Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[wudpirat]

I GET NO RESPECT
Yesterday my bud Tom shows up for a cup coffee and mooch a cigar.
Tom is my small engine mech and fellow woodboooga. I show him my new baby saw (post 4862) and he says
"Hey, that's cute, is it wind up or battery?"
No cigar for you today Tom. That cut deep, almost hurt my feelings.
Na, hide's to thick.
Hey Zogger, when is your Polar Vortex gonna end? I need a Jan. thaw soon.
Everything is iced up, freezing rain, even the dog won't go out. And I have a big pile to split.

 

[zogger]

I GET NO RESPECT
Yesterday my bud Tom shows up for a cup coffee and mooch a cigar.
Tom is my small engine mech and fellow woodboooga. I show him my new baby saw (post 4862) and he says
"Hey, that's cute, is it wind up or battery?"
No cigar for you today Tom. That cut deep, almost hurt my feelings.
Na, hide's to thick.
Hey Zogger, when is your Polar Vortex gonna end? I need a Jan. thaw soon.
Everything is iced up, freezing rain, even the dog won't go out. And I have a big pile to split.

Slowed down here, almost 50 degrees and the ground has melted back to gooey slop. Raining. Saw midges flying around today and expecting the spring peepers to start tomorrow, they are usually pretty fast on taking advantage of "good enough to fool around" temps...

I'm burning one stick at a time in the smogger, sorta silly but appears to be working, keep the damp off inside here.

When I go out again I'll do a rain dance and try to shove it north east.....maybe you'll get a better january thaw...

 

[svk]

Slowed down here, almost 50 degrees and the ground has melted back to gooey slop. Raining. Saw midges flying around today and expecting the spring peepers to start tomorrow, they are usually pretty fast on taking advantage of "good enough to fool around" temps...

I'm burning one stick at a time in the smogger, sorta silly but appears to be working, keep the damp off inside here.

When I go out again I'll do a rain dance and try to shove it north east.....maybe you'll get a better january thaw...

By peepers do you mean the frogs that come out in the spring?

 

[Ambull01]

I GET NO RESPECT
Yesterday my bud Tom shows up for a cup coffee and mooch a cigar.
Tom is my small engine mech and fellow woodboooga. I show him my new baby saw (post 4862) and he says
"Hey, that's cute, is it wind up or battery?"
No cigar for you today Tom. That cut deep, almost hurt my feelings.
Na, hide's to thick.
Hey Zogger, when is your Polar Vortex gonna end? I need a Jan. thaw soon.
Everything is iced up, freezing rain, even the dog won't go out. And I have a big pile to split.

I know what you mean. A few people have looked down upon the Poulan Pro 375 I picked up. Possibly due to Poulan's current/newer saw lineup.

Yep, I'm ready for average temperatures too. Spent about three days last week in my basement/crawl space. I forgot to unhook the hose and some water froze in the outside spigot. Also saw some mortar missing along outside walls so the wind was coming in.

 

[farmer steve]

paleeeeeezzzze no thaw yet. to much wood to cut before mud time.

 

[zogger]

By peepers do you mean the frogs that come out in the spring?

Yes. they are nuts, go away hibernate, come out, cold spell, hibernate again. It will happen several times before real spring.

 

[svk]

Yes. they are nuts, go away hibernate, come out, cold spell, hibernate again. It will happen several times before real spring.

They don't show up here until the end of May. I love listening to them go nuts in the swamp near our cabin.

 

[zogger]

I know what you mean. A few people have looked down upon the Poulan Pro 375 I picked up. Possibly due to Poulan's current/newer saw lineup.

Yep, I'm ready for average temperatures too. Spent about three days last week in my basement/crawl space. I forgot to unhook the hose and some water froze in the outside spigot. Also saw some mortar missing along outside walls so the wind was coming in.

Well, just like last year, I didn't make it through polar vortex. GF heard a noise under the sink, just got done taking up the floor to inspect, apparently lost the hot water pipe of all things. Super inaccessible. She's filling up jugs now and I have to turn the water off. This sucks, I kept that thing running, too, small stream during the real cold weather.

 

[Philbert]

I forget - which is worse: 'Polar vortex' or 'Arctic blast'?

Sorry Zog; inaccessible plumbing is never fun.

Philbert

 

[Ambull01]

Well, just like last year, I didn't make it through polar vortex. GF heard a noise under the sink, just got done taking up the floor to inspect, apparently lost the hot water pipe of all things. Super inaccessible. She's filling up jugs now and I have to turn the water off. This sucks, I kept that thing running, too, small stream during the real cold weather.

This was my first experience with a frozen pipe. Luckily it didn't burst. I wrapped some pipe insulation around all the at risk pipes and did some other preventative measures.

That is weird, you would figure the cold water pipe would be more susceptible to freezing. You ever try those heat tape/wire contraptions? I wonder how these dudes from NY/MN/MA/other cold weather states get through with pipes in one piece.

 

[Philbert]

I wonder how these dudes from NY/MN/MA/other cold weather states get through with pipes in one piece.

Most of our buildings are designed for it. Pipes get buried below the frost line and run through insulated spaces. Or else, we have the same problems. I knew one stubborn old guy who kept a 60W light bulb running all winter in his crawl space to prevent freeze up. He would not use heat tape, or insulation for some reason (?).

On really cold days, I open up the cabinets below the kitchen sink (outside wall) to let warm air in, just to hedge my bets.

Philbert

 

[kyle1!]

"You ever try those heat tape/wire contraptions?"

Yes and they work as long as there is electricity. I have pipes in a crawl space going to my washer and when it gets cold like last week I don't have a working washer. Tried heat tape/insulation but the tape stopped working but for some reason the pipes don't break even when they freeze. On my well the pressure tank/switch are in an outhouse that I keep warm with heat tape and small milkhouse heater. One year the heater failed and I ended up with a skating rink after the pressure tank blew a hole in itself.

The joys of living in cold country.

 

[svk]

"You ever try those heat tape/wire contraptions?"

Yes and they work as long as there is electricity. I have pipes in a crawl space going to my washer and when it gets cold like last week I don't have a working washer. Tried heat tape/insulation but the tape stopped working but for some reason the pipes don't break even when they freeze. On my well the pressure tank/switch are in an outhouse that I keep warm with heat tape and small milkhouse heater. One year the heater failed and I ended up with a skating rink after the pressure tank blew a hole in itself.

The joys of living in cold country.

I lived in a farm house with just a cellar for 9 years and those heat tapes would fail quite frequently. I think you need to buy the really good ones as the hardware store ones work for a year or two. Just had water supply to toilet and sink on far side of house that would freeze if it was more than -30 outside.

 

[Ambull01]

Most of our buildings are designed for it. Pipes get buried below the frost line and run through insulated spaces. Or else, we have the same problems. I knew one stubborn old guy who kept a 60W light bulb running all winter in his crawl space to prevent freeze up. He would not use heat tape, or insulation for some reason (?).

On really cold days, I open up the cabinets below the kitchen sink (outside wall) to let warm air in, just to hedge my bets.

Philbert

I may try to relocate the pipes in my crawl space. Don't feel like doing this kind of stuff every winter, cuts down on my scrounging time.

Previous owner was using a heat lamp to direct heat on the pipes, not sure how much of a difference it made. Guess she had a couple of busted pipes through the years. Crawling around in that coffin like area I discovered a huge freaking hole that was probably dug out by the busted pipe. Stupid idiot woman never filled it in. I was wondering why there was so much dirt on the floor in my basement. Busted pipe sent water gushing out, dug out a hole in crawl space, and sent mud into my basement. Sump pump's propeller housing was filled with dirt/sand and inoperable. Why do people buy houses that are too lazy/stupid to maintain them?

"You ever try those heat tape/wire contraptions?"

Yes and they work as long as there is electricity. I have pipes in a crawl space going to my washer and when it gets cold like last week I don't have a working washer. Tried heat tape/insulation but the tape stopped working but for some reason the pipes don't break even when they freeze. On my well the pressure tank/switch are in an outhouse that I keep warm with heat tape and small milkhouse heater. One year the heater failed and I ended up with a skating rink after the pressure tank blew a hole in itself.

The joys of living in cold country.

True, need electricity for a electric heat tape lol. Would be kind of cool if they made solar powered ones. Collect energy and store it for future use. Would probably cost more than new pipes though.

I've been thinking a lot lately about eventually moving to Canada/Alaska but winters always give me a slap back into reality. It doesn't really get that cold here yet it always becomes a bit of pain having to deal with frozen pipes, ice on windshields, idiots on the roads, etc.

 

[svk]

I've been thinking a lot lately about eventually moving to Canada/Alaska but winters always give me a slap back into reality. It doesn't really get that cold here yet it always becomes a bit of pain having to deal with frozen pipes, ice on windshields, idiots on the roads, etc.

There is no such thing as too cold, just ineffective clothing.

Winter is fun if you embrace it. For those who sit inside and complain, Minnesota winter gets pretty long especially when you get subzero weather into April sometimes. On the flip side, ice fishing in a t-shirt in late March can be glorious when temps are 70 degrees.

 

[Ambull01]

There is no such thing as too cold, just ineffective clothing.

Winter is fun if you embrace it. For those who sit inside and complain, Minnesota winter gets pretty long especially when you get subzero weather into April sometimes. On the flip side, ice fishing in a t-shirt in late March can be glorious when temps are 70 degrees.

Yeah, I've found that to be mostly true. When I really layer up, I'm pretty comfortable in the cold. Well everything except my hands and little piggies. I'll have to try those Lobster Boy gloves @mainewoods posted a while back on another thread.

I've always wanted to go ice fishing, ride on a snow mobile, dog sled, etc. I think I've lived in Hawaii too long, long ass winters can be quite depressing.

 

[svk]

Yeah, I've found that to be mostly true. When I really layer up, I'm pretty comfortable in the cold. Well everything except my hands and little piggies. I'll have to try those Lobster Boy gloves @mainewoods posted a while back on another thread.

I've always wanted to go ice fishing, ride on a snow mobile, dog sled, etc. I think I've lived in Hawaii too long, long ass winters can be quite depressing.

Best way to beat cabin fever is to get outside. Do anything. Doesn't matter how cold it is.

Sometimes I get irritable with the fam when we are all stuck inside. Even 3300 SF for 7 people isn't enough sometimes LOL. Just going outside to putz in the garage for a half hour or haul some wood brightens the mood.

 

[zogger]

This was my first experience with a frozen pipe. Luckily it didn't burst. I wrapped some pipe insulation around all the at risk pipes and did some other preventative measures.

That is weird, you would figure the cold water pipe would be more susceptible to freezing. You ever try those heat tape/wire contraptions? I wonder how these dudes from NY/MN/MA/other cold weather states get through with pipes in one piece.

Apparently it rusted (iron pipe) out at an elbow below ground level. Or something. That's my best guess, I can't get to it, and not enough clearance for being a molerat under there. It's hard to see the water was deep. I'm letting it run away until tomorrow, then cut a hole under the sink for access and look at it again. I might wind up just bypassing the old hot water system and run all new from the hot water tank, up inside the cabin down the baseboards. Maybe, don't know yet. Sucks, I thought I had beat it this year.

 

[Philbert]

I spent some winter time in the U.P. of Michigan (a.k.a. 'State of Superior'). We had very simple plumbing lines that were easy to drain when there was no heat, so freezing pipes were eliminated. Outhouses, so no toilets to freeze. Hand pump in the kitchen for water in the winter. Kettle on the stove for hot water. Pretty simple, but effective.

If you have lots of plumbing run through your walls, and multiple convenience faucets, it takes more effort to 'freeze-proof' them.

In the city, I can drain my water supply lines pretty easily in a no-heat emergency, and keep a couple of gallons of RV anti-freeze for the drain traps. But I also have radiators, and not sure if I could effectively drain all of those - could be messy! Not sure how well my fireplace insert could do to keep the whole house above a catastrophic freeze!

Philbert

 

[MustangMike]

If U need a little bit of electricity during blackouts, etc, just buy a deep cycle battery and an inverter. We can operate the lights up at the cabin for a 3 day weekend with one, but I plan to install a solar panel on the new cabin.

It will also operate the fan on my Natural Gas Imitation Wood Stove that I heat my house with. Since it has a milivolt thermostat that operates off the pilot light, it will come on even during a blackout.