contributed by Mark
Yes, September 15th, known across the world, well, across Mongolia, as turn on the heat day. Yes those rumbles and gurgles are not my stomach but the heat coming into the pipes.What does this mean? Well we will be sleeping with the windows open for the next six months or so while our apartment is heated by radiant heat to around 85 degrees. The downside is that mosquitos seem to be breeding in our apartment. The heat comes via super-heated water from the industrial power plant (over the hill from us) and is swirled through radiators in the apartment buildings. Its important to look for leaks- they fix them by putting in horse hair so it can coagulate with sediment and seal off the hole. Can we turn it off? Well there is a valve- so why not just close off the radiator? The problem is that they are run in series so if we turn ours off it shuts off heat for everyone above us- something they will definitely let us know. The good thing is we will be warm, and then some.
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September 15, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Terrill & Michelle
I am considering the “open window/heat on” issue. I’ve been brainstorming uses for the wasted heat, any excess heat over what it takes to keep you guys comfortable – say any heat that you get over 75 degrees. I’ve come up with a couple winners!…for instance, you could save it in thermos lunch containers and sell it to the people living in gers!!! Or you could consider purchasing a Hot Air Balloon as your primary source of transportation for the winter months!!! I’ll keep thinking about it because I know that even with these two EXCELLENT uses for the surplus heat you may still have additional heat for which you’d rather find a use than just letting it go out the window. Maybe you could get a freezer and FREEZE some of the extra heat while it’s still fresh for use later when fresh heat is hard to come by….
We love you guys!
September 16, 2008 at 1:22 am
Diana
Hey Mark,
Do we need to bring fans? It really is great to read the blogs and see the pictures. Hope studies are going well and you guys are doing well.
Diana
September 17, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Ariun
Do what I do: put the heat to good use — make yogurt, dry apples (plentiful and cheap at this time of the year), mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots and other vegetables/fruits handy for long journeys. Just slice/dice the stuff and dry them on sieves or mesh over the radiators.
September 23, 2008 at 6:45 am
Bill Shaw
Your heat is from both radiant & convection. Convection is the transfer of the heat to the air flowing over the radiator. If one can control the amount of air flowing over the radiator, then one may also be able to control the heat.
Hint: Heat resistant fabric is flexible or one may be able to find more rigid materials.