It's gonna get really really cold - home checklist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do everything now that may require electricity - vacuum floors
- run dishwasher, have disposable cups and cutlery available
- complete laundry
- showers

Showers? We shower daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do everything now that may require electricity - vacuum floors
- run dishwasher, have disposable cups and cutlery available
- complete laundry
- showers

Showers? We shower daily.

It's going to be a cold shower if the electricity goes out and you have a tankless water heater....or if/when your tank empties out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do everything now that may require electricity - vacuum floors
- run dishwasher, have disposable cups and cutlery available
- complete laundry
- showers

Showers? We shower daily.

When the power goes out, enjoy that frosty ice cold shower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do everything now that may require electricity - vacuum floors
- run dishwasher, have disposable cups and cutlery available
- complete laundry
- showers

Showers? We shower daily.

NP. I'm planning for everybody in my house to shower Saturday afternoon so they are clean as possible before a power outage if we have one. Doing laundry for the same reason.

[Anonymous]

My concern is extended outages. With no heat how long before the pipes freeze in 10 degrees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My concern is extended outages. With no heat how long before the pipes freeze in 10 degrees?

The house will retain some warmth. You can wrap under sink pipes in a sweater. It will likely be ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Is is common for the shutoff valve for the rear hose bib to be in a different place than the other water shutoff valves? I can only find the front hose bib valve

Its typically close to the actual rear bib.

My shutoff valves are like 15 feet away. When a previous owner gutted the house, they re-did all the water lines. If you have any little service cabinets, they could be in there. I have one behind my stacked washer and dryer - the shutoff valve for the washer water connection AND my hose bibs are in there.

Check all your wall nooks and crannies. Even in closets.

I lived in a house where the hose shutoff was under the kitchen sink, in the cabinet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do everything now that may require electricity - vacuum floors
- run dishwasher, have disposable cups and cutlery available
- complete laundry
- showers

Showers? We shower daily.

NP. I'm planning for everybody in my house to shower Saturday afternoon so they are clean as possible before a power outage if we have one. Doing laundry for the same reason.

This. And if we have power, we will run a quick laundry load & the dishwasher Sunday AM early, before the snow switches to ice.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Also check your windshield wiper fluid level.

Why?

Really? You have no idea why?

It'll be snowy. There will be salt. Everywhere. A lot of. You need to clean your windshields. Often.

But you're also probably that person who doesn't clean all the snow off their car.

Actually, it freezes, so I was wondering why the rec to just add rather than add alcohol etc to reduce freezing temp. I find frozen fluid rather useless for this task. Was asking in case folks have found that a full reservoir is slower to freeze etc.

Most windshield wiper fluids are good to -20F (and beyond). If not sure, check your container. You are being silly.

This. And winter freeze is one of the reasons to use windshield wiper fluid instead of plain water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have one outdoor faucet that can’t be shut off without turning off the water for the whole house. Am I screwed?

In the spring, buy a replacement exterior faucet that is winter-safe from HD or Lowes and then have a plumber install that. Not expensive to do.

We did that a few years back. Now there is no risk of exterior faucet freezing unless whole house freezes.

[Anonymous]

Use windshield water fluid, NOT water, at least in winter.

We will run laundry and dishes early Sunday before the ice arrives, provided we still have power.

Put wood for fireplace someplace handy where it will stay dry, in case power goes out. Some heat is better than no heat.

Bottled water for several days in case water main freezes.

[Anonymous]

Okay. I turned off my spigot (located under the sink in the kitchen) back in December but then turned it back ON to check on something that turned out to be unrelated. Then I forgot.

I just turned it off but is there anything else I can do (try to warm it up and drain it from the outside)? Or do I just wait a few weeks and see if it cracked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I closed my pipe valve this morning , and tried to drain spigot tonight z but nothing came out. Already frozen?

Yep, wait for the thaw. Look for the leaks then. It's frozen for now.

[Anonymous]

I use windshield wiper fluid (the blue stuff) and it’s already frozen, so annoying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your house is reasonably well insulated you don’t have to do anything but the outdoor spigots which should have been done already.

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