I am researching alternative fuels, and saw that people used to burn animal droppings for fuel. Can I use llama poo as a source of heat for my house? If so, how many llamas does it take to heat a 2800 square foot house? Does it matter the size of the llama or does any size llama do? And should I process the doo doo in any way to make it more usable for fuel? What does it smell like when it is burning? And how do you get it to light? Can I just burn it in a BBQ and funnel the heat through a window?
2007-05-22 14:35:12 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment ➔ Green Living
Actually, the asker is on to something that has been proven to work. "Cow Chips" (what my father used to call dried cow plops) can be burned for fuel, and so can dried llama poop.
The number of llamas you would need to raise in order to acquire enough dried dung to heat your home is highly dependent on the insulating ability of your home. If you have a home that is not well insulated, it will require a lot more dung to heat than a home that is small and well insulated.
The size of the llama itself doesn't really matter - what you care about for home heating is the quantity and quality of dried llama dung you can get from your llamas.
The dung must be dried in order to burn cleanly and efficiently.
The smell is not pleasant.
Thoroughly dried llama dung should light easily with a match, especially if the llamas have a high quantity of indigestible fiber in their diet.
You should not plan to burn it in a BBQ and funnel the heat through a window, this will be inadequate, unsafe and uncleanly. Look instead into a coal burning home heater, a chimney or other "burnable solid" type heater.
2007-05-23 03:31:15 · answer #1 · answered by steve d 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am guessing that in the United States you will be unable to make use of llama dung as a fuel source. For some of the following reasons;
1. Neighbor issues.
2. If you live in the city, most farm animals are banned within city limits.
3. Cost of maintaining the animals.
Hope this helps. However maybe a heard of hamsters on wheels may help accomplish your goals.
Regards,
d:
2007-05-22 21:52:42 · answer #2 · answered by mentalengine 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The viability of llama dung for heating your house would depend on your access to llamas and/or their dung. I'm guessing that if you don't already have llamas, the cost of feeding the quantity of llamas required to heat your house would be a lot higher than just paying for heating oil or whatever you use now.
2007-05-22 22:09:05 · answer #3 · answered by ~RedBird~ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a pellet stove, 5 llama's and a 5.25 acre ranch with lots of poop on the ground, but am not trying this. More research is needed! I guess I am not the adventurous frontier type of guy like Daniel Boone was to try something like this... LOL :o
2013-12-29 15:16:33 · answer #4 · answered by briansmac 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends. Are you converting it to methane, like you can with rabbit or chicken manure, or are you drying it and burning it in a stove?
I don't know the exact BTU of llama dung, but i wonder if you can mix it with wood pellets?
2007-05-23 10:56:16 · answer #5 · answered by TigerWriter 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One Word...
NO!
It does not work, and also it smells like... well... SH**
Just imagine using any kind of dung. Say you poop in a can for a week and then let it dry out and then burn it in your house. Do you really want to smell your own feces burning in the comfort of your own home?
2007-05-23 01:09:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes.
It smells like **** when you burn it though. Sorry.
2007-05-22 21:45:41 · answer #7 · answered by Rescue Wench 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no.
2007-05-23 00:35:09 · answer #8 · answered by Rusty Sanchez 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋