Looks like we have another cold spell blowing in. The wind started roaring down from the North hard sometime late last night and our beautiful mid 50's day has been completely forgotten about. The girls were out flying yesterday so at least I know they have survived this far again. Everyday for them this time of year is another victory.
I had a slight change of plans in preps for this cold snap. As I mentioned I had planned to go out and split up the last of that Oak trunk I had been working on and just add that to my burn rack supply taking it right out of the truck. After thinking about it a bit though I decided to leave the Oak since I already had about a cord and half ready to burn of it and split a load of the Locust instead. I really like the burn time and heat output I been getting by mixing the two types of wood and this way I will still have Oak ready to go later.Between the two I should have enough left to last out the rest of Winter. I will just have to keep up with the splitting.
So far so good I am managing a decent long term burn and able to rotate in about four hours of sleep time between each loading.
The command center is set up right here at my computer desk using the remote temperature gauge I can monitor the basement temp at all times. I have the little remote units hanging next to the pipes in the few trouble sections and if the temps fall much below 40 degrees I just walk down there and turn on the salamander heater for a few minutes. I can already tell my last crack and insulation attack has done it's job however and so far there has been no need to fire up the backup heat.
I still haven't found a decent and more importantly cheap way of circulating heat down there. Room to room duct fans are expensive, at least too expensive for what you actually get so I think I can come up with something more reasonable.
As it stands right now things are looking much better than the last cold snap. This one isn't suppose to be near as long nor as bad. I am much better prepared for it now that I know what to expect and so far only a little light snow came with it with no more in the forecast.
Should be a cakewalk.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
Sounds like you have got things ready. Beats being a victim and waiting for help to arrive. I get about 4 hours in normal cold but in real cold I go to 3 hour and burn less but hotter wood.
ReplyDeleteSF - Seems I rarely get more than five or six hours anyway as I get older. Just makes for better cat naps :)
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteIt should be a cakewalk. It's not suppose to be a cold as what we've experienced already as per the weather cast on the new. Let's just see!!! Temperatures so far 20 degrees with wind making it feel in the single digits.
Yesterday was 65 degrees, with barely a wind.
Sandy - Ya no where near as bad so far. The wind was terrible last night but once it blew itself out everything was back to normal.
DeleteKeep those girls alive. Just got 2014 package prices.
ReplyDeleteOnce again I have proven to be a horrible forecaster. I have been
telling people that the max increase on package prices was going to be
$5. That was way wrong. 2# are up $8; 3#-10.50 and 4#-16. Here are the
prices for 2104.
1-9 10-24 25-49 50-99 100+
2# $80 $78 $76 $74 $71
3# $97 $95 $93 $91 $88
4#(1 Q) $120 $118 $116 $114 $111
4#(2 Q) $138 $136 $134 $132 $129
YOU MAY MIX AND MATCH FOR QUANTITY DISCOUNTS. YOU HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF
ITALIAN OR CARNIOLAN QUEENS. I need full payment in advance on orders of
less than 10 pkgs. On larger orders, half down is required.
THERE IS A $6 DEPOSIT ON EACH CAGE IN ADDITION TO THE CHARGE FOR THE
BEES.
TENATIVE PICKUP DATES ARE APRIL 4&5 AND APRIL 25&26. REMEMBER THAT THESE
DATES MAY CHANGE.
IF YOU ARE RETURING CAGES THEY MUST BE UNDAMAGED AND I WANT THEM BACK
WITHOUT THE SYRUP CAN AND WITHOUT THE LITTLE QUEEN CAGE.
Dennis in Iowa
Dennis - You really should include a link or something to you bee sales site. Typing all that did little good if no one knows how to get to your ordering place.
DeleteSorry bout that.
Deletehttp://www.eberthoney.com/
Copy and paste. I type like, well you know.
Dennis
Ya know I think I bought a queen from you guys a few years ago.
DeleteI'm not Ebert Honey, I just copy and pasted their e-mail. Did not mean to confuse.
DeleteDennis
OH LOL I didn't know you were THE Dennis :)
DeleteI had a problem with freezing pipes in an apartment building I was managing, some years ago. Installed a standard floor vent vent in the main heating duct, near the water lines, & left it half-open during cold snaps. Worked pretty well for me. Your mileage may vary, and all that.
ReplyDeleteRP - Well the duct work isn't an option I guess. I have part of the furnace blower going into the duct but it doesn't seem to be making it down to the basement. I could put a blower in the duct but I was hoping to just find a standard sized vent that allowed floor to ceiling circulation with maybe a small fan in it. Doesn;t seem what I envisioned is around though.
Deletehey there pioneer p!!!
ReplyDeletesounds like you are prepared, but 4 hour shifts sound crappy - do you have foam pipe insulation on the pipes?
i have a small ceramic heater in the basement pointed at the coldest part of the crawl space - pipes are there... i have it on a timer and it runs for 15 mins every hour.. this is what i have:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/heavy-duty-outdoor-timer-0528845p.html#.Ut7A6_vD-Uk
but you could find something similar - be sure to get the manual one with dip switches.
this little setup provides a small blast often enough to keep from freezing - also incandescent bulbs can help heat an area if you leave the lights on.
dunno if this helps - i don't really know your basement - gaps ARE your enemy so good job there - you can send me pics of your setup if you want and i could have a look.
stay warm buddy!
Jamby - I have the pipes wrapped yes. I don't like to keep anything plugged in full time in the basement if I can help it although I do have a heat lamp going now. I do have a salamander I can go down there and run if it gets too cold but I won't run it unless I am awake. The real issue with the last cold snap was that my salamander wouldn't fire up. It's in the shop now I had to buy a new one :(
Delete