Vacation Home

[smokedog2]

The power came back on at 6:30 yesterday. A little before I got home.

The pipes are a special plastic that can freeze and not break, but you still need to watch the traps and dishwasher. The water bottles in the house were not frozen yet. They were in the barn. 15 deg F here today.

[deerfield]

smokedog2 - I'm pleased to know there is no apparent damage to your house. Smart build using that special plastic plumbing pipe. Lookin' forward to summer! - Deerfield

[Sled491]

SD, What do you keep your place at? I'm thinking just around 40 or so next winter when I'm done. I have to depend on a heat pump with a propane back up, and again on an Island with no bridge so propane is 100lb size that I have to hump over. I'm thinking I will need 3 - 5 of them depending on how good this heat pump is.

But like you, at the end of the day doesn't matter if there is no POWER!

[smokedog2]

It is an old thermostat but I think between 45 & 50. I want enough heat to ride out a power outage. I’m good for 4-5 days well below freezing. It took 7 days one winter to freeze the dishwasher line. The pipe did not break but the plastic fitting cracked s little. No leak but I put a metal pipe bracket around it.

My parents have a place in North Dakota they heat with electric heat all winter at about 40, it runs about $50 a month. They winter here in Ohio. If you have electric, I suggest an electric furnace. They ran propane but had just the issue you raise, the thing can go empty when you really need it. Their heating bills went down a bit with electric.

Also remember if you turn the water off you want to turn the water heater off. The water will eventually cook off in the water heater and you will burn out your top heater element. They are a pain to replace.

Blowing all the lines out is not that hard if you are closing up for the winter but the cold can be hard on stuff that is otherwise pretty tough.

[Sled491]

Thanks SD all good info. I'm not going with a water heater I'm going with a Demand system, and the heating system I'm using is supposed to be good without the back up to -20f so I'm feeling confident. Plus we only live 40 minutes away. so regular checking is possible.

[Sled491]

Deerfield, just an update on my progress. Deck is about 90% done. Well is going in this week, electical rough is going in this week, basement floor is getting started with prep and pour started this weekend. WE Energies is getting prepped to run the power down to the service, rough plumbing complete and inspected. All field stone for fireplace chase has been moved over and stored for warm weather installation.

Should have all rough inspections next week, then Insulation and insulation inspection within a week. Will start to move siding/sofit/facia material over around end of Feb beginning of March.

Still shooting for June completion. If your around this weekend and have nothing to do let me know and I'll bring you out for the tour.

[kaneboats]

Any of you handymen want to weigh in on an off topic question for me? I always had a gas water heater-- this house has electric. It's starting to have a burnt smell every now and then. Is this a sign of an element going out or is the thing junk? Thanks for replies if you know anything about these.

[SEARK]

I have electric H2O heater and never had a burnt smell. When the elements start to go out you run out of hot water pretty quick. Bottom element is first to go so when water gets below top element water gets cold. I think I'd have someone check it out if you're getting a burnt smell. That doesn't sound to safe. Just my .02.

[Sled491]

Might be cooking dust bunnies

[kaneboats]

Well, I'm looking for an excuse to pull the thing out and relocate it anyway. It's in the only decent downstairs closet in the house. It should be out in the garage like most other houses in FL. Don't know why they decided to ruin a perfectly good closet.