Gas Fires (for heating)

[Meandering]

Hi, I am new to this forum group (5 mins) and would like some advice regarding heating onboard narrowboats. I am just about to make the transition from the caravan world to the boating world and have been doing some research into the various options regarding the prime pieces of equipment on board. The one big difference I am seeing is the lack of use of gas, both of heating and refrigeration. Is this due to the humidity problems caused by the use of gas or other consideration?

[dor]

The big difference between a caravan and a boat is that you can't have a hole in the floor. LPG is heavier than air, and so can lie in the bilges and present an explosion risk.

 

Condensation can also be a problem. For these two reasons along with CO it is not normal to have open gas fires on boats. Gas fridges are however quite common, as are gas CH boilers.

[MikeV]

There are quite strict safety requirements covered by the Boat Safety Scheme on the installation of gas appliances. Wherever possible gas appliances should use air from outside the boat and return the exhaust gases outside the boat and be sealed from the interior. Obviously gas hobs and ovens are an exception.

 

Diesel heating is much more common on boats with Webasto, Eberspacher and Mikuni, among others, other being popular heaters.

 

Best of all, however, is a stove which can burn wood or coal, although diesels versions of these are also available if you don't like the hassle of cleaning them out.

[Meandering]

Thanks for the comments.