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.

Don't forget to bring yer brass monkey inside.

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!

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Don't forget to bring yer brass monkey inside.

There's an argument waiting to happen.

Not only is the brass monkey coming inside, all of the balls are too!

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.

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.

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.

Where is Global Warming when ya need it?

Like lastmanstanding, single digits would be a blessing. Yesterday was -22°F. Yes MINUS.

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.

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.

be safe all y'all.

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.

Sucks when the inside of your refrigerator is 30 degrees warmer than it is outside.

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.

Then the power goes out

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.

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!!!

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.