I hope everyone survived the cold! Wow, I registered 0 degrees on the front porch Tuesday morning at 9:00am. I heard the 'official' temperature in Ellijay was -1. I guess it depends on your elevation and exact locale - nonetheless, it was bitter!
I also hope that noone had any issues with their plumbing. I had one spigot freeze before 10 O'clock Monday evening. Fortunately it did not crack before I got it thawed out. After that, I decided I would follow my instincts and let the water trickle outside. I would have done it sooner if I wasn't so cheap!
I was concerned, however, about the pipes UNDER my house. I have a crawlspace so it is not a heated area. Although it is considered a 'crawlspace' it is tall enough to walk around upright. As an experiment I hung a refrigerator thermometer from one of the floor joists. I made sure it hung below the level of any pipes. I was curious to see what the temperature under the house was when it was 0 outside. I was surprised and relieved when it read 30 degrees! I had noticed it was considerably warmer when I went under the house, but didn't think it would be that big of a difference. I am now relieved that if we have another cold snap, the pipes should be fine.
However, as a preventative measure I visited Ace Hardware and bought numerous sticks of pipe insulation foam. These sticks are hollow with a slit in one side so you can easily snap them around your pipes. Although we don't typically need that kind of protection in Georgia, I guess it doesn't hurt.
Would you like to tell your story of enduring the historic cold? Please do so in the comment section below.
Thanks!
Chris
4 comments:
I read an article not long ago that the hollow "swim noodles" that you buy for your kids "or grandkids" are often cheaper than slitted pipe insulation and work better. Worth checking out.
Love your blog. Just curious as to the pipe insulation. If the crawl space was warmer, thus allowing the heat to penetrate the pipes, wouldn't the slip on pipe insulation prevent the heat penetration and make the situation worse.
Thank you for your comments.
Brian, Funnoodles would definitely work and would certainly add some color to your basement:)!
Anonymous, Keep in mind that if you are at your home during the cold snap the water in your pipes will be replaced by (approximately) 72 degree water from the main lines as you shower, flush toilets, etc, so the insulation will actually help keep that warmth in. If you are not at the home during a cold snap the pipes and insulation will both reach ambient temperature regardless, however, the insulation will help keep the pipes from sweating and will protect them from harsh wind if your crawl space is vented - as mine is.
Thank you for the explaination. That sounds reasonable.
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