Brrrrrr .... Its -16 and we have frozen pipes ....

Brrrrrr .... wind chill is -16. The pipes are frozen. Some of the windows are iced over. The door knob handle on the front door is actually iced over on the inside in addition to the outside. The dog doesn't want to go outside to do her business because we have about a foot of new powder blowing around so she's trying to 'hold it'. We'll have to shovel a patch of grass out for her otherwise I think she'll pop. (ha ha) I"m afraid to try to go start the car ... bet the battery is going to be grumpy with this cold weather. Dug out the driveway and sidewalks but the wind blew drifts back into them.

Still .. I'd rather deal with this then a heat wave in the summer. YUK.

Last night I went out after dark, while it was still snowing, to shovel as best I could. Really it was my husband shoveling and I was brushing off the cars so I could feel 'helpful'. I love snowy nights. It's so quiet. You can even hear the snow as it falls on the snow that's on the ground. Everything is crisp and clean. The philadelphia airport wasn't running flights there was no airplane noise and none of the city sounds were happening because everyone was inside and not out on the roads.

As a kid in New England I used to love to go out sledding after dark. Maybe that's strange, but man I used to love it.

Anyways, I just hope the pipes don't burst when they warm up. We aren't supposed to get above freezing here for another two days and even then it will just be briefly above freezing. We've got the heat turned up ... hope that helps ...

reply to post by FlyersFan


Yikes...my finger tips would fall off!

Ten years a plumber here.
the pipes near the exterior walls are usually the ones that freeze first.
also the hot pipes freeze first usually.
Leave the water on a trickle when you know its going to go subzero on you.
as for thawing out ....
Good luck lady. Thats cold enough to freeze gas lines in a car

reply to post by FlyersFan


Try working outside in -50 degrees ambient.

Pipes frozen sucks!

A hint: Trickle a steam of water at luke-warm out of your faucet, it will prevent frozen pipes. Please take that seriously, I have lived in Alaska for over 30 years and never had that problem. It can be -30+ for 2 months or longer.

Us Alaskans produce children during these months more than any other months

Its -35 here in Quebec, no wind involved.

You've got to have balls of steel to get out in the morning and go to work

reply to post by FlyersFan


That's nasty hate it for you. Couple weeks back when we had that cold snap the old fella up the road left his access door open to the basement. Everything froze, I mean everything under there froze and busted. Had to replace most of the pipe, killed his hot water heater, killed his pump and pressure tank for the well. It was crazy. Poor guy has spent close to 1500$ replacing everything just in parts. He offered to pay me and as much as I could use the money I couldn't take it. Told him his week was bad enough no need in shelling out more to me. Hope all is well for ya. I installed some vents in my basement off the central heat/air. When it get bad like this I open them to keep it tolerable and without losing anything down there.

dashen
Ten years a plumber here.
the pipes near the exterior walls are usually the ones that freeze first.
also the hot pipes freeze first usually.
Leave the water on a trickle when you know its going to go subzero on you.
as for thawing out ....
Good luck lady. Thats cold enough to freeze gas lines in a car

Yep, I hate plumbing. Your right about that though.
Gas lines in cars, that might be true. But I have started my truck and car at -30+ after two days sitting. Then again my vehicles are prepped for the rough winters. I have never ran into that problem at -16....Ever

dashen
Ten years a plumber here.
the pipes near the exterior walls are usually the ones that freeze first.
also the hot pipes freeze first usually.
Leave the water on a trickle when you know its going to go subzero on you.
as for thawing out ....
Good luck lady. Thats cold enough to freeze gas lines in a car

Agree with everything but the gas lines.

I've grown up in CANADA and have experience up to -30 to -50 and then some.

Never had gas lines freeze on any vehicle. Different quality gas can be ok even anywhere up to -70 or more. If you have water in your lines it Will happen at lower temps tho.

Get some gas line anti freeze and all is good.

Peace

I hear ya, it's going to be 20 degrees here tonight. Hating it. Gotta leave the water running.

We had the 'drip drip drip' going but the pipes still froze.
This is the upstairs bathroom that kinda hangs off the back of the house a bit.
So it's always the first to freeze.
I turned up the heat last night and opened the cabinet doors near the pipes.
But that didn't help.
We opened up the little plumbers door on the back of the pipe area ...
We've got the space heater going .... facing towards the pipes in the wall.
Hope that helps.

...was -23 this morning... with Windchill -35. Celsius.

reply to post by FlyersFan


First things first:

Thermal trousers and sleeved shirts under your regular garments are essential, whether indoors or out. Indoors, it will mean you do not need the thermostat to be set to bake, and outdoors it will offer protection from long term effects of exposure to very cold windchill.

Another thing, your paths and driveway will get covered every time you dig them out, so if you can, try and get hold of some old carpet or similar material, and lay that across freshly dug paths and surfaces. That way, when you need to use them, you just lift the snow off with the material. Make sure its thick material though.

Just a thought!

Sometimes pipes crack when they freeze. I have seen them push the fittings off also, both soldered copper and plastic. Hope they aren't damaged. When I built my house, I made sure all the pipes were on inside walls or came through the floor to feed the sinks. Both outside faucets have bleeder valves on the lines and one is a frost free unit. Even then problems can occur, we live in the cold and snow so I tried to do the best I could to fend future problems off, but even then problems can occur. I also slanted down all pipes in the house so shutting and draining the copper pipes could be done easier if we were to be snowbirds in the future.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I'm glad you checked in! I was wondering how you were fairing. Would love to here from others affected as well.

On second thought ... that's TMI .... so I self edited ....

Looks like nobody wanted to commend you for your generosity. I will. I Bet You sleep good at night. Good on you for caring. I work in emergency healthcare and sometimes I help the patient by helping my team mates even when it isn't "my job". The rest of the time I always help my patient. However, I still get paid as opposed to your situation. Either way, paying things forward seems to be the way to go for me. I get a whole lot more bees with honey than vinegar and you too may have increased your need through your good deed. That is creating job security even when you might be working for nothing. Creating trust with another person is worth more than any dollars because that trust will create security whether it comes in the form of service, money, favor, friendship or barter. I'm glad you posted because it can remind us that some people are willing to do the right thing at a sacrifice to themselves. This is something we are lacking in today's environment and is necessary to our survival. Thanks for your contribution.
P.S. I wanted this to reply to drivers1492... Regards, J

Not to be a dick but its -41 C with the wind here in timmins ontario.

-7F here right now.
-18 windchill
Windows are glazed with ice from the inside.
Heater is all the way up and its not helping anymore.
The people that live below me are below ground level with cement floors.

BURRRRRRRR

It is polar bear butt cold here as well. Couldn't get the back window of the car defrosted. As soon as it was melted, it would refreeze. I have these nice, neat ice lines across the back window, lol.

I love summer. I wish it would go from April to October temps, rinse and repeat, perpetually. Greenhouse plant myself. Keep the indoor temperatures roughly 75 F, up and down depending on how airtight it feels, then it goes down to 73, or up to 77 when it has a chill.

We've had a really unusual winter here, and many are alarmed by the weather. First, we did get that cold spell when it went to -17 briefly, but averaged -12, for over a week in December. And while not unheard of, nor did it break records, it was still very cold for the average of -3 to -5 that would be expected in a cold spell, with 0 to plus side at times, all the way through to March. That is our averages here. -12 should be brief if and when it occurs.

We then in January had a week of plus 0, and one day with this fierce hot wind, it was 12 above or higher.

There is a fog that is hanging in the valley, very unusual. Yes we get occasional fog here, maybe 3-5 times a year. But its been day after day, it started off and on in the fall. This January, its practically a staple, and though the temperatures hover at just below zero at night, to above in the day, or at least around 0, currently. The Fog is Chilly. It's a really cloying cold fog, and when I drove through it, it had a chemical smell.

So I'd like to know what the bleepers is going on with the weather. And many are alarmed by it.