A Portable Propane Heater for Camping Enthusiasts

For those folks who love camping, a portable propane heater can be a life saver when the weather turns bad, providing fast heat to dry out wet clothes, warm you up and make you more comfortable. But which one do you choose and what are the most important factors that come into play when making that decision?

This article takes a look at some of the more important points that would govern your decision on the right camping propane heater for your needs. It also provides some recommendations on popular models to give you a better idea what there is available for you.

Benefits of Portable Propane Heaters for Campers

Getting back to nature and camping out in a tent can be a great experience as long as you take the bare essentials along to make it as comfortable as possible without bringing everything including the kitchen sink. It beats going in an RV which is just a home away from home but on wheels!

But when things turn cold and worse, wet as well, you might thank providence for deciding to bring a portable heater with you for comfort. There are several benefits to choosing this type of heat source for when you decide to get out in the wilds away from the conveniences of modern life, so let's take a look here:

• Inexpensive: They don't cost much to buy and propane refills are relatively cheap too
• Lightweight: Modern portable gas heaters are compact and don't weigh much
• Convenient: Simple to use when you're away from civilization's conveniences
• Availability of fuel: You can get gas refills in hardware stores everywhere
• Off Grid: No electricity outlets in the boonies. But with propane, you carry your fuel with you

So you see there are plenty of great reasons to chose a small, lightweight gas heater to take camping with you. They don't costs much to buy or to run and they provide much needed heat when you need it, fast!

Are Camping Gas Heaters Safe?

Modern propane fuelled portable heaters are far safer than they used to be, with the latest safety features built into their design. Units are sealed against leaks and while general safety precautions should be adhered to inside a tent, these devices can still get hot to the touch and cause skin burns if you come into prolonged contact with them.

Some of the better units can also resist being accidentally knocked over without setting light to the contents of your tent with a tip-over safety shut off, although you may not want to test that feature out.

What About Fuel Economy?

Being concerned about how effectively a heater uses its fuel is important because when you are off grid. That's because you may be many miles from the nearest hardware store and a refill.

So you need to make the fuel last as long as possible while still providing the heat you need from a compact unit. Modern units burn at high efficiency meaning more of the fuel is converted into heat. That simply means the fuel you have will last longer.

As an example, the compact Little Buddy portable model (Mr Heater Corp) can run for 5 1/2 hours at 3800 btu/hour on a standard 16 oz. disposable cylinder. You might want to read more about this particular model - we feature it in a separate article.

Ventless Propane Heaters Safety First

For heating small to medium spaces in the home quickly, portable ventless propane heaters are tough to beat. We look at the safety issues you should be aware of before using one of these heating units in your home.

It can be very tempting when you come home to a cold house in the evening to fire up a propane heater in the room you will be spending most of the evening in to get it warm. That's fine as long as you observe some of the safety essentials that go along with using one of these heaters indoors.

Understanding the Dangers

The common mistake people make is to close the door and make sure the windows are tightly closed, essentially sealing off the room from drafts and any way of cold outside air getting in. That may be fine if you're heating the room with an electric heater, or a fitted wood burning or gas heater that is vented to the outside.

However, in many cases people are using portable indoor propane heaters that are vent free, meaning they do not vent any unburned or exhaust gas to the outside. And that means the gas stays in the room and builds up in the atmosphere over time.

In new models and those that have been serviced regularly, this is often not so much of a problem as the level of carbon monoxide gas emissions, which is the main danger to be aware of, are generally fairly low. But in older units and those that have not been serviced recently, more of the fuel is not completely and efficiently burned and greater levels of carbon monoxide are given off.

What's So Bad About Carbon Monoxide?

When this gas (CO) is inhaled an any great quantity, such as by standing at the roadside where there is busy automobile traffic, smoking tobacco or being in a sealed room with an old, inefficient gas heater that is not vented to the outside, the body is adversely affected. The inhalation of this gas causes the molecules to saturate the bloodstream, depriving the brain and internal organs of oxygen.

That's because the CO molecules are smaller than those of oxygen and are more easily absorbed by the blood. They attach themselves to the red blood cells and prevent oxygen molecules from doing so, creating oxygen starvation.

When your body becomes deprived of oxygen and saturated with carbon monoxide, you can lose consciousness and if the situation is not rectified over the next few hours, you can die. So you see this is extremely serious!

How Can You Tell If Your Propane Heater is Giving Off Carbon Monoxide?

The best way to test for high levels of carbon monoxide is to buy a CO alarm. These are similar to smoke alarms and are available in most hardware stores and supermarkets. They are quite inexpensive and can literally save your life!

If you don't have an alarm but are using a non-vented propane heater in your home, you can reduce the risk by not closing the door or leaving a window open slightly to let a little fresh air circulate around the room.

Early warning symptoms of carbon monoxide inhalation are drowsiness and a headache. If you experience these symptoms while occupying a room with an unvented propane heater, get up and open the door, go outside and breathe in some fresh air. Stop using the heater until you can get it serviced by a professional, or replace is with a new model.

In all cases, remember that portable heaters should be treated with due respect and safety should be uppermost in your mind. Be aware, be ready and be safe!