Cold Weather Report 2017

[SunTime]

Two layers of wool felt in our 19ft 5wall Mongolian yurt then 24oz cotton canvas. Jotul 602 cast iron wood stove. Outside temp was 2 degrees fahrenheit. We left about 6 inches of snow on the roof for several days to help with

insulation

. Inside temp when the stove was running was about 75-80 degrees. Morning time the yurt would be in the 50's. Normally we have a space heater turn on when the yurt gets below 50 degrees but it didn't during the coldest several days I think because of the built up snow.

[Wintergreen282]

I'm in a 24' White Mountain Yurt in the lakes region of NH - with the winter package and an insulated platform about 3' off the ground. The past 3 winters I've enclosed the platform with a ring of bagged leaves and brown tarp. Probably kept it a bit warmer, but the mice were a battle all winter. This year I left the platform open and no mice. Yay!

For heat, I have a small wood stove - a Vogelzang TR-001. I could probably use a bigger stove on some bitter nights, but like being able to keep it burning hot (less creosote build up) for more of the season. Also because I live here, I'm not trying to thaw a yurt frozen solid because it's unheated all week. One might need a bigger stove for that.

Each fall when it gets cold and windy, I go around the inside of the yurt and look for drafts and plug those. That makes a big difference. Rugs on the floor help too, as Jay Aimes said. I personally make generous use of hot water bottles - to heat the bed at night and again in the morning while having tea and checking email - waiting for the stove to get going. Basically anytime I'm sitting still and need more warmth, I use a hot water bottle.

Built pegs to hang things over by the stove like boots and winter gear - both to dry, if wet, or just to keep warm. (Being super careful they will not fall on the stove!). Would love to have radiant heat, but off-grid, so slippers are a must. Also warm clothes as needed. Yurts do get super toasty, but - at least for me - huge temperature variations most days. Because they are tents, right Bob?

[Bob Rowlands]

It has been unseasonably warm here in Colorado Springs excepting a few cold days here and there. I mean up to 70! degrees in December is down right weird. Nice, but weird. I'd rather have the mountains getting totally pummeled since that is several western states water supply.

My yurt won't hold heat for squat. If I actually lived in it, it would be tight and insulated for certain. If it was tight and insulated my little fireplace wood stove insert would surely suffice to heat a small 16' yurt.

You all have a good one. Bob

[Ivan]

We have standard foil backed bubble wrap , on walls and ceiling, and 1-1/2" rigid foiled back insul. under the floor.. Probably need to improve the installation, as there are spaces ( small) . Originally bough a used small Dutch West wood stove (7800 btu-26,000 btu) .. The stove works well, just would rather have purchased a larger one, as this one starts getting cool around 2 am. Burn time at a hot level is around 5 hours.. I have not noticed any drafts at all, so happy about that..

[Jafo]

I hear you about the air leakage with a stove. I ended up putting in an outdoor kit on my stove so it would grab combustion air from the outside. That worked wonders.

[Jay Aimes]

That's brilliant, I'll look into doing that with mine.
Thanks Jafo

[Ivan]

Probably a good idea to check out when we return. although you can see we are still pretty comfortable :-)

[Stea]

Finally got a pic of the stove. I was wondering about an outside air source but I don't think mine has provisions for it.

[Bob Rowlands]

Nice photo. I'll jsut fixin to start a fire in our fireplace in just a few minutes. Dang it's cold here now, and I worked outside better quite a bit today. Brrrrr....

As for ext air, there would be a supply port on the stove. If you don't see one, well....go ahead and enjoy the fire and warmth anyway.

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by Stea

Finally got a pic of the stove. I was wondering about an outside air source but I don't think mine has provisions for it.

You should get a metal wood ring. You can usually find them at yard sales or on Craigslist. I got one for my camp for $5. Keeps the wood off the floor let's you store more inside.

Example: