Monday, November 17, 2014

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!!!!


18 comments:

  1. I remember your ordeal last year and it sounds like you have learned and fixed those problems. What about the supervisors? Are they in charge in the basement yet?

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    1. Sf- They like to go down there but I try and discourage it. No telling what they will get into. So far I think it will hold but who knows. I think the temps actually went up a degree or two here in the last hour or so.

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  2. 64 and rained all day here. I took out the last of the root vegetables today. I still have a little lettuce, but mostly of the mustard green type.

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    1. Russ - About the only thing I see that's still relatively green here are the strawberries and I bet they don't last much past tonight. All kinds of stuff being killed off by the cold here now.

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  3. We had a light dusting of snow, with temps in the teens tonight, too cold for me! South Louisiana is looking better and better, maybe I'll really become a Swamp Dog!

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    1. SD - They are officially saying a low of 11 but the radio says into single digits. Wind chill is below zero I can tell ya that.

      I spent a pretty cold weekend in February near Hiattiesburg and the Pines they have to cut were pretty lousy firewood too.

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  4. I know last winter was really rough on you guys. Hope the ole Alamanac is wrong for this coming winter.
    We are hoping to have our new house soon too. Senior and I take turns keeping the fireplace going overnight... Stay warm buddy!

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    1. JuGM - The Wife has had the $5K plans for this house for three years and we have the money to start it but when it comes to money she has to have about 3 times the amount before she jumps. Gonna have to do something fast cause this old house we are living in is old and not worth fixing up.

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  5. Going down to zero here tonight. We just have up our right arm for a new boiler for our house. I just hope for less of a gas bill!
    Stay warm!!

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    1. LW - It's amazing how much that stuff costs isn't it?

      You stay warm too.

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  6. Trust me, Preppy, it's NOT our idea. We're begging for snow, up here.

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    1. I know RP :)

      It ain't the snow that gets me though it's all that damned cold that stays around for a week or more.

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  7. Good luck Preppy hopefully nothing freezes.

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    1. STV - Ya I am watching the thermometers closely tonight. The real issue is that one line that goes to the barn if it freezes it's real pain in the ass time.

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  8. governor.mo.gov/news/executive-orders/executive-order-14-14

    Heads up...Ferguson alert.

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    1. Ought to make for some good blog fodder...

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  9. Hope it warmed up a bit Preppy. We dropped to 28 degrees at night here and it is slowly working its way back up - by Sunday we're supposed to be back at 75 F during the day. Winter is here - I just wish it would make its mind up.

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  10. PP,

    It snowed, got cold, and now it's warmed up. This evening were getting 50 mph winds and temperatures are dropping, are you getting these terrible winds?

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