⚠️ Storm Éowyn - Fri 24.01.25 (**Please read Mod Instruction in OP.**)

Id say any of the standard (superser style) gas heaters would work the same. They all run the risk of carbon monoxide and humidity building up in your house, especially if your house is a modern sealed one.
I was toying with the idea of connecting the oil boiler to a battery & inverter. In theory a simple old car battery with a cheap halfords inverter could run the oil heating for a few days easily enough for less than EUR100. But I've to figure out which of the boilers cables need to be cut to get plugs installed on them.

If you have a modern sealed house then ventilation is provided by electrically powered mhrv units. If power goes for any length of time you'll have humidity problems unless you crack a few windows or open the doors now and again to let fresh air in.

I wonder should planning laws be reevaluated for any new housing built in remote storm /black out prone locations to ensure they have a back up non electric heating option

Yeah I know, I just thought I'd try it out as it's not as massive as the other gusts table so it doesn't have to compress but doesn't look like that makes a difference. It was simpler when we had to use Imgur to embed our images into posts. Here it is, need to go into the tweet as it's a very wide table.

Get a kerosene (paraffin heater). A standalone 2kw can be picked up occasionally (Amazon special) for just over half of what ShedsDirect or McLoughlins sell them for but they are wick type (ps both companies are and have been great over the years). Perfectly safe but not as userfriendly , child / pet friendly as an atomising one such as an Inverter. See Sheds Direct range. I have one since 2010, got it at the start of the big freeze and was the only house out of 130 houses with running water due to having this Inverter 5006 running in the hallway with the attic cracked open... I know as the Civil Defence marvelled that I still had water. These ones need mains power for both initial start (750w surge) and then fan assist (30w). I now run it from an Anker 757 when needed.

Note that many websites tell you not to use standard kerosene in a paraffin heater. Day in day out, you certainly should not. Far more sulphur, also does gum up the atomising burners over time (though a small drop of Dipetane sorts that). But for short-term emergency use, to be warm??? Yes, it works fine. Its works GREAT. And ai can attest to using it every now and then since 2010 when I have needed to. Always have at least 2 carbon monoxide alarms on the go and then rest easy. Mine has never set one off, though an Ecograte I ran years ago did once. And scared me sh1tless.

Anyone planning to buy batteries and inverters, just buy a simple and high quality solar powerstation such as an Anker 757 or 767. Then buy a simple x frame generator (€300 max in Screwfix) and a few solar panels with the right VOC. When its winter, use the generator to fast charge the likes of an Anker in an hour or so. And run them high, not on Eco. Thats a better use of fuel when charging up a fast charge battery chemistry.

Another tip is to buy a fully featured solar powerstation (in terms of connections, surge power etc but dont worry about the watt hours. For lots of backup power, you just then buy a big cheap 24v or 48v battery and run a pos /neg wire into an xt60 connection and, bingo, you have current flowing into the 12v pack. Or you can just buy the proprietary battery packs but that's where you lose money after gaining so much on the main device (don't waste your time as a newbie messing with batteries and inverters. Its hard to beat a well priced solar powerstation lately).

Wait til early summer and you will pick off nicely priced Anker stuff for 25% discounts easy. Through Euronics is how I went. Heavins for Anker 757, Beattys for Anker 5521.

Ps for gas stoves, check out McEoin in Dingle. Absolutely topnotch sellers. Faster and better than Amazon. I have 4 Camp Bistro and a few slabs of CP250 canisters from them. Have ordered a few times from them; I use one in my home office, another for my elderly mother for tea/cooking (in powercuts!) and 2 more for mercy missions. Family/neighbours.

I also bought an outdoor camp stove (outbacker) last year which I use for Saturday /Sunday morning fryups and summer's night cooking. Or just having brandy and a cigar as I watch the stars and half-chill (the back side 😁 ). Puts out close to 3kw of heat which, in a shed would be a great warmer and also a great way of cooking and boiling water.

Ps the smallest Anker I have, the 5521, runs a 30w telly for 5 hours for my elderly mother and has also been used to run a double electric blanket for 2 hours with plenty left. Its very useful (at €180) but not as useful at current €280. So be patient and then buy yourself some 240v limited power.

Confession: I am a prepper. I have almost all of my mobile phones over the years and a backup car for a backup car. It doesn't take much money, its a mindset. 2 is 1 and 1 is none my friends.

That's a slightly ridiculous answer in fairness. A bit like complaining to the milkman for running late as you'd no milk for your breakfast.

I mind an elderly relative, my mother. It behoves me to be a man and not fall prey to the victim mindset.

@Pretzill

Very happy to hear it. Delighted for you ☺️

It would be fantastic Mods if there could be a Storm -Lessons learned (from user perspective, not policy) and How Tos. We all have lots of knowledge to give. I know there's a prepping forum but this seems like a far more mainstream requirement. Giving those who have been corralled by government policy a little more flexibility and options.

E.g a transfer switch, e.g a battery for their solar setup, or just a plain old battery pack for running a few bits. How to use a generator (monthly or quarterly maintenance running). Keeping everything charged, keeping old phones/devices. Etc etc.

Edit: I meant to primarily say learning lessons from.the likes of you @Pretzill as day 3 without power is a whole magnitude lower than day 14. In terms of planning, adapting, rationing, psychology, managing dependants needs and expectations. Etc

Eh. I know. Sarcasm.

Would have to show a soaked coat to get two words from that list in any other way I guess.

Whatever about eating it, that goat is toast!

Do you want a prize or something?

Maybe a free swing at you?

Spare a thought for Port Hedland and surrounding areas of Western Australia as a category 5 cyclone looks like it's about to hit.

3 weeks and still without broadband.

Here, on Mayo/Roscommon border, plenty of poles still broken, cables too. Not a single Eir (or subcontractor's) car/van even came to assess the damage. Having fixed wireless connection is good thing at the moment. The fibre for my area is estimated to become available Q2 2026. Will go for it, but will also keep one of my fixed wireless ISPs as a backup.

it should be brought up on the dail. Beside me there must be 1 km of cabling down and poles down from eircom. Thankfully we gave up on Eir along time ago but I feel like calling them to say their expensive cable is being stolen . They might come out quicker knowing their copper wires are making someone else money . it’s closer to a month ago since the storm .
we were meant to be part of the national broadband for 2026 but I’m assuming that fibre rollout won’t happen either .