# Cold Snowy Days are A Coming



## katwillny (Dec 30, 2013)

The weather for the next few days look like winter is finally upon us in NY Metro Area. This is why we do what we do. I spent a lot of time preparing for days like these. Too bad my commute is 50 miles each way but Its part of NY living. Bring wood indoors before it gets buried by the snow; Everything is harder with snow and ice on the ground. 

Stay Safe friends.


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## eclecticcottage (Dec 30, 2013)

Our high on Friday is like 4.  And Thursday is showing "significant snowfall" with a low of -2.  I wish we had more indoor space for wood at this time!!


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## katwillny (Dec 30, 2013)

Cottage, similar situation here. We have a split level home which has a 15 feet long 3 ft tall semi-covered area, I use that to bring wood closer to the house and cover it with a beige-yellowish tarp which kinda matches the house color. It makes life easier. I only do that when we have emminent snow as i dont want to create and eyesore in front of the house (the wife will give me grief) but then again she aint the one bringing wood in 2 feet of snow.


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## eclecticcottage (Dec 30, 2013)

We have a rack near the house, but it was so muddy we couldn't move more wood to it over the weekend.  So...it'll be more of a walk!  DH usually brings in the wood over the week, since he's home during the day when it's light out and he can see, but right at the moment I'm pondering a walk to one of the further racks for a night restock.  At least it's 19, not 9 at the moment!


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## Dix (Dec 30, 2013)

I usually bring in a bucket full when I walk the Murph over the course of the evening. It adds up quick when the temps drop & I need more firewood in the house.

I can hold atleast 1 week inside, and a month right outside the back door, under a tarp.

Stay warm, folks, we're dipping down to 10F tonight here in Icy Hollow, from 40F during the day !


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## Swedishchef (Dec 30, 2013)

Just cold here...REALLY cold, -22F for Wednesday night.


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## Badger (Dec 30, 2013)

Woke up to 20 below this morning and it will only slightly moderate over the next couple days.  Oh well the stove is earning it's keep this year. 

Unfortunately, I just figured out the weeks supply of wood I brought up to the house is box elder, not ash.  Crap, I'll be through it in 4 days at this rate.


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## Badfish740 (Dec 31, 2013)

I'm welcoming the cold weather considering that the weekend before last it hit 70   I am running a bit low on wood though and as a stopgap liquidated my supply of pallets yesterday and stacked them up in the basement wood bin.  There's nothing more satisfying than waking up to a 70 degree house and a hot bed of coals in the furnace when it's -5 outside.


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## Paulywalnut (Dec 31, 2013)

Crank up the stoves. This is the coldest we're going to have so far this week coming.
Just brought in some mulberry, that wood does burn hot.


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## Shari (Dec 31, 2013)

Okay, I fess up - when the temps are "minus" I turn the furnace on for a few hours then I don't have to worry about frozen water pipes in the basement.


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## Swedishchef (Jan 1, 2014)

Don't worry Shari.

When I light my stove, I crank the electric heat in the basement for 15 minutes to help give the room a heating headstart!!


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## Beer Belly (Jan 1, 2014)

Shari said:


> Okay, I fess up - when the temps are "minus" I turn the furnace on for a few hours then I don't have to worry about frozen water pipes in the basement.


 Okay....now that we're being honest here.....I'll be the first one to fire up the furnace if the stove can't keep pace. We (Wife and I...and Codi *Yorkie*), work too hard to be uncomfortable....this house has the thermostats set at 64*....we may bump'em up with the negative temps coming


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## firefighterjake (Jan 1, 2014)

Shari said:


> Okay, I fess up - when the temps are "minus" I turn the furnace on for a few hours then I don't have to worry about frozen water pipes in the basement.



Ditto . . . running a few gallons of oil each winter is cheap insurance for me against the possible mess and expense of dealing with frozen/ruptured plumbing.


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## Shari (Jan 1, 2014)

Beer Belly said:


> Okay....now that we're being honest here.....I'll be the first one to fire up the furnace if the stove can't keep pace. We (Wife and I...and Codi *Yorkie*), work too hard to be uncomfortable....this house has the thermostats set at 64*....we may bump'em up with the negative temps coming



I'll have the furnace on again Monday night for a few hours as the forecast is for an overnight windchill temp of -43.


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## Swedishchef (Jan 1, 2014)

Shari said:


> I'll have the furnace on again Monday night for a few hours as the forecast is for an overnight windchill temp of -43.


 
-44F tonight with the wind. Ick.

You know it gets cold when condensation INSIDE the windows forms ice....


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## BobUrban (Jan 1, 2014)

Contrary to popular planning here I bring in 4+ cords and stack it in my unfinished basement in Sept./Oct. and only have to walk up the stairs with an armload to keep the 30 running.  I keep a thermometer in the basement and use the furnace to warm things up if necessary during long cold spells. The offset from 1500-2G a year to 2-400 would be majorly upset if I needed to replace pipes. 

I also have a few water bottles set up in strategic locations around the foundation wall as a freeze guide.


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## Swedishchef (Jan 1, 2014)

BobUrban said:


> I also have a few water bottles set up in strategic locations around the foundation wall as a freeze guide.


 
Wow.  I have never heard of that. It's a good idea!!

I have a 5 year old house and no pipes are inside the walls. If my pipes freeze, our house is an ice box.

Andrew


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## Warm_in_NH (Jan 1, 2014)

I started  to get irritated that my Chinese food we had delivered last night was cold as we sipped our cocktails in the 76 degree house. Then I looked at the thermometer for outside, 3 F, okay, I'll cut them some slack this time.

First year burning wood in my home, first winter  I've been comfortable in my home.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Jan 1, 2014)

I just spent a week in New England with almost no snow  
Now back in NC and we are missing this whole storm 
Back to work as scheduled


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## Seasoned Oak (Jan 1, 2014)

BobUrban said:


> I also have a few water bottles set up in strategic locations around the foundation wall as a freeze guide.


I use those digital temp and humidity gauges from WM. You can get the cheaper ones for about $5. That way i know exactly what the temp is in each location. If it gets anywhere close to 32 i can take action.


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## Dix (Jan 1, 2014)

Mrs. Krabappel said:


> I just spent a week in New England with almost no snow
> Now back in NC and we are missing this whole storm
> Back to work as scheduled



Witch


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## Dix (Jan 1, 2014)

Warm_in_NH said:


> I started  to get irritated that my Chinese food we had delivered last night was cold as we sipped our cocktails in the 76 degree house. Then I looked at the thermometer for outside, 3 F, okay, I'll cut them some slack this time.
> 
> First year burning wood in my home, first winter  I've been comfortable in my home.



Welcome to the addiction


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## Seasoned Oak (Jan 1, 2014)

Badger said:


> Woke up to 20 below this morning and it will only slightly moderate over the next couple days.


Holy frostbite batman! I thought 20 above was cold. Ill be going from a partime burner to a full time one this weekend.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 1, 2014)

Warm_in_NH said:


> I started  to get irritated that my Chinese food we had delivered last night was cold as we sipped our cocktails in the 76 degree house. Then I looked at the thermometer for outside, 3 F, okay, I'll cut them some slack this time.
> 
> First year burning wood in my home, first winter  I've been comfortable in my home.



Moo Goo Gai Stove.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Jan 1, 2014)

I have experienced the houses with no stove recently.    Shiver.  Shiver.   Shiver.


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## stoveguy2esw (Jan 2, 2014)

supposed to be cold down here as well though not as cold as you guys up in yankee land. yall be sure to get your ducks in a row up there and be safe.


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## Seasoned Oak (Jan 2, 2014)

High tomorrow 14 ,next tuesday 8 .  Will be running my work shop stove 24/7 to keep things warm. Unheated shop usually dont go below 35 with no heat.


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## Beer Belly (Jan 2, 2014)

Yeah, we're expecting some wicked temps here also....brought in some Oak for the occasion and added to stack in the garage


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## Swedishchef (Jan 2, 2014)

-20F temperature right now, -40F with the wind.


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## firefighterjake (Jan 2, 2014)

Mrs. Krabappel said:


> I just spent a week in New England with almost no snow
> Now back in NC and we are missing this whole storm
> Back to work as scheduled



You didn't go far enough north . . . so far this year is a banner year for us in terms of snow. It's been years since I've seen this much snow this early.


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## Doug MacIVER (Jan 2, 2014)

latest coastal wave forecast  http://surfskiweather.us/surf/


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## MishMouse (Jan 2, 2014)

-33 with a high of -3.
Ever since the beginning of December we have been in the deep freeze.
Had a couple of good days last week which allowed me to start the ATV and bring wood in.


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## Seasoned Oak (Jan 3, 2014)

Good day for Passive Solar. Warmer than usual in the house today(75-78) despite the single digits outside and backup heat on idle.


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## Shari (Jan 3, 2014)

MishMouse said:


> -33 with a high of -3.
> Ever since the beginning of December we have been in the deep freeze.
> Had a couple of good days last week which allowed me to start the ATV and bring wood in.



What's your forecast for early next week?  

I heard western Wisconsin will be -54 (wind chill) on Monday.  

We might even being set up for *"Ice Bowl 2"* on Sunday - Green Bay is forecast for a -44 (wind chill) game time.

Unbelievable cold temps!


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## eclecticcottage (Jan 3, 2014)

BobUrban said:


> Contrary to popular planning here I bring in 4+ cords and stack it in my unfinished basement in Sept./Oct. and only have to walk up the stairs with an armload to keep the 30 running.


 
If we had a basement, you'd better believe we'd have a season's worth of wood down there (along with a workshop, pool table and canned stuff storage area...oh, and a door leading to a root cellar!!).  My grandparents did that every year (season's worth of wood in the cellar) and I'd do it in a second too if I could.  With only 700 sq ft here, there just isn't anywhere to stash it.  I am going to see if I can haul a few extra old crates down from the attic to put in the laundry room where the little christmas tree was and fill those up.  Should get us an extra couple days worth inside, since it's fixing to be pretty dang cold next week again.


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## Seasoned Oak (Jan 4, 2014)

Well................ So far it looks like the farmers almanac was right again!


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## Doug MacIVER (Jan 4, 2014)




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## Badfish740 (Jan 4, 2014)

It pales in comparison to what you guys are seeing, but this morning I woke to the coldest temperature we've ever seen in our house (NW New Jersey)-1°F!  Englander is cranking now to get the 65° house back into the 70s.  Not a drop of oil burned since the cold snap hit!


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## Beer Belly (Jan 4, 2014)

We are at -5*F here in the S/W Connecticut. We never could get good burn times out our Avalon Ranier (small firebox)....at least not overnight, and I usually get up a few times for nature calls (and dog), but we both slept thru the night.....thermostats set at 64*F.....we did burn some Oil, but that's ok, we save enough $$$ to burn a little here and there


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## Doug MacIVER (Jan 4, 2014)

Beer Belly said:


> We are at -5*F here in the S/W Connecticut. We never could get good burn times out our Avalon Ranier (small firebox)....at least not overnight, and I usually get up a few times for nature calls (and dog), but we both slept thru the night.....thermostats set at 64*F.....we did burn some Oil, but that's ok, we save enough $$$ to burn a little here and there


guilty, i had to as well. guilty of one of the seven sins as well. envy, oh those folks with a bigger stove!


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## begreen (Jan 4, 2014)

Reports of frozen pipes are starting to come in. With another cold snap following don't be afraid to cycle the boiler/furnace occasionally. It's cheap insurance compared to the potential cost of repairing frozen pipes.


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## Badfish740 (Jan 4, 2014)

Doug MacIVER said:


> guilty, i had to as well. guilty of one of the seven sins as well. envy, oh those folks with a bigger stove!



Having a big stove, well, furnace, is nice in that regard, but sometimes I do wish I could watch my fire while lounging on the couch rather than sitting on a steel folding chair in the basement    It's heading for the low teens tonight but heat wave (40s) tomorrow and then back down in single digits during the week?


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