andyn said:
Well either his temperatures are wrong or his cabin had very ineffective insulation.
I dont see how a fire can only produce enough heat to only get the room temperature to 4degsC even if it is -stupid degsC outside.
Ok so i've never camped or even lived in temperatures that low....but it certainly seems an unlikely temperature to me.
It is quite possible. Wood only insulates 1 R per inch. At the juncture of each log that is only about two inches or 2 R. The roof, where most heat escapes, is only about 1 R. My home is insulated to 36 R in the walls and 40 R in the roof, and is not particularly heat efficient.
General knowledge in our area says you don't use an old fashioned fireplace (such as is depicted in the film) at under 40 degrees F - as a fireplace is totally inefficient at temps colder than that (more heat escapes than is replaced by burning). Any heat from such a fireplace is simply radiant heat - same as you would get from a fire outside. It doesn't do much for warming your cabin.
We have a cabin up in the woods that is no more efficient than the one in the film. We do have a large barrel stove which keeps it liveable - when the stove is going. We never take our boots off in winter though. We always fight over who has to get up first in winter - as it is a cold proposition getting the stove lit. There is always ice in the water bucket.
PG