Smoking chimneys

[MrPickles]

Ok so you have a wood burner and you have a generator for electricity. But don't you think this make you house a target? If the town is black out but you have light or there is no gas but you chimney is still smoking.
And what is the benefit your preparedness if you can't use it because it make you a target?

[preppingsu]

I'm assuming you are talking about the end of the world, society breakdown, no law and order type scenario?

For me, if there is a power cut, I will light the fire to keep warm ( this happens daily anyway) and the generator will be run to keep the freezer going until the power comes back on. It won't make me a target as it may be short lived.

However in your scenario, I would not like the fire until dark so the smoke cannot be seen.

I probably wouldn't run the generator. Black out curtains/blinds will prevent the oil lamps from being seen outside.

[MrPickles]

But if the sky are clear and the moon is up there will be enough light to see the smoke.

[cavealaska]

Ok so you have a wood burner and you have a generator for electricity. But don't you think this make you house a target? If the town is black out but you have light or there is no gas but you chimney is still smoking.
And what is the benefit your preparedness if you can't use it because it make you a target?

Here is the dilemma, middle of winter young or old in the house, crazy -14 temperature do you light the fire to stay warm or freeze to death. That's if your are talking of a WROL situation. I lived through the winter of discontent, if that came around again, my house would be lit up and warm as it is whe we have power cuts anyway, quite regular where I live for some reason

[okra]

Ok so you have a wood burner and you have a generator for electricity. But don't you think this make you house a target? If the town is black out but you have light or there is no gas but you chimney is still smoking.
And what is the benefit your preparedness if you can't use it because it make you a target?

On a scale of 1 to 100 what chance is there of a complete breakdown in society which would make you a target? I would put the chances at less than 5

[junmist]

Simple if things are that bad Im not at home I've gone

[junmist]

Simple if things are that bad Im not at home I've gone

[mongrel]

In a complete breakdown I'm guessing smoke from fires might be quite common?

[jansman]

Out here in the Boonies EVERYONE has a smoking chimney. In fact if certain chimneys are not smoking by 4pm we check they are ok. Lot of old folks in the village.

[Reservior]

Interesting thread so far. Plenty of chimneys smoking around here tonight and it isn't an unusual sight. I think, having read other people's thoughts on it and taking into account the rural vs urban environments, that its different, depending upon your environment. It's also very much dependant on the 'scenario'. At the extreme, say the sky has fallen in..... Jansman could continue to light his wood burner but should probably consider becoming smokeless and depending on how far into the "boonies" he is, consider becoming smokeless after a day or two. Smoke will attract needy people, displaced people stuck on A and B roads for example.

In a more urban environment then you need to be more careful, from the outset. Higher density of population etc, etc.

If its just a power cut, extended or otherwise, then using a Kelly Kettle or even a BBQ isn't going to attract much attention beyond your neighbours and probably isn't worth worrying about.