# Insulating/heating a squat



## Des (Oct 5, 2018)

What up y’all? Can anyone point me in the direction/give me any advice on insulating or heating a squat for winter? Ive heard sealing up the windows can help but one of the folks squatting with us is pretty sensitive to cold and I’d like to make this as doable as possible for them


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## Thewalkindude (Oct 5, 2018)

Dude were you at the occupy protest in Portland around late july? You look mad familiar


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## Des (Oct 5, 2018)

Get at me privately lol


Thewalkindude said:


> Dude were you at the occupy protest in Portland around late july? You look mad familiar


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## Jackthereaper (Oct 5, 2018)

Rocket mass heaters have worked well in squats for me, keep them near supported areas of wall or in a basement. They get heavy, but keep any space super toast for nearly free to build and just splitting wood to keep warm. 

For the windows, doors, etc just go ahead and put plastic up for now and gather materials to use as insulation as you build up


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## Des (Oct 6, 2018)

Jackthereaper said:


> Rocket mass heaters have worked well in squats for me, keep them near supported areas of wall or in a basement. They get heavy, but keep any space super toast for nearly free to build and just splitting wood to keep warm.
> 
> For the windows, doors, etc just go ahead and put plastic up for now and gather materials to use as insulation as you build up


Thanks so much


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## ScumRag (Oct 6, 2018)

Be careful of kerosene heaters- altho they're great distributors you have to keep a window open so ya don't asphixiate yourself at night... Also remember to turn those fuckers off before then

I squatted three years with them... Never a problem but the cost of kerosene has skyrocketed since we used them


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## ScumRag (Oct 6, 2018)

Something else Ive seen in older homes is to board up a window from inside with surplus plywood sheets then stapling r25 insulation over it + tucking the insulation into crevices or gaps where air comes in...

Also this great heat-powered fan excellent to keep the air circulating (i don't know if $$$ is an issue but it runs about $50) it saved our ass with a barrell stove

VODA 4-Blade Heat Powered Stove Fan for Wood/Log Burner/Fireplace Increases 80% More Warm air Than 2 Blade Fan- Eco Friendly 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CD2AIV8/


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## japanarchist (Oct 6, 2018)

Yo! Yeah tape up any areas where air can seep through, and totally hit all the windows with plastic. If you have some sort of cloths then put them against the bottom crack of the doors to prevent drift from coming in from outside. If you can find some insulation like this then use it to sleep on, it should keep you nice and toasty, along with a sleeping bag and nice blanket. A propane heater could also work, but you would want to be as careful as possible with those and make sure there is some ventilation and nothing is near it to prevent fires.


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## Ezra Fyre (Oct 6, 2018)

Sleeping on insulation - LOTS of blankets, plastic, cardboard between you and the insulation - that shit wreaks hell in your lungs - gotta remember, it's basically spun glass! You don't cough that back out.

Tip#1 - Raise the sleeping area... Heat rises and floors are cold!! You can use milk crates - flip em upside down. They're designed to support weight top to bottom, NOT side to side - they're less likely to collapse on you upside down, plus you get the flat surface to bed on. Tie or wire them together & they won't shift around and separate on you. (That insulation idea? ...) You can fill the inside of the crates with insulating material, insulation, foams, even balled up newspapers will help. Remember it's the trapped air that makes insulation work - so you don't want compacted fillers! Go 2 crates high & you'll do wonders for getting out of drafts and staying off cold floors.

Tip #2 - Reduce the size of the space! The larger the area you're trying to keep warm the harder it is to heat! ... Wood, or string & tarps, or even plastic - you can create false walls to reduce the area you're heating. (That insulation idea again..) Tarp + Insulation + plastic sheeting [tape together sandwiching insulation in the middle] = insulated hangable false wall

#3 be EXTREMELY cautious of where heaters are placed!!! Squatters do ridiculous amounts of "causing fires" - either flat out open flames, like candles in tents - faulty extension cords, or flame producing heaters ... Even electrics placed too near things!! Be SUPER careful with where you put your heaters... Flammable items shouldn't be within three feet of electric heaters, or five feet of flame heaters! For safety sake, don't kill yourselves trying to stay warm! Hundreds die every year like that.

Tip #4, don't try to heat with things designed to be something other than heaters... Aka, electric skillet, or what have you. They're not designed to run as long as necessary to provide sufficient heat - you will break/melt the item if you're lucky & set your squat on fire if you're not. Back to tip 3 & don't be a casualty of your own attempt to keep warm.

Tip #5, don't leave it running/burning/etc when you're not there/asleep... Yes, it's great to come back to somewhere warm - but you run a serious risk of not having somewhere to come back to if you leave heat sources unattended.

Tip #6- have a charged cell phone. Even one with no service will call 911. (Just incase ;-) )

Tip#7 - 2/3 of your bedding/blankets should be underneath you. I know it seems contrary, yet its true. That whole "ground is cold" thing... You need more to prevent the cold beneath you leeching your heat away, than you do blankets around you to keep your heat in.

Tip #8, When SAFE to do so - Sleep with as little clothing on as possible. Again, seems counter intuitive - you can have your clothes in the blanket with you (so they're warm to put back on) BUT - the less you have on your person the more effectively you will heat your bed and blanket space... You'll be warm, because the air around you will be warmed by you! Only effective if you're not trapping it all next to yourself, with tight clothing, that'll help the cold leech heat.

Tip #9 - Share your bed space! (Respectfully!) - two or more bodies will work together to heat the bed efficiently. Again minimal clothing. 
... Fastest way to safely treat hypothermia is body to body contact, with insulating layered around the bodies... Never knock the benefits of a plutonic bed buddy when its winter! & If you don't trust your road dawgs this well you should probably be travelling with different people!

Tip #10 - for fuck sake - Winter Somewhere Warmer!! Lol 

.... If you didn't figure it out 9 tips ago, i HATE being cold too!!! - fuck, i freeze in a house, with heaters, in Nola! (Bastards don't understand insulation at all! They compare it to putting on a down jacket in 110° heat - insisting that's what'll happen to the house come summer... Run 10 AC units & bitch constantly the units are broken.... Sigh!)


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## Jackthereaper (Oct 6, 2018)

Wait, people use insulation as blankets? When i installed insulation back in ny i would need 2 showers just to stop itching and i covered as much skin as possible. Sleeping in the stuff sounds awful!

I def prefer to experience winter vs be warm all the time. Thermals can make you warmer, cant take off skin when its too hot..

If you check craigslist you can probably find a woodstove and some “A” vent for cheap and install that.

In a squat i always put a safe wood / kerosene heater first then worry about keeping cold out.


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## ScumRag (Oct 6, 2018)

Also remember the Japanese adage: 
"Heat the body, not the space"

Warming foods for winter:
Hot tea, cooking with cayenne pepper, etc


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