Surviving Winter Ice Stoms

[mukappa56]

Pretty well covered from what I've read, now just waiting on the vikes so it warms up a bit here.

It will come to mind in the moment (I trust), however, IF we/ you lose heat drain the water lines in case it does reach a freezing temp in the house/cabin, the reason should be a given.

Also its much easier to work with water we use if we dont let it freeze.

We keep a stock of wood as we have fire burners etc.

I read a comment about the house gutters, good point, *"Ice dams" (*when the ice starts to form under the shingles up the roof line past a water shielded area of aprox 4 feet up the roof line) can cause sever damage to the shingle layer and cause the ice to melt under the shingle & inside the home and water damage results.
ofc without power ice melting cables are off the table, however, clearing snow or ice off the roof vents helps hugely to regulate the temps and ice build up...
something to think of before damage occurs to the house. just sayin.

Though there is a huge cool factor and fun factor to takin the 4x4 out in the snow, as fore mentioned, it is best to wait for the roads to clear... it really sucks when the fun runs out and your stuck in the truck.. in the COLD, it gets old fast.

Candles.
lose, Layered clothes ready.
stay dry (we never know what will happen with the storm or our home during these.. some have had a roof collapse etc.)

At home camping... luv that!

*I hope this helps.

[hunter63]

.
....................................Though there is a huge cool factor and fun factor to takin the 4x4 out in the snow, as fore mentioned, it is best to wait for the roads to clear... it really sucks when the fun runs out and your stuck in the truck.. in the COLD, it gets old fast.

Be aware that a 4 wheel drive vehicle will allow you to get stuck in more inaccessible place that you have ever been before.......

[mukappa56]

Be aware that a 4 wheel drive vehicle will allow you to get stuck in more inaccessible place that you have ever been before.......

True that!

[TXyakr]

Does anyone have one of those natural gas or LP automatic generators for their house or cabin. Very expensive from what I have seen. Also what is long term cost to maintain it?

[randyt]

I've installed a lot of those automatic generators. Good option in my opinion. There are whole house generator that power up everything and there are some smaller units that power up a few circuits. Circuits like the well, freezers, heater and circuits like that. I'm not sure on the long term costs. For sure a oil change now and then.

[hunter63]

Does anyone have one of those natural gas or LP automatic generators for their house or cabin. Very expensive from what I have seen. Also what is long term cost to maintain it?

One need to figure what a electric service would cost vs a gen-set vs a solar/wind/water with inverter battery bank.
If the run for commercial service is too far the cost can really escalate, make other options more viable.

This should be taken into consideration when buying land or building your "place".
Many times this is thought of after the fact......

[LowKey]

I have one, an instant on, with an automatic transfer switch, running on propane. "Pricey" is a relative term.
It's a smaller one, running only a few circuits but it powers the furnace, the fridge, the freezer, the all important sump pump, one kitchen outlet and the bathroom lights. You might want to consider your hot water heater, as a small unit will not be able to power an electric one. Our water heater is off the furnace boiler and not electric so we still have hot showers when the power goes out.

Upkeep is an oil change and new filter in spring and in fall. The one I have uses two different oil viscosities for seasonal temperature. Not sure if they are all that way. Also an air filter. There's also spark plugs and a battery to consider.

The things are supposed to be exercised weekly too. I have ours set for late Sunday afternoon where I'm likely to notice that it's running.

Big thing is to check your local propane costs and contract stipulations. I had one company tell me it would cost $1000 a year just to set the tanks, whether I used the propane or not. My cost for two 250lb vertical tanks and the propane to fill them was nearly half the generator cost but I don't pay a rental, just the fill-up. That'll keep it running for 7 days straight. Consider too, if you have natural gas, to make sure it still runs when the power is off.

Site it wisely. I insisted mine be on the lee side of the house even though that is not the side the meter is on. Had to run a longer armored cable-snaked to the circuit box, but it keeps the exhaust from blowing up under the eaves and it is at the opposite side of the house from the bedrooms. Major pluses that offset the small cost of extra cable.

[hunter63]

Great hearing from some one that actually has one and great explanation.....
Thanks for posting.

[LowKey]

The household ones are all automatic. The exercise timer is set by actually being there to throw the switch at the time you want it to come on. You want to run it when you know you'll be around just to know it's working.
It takes the power being out about 10 seconds for the autotransfer switch to open, makes a hell of a clang when it does. When the power comes back on, it'll clang back shut and the machine will do a 10 minute no load run before powering down.

It is noisy though. More than once I've had that thing scare the living beejeezus outta me if it starts up when I happen to be standing near it. It's about as loud as a snowblower. You aren't going to be in stealth mode with one.

And I do keep a gas powered mini-machine for backup.

[TXyakr]

Great info LowKey. For my home I have natural gas for most heat appliances (water and central heat) so IF that does not fail a minimal unit running on NG to keep blower running and frig and freezer might work. Operating and on going maintenance sounds like the biggest cost of all, especially running it a bit every 2 weeks. Would be good to have "auto on" if gone for winter vacation for several days to prevent pipe freeze. I try to remember to shut off main valve and drain pipes, but easy to forget. Can always buy more cats for kids. Sorry cat lovers, only joking. Cat sitting on my chest licking my beard at 5am is my alarm clock, or alarm that heater has failed. Damn cats! I guess Psych therapy for kids if they come home to kitty popsicles could be more expensive. LOL

[LowKey]

The exercise cycle is only 10 minutes. I usually get a top off once a year for under $65. Or if it runs for 2 days like it did during the last tree-breaker storm, I get it topped right after. That one cost me I think $129 for the 2 days plus whatever had been used in the previous 9 months.

I think mine was pretty close to $4K all in. That includes the genny, the transfer switch, the concrete for the pad, the plumber for the gas line and the electrician with the extra long cable. The tanks were on top of that. I dug my own gas line trench with the help of a buddy and a few beers. By code, my tanks had to be at least 10 or 15 feet away from the generator and they couldn't be where a car would run into them but also had to be accessible to fill. They're darn near in my garden, LOL. I have peppermint and spearmint growing around them and they love the morning condensation that runs off the tanks. Healthiest plants I've ever seen.

I had one estimate from a Kohler dealer that wanted $18K all in. I think he was on drugs. Wouldn't put it where I wanted it, and wouldn't do it unless I put in a taller mast, which has absolutely nothing to do with the generator. The mast I have is legal height. I musta looked like a rube. I certainly don't look like a mark with money (and neither does the house. LOL.)

I bought a case of oil filters, a case of air filters and 6 spark plugs right after I bought the unit. Funny thing about this machine, it's very hard to find the maintenance kits for it now, and if you do, they are expensive. It takes a quart and a half of oil twice a year, plus an occasional top off. Not a lot of upkeep.

PS, cats won't freeze indoors. They have fur coats and they find places to nest. No worries as long as they have food, water that isn't frozen and a really big litter box if you leave them for any amount of time.

[Rollicks]

I think it was 7 years ago we lost electricity for one and a half weeks due to a really heavy snow storm. Power was out all over King County. People were buying generators up left and right from Sears, but couldn't get gas for them because the pumps ran on electricity.

We packed our perishable foods in a cooler and put them outside on the north side of the house where it's the coldest. We already had potable water stored away in the garage. I know you're supposed to fill your bath tub up, but mine is gross, if I seriously needed more water than what I have stored I'd drain the water heater.

Something I always do is as soon as November approaches I winterize the house and the car. In the back of your head remember as you leave the house to keep your gas tank, wallet and belly full.

Driving in a snowstorm sucks, avoid it at all costs. Here in Washington, people just leave their cars all over the road without any concern for other drivers. Please, if you get stuck, pull over to the side of the road so the plows can get past you. People drive really slowly up steep hills until a whole line of cars comes sliding down and plugs up the road (This happens every year without fail). It's because of this that it's a good Idea to learn 4 or more roads that get you to where you need to go.

Also, fair warning, plows are annoying. Be prepared for a 5 foot tall wall of ice smashed up against your car in the morning (Yay, the roads are plowed, but now I have to dig my car out). Although I can't speak for everybody, I'd say you can be prepared for a snow storm, but you can't be prepared for the way people are going to act during the snow storm. At the very least make sure that you can be comfortable wherever you are and consider staying there.

[TXyakr]

That is a very good and reasonable initial and ongoing cost LowKey. I had seen some very high quotes, due to labor etc as you described, similar with home water purification systems and wells etc. As a kid our neighborhood went a week with no power and I lived in the wilderness for over a month several summers without electronic power but a suburban house with absolutely no electricity for a week or so in winter might be a fire hazard. Or perhaps I am just getting paranoid with age. LOL
Seem that propane tank may be best option. Gasoline does not have a good "shelf life" and I don't trust N.G. delivery and utility companies. Just old age paranoid views perhaps but small leaks in propane tank less than failure of N.G. utility in my unprofessional risk analysis. If you lived on a ranch/farm and had large gas tank/pump and ongoing use those gas generators would be better, or just buy before winter and use it up by spring or end of hurricane season etc then put in car/truck. I don't like to store lots of gasoline.

One friend had a kerosene refrigerator, we just fished/hunted and potted meat a lot.

[TXyakr]

LowKey I looked into your propane generator and thought about using that technology on a smaller scale for a cabin in a remote area where propane delivery and gasoline storage was a problem but there was plenty of wood/forest. Here is an idea I am conceptually working on. Requires good welding skills and has many issues:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...020#post449020

Posted in a separate thread because it goes beyond just the ice storm issue.

[Wildthang]

I have 2-8700 watt gasoline generators and a 3500 watt as well. Gasoline generators are fairly dependable but they do fail. When it comes to generators the old rule of 2 is one and 1 is none really applys!
An 8700 watt portable will run my well pump, 1 refrigerator, heater, 1 freezer, and some lights. I have also installed many LED lamps in most of my light fixtures so we can turn on as many lights as we want without loading down the generator from lighting. Both of my large generatora are identical so all parts interchange. I keep 70 gallons of gasoline on hand which will run 1 large generator for a week!

[TXyakr]

USB battery charging devices I got as "stocking stuffers" for relatives on Christmas tomorrow.
20141224_103735~2.jpg
2014-12-24 11.16.26.jpg
The 2.2 amp hour USB battery from Gear Head is about the size of a ladies lipstick but for my wife and daughter's 3 different models of iPhone requires a short cable that typically costs an extra $1-3 and does not last very long. IMO "SMT" Surface Mount Technology is a PITA I have fought with avoiding it in my electronic designs for decades.
The Juicy Pack Life Charge is 16.8 amp hours and can charge my Samsung S4 from dead to full about 5 to 6 times before it needs to be recharged itself. The % charge indicator is "non-linear" basically just a voltage A-D converter. I.e 75% after 1st use but last 12% charges phone twice. Yes I AM a science nerd.

Edit: 6000 and 16,800 ma devices have a led flashlight that is useful if there is a power failure or when camping. Much more efficient than using phone as a flashlight. I keep one of these beside my bed and on most camping trips. Ask wife and daughters to take one if they are going to be remote all day. Charging stations at airports are often overloaded/crowded.

[Rick]

We are under a Winter Ice Storm warning starting at 4:00 p.m. today and lasting until 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. The forecast is for a quarter of an inch of ice. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we don't have that much. In any case, I don't have any overhanging trees and we have milk, eggs and bread so we should be good to go.

[Pennsylvania Mike]

We are supposed to get our ice storm early Monday morning, Tuesday if weather permits I'll be traveling to Virginia for a week. I do not expect any problems from the Ice storm other than maybe power outage, so I have my generator ready to go. I do not have any big trees near the house anymore, and food and cooking is no problem for I got plenty of food and propane for heating and emergency heat if necessary.

[hunter63]

We left out of Louisiana Thursday as the ice storm/rain was predicted late Friday and over the week end.
Wednesday SIL went to the Dollar Store, all bottled water bread and milk was gone already.
Gas station was filled with cars and trucks filling up and filling gas cans.

Main topic of discussion around there....they are scared to death of the ice, bringing down the power lines.
Power company trucks stage along interstates and parking lots.....
It's a big deal.

[Adventure Wolf]

This looks like its going to be a cold winter. I don't like that. I don't like cold, snow or ice.