Here comes the COLD!

[northernwoodsman]

Northern MN is getting ready for some cold weather. Reports say 100+ hours of below zero temps! The Englander is going to earn it's keep- bring it on!

My only problem is freezing pipes in the basement. The frozen location is inaccessible. Sadly enough the only solution I've found is to run the evil furnace.

 

[Peter B.]

Not quite as nasty a forecast here in SW Wisconsin, but nothing to take lightly either... tonight through Saturday morning... single digits above to double digits below.

My basement is (for the moment) essentially 'off limits' too. I think I'll run a dribble of water from the tub tap on the coldest nights. Wish I'd rigged the trouble-light-taped-to-the-incoming-water-main trick so I could plug/unplug from upstairs.

Fingers Crossed.

Peter B.

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[trouba]

Can you just run the furnace fan? I run mine and it evens the heat out nicely.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

I'm running my furnace as we speak! Getting the basement and crawls spaced warmed up!

Brought in a 1/3 of a cord this morning and I have Red Oak, Cherry and White Ash for fuel.

The Red Oak and Cherry is my select seasoned wood from when I stocked up for Y2K back in 1999. :cheese: (Stuff is hard as a rock)

Its going to be some crazy cold weather!

 

[Peter B.]

Can you just run the furnace fan? I run mine and it evens the heat out nicely.

Furnace?

I tore out the old oil boiler nearly twenty years ago.

--

I wonder what northernwoodsman's 'excuse' is?

Peter B.

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[moondoggy]

Peter B.........
"Wish I’d rigged the trouble-light-taped-to-the-incoming-water-main trick so I could plug/unplug from upstairs"

could you elaborate?

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Can you just run the furnace fan? I run mine and it evens the heat out nicely.

Only problem with that is if your furnace brings in cold air from an intake outside like mine does......well you will be bringing in cold air in and that's no fun.

 

[Peter B.]

Peter B.........
"Wish I’d rigged the trouble-light-taped-to-the-incoming-water-main trick so I could plug/unplug from upstairs"

could you elaborate?

More often than not here, the pipe that freezes up is the incoming (below ground) main in the basement... can't explain exactly why. My prevention/solution in past has been to tape a trouble light (by the handle) to the water main and leave the light on 24/7 through the coldest spells. Black electrical tape works fine, just don't use any tape in the hot bulb area. Low wattage bulbs work too.

I've used the same method to thaw other pipes... usually just needs patience.

Note that in each event, I knew pretty soon after the taps went 'dry' what was wrong... and how to address it... and caught things in time... but a hard frozen pipe left for long is apt to burst.

I haven't busted a pipe for a while, but I'm probably due.

Peter B.

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[GKG-MO]

Hasn't anybody heard off heat tape? just wrap around your pipes and plug it in. It usually has a thermostat that keeps the water inside the pipes just above freezing temp. Should be available at your local hardware store in different lengths. Around here a lot of people that have house trailers use heat tape to keep their pipes from freezing. It really doesn't use that much electricity either.

 

[skinnykid]

Sposed to get -2 over night for a couple nights here.

Sometimes my basement door blows open and then my pipes freeze. I run an electric space heater and it thaws out in less than 1 hour. I fixed the door to close tightly now.

Gonna have to run the furnace at night for when the fire burns out. My little stove just can't run all night.

 

[wolfkiller]

We are just geting up to the tempatures you all are geting worked up about. It is -11 here and everyone is runing around like is is a spring thaw.

 

[skinnykid]

I can imagine you guys are psyched.

P.s. Killing wolves is not nice. Wolves are cool!

Killing Coyotes on the other hand is FUN!

 

[syd3006]

We're a couple of hours north of you -33 tonight -26 tomorrow and Wed., then -33 on Thursday again.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Sposed to get -2 over night for a couple nights here.

Sometimes my basement door blows open and then my pipes freeze. I run an electric space heater and it thaws out in less than 1 hour. I fixed the door to close tightly now.

Gonna have to run the furnace at night for when the fire burns out. My little stove just can't run all night.

Sometimes when it gets down low I'll sleep in the room with the stove. It's warmer and I can reload the fire when it goes down.

Matt

 

[skinnykid]

Sposed to get -2 over night for a couple nights here.

Sometimes my basement door blows open and then my pipes freeze. I run an electric space heater and it thaws out in less than 1 hour. I fixed the door to close tightly now.

Gonna have to run the furnace at night for when the fire burns out. My little stove just can't run all night.

Sometimes when it gets down low I'll sleep in the room with the stove. It's warmer and I can reload the fire when it goes down.

Matt

ya I would do that but I hate, HATE waking up for any reason. If I wake up for another reason then I will load her up.

 

[moondoggy]

Peter B.........
"Wish I’d rigged the trouble-light-taped-to-the-incoming-water-main trick so I could plug/unplug from upstairs"

could you elaborate?

More often than not here, the pipe that freezes up is the incoming (below ground) main in the basement... can't explain exactly why. My prevention/solution in past has been to tape a trouble light (by the handle) to the water main and leave the light on 24/7 through the coldest spells. Black electrical tape works fine, just don't use any tape in the hot bulb area. Low wattage bulbs work too.

I've used the same method to thaw other pipes... usually just needs patience.

Note that in each event, I knew pretty soon after the taps went 'dry' what was wrong... and how to address it... and caught things in time... but a hard frozen pipe left for long is apt to burst.

I haven't busted a pipe for a while, but I'm probably due.

Peter B.

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ah, nice safe idea. thank you

 

[MishMouse]

Was -33.2 this morning at 7:00AM,
Running the stove with poplar now to get more heat, stove top is currently around 600
Typically I run the stove with mostly oak and occasional piece of poplar with stove top around 450.
My manufactured home is not as insulated as I would like it.

 

[northernwoodsman]

It's -26 right now! The place the pipes are freezing is inaccessible. The previous owner solved their freezing issue by running a furnace duct to the pipes - the duct's sole purpose is to keep the pipes warm. So the pipe can't be reached without tearing down the sauna ceiling and furnace duct. My solution is to turn up the thermostat so the furnace runs and turn the faucet on to trickle. Last night was the first really cold night I could keep the pipes open. I realize I could get by without the furnace, but having pipes burst is not something I want to deal with.

I love the stove and it is providing my wife and 5 month old plenty of heat. We are a little drafty, but that's to be expected in a 100+ year old house without insulation!

 

[begreen]

Having a house in MN without insulation is nuts. Getting this addressed should be the number one project this year.

 

[coffeedogz3]

Hasn't anybody heard off heat tape? just wrap around your pipes and plug it in. It usually has a thermostat that keeps the water inside the pipes just above freezing temp. Should be available at your local hardware store in different lengths. Around here a lot of people that have house trailers use heat tape to keep their pipes from freezing. It really doesn't use that much electricity either.

Great stuff!! Especially if you have pipes in a crawl space or if they are more exposed to the elements. Wrap the cable around pipes, plug it in and pipes don't freeze up.

(broken link removed to http://www.acehardware.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=heat) tape&origkw=heat tape&sr=1

 

[MishMouse]

Called wife and got the low at my house this morning -35.1.
Upstairs was at 70.5 and basement was at 80.6.

As for the insulating that is my plan for this year.

Last year we had the basement insulated, had them dig down to the foundation and insulate and water proof it.
They also sealed the siding to the foundation with tin to stop the air from going under the siding.
Has done wonders so far, last year before I had this done the snow would melt about 3-5 inches from the house.
This year very little melting at that level.

Though I still have the issue with the walls being very cold (ice still forms on the bottom of the walls), last year I was under the assumption that the reason why the walls were so cold was the cold was traveling up the exposed walls. On the west side of the house you could easily stick your hand between the siding and the wall. But, since I got that fixed I shouldn't have that issue, unless when Holly Park build my home they didn't put the insulation into that I paid for. >:-(

 

[neverrude]

Hasn't anybody heard off heat tape? just wrap around your pipes and plug it in. It usually has a thermostat that keeps the water inside the pipes just above freezing temp. Should be available at your local hardware store in different lengths. Around here a lot of people that have house trailers use heat tape to keep their pipes from freezing. It really doesn't use that much electricity either.

Great stuff!! Especially if you have pipes in a crawl space or if they are more exposed to the elements. Wrap the cable around pipes, plug it in and pipes don't freeze up.

(broken link removed to http://www.acehardware.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=heat) tape&origkw=heat tape&sr=1

Your right, it is great stuff. Got mine at HD.