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Weather, single digit forecast in Texas Hill Country. Login/Join 
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It’s supposed to be abnormally cold here just SW of Austin. Houses here are not built for this sort of cold. Weather forecast says record breaking cold coming.

Outdoor hose faucets are particularly vulnerable. Local lore says wrap them or mount styrofoam covers made for this purpose. Local plumber says this is not enough to protect from single digit cold. Wrap with several layers and cover with plastic garbage bags. In addition, keep water running at a trickle.

I thought I’d use a work light with outdoor extension cord. I figured I could put the light under my most exposed faucet so the heat of the bulb would keep it warm. Then I realized I have no old style filament light bulbs that would generate heat. LED bulbs generate little heat.

So much for that idea. I remember in the past during cold snaps when fire depts asked citizens not to run water as it affects pressure.

Can open cabinets in baths and kitchen so indoor heat can reach interior walls.

Any tips for preventing pipes from freezing other than what I’ve mentioned?

Weather folks predicting 1-5 degrees coming for Austin area I’m about 15-20 miles away and expect about same.
 
Posts: 1605 | Location: Texas Hill Country | Registered: April 07, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Peace through
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Don't forget to bring yer brass monkey inside.
 
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Probably too late to expect to be able to find heat tape anywhere, but that's one option. Maybe a ranch supply place, or big box home supply? I wouldn't disqualify the LED either - they don't generate much heat, but they do generate some, and if you back it up with protection (insulation, shield from wind), it may be enough.

Yes, cabinet doors open where pipes run in exterior walls.

Good luck!




Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet.
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"Never go through life saying 'I should have'..." - quote from the 9/11 Boatlift Story (thanks, sdy for posting it)
 
Posts: 3294 | Location: Carlsbad NM/ Augusta GA | Registered: July 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
Don't forget to bring yer brass monkey inside.


There's an argument waiting to happen. Big Grin







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Posts: 14020 | Location: It was Lat: 33.xxxx Lon: 44.xxxx now it's CA :( | Registered: March 22, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Not only is the brass monkey coming inside, all of the balls are too!
 
Posts: 1605 | Location: Texas Hill Country | Registered: April 07, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Single digits! Ha!! I'd be happy with single digits below zero temps. We are on week two of double digit below zero temps. This morning was minus 31. We are heading for the Texas Hill country in a month. Staying at a B&B just outside Austin. Taking a 3 day outdoor Texas BBQ cooking course. I sure hope it warms up down there by then but anything will be an improvement over what we have been having.


"Fixed fortifications are monuments to mans stupidity" - George S. Patton
 
Posts: 8504 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: June 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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They're playing up stormageddon here (Northern suburbs of Houston) too. Grocery store last night looked like a Cat 5 hurricane was in the Gulf. The snow/sleet/freezing rain is supposed to hit Sunday night and go into Monday, but the media assholes are trying to panic people into not driving Saturday and Sunday too.

My favorite phrase so far is "near blizzard"

I grew up in the Upper Midwest, and have lived in Alaska and Canada so I can drive in the snow and ice. However, virtually no one down here can so I won't be out on the roads Monday.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23098 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
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quote:
Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
We are heading for the Texas Hill country in a month. Staying at a B&B just outside Austin. Taking a 3 day outdoor Texas BBQ cooking course. I sure hope it warms up down there by then but anything will be an improvement over what we have been having.
We'll be back in the 60s and 70s in a week, and by the time you get down here we'll be planting our tomatoes and peppers in our gardens.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23098 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
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Where is Global Warming when ya need it? Eek
 
Posts: 22857 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
always with a hat or sunscreen
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Like lastmanstanding, single digits would be a blessing. Yesterday was -22°F. Yes MINUS. Frown



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Posts: 16146 | Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
We are heading for the Texas Hill country in a month. Staying at a B&B just outside Austin. Taking a 3 day outdoor Texas BBQ cooking course. I sure hope it warms up down there by then but anything will be an improvement over what we have been having.
We'll be back in the 60s and 70s in a week, and by the time you get down here we'll be planting our tomatoes and peppers in our gardens.

Good news. Good news indeed.


"Fixed fortifications are monuments to mans stupidity" - George S. Patton
 
Posts: 8504 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: June 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Altitude Minimum
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Max dog, and others, be careful putting work lights out there and then wrapping them up.
My dad did that with his lawn pump years ago. Put a trouble light out there and covered with his WW II leather flight jacket, with the hand painted leather squadron patches, and covered with a space blanket.
Neighbor banged on the door that night saying something was on fire. Yep, the jacket and the space blanket went up in flames. Luckily the house didn’t catch fire.
That jacket made it through 2 years in New Guinea only to meet that end!
All my dad said was “well, that was a long time ago.”
I wish I had that jacket now.
 
Posts: 1198 | Location: Shalimar, FL | Registered: January 24, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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be safe all y'all.

 
Posts: 3484 | Registered: May 30, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Look carefully at the outdoor spigots. Hose Bibs for y'all others.

If there is any gap or crack in the mortar around it, seal it. You do not want the cold air to migrate inside the wall.

I was lucky to find some faucet covers yesterday, had to drive 35 minutes to get them.


Good luck to you.
 
Posts: 11812 | Registered: October 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Sucks when the inside of your refrigerator is 30 degrees warmer than it is outside.


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Posts: 5680 | Location: Ohio | Registered: December 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Huh. Grabbed some foam insulation for an experiment in padding a wire buttstock a while ago, and was wondering what I was going to do with the remaining five feet of the stuff. I guess that's my project for this afternoon.
 
Posts: 27291 | Location: Deep in the heart of the brush country, and closing on that #&*%!?! roadrunner. Really. | Registered: February 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Then the power goes out



"Practice like you want to play in the game"
 
Posts: 19111 | Registered: September 21, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
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quote:
Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
Sucks when the inside of your refrigerator is 30 degrees warmer than it is outside.
Not as much as it sucks when the weather in your freezer is warmer than the weather outdoors.

I remember as Purdue student going to buy meat from the ag school when some damn arctic jet stream had migrated south. Their freezer was -10F but it was -31F outdoors.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23098 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
Sucks when the inside of your refrigerator is 30 degrees warmer than it is outside.


No it sucks when you want to crawl inside your freezer to warm up!!!
 
Posts: 4022 | Registered: January 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Outdoor hose faucets are particularly vulnerable. Local lore says wrap them or mount styrofoam covers made for this purpose.

I stuff old wool socks inside the covers and wrap more around the outside if needed.
 
Posts: 1755 | Location: El Paso, Texas | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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