Timers are a Good Thing

[northwinds]

Anytime I reload or start a new fire, I set the kitchen timer to remind me to check on the stove. Most days, I don't need the reminder. Today, my high school junior texted me that there is a bomb threat at her high school. I immediately forgot about the stove and started trying to get more information via internet and text messages.
Beep, beep, beep, what the bleep is that, omg, the stove. Just starting to hit temperature at 550.

Still no details yet at her school, which has been evacuated. Most of the kids don't even wear coats because they don't get to go outside during the day.

The point is: you never know what will distract you from stove-tending. Backup systems can help a lot.

 

[Jags]

Good thing for the timer.
Is this in Lodi?

 

[MDFisherman]

Yes they do. Temps here in Maryland are in the low 30's. When I leave for work my stove will go out but I leave my baseboard heater stat's on 55 so when I get home the house isn't an ice block!

 

[northwinds]

Good thing for the timer.
Is this in Lodi?

Yeah.

 

[Jags]

"Possible threat" is all I can find.

 

[northwinds]

They aren't releasing much information. Kids have been evacuated to the middle school and won't be allowed to return until the school is "cleared." Hopefully, our local constables are getting some expert help. They are good for speeding tickets and such, but it's a very small town.

 

[Jags]

Sounds like that area has had a string of threats. Probably some trouble making punks. Anyhow...I don't mean to take from the point of having a backup system to the brain. Not a bad idea at all.

 

[northwinds]

School just confirmed it was a bomb threat. I can go get my daughter at the other school in about 20 minutes. Daughter says they are questioning one particular kid, so you're probably right. Bad choice to make in this day and age.

To stay on my topic, Isle Royale safe to leave. Cruising at 575.

 

[Hogwildz]

I use a timer almost every time upon reload. Too easy to get distracted.

 

[begreen]

It's easy to get distracted with a phone call, boiling over pot, hairball spitting cat, etc. Getting into the habit of using a timer to check the stove is a great idea, particularly on startup or reload.

 

[BrianN]

Off topic, but, with good reason.
Hope that your daughter, and every one else in and around that school are okay. Hopefully it is just a punk kid pulling a prank, and that they do find out who it was and discipline him.
In this day and age, you cannot take any threat lightly.
And yes, a back up/reminder is a great thing to have.

 

[CenterTree]

Great info. I am going to use a timer also when I do a start up. As I get older I can see myself forgetting things more easily when distracted.

Just hope I don't forget to set the timer.

 

[Sprinter]

Totally agree on the timers. I learned about their value my first few days of burning. It's easy to get complacent with experience, but I try not to.

Another really useful device is a temperature alarm that can be set for a specific stove temp. Unfortunately, there aren't many suitable commercial devices. I had to fashion my own, but I really like having it.

Those kinds of school incidents must be frightening as hell for a parent. I guess I was lucky, but I never had to go through that. As a kid, either. My school was intensely boring.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

As long as everything worked out ok. Everyone is home safe

 

[dyerkutn]

It's easy to get distracted with a phone call, boiling over pot, hairball spitting cat, etc. Getting into the habit of using a timer to check the stove is a great idea, particularly on startup or reload

I am not quite following. What do you use the timer for? I mean what do you do when the timer goes off?

 

[northwinds]

I am not quite following. What do you use the timer for? I mean what do you do when the timer goes off?

When the timer goes off, you check the fire and the stove temperature.

As for the school bomb threat, everyone was safe and sound, except for the half a dozen kids who had drugs in their cars. During the sweep of the school and school parking lot, numerous stashes were found.

 

[bmblank]

I'm planning on setting up an nfc tag on my boiler so when I make a fire I'll just scan and it'll automatically set up a couple of timers on my phone.

 

[vwmike]

Good idea! Had my first over fire the other night..... Loaded the stove just before the 11pm news, packed the stove as full as possible for overnight burn. Opened the damper all the way to get it going, seemed slow to catch, so went back up stairs to watch news. Long story short, I fell asleep, woke up about 45 minutes later and ran down stairs to find stovetop thermo pegged at 850. Nothing was glowing though, I managed to get it shut down, and with the fans on it started to drop temps within about 20 minutes. Gotta get me a timer

 

[Hogwildz]

Maybe someone could retro a dog shock collar to go off when the stove reaches a certain temp.
That would surely wake a person up!