OT: preparing your home for bitter cold
I hope this thread isn't redundant from FauxMo's thread below, but I'm wondering what tips everyone has to winterize your home? Everyone knows to turn off and blow out exterior water lines, but I read recently that you should also clear snow away from the air vents around the foundation of your house. I would never have even thought of this.
So it got me thinking, it would make a great thread to share ideas and tips to make your home cozier and safer as snowmageddon 2019 approaches. (Looking at you, XM)
January 29th, 2019 at 5:17 PM ^
If you have an older furnace, consider removing the filter for the next few days to help it keep up.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:28 PM ^
Interesting. Is this just so air can move through more unfettered and efficiently? Is there a concern of circulating too much crap through the house without the filter?
January 29th, 2019 at 5:33 PM ^
Yes on both counts. You may need to dust afterward.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
Awesome, thank you.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:40 PM ^
Further, you don't want to do this long term because your furnace fan blades will get dirty and your efficiency will go down. Or at least that's what I've been told.
January 29th, 2019 at 9:54 PM ^
Yes the squirrel cage will get completely caked and get noisy. I know this because my home builder was a joke and had the fan running non stop while doing drywall.
January 29th, 2019 at 10:19 PM ^
ooof. that sucks. did you have to replace the whole furnace? your ducts must be filled with drywall dust.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:14 PM ^
I have rental houses & had to learn the hard way that the expensive micro filters are sometimes too restrictive right out of the box. If your furnace is running (including the blower motor), but not heating to the desired temp, the first thing to do is change the clogged filter. Just get cheap filters & change them frequently.
January 29th, 2019 at 7:16 PM ^
Cheap ones on regular auto-order from Amazon is the way to go.
"Oh, hello- wtf is this box on my doorstep???OH that's right, it's time to change the furnace filter..."
January 29th, 2019 at 6:01 PM ^
Last time we received service from our HVAC guy he recommended cheap filters. Many of the expensive ones don't let through enough air and actually violate the warrantee as they can damage the furnace over time.
So instead of going no-filter, maybe better to have a cheap filter (which should be replaced monthly) which should allow enough air through..
January 29th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
Our HVAC guy said the same thing. I believe we use MERV-4 filters but I have a calendar reminder set to change every 30 days. You don’t want to leave the cheap filters in for long.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^
Living in Florida, my heavy blower usage is obviously in the summer. My HVAC guy agrees with this same principle. Definitely use a filter to block the larger dust particles, but use the cheapest one your respiratory system can tolerate. Those super fine filters really do put a strain on cool OR hot HVAC air flow. So you may be paying a lot more for the filter itself only to also have your HVAC run longer to achieve a desired temperature.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:00 AM ^
Built my house in 2016 and I have two floors with concrete (basement) and gypcrete (first floor), both have imbedded pex with radiant heating via a Navien tankless. Most I’ve paid for a gas bill is $80 in one month. I also have a Tulikivi and three cords of wood on the deck. I’m set
January 29th, 2019 at 8:42 PM ^
Screw you, Maizen!
/s
January 29th, 2019 at 5:24 PM ^
Have a kerosene heater at the ready, just in case the power goes out.
When I was a kid, in the drafty old house during winter, we'd hang blankets over the doorway and huddle in the living room with a kerosene heater. It sucked, but it did the job.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
This is extremely dangerous! You were at great risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The draftiness of the house may have worked to your advantage.
https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm
TLDR: DO NOT TRY THIS!!!
January 29th, 2019 at 6:04 PM ^
Yeah. Instead just build a campfire in your living room. That'll work.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:38 PM ^
A UL rated kerosene or propane heater can be safely used indoors. The CDC specifically indicated a gas camp stove in that faq, but even some of those can be used indoors.
I'm not advocating just running out and grabbing any old gas burning device, but to say DO NOT TRY THIS! isn't helpful when people are looking at these extreme cold temps. Somebody with an indoor heater might see it and think that some new info is out there that precludes ANY use of these heaters.
https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/kerosene.pdf
January 29th, 2019 at 6:08 PM ^
Some people in KZOO just died because they had a generator going in their house.. not sure if they were just morons or what..
Not sure i could stand having a generator smoking up the house, and they somehow tolerated it, but paid for it with their lives with carbon monoxide poisoning..
They had a toddler sleeping with them and it survived somehow.. The levels were double the toxic limit.
January 29th, 2019 at 8:13 PM ^
Sadly, we get a few of these stories almost every year in Metro Detroit, much of the time because people are trying to heat homes where the gas has been cut. It's very tragic, and it always amazes me that a lot of people do not know about programs that can help them keep it on. I work with groups that try to get this word out there, and every year, my company makes it a point to get people signed up for those programs.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
Wear socks in bed, visquine on some windows and snuggle mama alot
January 29th, 2019 at 5:56 PM ^
All niiiight looong!
January 29th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
Drink like a fish, and guard your router so the Pornhub don't quit.
Seriously, move the water in your pipes, check your dryer vents, and pay close attention to your kids and pets. This too shall pass.
January 29th, 2019 at 7:15 PM ^
First sentence sounds like my weekend when the wife is out of town.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:30 PM ^
Eat moar chikn
January 29th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^
If you have an old metal plate damper in your chimney, it’s probably not shutting flush and leaking cold air into your house. I opened the damper and put some unfaced insulation in the hole and then shut the damper back down on it to help seal up the open spots. Just don’t, ya know, start a fire in there.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:41 PM ^
We use our fireplace a lot. Is this a temporary thing?
January 29th, 2019 at 5:56 PM ^
Yes - VERY temporary!!! Do NOT start a fire with a piece of insulation stuck in the damper, you will create a chimney fire. Quickly.
If you do seal up the damper, even if you don't use the fireplace, make a note of it somehow. You don't want to leave that in place until the next time you want a fire. You want fire controlled, and you can't control it when its burning unfettered in the middle of the chimney...
January 29th, 2019 at 6:42 PM ^
Yes this is NOT to be used with an actual fire in the fireplace.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
My damper probably needs to get replaced. It certainly isn't a perfect seal.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:07 PM ^
I have heard that dampers are like walruses in that they both like tight seals.
I’ll just let myself out
January 29th, 2019 at 5:36 PM ^
If you can insulate your pipes that sit along the foundation wall that is ideal. If not, absolutely buy some cheap outdoor faucet covers and put them ever over the faucets to help shield some of the cold air.
As someone else mentioned, furnace vents can easily get blocked by snow (accidentally did it while shoveling at our new house last year). Make sure it stays clear so the furnace ignitor box can properly click on and off. If the vent blocked, it’ll click on temporarily but won’t stay on. A carbon monoxide safety measure I believe
January 29th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
I live in CA, Sacramento area mostly, but had homes in Lake Tahoe. I had a couple simple trouble lamps and turned them on under house(crawl space, etc.) and it somehow stops pipes from freezing. At least that's what I was told and I never had any problems when using a simple incandescent light bulb.
I also had a couple generators. Honda 2200 is a really good one. You can run for about 8 hours at idle on a gallon of gas if power goes out... maybe 4amps before it starts revving up.
January 30th, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
Yeah, we have a bathroom faucet pipe on an outside wall and it is worrisome. We've been running that faucet on a slow trickle the past couple days with a small space heater in there. If that pipe goes when nobody is home it would be a fucking disaster.
Just FYI for anyone in the Detroit area our temps are supposed to bottom out about 8 a.m. Thursday morning at -13 and will start slowly rising from there.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
Some basic things you should do:
- Make sure that all of your vents on the exterior are cleared. This includes and vents on the sides of your home as well as your roof stack. These not only tend to get snowed over but they can also get iced over which will need to be chipped away. If you notice bubbling in your standing toilet water there’s a good chance you’ve got an iced over roof stack.
- You can open your faucets to a drip when extremely cold. This can help prevent pipes from freezing.
- Tape plastic wrap around any windows with significant drafts.
- Plug in any vehicle outdoors and make sure to have a car battery with adequate cold crank amps. Higher the better.
- A mixture of 3 parts vinegar and 1 part water can be sprayed on windshields to easily remove frost and prevent scrapping. Make sure to not use hot water as it could crack your windshield.
- Whiskey helps
Just a couple things ive learned from 30 years in the tundra of north central North Dakota.
January 29th, 2019 at 7:07 PM ^
The slow drip on faucets is excellent advice. I learned the hard way one winter why this piece of advice is so important.
January 29th, 2019 at 8:08 PM ^
Ok, just picked up some whiskey.
What were the other basic things again?
January 29th, 2019 at 8:21 PM ^
Drink the whiskey then the rest becomes unimportant.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:39 PM ^
Move to sunny Cali.
Well, Rain expected this weekend.
Be Well, All M fans.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:05 PM ^
And then we would be asking you for earthquake prep advice. :)
January 29th, 2019 at 6:29 PM ^
:( I love my Cali weather but I work in a 1950's high rise (60+ stories) that is at risk for a large earthquake. Hoping to work here for only 3 more years and hopefully move to a company located in a newer/retrofitted building or work from home.
I am probably way overthinking it but kinda scary to consider jobs based on building earthquake readiness!
January 29th, 2019 at 6:38 PM ^
I’ll pass on all of your earthquakes, mudslides, forest fires, and taxes.
January 29th, 2019 at 10:10 PM ^
I’ve lived in Cali for almost 40 years and never been anywhere near a mudslide or a forest fire. There’s only been one meaningful earthquake, you got me on taxes though.
January 29th, 2019 at 10:19 PM ^
Don't buy a house on a fault lines.
Don't buy a house where you have to drive up a 1 lane road through a forest.
Don't buy a house where it's really steep and rains a lot.
Taxes suck!
January 29th, 2019 at 11:04 PM ^
i lived in cali for 15 yrs and had 3 very serious forest fires, and 3 serious (and many minor) quakes, one riot that tore my squad apart, lots of mudslides, and traffic that was unlivable almost every. single. day.
January 29th, 2019 at 5:42 PM ^
These are the times I think about a whole house generator. I think that I might finally pull the trigger on one. If anyone has one, any tips or advice on brand or fuel type?
January 29th, 2019 at 6:01 PM ^
Generac... Honestly, any of the brand names will work just fine. As for fuel type, get whatever is plentiful in the area. Propane is probably fairly expensive, but can usually be delivered easily on a moments notice. Natural gas is a cheaper fuel, but may not be deliverable - depends on the local distributors. Of course, if you have gas lines into the house already, you're golden... Fuel oil or diesel might be good choices, also. Just make sure it starts up each month for maintenance. And hire an electrician to install the wiring. If its done wrong you can kill some poor schmuck lineman trying to restore power...
January 30th, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
Honeywell generators are made by Generac.
Costco sells some good Generac systems capable of running your whole house. Having a natural gas line with an in line system is the way to go. You also need a 200 AMP transfer switch. If you don't know what this is get estimates/hire an electrician and they can also tell you how many KW you need.
This is a pretty good deal
https://www.costco.com/Honeywell-20KW-Standby-Generator-W-Transfer-Switch-Model%237063-1.2.product.100466089.html
January 29th, 2019 at 6:06 PM ^
highly recommend whole house genny. easy to install, can get a decent one, say 15KW, for probably $3K. pour a concrete pad, set it, hook to gas/propane, connect switch, you are in business. highly recommend. have had one or another for decades. saved our proverbial bacon many times out here in the hinterlands. helps with resale, too.
January 29th, 2019 at 6:10 PM ^
Once heard of a generator on the house natural gas line that auto started when it sensed a power cut. Never have seen it installed but that made some sense to me