Buttoned Up for the Cold

We finally got a measurable amount of snow yesterday and this morning. It barely covered the grass and weeds and is mostly blowing away today but I would say we got about 2 inches overall. Tonight the temps are suppose to drop down into the single digits and the wind has been whipping out of the Northwest all day. It's pretty friggin cold out there I will give it that. So it was time to finish the last little bit of real Winter preps.

This year not one little millimeter of the exposed foundation wall is showing. I have it covered tight with 15 square bales of hay that because of last year's batch that remained now covers from ground to siding. It has made one hell of a difference so far. All the plumbing in the basement is wrapped with foam insulation and the emergency bullet heater is fueled up and has been tested.

The basement is a special problem. It was dug out long after this old shack was built and then concrete blocks were used for the walls. It's cracked and dirty and damp down there and anything left in that environment rots or rusts before one Summer is finished. One of the main reasons I switched to all wood heat was because I was tired of repairing the propane furnace every single year. Basically the basement is useless in the Summer and just a liability come Winter time. My one big mistake with the outside wood furnace is I should have put a vent down in the basement. If we had planned on actually living in the house forever I would do something about it but the wife still swears we are going to build the new house soon.

Just not yet....

So the Winter command center is now back in business. I double wrapped that damned outside door I can never get to close right no matter how much work I do on it and all the remote thermostats are working so I can tell if anything get's close to a freeze point. If that happens I go flip on the emergency backup heaters and bring the temps up. It's showing 18 degrees outside right now and the house is a comfortable 74 with the basement settled in at 45 degrees next to the foundation wall.

So far so good.

Of course the real issues we faced with the deep cold last year was not so much when it blew in from the Northwest but when it shifted and came back at us from the Southeast. So I filled the door cavity with hay bales as well. I can easily move one to get in and out but once I put it back in place it's sealed up tight.

After tonight it's suppose to start warming up again and be in the 50's by this weekend. So it's just time to bundle up and wait this arctic blast out.

You won't freeze me this year Rev. Paul....shakes fist to the Northwest :)

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!