Bee's Hive

Saturday, January 17, 2009

SAVED BY HEAT TAPE!

All week it's been below freezing. Last night it went to -24. Even with all the insulation we stuffed this old house with, the pipes froze at this temp.

Out with the heat tape! While we saw neighbors crawling in deep snow to get under their houses to defrost or replace burst pipes, my son has experience with heat tape from his days working on Septa in Philly and enviromental spills. Almost immediately after attaching the heat tape to the cold water, it began to run free into the sink.

Funny how people won't listen. Here is western Pa., people don't believe in insulation and laughed at "tape" to defrost pipes. While they were still knee deep in snow and ice, we were fixed and off to the mall for batting and thread.

If you've never seen what -24 looks like, I took some photo's along the way to the mall.




6 comments:

Tom H said...

Sounds like you're weatherin the cold just fine. We woke up to a frigid house this AM. Outside temp was -4. Some time during the night the pilot light went out on the furnace. Result - no heat. Got it back on, an furnace workin. But it took all morning to get the house warm.

tisme said...

Glad you had the heat tape handy! We use to use that when we lived in a trailer. Never went to bed without it on when it was below 10 degrees.
We are weathering the deep freeze ok here at home. I have been working on crochet and knitting, helps keep me warm!! lol
Tammy

elsie123 said...

Brrr! I don't think this Texas body could adjust to weather like that...but then i doubt there's any chance it will have to! Pretty to look at in your pics, but I cringe just thinking about it. Glad you're able to keep comfortable. I worry about all of you, and wonder how people get out and about with their daily lives, but I guess you do what you gotta do.

Holee said...

Tammy, of course you know about heat tape. You live near Pittsburgh, you're a city girl! That's totally different then these "mountain" people where I live. I'm the only one on the street with a computer!

The guy next door runs his house with an outside wood burner that takes whole trees to fire it up! Sometimes I feel like I'm living in a story book for the past.

Rhonda said...

Heat tape...uh....I've never heard of it but believe you me, I'll be buying some quick, fast and in a hurry. We don't have much ice here in Central Texas but when it comes, it's not pretty. Thanks for the tip.

Anonymous said...

The pictures are beautiful, but I'd rather see them on your blog than experience them. I've often noticed that people won't try something new and can't be convinced! It's so odd. What have they lost if they try something and it doesn't work?