Bitter cold coming, watch those water pipes

[stoveliker]

Me neither. I always had to laugh when stuff forecasts happened when I lived in Knoxville.

Same here; shoveled the stove yesterday. Minisplit today but just relit the stove.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

I'm ready. Groceries on Wednesday. Plenty of gas for the generator if needed. Moved about 3/4 cord of firewood from the driveway to the stack right outside the back door, which I had planned to do anyway. I'm as ready as I can be at this point. We have a wake to attend Saturday morning and grandkids birthday party on Sunday at noon, but other than cold, we should be ahead of the storm as it's due here around 1pm on Sunday. Should be an interesting stretch of weather.

 

[stoveliker]

Seems we're going to be at the edge of ice.
They now say a foot of snow but if the track is ten miles farther north, we could get ice

So getting gas for the generator today. Groceries, and will bring in wood tomorrow. Wheelbarrows thru 12" of snow on steep slope is not nice.

 

[John Lehet]

Here in Vermont this will be more or less normal (old days) Vermont weather event. Wind chills 20 below tonight, a foot of snow. I’ve got a lot of wood in, but I’ll bump that up to a ridiculous amount of wood in. Got gas for the whole weekend with the generator if needed. I might have to burn the Progress Hybrid actually hot for a change instead of spending long stretches in coaling. We’ll see. I’ll run the oil heated hot water on a thermostat schedule for 15 minute chunks every couple of hours.

The only thing that makes me nervous is that the last serious cold stretch I remember, maybe 4 or 5 years ago, we lost power for a few hours in the deepest cold for no obvious reason — no snow, ice, or wind, just serious cold. My thought was a transformer blew up or a section of the grid just couldn’t take it.

In Vermont there has been a big push for Mini Splits, with incentives and all, both from the state and power company. While I am definitely pro mini split, and have a couple, they are not at their best at 5 below. Lower efficiency and higher consumption. It’s a strain on the grid for sure, and there has been some discussion of that in the state.

 

[all night moe]

I'm waiting to hear from a guy I work with. I took him on a job I bid. We waited for a good freeze for hard ground. Have the job set for crane use. The HO went through his last radiation treatment and postponed for a month so he could recuperate. Fast forward he's now worried about yard damage and doesn't want to have to be worried about it. He found some one with a bucket truck who bid $500 more. He said he'd gladly pay us the same if we can do it with a lift. I'm meeting my buddy there today and I'm waiting to do that when I hear from him.

Afterwards I'll be moving wood into the basement with the pickup. I prepared a bunch yesterday in the woodyard. With some more prep I should be able to get a cord and a half in the lair. That and I'll keep some wood ready in a pile accessible by pickup should I need more. Tarp it and shovel at the ready. I'll be alright. Duct work is right next to the plumbing in the crawlspace. One advantage of the forced hot air. Got 2 days before the storm hits. Like said, "Bring it." The sooner it's here, the sooner it's over.

I'm really ready for winter's end.
Are we there yet?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

There is a special thermostat (add-on?) that people have mentioned. It cycles the furnace/boiler at set intervals. There is a past thread on this somewhere.

If you don’t have zone valves, you could just run a circulator pump. The moving water will pick up heat from the woodstove.

 

[Dix]

I'm really, really glad I didn't listen to the Ex, and went ahead & had the PE installed

Just sayin' !

Groceries... check. House loaded w/ firewood AND another 2 week's worth right outside the back door ... check. Ice melter (if it works) ... check. Oil tank @ 160 gallons, good to go (the 13 is idle)... check.

Moving firewood last night after work ... not fun

 

[ispinwool]

woke up this morning to a very cold house....furnace up and quit. I've got the woodburner loaded heavy
...awaiting a call back from the furnace guy🤞
Y'all stay warm and safe!

 

[John Lehet]

I’m burning 60 to 70 pounds of wood a day in the Progress Hybrid through this cold stretch 24/7 heat from the stove only, except keeping extremities of the addition at 40 with oil boiler. Still doing my usual method of doing a long coaling phase with the air shut all the way down between loads and coasting on the stove mass. The temp in here is dropping a bit though as this long cold stretch endures. No longer 68 in the bedroom above. I can definitely push this stove way harder, but I’m afraid of using up all my dry wood. Next in the wood shed is ash I cut early in the summer. The bigger splits are not testing below 20%, but I guess I’m going to get into that wood for sure this winter. Cold shows no sign of letting up. Mid afternoon currently -1F and snowing.

 

[bigealta]

I’m burning 60 to 70 pounds of wood a day in the Progress Hybrid through this cold stretch 24/7 heat from the stove only, except keeping extremities of the addition at 40 with oil boiler. Still doing my usual method of doing a long coaling phase with the air shut all the way down between loads and coasting on the stove mass. The temp in here is dropping a bit though as this long cold stretch endures. No longer 68 in the bedroom above. I can definitely push this stove way harder, but I’m afraid of using up all my dry wood. Next in the wood shed is ash I cut early in the summer. The bigger splits are not testing below 20%, but I guess I’m going to get into that wood for sure this winter. Cold shows no sign of letting up. Mid afternoon currently -1F and snowing.

Yup when your neighbor looks over in your back yard and sees your 5 cords stacked all around the place he/she says "Wow you've got a Lot of Wood there"........... You are thinking ahhhhhhh This is Not even 1/2 of what i need.

 

[bigealta]

woke up this morning to a very cold house....furnace up and quit. I've got the woodburner loaded heavy
...awaiting a call back from the furnace guy🤞
Y'all stay warm and safe!

Did you try resetting the control panel by shutting off the breaker?