THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 19, 1996 TAG: 9602170101
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TECH TRACK
GADGETS AND GIZMOS FOR THE NEXT CENTURY
SOURCE: BY JAMES SCHULTZ, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
MAYBE YOU WERE AMONG the thousands of Hampton Roads residents left shivering in unheated homes after the most recent ice and snow storm. Cold as you were, you probably didn't consider a backup heating system, figuring that it would be too expensive and too complicated to install.
Not so, says Byron Roberts, director of marketing for Commonwealth Propane in Richmond. A new generation of inexpensive, unvented heaters that run on either propane or natural gas could keep you toasty even as icicles grow from your eaves.
You won't need batteries or a generator. Nearly all of these ``zone'' heaters come with a mechanical spark igniter that works without electricity.
There are two main types: a radiant heater, which uses gas flames to warm a ceramic material, which in turn heats the surrounding air; or a convection heater, in which the flames heat the air directly.
These heaters run anywhere from $250 to $1,500 and can be put in living rooms, bedrooms, even bathrooms. If you already heat with natural gas, you can run lines directly to the devices. If not, an outside propane-supply tank can be installed, with tubing under crawl spaces and through walls that hooks to the heaters.
A key safety feature that makes the unvented heaters practical is a built-in oxygen-depletion sensor. The heaters are designed to emit practically no harmful gases. But if there's insufficient air flow, a large heater in a small room could cause a buildup of deadly carbon monoxide. In that case, the depletion sensor shuts down the device and keeps it off until the air is breathable.
According to Roberts, cost of storage tank and connective tubing for one heater, including labor (``This is not a do-it-yourself project,'' he says), should run no more than $100 for an ``average'' house. If you have a large home, or many rooms to warm, expect to pay more.
You can find the unvented heaters at most home supply, hardware or similar stores. And Commonwealth Propane or its competitors would be more than happy to sell you one as well. MEMO: ``Tech Track'' will appear every Monday in the Daily Break. Readers
with ideas for future columns are invited to contact staff science and
technology writer James Schultz at (804) 446-2599, or via e-mail at
schultz(AT)infi.net
ILLUSTRATION: DUCANE COMPANY, INC.
No power, but toasty: these gas heaters don't need electricity.
by CNB