OT: preparing your home for bitter cold
I hope this thread isn't redundant from FauxMo's thread below, but I'm wondering what tips everyone has to winterize your home? Everyone knows to turn off and blow out exterior water lines, but I read recently that you should also clear snow away from the air vents around the foundation of your house. I would never have even thought of this.
So it got me thinking, it would make a great thread to share ideas and tips to make your home cozier and safer as snowmageddon 2019 approaches. (Looking at you, XM)
January 29th, 2019 at 6:14 PM ^
thats how we've wired ours. can't even tell when we lose power, which happens out here and in the UP a bunch. its called a 'transfer switch'.
i upgraded our house genny a couple of years ago so now we can power everything, barn included, seamlessly. before the barn was out of the picture.
January 29th, 2019 at 10:28 PM ^
I have this setup in the City of GR due to a special needs child that was living on a ventilator 4-5 years ago. He is doing well now.
Ironically, with a kid like this, the social workers let the utilities know what homes have these special needs humans, and your “first on” when power goes down.
We have that transfer switch and would be just a blip if power goes down. Then Consumers would show up and have us back on in 15 minutes.
January 29th, 2019 at 7:34 PM ^
This is the correct choice. Power turns off, generator turns on.
January 29th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
Honda generators are the best IMO, very spendy but they're efficient and never die. I've seen so many 20+ year old Honda generators kicking around.
January 29th, 2019 at 9:12 PM ^
Here's some advice: don't install it outside your neighbor's bedroom window, like my neighbor did. He didn't want it near his bedroom.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:50 PM ^
Get under the covers and fart...alot
January 29th, 2019 at 5:53 PM ^
I'll try it!!
January 29th, 2019 at 6:06 PM ^
Tell the wife that those Dutch Ovens are for her benefit? I love it. Will be checking in tomorrow to let you know if it worked.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:12 PM ^
water!! clean and fill tubs/sinks with water. that is the thing that you'll need and will forget. if you do forget, then use the snow outside. you'll need water to flush your toilet, water for the dog, etc. and all of that will work with snow.
fire places are nice, but tend to not actually heat your house but instead act as a heat-sucking draft. get a wood stove, they actually heat and if you lose power you can use them to...cook.
generator as mentioned above. whole house if you can get it.
then the basics of candles (be careful!), canned food, stuff like that. remember, your truck probably has a plug too, so in a pinch you could run something off of that. i've used mine in the woods with tools, for instance, very handy.
thats a start.
January 29th, 2019 at 9:20 PM ^
Solid advice as always, XM. It got so bad I had to bring my livestock in (our family of ducks). Here's to hunkering down for a nice week of hibernation.
January 29th, 2019 at 10:17 PM ^
heat lamps. we added one this week. we've got 100+ chickens in the hen house so they can produce a lot heat but we help them because otherwise they won't lay any eggs - they'll use all their energy for keeping warm.
we need to talk you into chickens, mr. farmer. didn't know you'd moved out to the country. good for you.
January 29th, 2019 at 11:07 PM ^
Yes, chickens seem way more practical. The ducks happened by accident. Basically they needed a home and we couldn't refuse. We live in the mean streets of Dexter. We are sandwiched between two cattle farms which makes for a nice ambiance. Nice and quiet, very far from any convenient grocery stores, but well worth it.
January 30th, 2019 at 5:46 AM ^
suggestions: get the twins on great, healthy daily living. i know you and mrs. EYB are handling that.
build small hen house or even buy one. get 6-12 chickens this spring and learn. super easy, its like a starter kit or when you got your first rocket kit as a kid.
expand operations. more animals. buy neighboring cattle farms. become dude rancher.
profit.
January 30th, 2019 at 3:11 PM ^
On the subject of generators, sort of, I recommend you have a gas range/oven. First, it's just better cooking with gas because it gives you much more control. And second it works when there is no electricity. Of course you should also have a propane grill but on a night like this you don't want to be out there flipping burgers.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
On another forum I visit people were talking about their sewer lines freezing up. I think this was people who aren't on town lines but have septic. The recommendation was to run some water through on occasion which I think in a family setting isn't an issue but with just one or two people could become one.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
The unexplained double.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
January 29th, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
Well, at least I won't have to trek to the mailbox...
Postal Service calls off Wednesday deliveries over the cold. http://strib.mn/2Ti0jGQ.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
Set you faucets to a slow drip, all of them, hot water and cold.
Open all doors, bedrooms and closets, to get warm air flowing throughout the house.
Stop all thermostat programs that go to a cool down mode. Set your home temperature and select "hold". Now is not the time to save a buck on heat.
If you can, turn off all exterior faucets, from inside the house. If you get a frozen pipe, at least you won't flood the house.
If your car battery or antifreeze isn't up to the task, sorry.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:32 PM ^
Considering this is the first time it’s ever been cold because of climate change, you should turn on the heat.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:05 AM ^
Who is John Galt?
January 29th, 2019 at 6:36 PM ^
Fly to Miami, FL. Rent a car, drive to Marathon, FL. Do not profit but be warm and happy.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:54 PM ^
January 29th, 2019 at 8:04 PM ^
Barleywines especially.
January 29th, 2019 at 7:20 PM ^
Check the batteries in your thermostat. Ours died on Friday night. It was a really cold Saturday morning.
January 29th, 2019 at 7:21 PM ^
Get a plethora of your favorite alcoholic beverage, and don’t leave the house til you’re lubed up enough not to care, or the temps are higher. Trust me I’ve spent 30 years in upstate ny
January 29th, 2019 at 7:34 PM ^
We have an old house and it's drafty in the winter so my husband cut pieces of rug pad and stapled them to the bottom of the doors to prevent air from seeping in. Works great.
January 29th, 2019 at 8:02 PM ^
I will put an extra blanket on the bed tonight.
January 29th, 2019 at 8:11 PM ^
THIS...is the insight that keeps me coming back!
January 29th, 2019 at 8:28 PM ^
Consider buying a Mr. Heater™ Buddy ™ indoor-safe propane heater if you're prone to power outages. They come in various sizes and are guaranteed safe for indoor use as they generate no carbon monoxide and have a low oxygen shutoff sensor.
I bought one a few years ago at Tractor Supply Co for about $120, for use in an unheated garage, and it's come in handy indoors a few times the last couple winters due to power outages. All except the smallest model have fans that can run on backup battery power.
They're also nice to have to keep your shanty warm while ice fishing.
January 29th, 2019 at 9:23 PM ^
I'll have to give that a try. Since moving out to the country TSC has become a lifesaver for me. We have some nice space heaters including an electric fireplace in the bedroom but those use a ton of energy. And our fireplace only does so much good.
January 29th, 2019 at 8:30 PM ^
I dunno, it was -10 outside this morning when I got to work in Big Sky, MT (I'm a carpenter and we're framing a house right now). Just put on my extra heavy work coat and kept moving... I know the Michigan cold is a bit different because of humidity, but it seems that people are making a bigger deal outta this than has to be made. Since it started snowing regularly in November, I'm thinking that we've had around 10-15 nights/early mornings of temperatures well below zero and life goes on as normal around here. Just my two cents, stay warm!
January 29th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
living in earthquake country we're not gearing up for the cold but i do have an earthquake kit that is basically my camping gear (stove & fuel bottles, etc...) and some non-perishable foods like oatmeal, protein bars, and canned goods. battery operated lanterns, wool blankets, and zero degree sleeping bags and everything are already with the camping gear too so i've got that going for me.....
anyway, water is the big one most people forget so i've got a whole cabinet filled with gallon jugs of water that should be enough for a week or more. my parents live outside of Grand Rapids and they usually fill a bathtub or two with water when they know a storm is coming because if the power goes out then their well goes out as well.
January 29th, 2019 at 9:12 PM ^
if your water lines run through poorly insulated walls, basement or crawl space, run the faucets to a slow drip to help prevent frozen pipes.
January 29th, 2019 at 11:27 PM ^
Aside from flying into Fort Lauderdale, we’ll being doing exactly that on Saturday.