, by noon I had to change them out because they were wet from the moisture they had trapped inside my boots. The 16 hour days meant that I had to change socks twice during the day and that just meant more laundry to do when I got home. I think those socks are going to be relegated to the rag bin when they come out of the dryer. 

Staying Safe and Warm in Winter

It's winter, and around here we've been breaking low-temperature records for at least a week. There's frost and snow in the Carolinas, the East Coast is gearing up for a blizzard, and there's even a snow forecast for Florida,

Staying warm is nice, but staying warm and safe at the same time should be your goal.

• Every winter we hear of house fires started because of a “faulty” space heater.
• Ice storms and blizzards tend to bring down power lines, causing people to use makeshift sources of heat, often without any forethought.
• Candles being used for light during a power outage and kitchen stoves being used to warm a house when the furnace dies (gas stoves can usually be lit with a match if the electricity is out, but don't try the oven) are two other common causes of winter house fires. 
• At least once a winter, the national news will cover the death of a family asphyxiated by carbon monoxide (CO) from a charcoal grill used as a source of heat inside a house. 

Safety is one reason to prep, so how do we stay safe in winter?

Christmas Decorations

• Christmas is over, so everyone who used a real tree should get the dried up, dead, highly flammable tree out of the house by mid January at the latest. If not, keep watering it daily to reduce the drying.
• Unplug Christmas tree lights when nobody is around to watch the tree, even if you use an artificial tree. Fire retardant doesn't mean fireproof, and those presents wrapped in thin paper will catch any sparks that may fall from a bad string of lights.
• Check your strings of lights every year. Any cracking or fraying of wires means that string goes into the recycle bin or trash. Strings of lights are cheap; cleaning up after even a small fire isn't.
• I've seen “retro” tree displays using real candles for lights. Unless you have a sprinkler system or other fire-suppression system installed in your house, this is a bad idea. It may look cool, but it's a disaster waiting to happen.
• Watch the holiday plants. Poinsettias aren't as poisonous as once thought, but holly berries are toxic.
• American mistletoe isn't poisonous, but its European cousin is. Pets and small children are the usual victims, since they'll eat anything they're not supposed to.

Emergency Heat

• Keep flammables away from any source of emergency heat. Clothes, curtains, blankets, and paper should be kept at least three feet away from any heater.
• If you have a wood stove or fireplace for back-up heat, treat it like any other prep you have by practicing its use before you need it. You're not going to reach for a book on first aid while someone is bleeding, so why would you try to run a wood-burner without practice? I covered wood heat 2 ½ years ago in two articles, and the basics haven't changed since then. 
• Do not use any form of cooking grill inside an occupied building. Charcoal and propane can both produce dangerous levels of CO very quickly. Odorless and invisible, CO kills by blocking your blood's ability to transport oxygen. Even with a good furnace, CO alarms are cheap insurance and I highly recommend putting one next to each of your smoke alarms.
• If you plan on using electric space heaters to warm a small area (keeping your feet warm under a desk, under a sink to keep water pipes from freezing, etc.), make sure you have a newer heater equipped with a tip-over switch. Usually a button on the bottom, the tip switch kills the power if the heater falls over.
• Electric heaters draw a lot of power, so most of them will come with a warning against using extension cords with the heater. Common household extension cords are rated for about 5 amps, while most heaters will draw 10 amps or more. Pushing that much amperage through a too-small wire makes it get hot, creating another fire hazard.

Emergency Lighting

• We've covered a lot of different forms of lighting on this blog. Use the search box in the upper right-hand corner and you'll find reviews and thoughts on flashlights, lanterns, and other forms of light.
• Candles and kerosene lamps are common forms of emergency light, and they both generate a bit of heat. I covered lanterns in my “liquid-fueled light” series a few years ago.
• Any time you are using flame as a source of light, you need to keep children, pets, and stupid people away from them. Kids playing with candles cause a couple of fires every year around here (rural towns in a county with a population less than 6,000).
• Never go to sleep with a candle burning. The Army used to have a duty known as “fire watch” back when we lived in wooden barracks that were built before running water was common inside a house. Someone had to stay awake all night just to watch for fires that could take out an entire building in a matter of minutes. Not a bad idea if you're using open fire as a source of light or heat.
• If you're using a battery-powered light for back-up, make sure you have plenty of spare batteries. I tend to buy AA and AAA batteries in bulk packs of 30 or more to save money, and the plastic boxes they come in keep them from being scattered in the junk drawer.

Prepping for winter is just another item on the list where I live, but I know some of you don't normally get temperatures below freezing and the rare winters when you do can be a bit of a shock. Stay safe when you prep for the out-of-the-ordinary weather.