-17° last night, -4 high temp today,
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woodmiser said:
Snowflakes?
You got me thinking, so I just logged back on to post my -100 below action plan, which I found myself calculating as I put more wood on the fire.
In this scenario, we have at least 12 hours notice that the temp will be dropping.
Send DS to town to buy:
all available blankets and down garments at thrift stores.
animal and human food that will not freeze and does not require cooking.
bottled water.
plastic bags and twisties (five-gallon bucket porta-potty in storage room).
rolls of insulation, plastic sheeting, lath, nails, batterboard
blow-in insulation and rent-a-blower (this will be overdue in returning).
some good books.
Lamp oil and extra wicks and globes.
batteries for flashlights, carbon monoxide detector,
Action plan:
Drain the plumbing. Fill any water containers available.
Pull as much water out of the toilet tank as possible and dump in a gallon of antifreeze.
Bring in all outlying wood, and fill the sunroom with firewood.
Seal off all windows downstairs w/insulation, etc.
Move all mattresses downstairs.
Drill holes in upstairs floor and blow insulation into the gaps between TJIs
Put lengths of rod for cleaning the stovepipe up the stove pipe and then reseal pipe. This way any ice buildup in chimney can be more easily knocked off.
Seal off upstairs and kitchen with layers of blankets hung from ceiling.
Set up porta-potty and oil lamps.
Bring in all car batteries.
I hate it that I think this way.
And I would really hate doing all that and finding out that the prediction was a typo, and I had just trashed my house for nothing.
woodmiser said:
Yep around -15°f the stove won't keep up if the house doors get opened several times per day. Barely holds 70 inside as it is.
House over 2k sq ft.
I'm learning how to keep the heat output up, 3 splits every 4 hours running on high.
AT -30°f, steel gets brittle, & will break not bend. We would shut down projects at -30.
Equipment runs 24/7 to stay warm enough to operate. Fuel oil here is "arctic diesel" , similar to winter heating oil.
Lots of engine, transmission, battery heaters on vehicles & equipment plugged in if stored outside.
At -10°, when you breath in thru your nose, your nose hairs freeze together. (Good temp test)
-60 some antifreeze mixtures (glycol) will freeze.
Don't' take a swig of whiskey that's stored outside at these temps, it may not be frozen but will frost bite your tongue & esophagus
-72°f is flash point of gasoline.
My Temp now:
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![[Hearth.com] -17° last night, -4 high temp today,](/talk/data/attachments/57/57324-9cf3399074d1f0838aadc045452e3a4e.jpg?hash=2XxZU-vE9w)
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY ICE FOG. LOWS 35 TO 45 BELOW. LIGHT WINDS.
.WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY ICE FOG. HIGHS 25 TO 35 BELOW. LIGHT WINDS.
I didn't see any wind out there tonight, thank goodness.
It's around -28/-30 on my Home Cheapo thermometer, which means that the inversion isn't holding and we're starting to catch up with town temps. I do not like this.
I so do not understand my son.
This morning as I was leaving for work, I told him the Jeep was in the garage, available for emergency use only. He said he got that. I came home tonight and saw it parked in a snowbank. As I walked past it, I saw the faint yellow glow of dying headlights. I went inside and told him that he forgot to turn off the headlights and inquired about his use of our `emergency only' vehicle. He asked me if I had turned off the headlights as I went past, and I said I had not--and he needed to get a battery charger on it pronto. Promised he would--later. I explained that his was not an available option. Also asked about the woodrack inside, and was also told "Later I will do that I promise mom." I hadn't slept last night, fell asleep on the couch, and awakened to find chorse undone and him asleep. I bundled up, lined up cords to reach to heater and charger, and got them set up. Pulled in sled-loads of firewood while I waited. Got the inside racks topped off with a couple of cargo sled loads of birch and a couple of spruce. (Yes, I could have, no doubt should have, gotten him up and got him on it, but after being stuck inside an office all day, being out moving in the moonlight is kind of fun.)
After I got the wood pulled in, I gave the Jeep an experimental try, and it turned over--reluctantly--and I went for a ride in it by moonlight, turning off the headlights when there was no other traffic to help it build up a charge, getting it well warmed up. Parked the jeep in the garage, shut the door, and carefully misplaced the keys. Hit the shower and am snuggled in front of the fire for a few minutes before I call it a night.
I am not too worried about the temporary imbalance of labor. My theory is, "Don't get mad, provide teenthing with a long chore list that allows plenty of time for contemplation of how they got in this predicament." And I look forward to having him move the rest of the birch down from the garage to the under-deck storage area. What I am confused about is the reasoning here, or lack thereof. I don't think it's just age--I think I was like that even as a kid--always getting ready. If I saw snowflakes, I just naturally walked around and started picking up tools. . In the post above when woodmiser asked about -100 degrees, my brain started mapping out a survival plan, although the odds are very slim that I'll ever see that kind of weather. It's just reflex. My kids have to be reminded of things that seem so obvious to me
In my son's mind, getting birch tomorrow would have been okay--although we only had enough inside to last 'til around noon. Any he brought in tomorrow would be too cold to burn--I can feel the cold off the wood I brought in from six feet away. His theory on putting the charger on the jeep was that later would be fine, too, even though the battery might not recover at all from that long a time being discharged in those temps. I also see he and I need to revisit the concept of `emergency', particularly the part about them being sudden and urgent.
Also the `stitch in time saves nine' principle.
I swear, he used to be a smart kid. Really. And I have glimmers of hope that he will be again. But this kind of not-thinking is not-funny at these temps. You lose the buffer zones, the tolerances. Even little things matter a lot. That's how they and I differ. They are just not registering how critical things can be, and they think I am being a tedious bore when I blah-blah them about it. Hm.
.WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY ICE FOG. HIGHS 25 TO 35 BELOW. LIGHT WINDS.
I didn't see any wind out there tonight, thank goodness.
It's around -28/-30 on my Home Cheapo thermometer, which means that the inversion isn't holding and we're starting to catch up with town temps. I do not like this.
I so do not understand my son.
This morning as I was leaving for work, I told him the Jeep was in the garage, available for emergency use only. He said he got that. I came home tonight and saw it parked in a snowbank. As I walked past it, I saw the faint yellow glow of dying headlights. I went inside and told him that he forgot to turn off the headlights and inquired about his use of our `emergency only' vehicle. He asked me if I had turned off the headlights as I went past, and I said I had not--and he needed to get a battery charger on it pronto. Promised he would--later. I explained that his was not an available option. Also asked about the woodrack inside, and was also told "Later I will do that I promise mom." I hadn't slept last night, fell asleep on the couch, and awakened to find chorse undone and him asleep. I bundled up, lined up cords to reach to heater and charger, and got them set up. Pulled in sled-loads of firewood while I waited. Got the inside racks topped off with a couple of cargo sled loads of birch and a couple of spruce. (Yes, I could have, no doubt should have, gotten him up and got him on it, but after being stuck inside an office all day, being out moving in the moonlight is kind of fun.)
After I got the wood pulled in, I gave the Jeep an experimental try, and it turned over--reluctantly--and I went for a ride in it by moonlight, turning off the headlights when there was no other traffic to help it build up a charge, getting it well warmed up. Parked the jeep in the garage, shut the door, and carefully misplaced the keys. Hit the shower and am snuggled in front of the fire for a few minutes before I call it a night.
I am not too worried about the temporary imbalance of labor. My theory is, "Don't get mad, provide teenthing with a long chore list that allows plenty of time for contemplation of how they got in this predicament." And I look forward to having him move the rest of the birch down from the garage to the under-deck storage area. What I am confused about is the reasoning here, or lack thereof. I don't think it's just age--I think I was like that even as a kid--always getting ready. If I saw snowflakes, I just naturally walked around and started picking up tools. . In the post above when woodmiser asked about -100 degrees, my brain started mapping out a survival plan, although the odds are very slim that I'll ever see that kind of weather. It's just reflex. My kids have to be reminded of things that seem so obvious to me
In my son's mind, getting birch tomorrow would have been okay--although we only had enough inside to last 'til around noon. Any he brought in tomorrow would be too cold to burn--I can feel the cold off the wood I brought in from six feet away. His theory on putting the charger on the jeep was that later would be fine, too, even though the battery might not recover at all from that long a time being discharged in those temps. I also see he and I need to revisit the concept of `emergency', particularly the part about them being sudden and urgent.
Also the `stitch in time saves nine' principle.
I swear, he used to be a smart kid. Really. And I have glimmers of hope that he will be again. But this kind of not-thinking is not-funny at these temps. You lose the buffer zones, the tolerances. Even little things matter a lot. That's how they and I differ. They are just not registering how critical things can be, and they think I am being a tedious bore when I blah-blah them about it. Hm.
Snow, if it helps at all, our son (actually my step-son, but son if you know what I mean) was the laziest thing on the planet when younger. Brain dead too....most of the time, unless he wanted something.
Fast forward to now. He's a VERY successful guy, and not yet 30 yrs. old. We had Bev's side here for Christmas, and he was here before everyone else. He offered MANY times to get a fire going or reloaded, to do dishes, make/cook food, etc......
The REST of the family, well,.....not so much.
I'm so damn proud of him and how his life has turned out.
It was extremely difficult to not get stark raving mad at him in those younger days. He was obviously paying attention, because like you, Bev and I automatically do what's needed and he obviously gets it now. We all do, ....in our own ways.
As to those temps......the need to stay where you are must be pretty strong, for whatever reason. I'd have to move back to northern Mi., where it only gets to -20 for a couple days every winter. :lol:
"Banana belt".......sorry Dave, but that right there is funny.
Fast forward to now. He's a VERY successful guy, and not yet 30 yrs. old. We had Bev's side here for Christmas, and he was here before everyone else. He offered MANY times to get a fire going or reloaded, to do dishes, make/cook food, etc......
The REST of the family, well,.....not so much.
I'm so damn proud of him and how his life has turned out.
It was extremely difficult to not get stark raving mad at him in those younger days. He was obviously paying attention, because like you, Bev and I automatically do what's needed and he obviously gets it now. We all do, ....in our own ways.
As to those temps......the need to stay where you are must be pretty strong, for whatever reason. I'd have to move back to northern Mi., where it only gets to -20 for a couple days every winter. :lol:
"Banana belt".......sorry Dave, but that right there is funny.
PapaDave said:
Actually, I find that quite comforting.
I got up this a.m., raked coals and threw some birch on and knocked on his door. Told him I needed him up to get the house warmed up, and he was up and out in the next ten minutes. Called me from home to let me know that the house was warm and that he'd carried several loads of wood down from garage and stacked it out on the wood racks by the back door.
Nice.
It's so day-to-day. Like an engine that comes so close to starting, but just doesn't quite roar to life like you know it could. I continue to let him live, and hope for the best.
![[Hearth.com] -17° last night, -4 high temp today,](/talk/data/attachments/57/57394-10a993a4939ad951ca5c183d571fb4be.jpg?hash=b70r2V5u9X)
I got excessively chilled last night driving that cold Jeep. I will not say where, but I will say that portion of my anatomy was still cold when I was trying to fall asleep last night.
Did you know that laptop computers retain a great deal of residual heat and can still be very useful even after they are shut?
It has warmed up here. A lot. It's -25.
Did you know that laptop computers retain a great deal of residual heat and can still be very useful even after they are shut?
It has warmed up here. A lot. It's -25.
My niece is visiting from Fairbanks. They house has 2 wood stoves & an oil furnace.
She said their house is nice & toasty, with both wood-stoves burning & the furnace don't have to run continually.
Also another $$ incentive; "Fairbanks Borough Air Quality program" just got more funding, to replace many of the older wood stoves with newer epa stoves.
Don't know how much $$ they give per household to replace the old stoves, but any is helpful,
They are looking into it & may get a king. (Fairbanks has many "Poor air quality " Alerts.)
Their house is on high ground, so -17 to -25 at their house when -30s to -40s in the valleys.
Still +5° here . House getting to warm, (went above 72°) had to turn the stove down a notch
& to be in the 20s Sunday & snow
She said their house is nice & toasty, with both wood-stoves burning & the furnace don't have to run continually.
Also another $$ incentive; "Fairbanks Borough Air Quality program" just got more funding, to replace many of the older wood stoves with newer epa stoves.
Don't know how much $$ they give per household to replace the old stoves, but any is helpful,
They are looking into it & may get a king. (Fairbanks has many "Poor air quality " Alerts.)
Their house is on high ground, so -17 to -25 at their house when -30s to -40s in the valleys.
Still +5° here . House getting to warm, (went above 72°) had to turn the stove down a notch
& to be in the 20s Sunday & snow
Not true; I own all of the following Required Fairbanks Vehicles:
1994 Cherokee, 270K miles, still running. Beater with a heater.
1990 flatbed F250, 159K, IIRC.
1990 Subaru Legacy, who knows? Odometer died awhile ago, and it wasn't a pretty death.
1981 Toyota PU, with the legendary 22R engine in it that stills starts at the first turn of the key, 325K miles and a few holes in the floorboards.
However, I do not have: snowmachines, 4-wheeler, or half-airplane in my yard, and thus only qualify for provisional residency.
That borough change-out program is a little controversial. I think it started in response to the people who bought the 6-10K outdoor boilers were told that they couldn't belch black smoke out during an inversion.
Found a link for you, Dave: (broken link removed to http://www.emedicinehealth.com/heat_exhaustion_and_heat_stroke/article_em.htm)
1994 Cherokee, 270K miles, still running. Beater with a heater.
1990 flatbed F250, 159K, IIRC.
1990 Subaru Legacy, who knows? Odometer died awhile ago, and it wasn't a pretty death.
1981 Toyota PU, with the legendary 22R engine in it that stills starts at the first turn of the key, 325K miles and a few holes in the floorboards.
However, I do not have: snowmachines, 4-wheeler, or half-airplane in my yard, and thus only qualify for provisional residency.
That borough change-out program is a little controversial. I think it started in response to the people who bought the 6-10K outdoor boilers were told that they couldn't belch black smoke out during an inversion.
Found a link for you, Dave: (broken link removed to http://www.emedicinehealth.com/heat_exhaustion_and_heat_stroke/article_em.htm)
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