Science minded people--help me engineer a simple structure to stay warm?

Hi,
I realize that this forum doesn't allow for medical advice. however I have a problem that affects my health but doesn't fall within the purview of medicine. It's staying warm while living outside. So I think its appropriate to ask for advice on this.

I also figured a lot of people here may ne very science minded. I have a humanities background and also cognitive issues and while i may write well i have trouble thinking through very very basic problem solving and engineering. Some days ive had trouble tieing my shoes, I mostly cant cook meals or plan or anything.

I have my sister as caregiver but she is overworked and also has moderate chronic fatigue and ADD (not me/cfs but seems to have some similar issues to me)


We need to have better solutions to staying waem. If we are on BLM land we can't put up some super elaborate or permanent structure but I was thinking about a sort of foam tent made from xps boards put into a lean-to style.

 

Also are there any charities who address housing needs due to enviromental intolerance. I have the feeling ammes wouldn't as the connection btwn mcas and ME/CFS isn't proven, which is fair.

But whatever the cause, many severe ME parienrs have enviromental sensitivities, and inability to find a space one can tolerate is very dire problem.

 

Im already fairly far south. Id have to go to Mexico to get much warmer.

 

Moving back inside with your family for winter might be a better option if that’s possible. Hypothermia can sneak up on you, please be really careful.

 

The warmest winter places in the continental US--southern Florida and San Diego , are not the places I do well air wise. But I am in southern Nevada where it is warmer than many places in the southwest, i could try places in southern arizona but the hottest places in the southwest get pretty cool I winter at night, desert doesn't retain heat well

 

It's not an option. I was becoming near paralyzed at their house. I didn't have life threatening anaphylaxis but I reacted so badly to the house rhat i I was declining scarily fast and now at least im.not declining like rhat and never get paralyzed.

 

I think the winter temps here are doable wirh gear, I just have some brain fog and haven't figured out a really good set up yet. It's not even freezing at night yet but I have some cold intolerance and get chilly

 

Can you have something underneath you that reflects the heat back at you? I think it’s important to not being lying on a cold surface. What are the options in your nearest camping/outdoors store?

 

I'm lying on a matyress but its still cold.

I don't know... We'll look at what's available , right now we have about 100$ i was thinking the foam would go further, may need to try and raise more somehow , talk to my extended family. But I would still like to have a concrete plan even if dont currently havw tbe funds

 

Is an electric blanket possible?

 

Its sometbing I'm definitely thinking about , we don't camp w electric but could get a generator. I just thought it would make sense to look at building some simple insulated structure so we can hold heat better from whatever source we xhoose to heat w --that can be expensive.

 

There were other issues besides the mold, with living at my parents house. They were often unsupportive of my illness and angry , and it was a wheelchair inaccessible house in a very rural area. I often bring up these because it's hard to convince people that enviromental sensitivies or mcas can be bad enough to make living in a sick building a total non option , regardless of finances and cold.

 

I bought a cat bed that is ‘self-heating’ - when I look at it, it just has a reflective layer like tinfoil in the middle. I think those reflective blankets that rescuers wrap around people when they find them lost are probably really good for keeping the heat in. I was thinking perhaps you need a layer like that on top of the mattress and under the sheets....?

 

That's a great idea thanks!

Reflectix, someone brought up in another thread but I forget things often so it doesn't hurt to be reminded.

My jacket kind of sucks warmth wise too. I get the feeling that stores in Vegas carry less intense warm gear than stores in Vermont (where I'm originally from). But it's snowing right now

 

I second the idea that making sure you are warm underneath is important when tenting.

Foam pads as well as a mattress seems like a good idea though.

Just be aware that closed cell foam will be far more effective than cheap foam that’s twice as thick (because you need it to be thick even when you’re lying on it).

Then get a winter duvet, ideally from a store that is catering for a climate that is much colder than where you are.
Goose feathers are very effective (if you’re ok with feathers),
down is better than feathers,
and get a couple of duvet covers for it so the feathers don’t poke through and it’s easier to wash (the covers).
If you also need a blanket, put it _under_ the duvet. Yes, you’ll need a sheet.
[ETA I was assuming you were confident that the tent is waterproof. I’d say sub-zero sleeping bag but that tends to be more expensive. If you can afford one, then go for it. You’ll need a sleeping bag liner (so you can wash it) and some of the posts about extra layers outside that look good too]

It’s all about trapping air around you and reducing drafts.

So then you want to make sure your tent has at least 2 layers to it. (e.g. a tent plus a fly).
This holds the air still around you so you can warm it up.
It also helps to have a sort of airlock (two zips to go through to get in and out).

[ETA: I have known some people to pitch a large tent and then put a small, Arctic style dome tent inside it for the bed. That would help at night. Don’t know your budget though.]

If you have access to easy hot water, hot water bottles are very good.
Consider getting 3:
one for between your thighs (the artery there is the fastest way to warm up your core),
one for your feet (cos they feel cold),
and one for anything else that’s cold.
Remember to consider getting hot water bottle covers so if you use very hot water it doesn’t hurt your skin.

Drink warm drinks and have a thermos of more hot drink to use as needed.

A hat (if it will stay on)
or big baggy hoodie (I find this stays on my hair better and makes a nice pocket of warm air around my head)
really help to keep your head warm at night when you sleep.

A loose knit or slightly open weave scarf (non-irritating to you) is good to have when you need to wrap up your face a little (as you breathe, it warms the air - trapping another pocket of warm air).

Make sure if anything gets damp that you air and dry them in the sun during the day.

Big baggy clothes (think knits) with a windproof layer (shirt fabric is windproof enough for this) on the _outside_ is very warm. Again, trapping air.
I find modern merino fabrics really good for underlayers and mid-layers but if you go for cotton just make sure you change it when it gets damp.

That’s all I can think of just now.

I hope you have a great spot!

 

@debored13 I'm so sorry you're in this position. I know it can get that bad for people with environmental sensitivities or mcas that they are forced to live outdoors due to not having a safe place to live indoors.

I don't have the ability to search for this now and my memory is a little vague, I remember reading a couple years ago about some kind of sleeping bag, mat or blanket (one of those) that could generate heat that someone came up with to help the homeless sleeping on concrete (or anywhere) stay warm.

Wondering also what they have for people who do cold weather camping, expeditions or climb Everett. Possibly if you can check into.

Wish I could be of more help and wish there was more safe housing. Very hard to find these days. Keep holding on to something tried or discovered will turn our health around. I hope you find something to keep you warm and hopefully better housing.

 

Good point: if you combine aluminium sheeting (or rescue blanket) with a (20mm) sheet of polystyrene, you’ll be as insulted as a fridge. Might be good for the floor?

[ETA if you plan to walk around on it much, get a sheet of plywood to put over it so it spreads the weight]

 

There are some great suggestions here! Thanks all.

It's snowing in Vegas , fucking crazy!

Desert really hot in the summer but does NOT retain heat. And Taos, where i was also looking for housing and felt great, is probably insanely cold right.now

That blurry photo is the car window... With snow. Supoosed to get ten inches in the mountains near Vegas tonight

 

Not sure about the BLM land and if this is the same as a lady I met her boyfriend and apparently a lot of other people lived in trailers in the desert in California. I don't remember the restrictions around it, I think it was free for part of the year?

Anyways if you could tolerate getting a mobile home of some sort, if you can raise the funds for it somehow. Or find a similar environmental sensitive person to share something with.

I know it's hard so much to do to survive with the very basics even more so when you're health and cognitive is bad. Hope some people can assist you. Keep chipping away as you can but do find a way to keep warm enough now if you can (the desert can get really cold at night). (Getting foggy hope that sentence came out alright.) Hang in there.