CRITICAL: Michiganders, turn up your wood stoves

[yooper08]

So at 10:30pm, got one of those emergency alerts that are broadcasted to your cellphone. Usually get them for Amber Alerts. This one was to lower our thermostats to 65 or lower until Friday. Thought that was strange so started researching what was happening. The alert was issued by the State of Emergency center. Not sure how far the alert was broadcasted, but at the very least metro Detroit and beyond, but if you have Consumers Energy or DTE, you're impacted.

Consumers had a fire this morning at one of their NG pump stations, and that station supplies 64% of their NG. So that's a huge hit to supply in the area at the worst time possible. They're tapping reserves due to peak demands, asking DTE (which their NG infrastructure is connected) to help supply the area, and looking at bringing in supply from outside the state. As a result, the Big 3 have cut production at factories in the area in order to save NG...other large commercial clients have cut usage as well, such as all state buildings.

DTE is requesting the same, citing the electrical grid. Everything is ok in the area, but apparently there are reports in other states and Canada that we're connected to having stability issues due to heavy use as a result of the cold.

So, for those of us that have em and are customers of these utilities, crank up the wood stoves and turn off electronics that aren't in use.

Let's stay warm together.

Edit/Update: CRITICAL
For NG use, the need is critical to reduce NG use. They're now saying if enough people don't reduce usage, there could be outages.

 

[rdust]

Yeah, freaked me out when mine and the better half’s phone went crazy. I looked at the stove with a fully belly and smiled. Our furnace uses propane so not an issue either way. That’s set to 55 though so it better not come into play.

Now keeping my two diesel vehicles running is another story!

 

[yooper08]

Yeah, when mine started buzzing the way it did, I assumed it was an Amber Alert.

The stove here has been going like crazy today. Going to load it now for the night.

Crazy times with this cold.

 

[Texas123]

On nights like this is when the debates between Blaze King versus Hearthstone versus Jotul versus other brands almost become irrelevant. In these crisis situations when the gas and power goes off it is the running stove that provides the heat for life. Even an old fashioned fireplace or smoke dragon is better then nothing when your entire state is running out of fuel and electricity.

 

[begreen]

This has happened extensively in China as they converted complete cities to NG and removed coal stoves.

 

[HomeinPA]

This has happened extensively in China as they converted complete cities to NG and removed coal stoves.

The government knows what's best. You shouldn't question them. They will take care of all of us and we will be safe, warm and happy. Just ask the American Indian nations.

 

[NaturalCauses]

I got a good chuckle when that alert came through, as I was loading up the stove for the night.

 

[peakbagger]

A similar issue happened in the Merrimack Valley of Mass this past year except there was no gas for months. The utility over pressurized the system and there were explosions, fires, one death and lots of damaged homeowner equipment. The utility had to replace/test every pipe in the distribution system under the city streets and had to replace a lot of homeowner and business equipment. Some folks had no heat, stoves or hot water for months. I expect it will be years for the lawsuits to get settled.

 

[yooper08]

I got a good chuckle when that alert came through, as I was loading up the stove for the night.

Right? I've already told friends and family for their planning that if the shortages happen, doubtful at this point, our house is available to stay warm.

 

[Fred Bear]

I got that alert too. Burning wood!

 

[yooper08]

As the news has continued to come out, all of us trolls apparently got the warning.

The Big 3 have shut down or limited operations at 18 facilities across the state to help conserve energy.

Just makes me thankful we made the decision to have wood heat a few years ago. The goal was to heat the basement and serve as a backup heat source. While not a complete outage, just doing our part to keep everyone else warm. We have 2/3 of our thermostats either off or set at 64. The other is still at 68 just because we have a 2.5-month old. Otherwise, the family gets to hang out by the fire.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

How cold is it in the midwest? Seen in Chicago today.

Link Removed

Woke this morning to -16F. Wind chills in the neighborhood of -30.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Yeah, freaked me out when mine and the better half’s phone went crazy. I looked at the stove with a fully belly and smiled. Our furnace uses propane so not an issue either way. That’s set to 55 though so it better not come into play.

Now keeping my two diesel vehicles running is another story!

It’s definitely a good idea to plug in the pick um up trucks. I usually don’t plug my duramax in until single digits. Flipped the switch on at 8 this morning so hopefully she isn’t to pissed when I crank her over around 12.

 

[deernutz]

Was already asleep when it came through and obviously a little disoriented. Got up and went to look at the thermostat....already turned down and Northstar blazing away. After I had climbed back in bed remembered we are on propane backup LOL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yooper08]

In southern MI, which is where it's generally been the coldest in the state (the lakes have kept the rest of the state warmer), we'll stay in positive double digits by early Saturday morning. It'll continue up to 52 degrees and raining on Monday. That'll be interesting.

 

[rdust]

It’s definitely a good idea to plug in the pick um up trucks. I usually don’t plug my duramax in until single digits. Flipped the switch on at 8 this morning so hopefully she isn’t to pissed when I crank her over around 12.

The duramax had no issues( it was plugged in) my Jetta TDI on the other hand was not happy.(glow plugs are not working 100%) Wife drove the duramax to work and I took a back up gasser. Jetta started fine after I got home from work.

 

[Highbeam]

It’s definitely a good idea to plug in the pick um up trucks. I usually don’t plug my duramax in until single digits. Flipped the switch on at 8 this morning so hopefully she isn’t to pissed when I crank her over around 12.

I drive a 7.3 powerstroke but always thought that when it got really really cold the blockheater wont save you because the fuel lines and tank full of diesel turn to something resembling vaseline.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Dies

I drive a 7.3 powerstroke but always thought that when it got really really cold the blockheater wont save you because the fuel lines and tank full of diesel turn to something resembling vaseline.

diesel will definitely gel at a certain point. A friend of mine is a rancher in Wyoming and he has also worked for a natural gas company (based out of traverse city) wrenching on pumping stations. When it gets down to the -30s and lower they sometimes have to use a gasoline powered engine to help crank over the big diesel rigs to get them started. I forget what he call the the little gasser motors.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

The duramax had no issues( it was plugged in) my Jetta TDI on the other hand was not happy.(glow plugs are not working 100%) Wife drove the duramax to work and I took a back up gasser. Jetta started fine after I got home from work.

I have a little toro dingo walk behind skid steer with a 3 cylinder kubota in it and the last two winters I couldn’t get it to start for chit. Replaced the glow plugs this past spring and she fires right up. My buddies kubota tractor left him hanging today. Which sucks because we were suppose to go do a small lot clearing tomorrow. Instead I get to show him how to get things started the old fashion way by starting a small twig fire under the oil pan. Probably need the jumper box by now to. he isn’t very machanicly inclined.