For the emergency prepper, the harsh cold months are a season staple. While you can prep yourself for an emergency by building a backyard bunker or a survival garden, there’s very little that can be done to shield one’s self from the teeth-chattering cold, or is there? Portable heaters that run on electricity are a common sight in households in cold climates. But, plugging in an electric space heater is not going to cut it once the power is down. Therefore, during emergency situations, a battery operated heater is far more useful.
Your Guide to a Battery Operated Heater
A battery powered heater can be used to heat a room or a bunker with ease during an emergency situation where the electricity is cut off for a few days. While there are quite a few options in battery operated heaters available in the market today, you don’t want to get one that runs out of juice after a few minutes. To make sure that doesn’t happen, here you are going to find all the information you need on getting a Battery operated heater.
How Does a Battery Operated Heater Work?
A Battery operated heater uses electric resistance heating as in, electricity to create heat. The current from the battery goes through a high resistance coil otherwise called a heating element, and it resists the electrical charge, which makes it heat up. While this process tends to use up a lot of electrical power it does help as a short-term emergency solution.
Portable Battery Operated Heaters
The following are some of the choices you have when it comes to choosing a battery operated heater.
Mr. Heater F215100 MH4B Little Buddy
Mr. Heater is a well-known name when it comes to battery operated heaters. The Mr. Heater F215100 MH4B Little Buddy portable heater is the go-to choice for those who are looking to keep warm in small rooms, garages, tents, cabins, bunkers and so on. This has left its predecessors in the dust in terms of quality and heating capacity and can heat up a 95 sq. ft room. The best part about this portable heater is that is has passed multiple quality tests to ensure its safety. The heater features a low-oxygen shut-off mechanism that kicks in if the sensors detect a low level of oxygen where it’s operating. There’s also an accidental tip-over shutoff feature that’s another nifty addition to the portable heater.
Lasko CD09250 Ceramic Portable Space Heater
The Lasko brings 1500 watts of comforting warmth to a small room or tent. The heater features 11 temperature settings that allow you to get the best in comfort. There’s also an adjustable thermostat and a built-in safety feature that automatically switches off the heater to avoid over-heating and battery drain.
Letouch Rechargeable Hand Warmer 5200mAh /7800mAh Power Bank
If you’re looking for a heater that’s slightly smaller and for single-person use, then the Letouch rechargeable hand warmer is just the thing you’re looking for. This heater comes in two types – the 5200mAh and the larger 7800mAh handwarmer offers three temperature levels. The quick heating technology makes it heat up in less than three seconds and shut off automatically after an hour to save battery life. Its small size means it can fit easily in your pocket and keep you warm for hours.
Outdoors Way Portable Hand Warmer
The portable hand warmer has been designed specifically for hiking and camping enthusiasts. With two heat settings – 105-degrees and 115-degrees, this portable hand warmer from Outdoors Way will keep you from freezing in the cold while outdoors. The portable heater is easy to use and includes a flashlight, along with an SOS strobe that can come in handy during an emergency.
Things to Consider with a Battery Operated Heater
While using a portable battery operated heater is relatively safe, there are some things to consider before you purchase the heater.
Chance of a Fire
No, a battery operated heater is not going to burst into flames whenever it gets too hot, but like an electric powered heater, there’s always a risk of it catching fire. It’s important to not place any flammable objects close to the heat source. You should also invest in a fire extinguisher for added safety.
Water
Few people know this but using a heater indoors can also lead to a buildup of water vapor in the air. That’s why it’s common for those who use propane heaters to have issues with a buildup of moisture that’s visible on windows. This can also result in the buildup of slippery floors if they are colder than the air.
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Buildup
One of the downsides of using a battery operated heater or any heater for that matter is that it impacts the amount of oxygen in a closed space. This means that the heater ends up burning oxygen and creating carbon dioxide, which can be dangerous if you are in a sealed environment such as a bunker. But, there are certain heaters such as those mentioned above that have specially build sensors which detect the buildup of carbon dioxide in the air and shuts down the heater, allowing carbon dioxide to escape and oxygen to enter. It is important to remember that the buildup of carbon dioxide can be fatal in tight spaces that are less than 20 x 20 feet wide.
Stay Safe
To stay safe from the dangers of a battery operated heater it’s smart to get a carbon monoxide detector along with it. While this may be expensive, but it will be useful in detecting both carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) levels in a living space.
Final Thoughts
Getting a battery operated heater is going to be essential to make sure your family stays safe and warm once the temperature drops outside. That said, being wary of safety hazards with improper use of the battery powered heater will ensure that you are able to get the most out of your heater. To keep you and your family safe it is important to always go with portable heaters that have been tested, certified and meet certain quality standards.