Help with retaining heat in cold weather?

[scriprp]

I'm fairly new to smoking. I really got cranked up this past summer and had a blast. Now that the temp. has dropped, I have found that its hard to keep my temp. up. I'm needing some advice on retaining heat in my smoker during the cold weather. I've read about draping the outside with a Welders Blanket? Also, I've seen mods. where people have attached a burner with a propane tank. Is this necessary?

Also, I did post this a few days back on a different section of SMF. I got some great advice, however I thought I would post the same question here, too. Thanks in advance for you helpful advice!

 

[dieselbear]

i was going to suggest putting a tin garbage can over your smoker,,,until I saw what yours was. Don't think that will work.
I smoked some hens today for about 3 hrs. with the temp at zero degrees. I didn't have any problems. It is a MES and is insulated.

 

[bluefin1]

I asked that question on here about a week ago a person told me about fire bricks, you can find them on amazon for about $15.00. I put three of them in my gosm and they helped out alot. I live in cape cod and somedays the weather is about 30 deg with 30 knot wind. last weekend I smoked a butt it was cold and windy the bricks keep it warm and steady I only had to adjust about 2 to 3 times it held a 220 the whole day. Also you can use plywood and make a 4 side box around it but make sure leave enough room to acess it. but that's for the wind.


good luck

Michael

 

[mcmutt]

Depending on the size of the smoker, try water heater insulation blankets, or insulation laminated to woven plastic. The company I work for sells the plastic to the insulation companies to laminate. I'm in the process of trading some tarp material for some heater blankets now!!