Cyclone Bomb Check In

[TheWolfEmperor]

I hope it's okay to do this. I know I'm new here but the snow is now falling and I arrived at work a little earlier to be on the safe side as I don't drive. I'm also gearing up for a closepen shift, wherein I will spend part of the night at Cumberland Farms, drinking quality coffee at dirt cheap prices and trying to finish some writing projects.

Are you safe where you are? Are you working, are you at home? If you're in the path of the "Cyclone Bomb" please let us know how you're doing.

[Monterey Jack]

Looking like Hoth outside.

At least I had the day off anyways. Went into work just to grab my paycheck and load up on some essentials.

[TheWolfEmperor]

I just read about Boston flooding. Is anyone from there and are you okay?

[Seanette]

Safely on the other side of the continent.

OTOH, other departments of irkplace have offices on the EC. Let's see whether they're operational tomorrow.

[Ironclad Alibi]

We only received about two inches in our area. It was light and fluffy and I cleaned off the sidewalks, driveway and cars with a leaf blower.

The temperature is supposed to get down to the single digits this weekend.

So far I am saying inside and warm. I ordered another portable oil heater but it won't be here until Monday.

[TheWolfEmperor]

So now they're projecting the temperature will drop to as low as forty degrees.

I am scared. Not gonna lie, I've never experienced these temperatures in my lifetime. I live alone and my biggest concern is whether my pipes can still burst if the heat is running at 70.

My next biggest concern is whether or not I should bother my family or anyone just so I don't have to be alone during this.

[dalesys]

Do you mean 40 below F? Or as the forecasts predict, 20 to 40 degress colder than usual?

What is your heat source? If it is fuel oil, is the tank above ground? Is any of the piping exposed?

We had a week of -30 to -40 in Cache Valley in the 70's and had to trek around the house to pour boiling water on the fuel oil tank to keep it from congealing.

[csquared]

Here is what you need to know about freezing pipes: Plumbing in open spaces (crawlspaces, houses on pylons and underneath mobile homes) and sink cabinets on outside wall are the biggest problem. This is were your pipes will freeze.

Crawlspaces are usually unheated and are vented. The temperature is usually about the same as outside. Not much you can do about keeping the area warm. Best solution is to keep a slow run on a faucet. You just need one. The temperature of the water, whether from a well or municipal pipes, will stay above freezing. So keep the water moving. Doesn't have to be much.

A full basement usually won't have this problem as you usually don't have the outside ventilation like a crawlspace and will stay warmer from the ground.

Cabinets don't get the air circulation from the room. If they are on an outside wall, they could lose more heat than they will gain from the room. That is why those coffee mugs are always so cold this time of year. If there are pipes running through the cabinets, they could freeze. Easy solution. Leave the cabinet doors open.

If all you plumbing is in interior walls, you probably won't have any problems.

Hope that helps.

[TheWolfEmperor]

So I live in a kind of converted garage. There's heat registers all around me and it's a small space so it warms up fast.
Some people on a Facebook group for my town told me about the water thing and they told me to open my drawers and cabinet doors to let the heat in but I appreciate you're support as I have a bit of an early year meltdown.

I'm not usually this much of a wimp when it comes to winter weather, or any kind of storm. I walked home from work one afternoon and got bitch slapped by Hurricane Sandy the whole way. I just shrugged and said, "Pfft, you got nothing on me."

Today was just especially stressful for me for reasons peripherally related to this so called Cyclone Bomb.

[AdamAnt316]

We're far enough outside Boston that we didn't get any flooding. Got about a foot of snow and lots of wind, both of which made running the snowblower last night rather interesting. Thus far, no power outages ***KNOCK ON WOOD***, but we've got gas for the generator, so we should be covered. Temperatures have dropped into the single digits, and it's supposed to be even colder tomorrow. Got plenty of layers to keep bundled up in, and it looks like we're gonna need all of them..........
-Adam

[Nunavut Pants]

So now they're projecting the temperature will drop to as low as forty degrees.

If you mean 40F, that's still above the freezing point of water. (32F) So no worries about pipes bursting.

If you mean 40C, that's BLOODY HOT--hotter than standard human body temperature, at least! (37C)

If you mean -40, that's the same on both scales--and you're right to be concerned about water freezing in your pipes.

[munchkinmama]

Not much snow here. Mostly same freezing cold we have had. I am in a wind chill warning zone. It is 9 below on the thermometer, but wind chill makes it feels like 36 below (F).

[Kit-Ginevra]

You guys get a 'cyclone bomb' We get storms called Dylan and Eleanor....

[TheWolfEmperor]

If you mean 40F, that's still above the freezing point of water. (32F) So no worries about pipes bursting.

If you mean 40C, that's BLOODY HOT--hotter than standard human body temperature, at least! (37C)

If you mean -40, that's the same on both scales--and you're right to be concerned about water freezing in your pipes.

Negative 40. But it's one of those things where the fish just gets bigger. Every time someone brings it up at work the estimate gets lower. Right now it's
-4 in my town so if the wind doesn't pick up we're getting off light compared to where my brother and sister in law live. It might get lower later, I don't know.

[Mental_Mouse]

If you mean 40F, that's still above the freezing point of water. (32F) So no worries about pipes bursting.

If you mean 40C, that's BLOODY HOT--hotter than standard human body temperature, at least! (37C)

If you mean -40, that's the same on both scales--and you're right to be concerned about water freezing in your pipes.

And if it's 40 Kelvin, forget about the pipes -- worry about the air freezing!