How to Heat an Igloo
An igloo is used by people in very cold temperatures. The word "igloo" means shelter. The temperatures can get well beyond 30 degrees below freezing, so the task of raising the temperature enough without melting the igloo is a necessary skill to learn. Here are some ways to heat an igloo without it crumbling overhead. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Keep out the wind. Heating an igloo is done by preventing air circulation. One reason greenhouses are so warm is that they stop the air circulation. Copy this technique in an igloo by making a solid structure with fewer doors and windows. Make the entrance to the igloo from an underground tunnel or slightly below ground level to reduce wind entering the dwelling. Keep the outside air out and keep the inside air in.
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Make a camp fire. The ice structure can be heated to freezing or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The igloo is made with thick sections of ice that melt slowly. Take advantage of the slow melting process and allow the inside temperature to rise to the freezing point. If it is 30 degrees below zero outside and 32 degrees inside, you have raised the temperature 62 degrees and you will feel warm.
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Heat an igloo with oil lamps. Many Inuit and other people who risk the frigid temperatures heat with an oil lamp. These can be purchased at a camping store or make your own like the Inuit with seal oil.
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Use body heat to warm yourself inside an igloo. Go into an igloo with people you like. Stay close to them and allow your natural body temperature warm both of you.
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Line the inside of the igloo with animal skins. This is used in addition to other heat techniques. The skins will form a barrier between the ice and the heat. The skins keep the warmth in while preventing snow and ice from melting too quickly.
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Tips & Warnings
You should be able to get warm enough with these techniques used in conjunction.
