Sunday, January 3, 2010

If

A man freezes in the wilderness



Will you hear him whimper?



Actually I jiggled the thermostat and the furnace has been working all day. The new thermostat I bought can be installed at a moments notice.

The water has just froze up solid. I can get water at the well head spigots. It did not freeze. My preparations protected it. There is just a frozen problem buried in the ground between the well head and the house. Maybe I could run a hose from the well to the pressure tank inside and by pass the buried frozen problem. Maybe not. I shut the power off to the pump just to be on the safe side. The pressure switch with an empty pressure tank is telling the pump to pump. I have no clue if the pump will just run non-stop in vain or if it has its own safety pressure switch to shut it off.

One day I will have water inside the house again. I just can't see when that day might be. It is sub-frigid as far out as the diagnosis goes.

Lesson learned: No matter how much you think your pipes are protected, when it gets mega cold, leave one faucet running just a wee bit.

5 comments:

Lola said...

Oh yes, I agree to leaving the facet dripping a wee bit. We do that here.
Hope the heater stays going for you. Worry, worry from here.
No doubt a whimper would be heard as the frigged temps causes a deathly quiet.

Siria said...

Oh Christopher...no matter how well we plan, there is always a lesson to be learned on how to prepare for next time. I hope your water defrosts very soon and that your heat keeps on a runnin!

Pam said...

Here's my plan: start a reality TV show. Mine will be called: Survivor LA (LA= Lower Awendaw). I freaked out on Sunday and bought a second space heater (the first night it got to 22F, which is cold for us along the coast - and I thought 'what if my one little space heater died?' - so I'm now warm, but have no water either (since it was connected to the falling-down house by a garden hose). It's supposed to be this cold for about five more days - so I'm trying to settle in (I can't leave for long periods or the place gets too cold and it's hard to heat it back up - and I won't leave the space heaters on when I'm gone).

Hang in there!

Anonymous said...

We hear you, my friend, and wish we could send you more than just warming thoughts. Your plight led to reminding the Brokenbeats to leave a drip on the very old plumbing that connects to their house. Thank goodness for the heat being on anyway. I would have thought you could use the snow for coffee? Or it takes too much to make a cup? We hope the cozy cabin is a whole lot cozier than a summer getaway.
Frances

Christopher C. NC said...

Lola it is true when the snow falls it can get eerily quiet. Last year I did leave a faucet dripping after the pipes froze the first.

Siria I'm starting to think I need an extra room or shed just for winter survival gear.

Pam you may have to be like me and go fetch your water at the falling down house while I go fetch mine at the well that I managed to keep from freezing. I afraid to turn the heat down if I leave the house. It might not come back on.

Frances there is snow for coffee of couse. Most of it is a little stale now though. I just bought water since I was at the store. Then I realized I can walk 30 feet to the well for free water. Doh! When I went to Lowes for the thermostat, plumbing insulation and freeze prevention along with small heaters seemed to be on most folks agenda. Good thing you mentioned the dripping to the Brokenbeats.