Three Ways to Heat Your Tiny House
Your in the process of designing your tiny house and one of the issues you must decide is how to heat your small space. “Normal” central heat or wood stoves, etc. just produce to much heat for your small space. So what are some of your options? Following are some ideas for using wood, gas, propane and electric heat.
Wood
The original Very Small Woodstove is the Jotul 602, from Norway. This model is a mere 12 inches wide, 19 inches deep. They are found most often in cottages and cabins in the woods, where the 602’s good looks are a highlight. It’s been around almost forever. Although very small it can heat amazingly well.
Jotul 602
12 x 19
$700
Available from Jotul
The tiniest very small woodstoves are those built for boats. These are designed for very tight quarters, and often have a railing on the top to keep pots from rolling off. Here is a typical one from the Canadian coast measuring all of 12 inches by 12 inches. They are made of cast iron and porcelain and are so cute and enchanting, folks have thought of getting a sailboat just so they need one. You can use one in your tiny house just as easily.
Sardine
12 x 12
$650
Available from Marine Stove
Gas/Propane
Propane is also popular in tiny houses and Jay Shafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House fame uses the Newport Propane Fireplace. This lovely little heater/fireplace. Ideal for boats up to 30/32 ft. The combustion process is completely isolated from the inside of the boat by the unique, direct vent design. A built-in blower provides good heat circulation. Heater is sold with all accessories including a stainless steel backing plate and 28″ of flexible, double stainless chimney. Safe, easy to use and extremely economical.
Newport Propane Fireplace (P9000)
17 x 9
$1044
Available from Dickson Marine
Gas is also an option and Woodstock Soapstone Company has the perfect little stove for tiny spaces called the Cottage Mini Soapstone Gas Stove.
It’s 8,000 BTU heat output is perfect for a cozy, intimate area
It takes up little space (it can be installed on a stand or wall- mounted shelf)
It’s a handsome design
The Mini Franklin will bring warmth, grace, and style to any room setting. Its small fire will add ambiance and though it is just 17″ tall, it will produce almost 8,000 BTU/hr!
Cottage Mini
17 x 14
$1049
Available from Woodstock Soapstone Company
Electric
There are many small electric heaters that will work extremely well in your tiny house. Following are a couple examples available at your local Walmart. Electric heaters cost much less than the above wood stoves and propane or gas stoves. If electricity is easily available this might be your most affordable option.
OIL- FILLED RADIATOR
De’Longhi EW0715W Safeheat Oil-Filled Radiator features Patented Easy Snap Wheels, Adjustable Thermostat and Three Heat Settings
$39.87
Available from Walmart
Titan Ceramic Heater with Thermostat #TCM16W-U
Compact yet powerful, this ceramic heater sports a thermostat that lets you choose how much heat you want.
$18.44
Available from Walmart
Toe Kick Heater
Qmark QTS1500T Electric Kickspace Heater (120 Volts)
$156
A toe-space heater will fit where no other heater will. It can be recessed into toe space areas under kitchen or utility room cabinets or into the soffit area above them.
It can also be recessed into the risers of a stairway or under the vanity in the bathroom. It is convenient for checkout counters, ticket or toll booths and many other places where no other heater seems to fit.
Hopefully this has been helpful in giving you some new ideas on how to heat your new tiny space.
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13 Responses to “Three Ways to Heat Your Tiny House”
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The phrase “great minds think alike and fools seldom differ” has new meaning to me now.
I just started my own blog relating to small houses, today. I’ve also noted that many of the homes and items (e.g. Jotul stove) featured also figure in my favorites listings on my own computer. This is extremely validating. Rather than repeat what you’ve already done, I’d like to include a link to your blog on my own. If you’re open to this, leave me a reply here on your blog or on mine smallhousemusings.blogspot.com Cheers!
Hi Ketdryn,
Yes, please include a link from your site. I will also add one from mine to yours. Good luck in your new blog and in spreading the word on small homes.
Kent
Most of the sources you’ve listed are radiant heat sources — which is good, because radiant heat is the most pleasant kind, but also somewhat different than the forced air heat that most Americans are used to, in that areas that are “out of sight” of the heater (e.g. the inside of the bathroom, which is behind walls) will be noticeably cooler.
Of course radiant heat does heat the air too, but it takes a while to do so and even in a very very well insulated space there can be inequities. We anticipated this effect a bit in the bathroom of my tiny house project, and put in a motel-style heat lamp for occasional use, but it’s just barely enough (especially considering the concrete floor).
If I was doing a new house of any kind I’d consider radiant electric heat in the floor. It might not be the most efficient, but it really would be nice.
wall mount electric fireplace…
And with the current outsourcing we are really cutting into our own foot. Korea/ Japan took over our consumer hardware innovation for a large part. Do we really think we can keep software innovation to ourselves? With this directive we are driving inno…
Hi Bottleman,
Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I really appreciate your input as you are actually living the tiny house lifestyle.
Radiant heat sounds like a great idea, even if it takes longer. I’ll do some research on it and see how it would apply to small spaces.
P.S. – I would like to do a article on you and your home in the near future if you would be interested.
Kent
Hi Kent- sorry it took me a while to notice your comment above. Sure you can do a piece if you want. Cheers!
[...] because radiant heat is the most pleasant kind, but also somewhat different than the forced air …http://tinyhouseblog.com/heaters/tinyhouseheat/Seize the Day, Help Save the PlanetARA – We’ve all heard the saying, "What a difference a day [...]
Several companies produce a “toe-kick heater” which can fit in the toe-kick area of a kitchen cabinet. They are compact and effective. A toe-kick heater can be placed above or below a cabinet, inside walls, etc.
Happy heating.
Hi. I am most interested to follow your blog. Why? I am nearly 60 years old and own a beautiful small forested lot in northwest Arkansas, near the university. It is my plan to build a “jewel of green architecture” cottage, as my retirement home, of approx 800 sq ft, on my lot. It will be, as much as possible, passive solar, built with as many recycled materials as I can lay my hands on. There is only myself and my little dog, as I am very unlucky in love, so I am sure that the 800 sq ft will be more than adequate. All doorways will be 42 inches wide and other senior citizen considerations will be included. Thank U for your blog… U have an admirer in Arkansas. Kind regards, SD
I imagine tiny house living is similar in some ways to living on a small boat. I have cruised on my 26-foot sailboat in winters in North and South Carolina where temps go down to the 20’s and 30’s.
My primary source of heat has been anthracite coat burned in a “Tiny Tot” stove by Fatsco (http://www.fatscostoves.com/). It takes some doing to get hard coal to start and stay burning, but I think it’s well worth it.
I have been researching the tiny house idea for a couple of years now and about to set out on an adventure of designing and building my own. The source of heat will be a low voltage radiant floor heat….price wise it will be just under $500 dollors and that will be paid back in time due to the efficent use of energy. As we all age our own body plumbing goes through changes….the blood just may not flow to our lower body parts as well…i.e. our feet. Radiant heat provides a low cost to install for dyi guy, lower energy cost to operate, because heat rises, you stay warm while sitting….so your feet and body stay warm without having to jack up the heat on really cold days or nights…..I wish radiant floor heat was the heat of choice for builders…when building for lets say anyone over 50.
Stay warm and happy building
P.S. check out Z-mesh
hi, i am interested in feedback anyone may have on heating a 600sq ft cabin. I have a separate basement (same size ) that has to be heated as well. There are no walls in either floor. My objective is to prevent the pipes from freezing during the winter. I was told about a couple of options. 1 ) A company called Alpine has the following…..wall furnace, console room heater and baseboard elect hearter. 2nd option is a product called Mr. Slim. Mitsubishi is the manufacture. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you
I have a 700 sq ft house on the side of a little mtn here in the Berkshires. I have radiant heat with propane. It’s been great, but it fails sometimes. I think maybe the temp here drops so fast that it can’t keep up and once the temp falls below 45 in the house, the thermostat fails. I have an alarm set up to call me when this happens, but any suggestions on how to keep this from happening. I also am interested in how I could NOT heat the cabin in winter but possible put in a pellet stove and just heat and turn on water when we do get there. We can only go 2 weekends a month at this point.
Any creative tiny building thoughts???
Maggie in Mass