preparing for the cold

[farmbif]

cold blast in forecast, they say we might get a blizzard starting tonight and by tomorrow night expect 2 degrees, yeah I know its probably mild winter weather if your from somewhere in the north but here at the edge of the smokies in Tennessee the coldest ive experienced is about 12 degrees.
I just thank god I have been able to keep my woodshed stocked well and have a generator to keep the water moving to keep the pipes from freezing if power goes out for extended time. in this old civil war house if it goes below about 25 we have to leave the faucets cracked open a bit to keep the water pipes and drains from freezing up. I even plugged in the block heater on the big tractor with loader just in case I have to move some snow.

[dannyd]

That's the reason I live in Florida, the first 17 years of my life I was never warm from October to April.

[bayjoe]

It's not to bad here, only -12 this morning

[Markopolo]

Piece of cake!!!! You got this… ride it out.. lay in some supplies… cook at home… sounds like you have a strategy… stick to it… you are gunna be fine compared to those that do not have alternative heating…

[MrWolf]

Probably did already but make sure the generator starts easily and everything is all laid out and ready. We will only be down in the teens at night with a really cold snap for the next week or so. You got this. You probably prevented a blizzard by being prepared. I know when I do all the prep, wood, snow chains on Kubota, snow blower under Pergola, etc. I can prevent major storms that way..

[waksupi]

Open the doors under your sink. Let the water dribble. It was -56 in this area two nights ago here, wind chill not included.

[dannyd]

Well it's 59 down here, but we will make it.

When I was kid a in Virginia at times like this, I would take a shower and go to bed dressed, so the morning was not to bad.

That helped in the military because I didn't mind sleeping in my clothes with all practice I had at it.

[ioon44]

I started out here a -7 deg and it has warmed up to -4 deg, we might get up to 0 deg before it starts snowing.

[15meter]

Open the doors under your sink. Let the water dribble. It was -56 in this area two nights ago here, wind chill not included.

-56, coldest I ever dealt with was -37 on a ski trip to Collingwood Ontario. Beautiful skiing Saturday, woke up to an un-forecast -37. Did 3-4 runs downhill and decided I wasn't THAT stupid. Packed up and headed home. Only to have the girlfriend spin out while driving in a whiteout while driving along the eastern shore of Lake Huron. All the stars out, gorgeous night, then zero visibility.

When the car stopped spinning I had to get out go around and push her over so we could get moving again. She just locked up.

1 degree here now. I can deal with 1 degree. -37(or -56) I want no part of.

[Minerat]

It's not to bad here, only -12 this morning

We are in the Colorado sun belt -3° this morning with a 6 mph wind. But only a skiff of snow over night, brooming depth no shovel. We prep just like you in TN only have the atv plow ready and the wood stove going.

[white eagle]

as we speak it is -8° and the wind chill in the -20's
just had 16" of snow on top of it all
this is the warmest it will be until Wednesday this week
can you ever be prepared fully for this?

[dannyd]

I have worked in 55 below but just as a Lab Rat. That lab is in western Florida.

[MaryB]

-14 last night... windchill was -46 when I went to bed... balmy -10 now and a -29 windchill...

[slim1836]

My hat's off to those who can endure extreme cold, I can't do it. It's 15 here as I write, have cabinet doors under sinks open, pipes are wrapped, spigots covered, water taps dripping, but being an older home (built in 1967), anything can happen.

Our new home is a pier and beam and the master shower is already frozen up, the rest of the house is ok for the time being. Time will tell.

Slim

[legend 550]

Had to drag the generator out at 4:00 Saturday morning, out for 9 hours 25 deg out.Shut off the mains and water heater, plug into the welder outlet and life as normal. Neighbors all know if your lights are out and mine are on, your welcome to come over.

[Froogal]

Minus 22 when I got up this morning. Somewhere around minus 14 right now. Wind chill down around minus 35 or so. NO way to actually prepare for such temps. We just stay inside.

[racepres]

No Biggie

[MUSTANG]

Been about -35 last couple of nights. Balmy -10 during the day. Wood Stove cranking and keep two days of wood in the house (Replenish daily), Propane HVAC heater set at 65 degrees in house - does not kick in until after we go to bed, and in evenings kick in the Kitchen Range top Propane Burners if house Temp drops below 69 before we go to bed.

Ahhhhhhh; life is grand living in modern society (Do not miss living in tents in High Sierra's, Korea, and Norway) - I wonder what we will do when Bidenett's ban wood, propane, and those evil Hydro Dams,Coal fired, and Nuclear Power plants that our electric grids use in Kalispell and Moapa.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

It's Noon and very Sunny, a high of -8 today...we are almost there.
I think I'll be baking something this afternoon...pork and kraut maybe?
I baked my last Squash yesterday.

edit: I don't speak in "windchill" ...never have, never will. It is all that the news media is talking about, windchill ...don't mean a thing.

[country gent]

On the old farm houses seal all you can at ground level a row of straw bales around the house foundation up tight maybe 2 high blocks a lot of wind getting in. A couple 100 wat trouble light strategically placed in the crawl space makes a big difference at times. As does heat tape where needed.Leaving water trickle or drip helps with the water lines. Cheap blankets hung over windows stops a lot of drafts and saves heat. On vehicles park so radiators are blocked from wind and as much of vehicle as possible. Keep them up and add dry gas early and often. Anti gel on diesels. Keep diesels plugged in, block heaters are better than oil heaters. Have the "extras on hand. A kerosun heater can do a lot heating placed right if you have kerosene. Same a salamander can heat a car truck or tractor to start it with a tarp and kerosene. Candles kerosene lanterns all give off both light and heat.
Now while your sitting there in the dim lit room snuggled up dont make any babies, Theres always a rush at the birthing centers 9 month after a bad storm.