New furnace - A Tale of Two Winters

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by OneToughHerring

I wonder how the myriad of homeless people are doing in the UK and around Europe.

Coping the best they can.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Just a disclaimer, that was taken at least three summers ago, and I've put on a little weight since then. But I'm happy to report that the hormone therapy did finally get rid of the beard.

Thank god, that beard was freaking me out!

Originally Posted by OneToughHerring

I wonder how the myriad of homeless people are doing in the UK and around Europe.

I wonder how many have died.
Not a good situation.

[Aramike]

Back to the original post of this thread, I talked to a guy today in passing about the "boom" and he said it sounds like a very common situation he gets when part of the aluminum vent duct expands when air is pumped into it.

He said the fix is simply to wedge something against the vent.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Snestorm

I wonder how many have died.
Not a good situation.

All the homeless charities and Social Services will be extra vigilent during this cols snap I should imagine.

The only problem being, they will not have the authority to take someone to a place of warmth/safety if they refuse to be helped.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

All the homeless charities and Social Services will be extra vigilent during this cols snap I should imagine.

The only problem being, they will not have the authority to take someone to a place of warmth/safety if they refuse to be helped.

They opened a temporary shelter here to handle the overflow from the regular shelter.

But yea if they dont want to come in you can not make them.

Then theres the 'repeat offenders' who committ petty crimes to land in jail for 30 days to escape the cold.

[CaptainHaplo]

Well Neal, if it makes you feel any better - though it didn't cost me 2k, the water froze up here in my home. It has been about 2 weeks of constant 20 degree days and single digit nights. The crawlspace isn't insulated, and it finally had all it could take. I spent about 8 hours yesterday under the house, cutting off the old pipe insulation, removing dead heat tape, then putting new heat tape and insulation back on. Temp under the house - 18 degrees Farenheit.

But water is back on again - thankfully. I have an artesian well as my water source, and the drain line for it froze as well, so the water is coming out the top and has no where to drain, so it hits the surface air and wind - and I have a slowly growing ice rink at the well head. Still, as long as its flowing - I am happy.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Well Neal, if it makes you feel any better - though it didn't cost me 2k, the water froze up here in my home. It has been about 2 weeks of constant 20 degree days and single digit nights. The crawlspace isn't insulated, and it finally had all it could take. I spent about 8 hours yesterday under the house, cutting off the old pipe insulation, removing dead heat tape, then putting new heat tape and insulation back on. Temp under the house - 18 degrees Farenheit.

But water is back on again - thankfully. I have an artesian well as my water source, and the drain line for it froze as well, so the water is coming out the top and has no where to drain, so it hits the surface air and wind - and I have a slowly growing ice rink at the well head. Still, as long as its flowing - I am happy.

Wow, that's an ordeal. Is the crawlspace under your house (as oppose to an attic)? Do you mean minus 18 degrees? Or was that - a hypen? Dead heat tape, so it stopped working, eh? Any way to check it other than touch?

Thankfully all my pipe are in the attic, and it doesn't reach freezing there. I guess it could if the temps were low enough, long enough, but a two day freeze here is an event, not regular occurrence.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Thank god, that beard was freaking me out!

Well, it did do a pretty good job of hiding the adam's apple. Can't have everything, I guess.

[CaptainHaplo]

That was a hyphen. It was 18 degrees F and its under the house. Most heat tape has a built in thermostat, apparently that died and so never gave juice to the wiring. But I got lucky, the piping didn't burst, so once it was thawed out I was back in business. A couple of heat lamps and the tape got me going. The hardest part was once the water was on - I really didn't want to go back down and crawl in just to reinsulate it - I could have waited but I procrastinate on enough stuff - didn't want it hanging over my head.

[Jimbuna]

Like father like son (it's TarJak actually)

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

That was a hyphen. It was 18 degrees F and its under the house. Most heat tape has a built in thermostat, apparently that died and so never gave juice to the wiring. But I got lucky, the piping didn't burst, so once it was thawed out I was back in business. A couple of heat lamps and the tape got me going. The hardest part was once the water was on - I really didn't want to go back down and crawl in just to reinsulate it - I could have waited but I procrastinate on enough stuff - didn't want it hanging over my head.

Whew! You dodged a bullet there, replacing heat tape is one thing, replacing pipes, bad. Still, I feel for you, 18 and crawling under the house is no fun. I wish I lived where they have basements, always wished I had a basement.

[August]

You southerners might not be aware this old swamp yankee trick so JIC i'll mention it here:

If you fear your pipes are going to freeze, crack open your faucet and let it drip. Moving water doesn't freeze as easily as still water and you can save off freezing for a lot longer than if the pipe is completely closed off.