The Briefing Room
State Chapters => Texas => Topic started by: Cyber Liberty on February 13, 2021, 06:41:50 pm
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Massive winter storm prompts disaster declaration and could stress Texas' electricity grid
by Megan Menchaca and Mitchell Ferman Feb. 12, 2021 Updated: 17 hours ago
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Friday afternoon for every county in Texas as a massive winter storm threatens to wreck havoc on the state's electricity grid, power lines and roads.
"Texas should heed the guidance of their local leaders and stay alert to changing weather conditions in their area," Abbott said in a press release.
The state’s power grid could see record-setting winter electricity demand from Texans trying to keep warm this weekend. That means the capacity of Texas’ power grid, most of which is run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, will be put to the test. It is unclear whether this will result in rolling blackouts in Texas, or “rotating outages†as ERCOT calls system power outages.
More: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/12/texas-winter-weather/ (https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/12/texas-winter-weather/)
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Joe Bastardi was on Hannity's radio show yesterday, and said this is going to be a huge Natural Disaster story...
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Texas Tribune by Megan Menchaca and Mitchell Ferman 2/12/2021
Gov. Greg Abbott urged Texans to stay alert as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings or watches for most of the state. Experts fear that electricity demand during the frigid temperatures could cause power outages.
State officials are urging Texans to stay home and minimize their use of electricity as a massive winter storm threatens to wreak havoc on the state's power grid and roads.
"Everybody in this state should have several collective goals over the next few days, one of which should be that we will not replicate what happened in Fort Worth," Gov. Greg Abbott said at a Saturday news conference, referring to Thursday's 133-car pileup on an iced-over interstate that left six dead.
"This will be probably more snow over a larger swath of land to a higher degree than ever before in Texas history," he added.
At the news conference, Abbott said he would seek a federal emergency declaration for the storm and planned to deploy National Guard troops to help find stranded travelers.
A day earlier, he issued a statewide disaster declaration for every county in the state and urged Texans to "heed the guidance of their local leaders and stay alert to changing weather conditions in their area."
The state’s power grid could see record-setting winter electricity demand from Texans trying to keep warm this weekend. That means the capacity of Texas’ power grid, most of which is run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, will be put to the test. It is unclear whether this will result in rolling blackouts in Texas, or “rotating outages†as ERCOT calls system power outages.
More: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/12/texas-winter-weather/ (https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/12/texas-winter-weather/)
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Some have pointed out that Biden's FEMA has done nothing, whereas under Trump, when they knew a big weather emergency (e.g., hurricane) was coming, they made preparations.
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Some have pointed out that Biden's FEMA has done nothing, whereas under Trump, when they knew a big weather emergency (e.g., hurricane) was coming, they made preparations.
Yep... A February 2021 Biden Freeze Death Count needs to be established and updated.He and his merry band of idiots have more important matters like pointless Kangaroo Shampeachment Trials.
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Prayers up for those Briefers in TX! Stay safe and stay warm. :0001: :0001:
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Prayers up for those Briefers in TX! Stay safe and stay warm. :0001: :0001:
We have a lot a Texans here at TBR...please stay safe!
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Yep... We feel for ya Texas. :0001:
Up in here we went 15 below for a while there... Had to rummage around and dig out my wool socks. :laugh: :seeya:
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27 degrees here currently and dropping into the low teens by morning. Single digits by Tuesday morning with about 9" of snow predicted over that period. Not supposed to rise above freezing again before Friday.
The power remains on, we have a good fireplace and plenty of wood should we need it. All is well.
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Grid operator requests energy conservation for system reliability
http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225151 (http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225151)
Feb. 14, 2021
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking consumers and businesses to reduce their electricity use as much as possible Sunday, Feb. 14 through Tuesday, Feb. 16.
"We are experiencing record-breaking electric demand due to the extreme cold temperatures that have gripped Texas," said ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness. "At the same time, we are dealing with higher-than-normal generation outages due to frozen wind turbines and limited natural gas supplies available to generating units. We are asking Texans to take some simple, safe steps to lower their energy use during this time."
Here are some tips to reduce electricity use:
- Turn down thermostats to 68-degrees.
- Close shades and blinds to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
- Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
- Avoid using large appliances (i.e., ovens, washing machines, etc.).
- Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
- Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.
Given the prolonged, below-freezing temperatures, conservation measures should be implemented safely and within reason....
(https://i.postimg.cc/J7sFfsZ3/Capture.png)
http://www.ercot.com/ (http://www.ercot.com/)
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27 degrees here currently and dropping into the low teens by morning. Single digits by Tuesday morning with about 9" of snow predicted over that period. Not supposed to rise above freezing again before Friday.
The power remains on, we have a good fireplace and plenty of wood should we need it. All is well.
Currently 17 degrees in Irving. The dog was begging to go outside, as my son and grandson were having a snowball fight.
Five minutes later, she was begging to go back inside...lol. Smart dog.
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Rotating black-outs? Texas has Enviros that need to be put down?
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Weather Warnings here in Central Il...6-10inches of snow with wind chills -20
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Currently 17 degrees in Irving. The dog was begging to go outside, as my son and grandson were having a snowball fight.
Five minutes later, she was begging to go back inside...lol. Smart dog.
(https://media.makeameme.org/created/its-too-cold-5c378a.jpg)
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Hey Texans keep us updated if you can.
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Joe Bastardi
@BigJoeBastardi
currently 100k without power in Texas
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuOrhIoXIAUT7Ao?format=jpg&name=small)
8:08 PM · Feb 14, 2021·Twitter Web App
https://twitter.com/BigJoeBastardi/status/1361120106806456327
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Joe Bastardi
@BigJoeBastardi
MOST SEVERE WINTER WEATHER ON RECORD IN DALLAS! ITS SNOWING AT. 10 DEGREES ABOVE 0!!! MODELS 6 HOURS OUT BUSTING BY 3-5 DEGREES. UNREAL
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuOqCq-XAAYB6Vh?format=png&name=small)
8:01 PM · Feb 14, 2021·Twitter Web App
https://twitter.com/BigJoeBastardi/status/1361118486123192321
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Hey Texans keep us updated if you can.
About 20 degrees out at 9 pm with a light dusting of snow on the ground. Power is on and all is well at present.
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Kind of loss in this news of this cold weather event is the impact on the petrochemical industry. Not quire sure if we are looking at impacts as severe as 1997, 1989, or 1983, but here are some projected low NWS low temperatures for the western core of the the industry along the central and western Gulf of Mexico...
NOLA... 25
Baton Rouge-16
Lafayette- 17
Lake Charles- 14
Beaumont-11
Houston- 12
Bay City-13
Corpus Christi- 17
These areas are 45% of the nation's refining capacity. My experience is that these types of severe and long duration cold snaps will reek havoc on these plants. Expect the price of gasoline to rise accordingly.
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About 20 degrees out at 9 pm with a light dusting of snow on the ground. Power is on and all is well at present.
29, and starting to see a slight glazing on the lines and trees. Know of no power outages in our area.
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@Victoria33 has informed me that
Governor Abbott asks for federal aid with statewide disaster declaration, warns drivers to stay home
https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2021/02/13/abbott-asks-federal-aid-warns-texans-stay-home-conserve-power/4477397001/ (https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2021/02/13/abbott-asks-federal-aid-warns-texans-stay-home-conserve-power/4477397001/)
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I'm west of DFW it's 6 degrees at 10 pm looking for a low close to zero. We've had 6 inches plus of snow with drifts a couple of feet high in my yard. It's brutal!
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It's 8 degrees in Denton County which is north of Dallas about 30 miles at 11:52 pm, central time. Weather guy says on Tuesday, it will be 0 degrees here.
Power outages are happening in this greater area of Denton County and Dallas County and Tarrant County (Fort Worth area).
We are okay at this time. I expect people to die in the days of this week due to this weather.
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ERCOT calls for rotating outages as extreme winter weather forces generating units offline
http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225210 (http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225210)
Feb. 15, 2021
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) entered emergency conditions and initiated rotating outages at 1:25 a.m. today.
About 10,500 MW of customer load was shed at the highest point. This is enough power to serve approximately two million homes.
Extreme weather conditions caused many generating units – across fuel types – to trip offline and become unavailable.
There is now over 30,000 MW of generation forced off the system....
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20 degrees here south of Houston
So far the pipes have not frozen. I filled extra tubs of water for the horses and cows and used an air compressor to push the water out of the barn.
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Lost power around 2AM. 19 Deg. SE Houston Hobby Area
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Prayers for all in Texas. Stay warm and safe. â¤ï¸
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@Gefn
Denton County, north of Dallas, 8:03 a.m., Monday, 5 degrees. Wind chills, -16. Still have power.
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WINTER STORM UPDATE: More than 2 million Texans are without power
https://ktrh.iheart.com/content/2021-02-15-winter-storm-update-ercot-starts-rotating-power-outages/
...We are seeing some outages around the area; in fact more than 2.3 million Texans have no power as of 8am. ERCOT has declared an "energy emergency alert three," that means there are rotating power outages. Electric demand is very high and supplies can't keep up....
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No power
8 degrees
Wind chill -15
More snow coming
Plenty of heat food booze tobacco and emergency light
No real issues so far
Should last most of this week
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No power
8 degrees
Wind chill -15
More snow coming
Plenty of heat food booze tobacco and emergency light
No real issues so far
Should last most of this week
@240B
Where in Texas are you?
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Could really use just a little of that Global Warming right now.
Hope Al Gore and Gretta are freezing their asses off!
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Half of Texas Wind Turbines Freeze, Hurting Electricity Output
https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2021/02/15/half-of-texas-wind-turbines-freeze-hurting-electricity-output/ (https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2021/02/15/half-of-texas-wind-turbines-freeze-hurting-electricity-output/)
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Woke up to 8 degrees and about 7 inches of snow that fell overnight. Hearing about rolling blackouts happening around the area but haven't had one here yet (knock on wood). Currently it's sunny, but the temperature isn't expected to go above freezing until later in the week (Wednesday maybe?) So, the snow will stay on the ground (and the roads) for several days. My location is just north of Austin (in what used to be a little town named Round Rock).
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All:
There is a website for our large subdivision. I do not post on it but read posts some time. Due to the weather, I punched on it to see what people around us were doing.
This lady should have considered preparing her pool last week before we were socked in by ice/snow/5 degrees. Here is her post - do you guys have an answer to what she should do NOW, or is she stuck in limbo with her pool? (This is our subdivision and she says there are blackouts - we have not had blackouts.)
"Swimming Pool during Rolling Blackouts. I need some advice on what to do during the rolling blackout with my pool. I know I am not the only one so I need some kind of reassurance so I can stop the worry. I called CoServ which told me that the time for the Blackouts have now been increased to 30 to 45 minutes instead of the 15 minutes when they first started them. worried."
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Woke up to 8 degrees and about 7 inches of snow that fell overnight. Hearing about rolling blackouts happening around the area but haven't had one here yet (knock on wood). Currently it's sunny, but the temperature isn't expected to go above freezing until later in the week (Wednesday maybe?) So, the snow will stay on the ground (and the roads) for several days. My location is just north of Austin (in what used to be a little town named Round Rock).
@Ghost Bear
Been to Round Rock many times in my life. Dell Computer Co. was in Round Rock, imagine they are still there. I went there one time and had them build a computer for me. So, they dumped the name "Round Rock" - did not know that.
Temps in Texas will not have above freezing temp. until this coming Friday. Some people in our area saying they are having rolling blackouts but we have not had one - yet.
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Day one is behind us with no apparent damage. 11 degrees for a low this morning and about 6" of snow on the ground. All is well so far.
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There was a nice family in my neighborhood growing up that had a pool. After being flooded too many times by Sim's Bayou they let it go natural. Kids would fish in it, after asking for permission first.
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No power
8 degrees
Wind chill -15
More snow coming
Plenty of heat food booze tobacco and emergency light
No real issues so far
Should last most of this week
As long as you are able to stay warm is a good thing -- glad things are going well so far for you.
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It’s 4 degrees at 10 am. All of our local tv stations are off the air. We are now having rolling blackouts. My electricity has stayed on so far.
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Continued prayers for fellow TX Briefers. I can't believe the cold you are getting. I visited my brother when he lived in Irving many years ago in Dec., and there was a cold snap that lasted for a couple of days, but this is crazy cold!
(https://pics.awwmemes.com/open-new-window-its-already-cold-enough-in-here-meecenter-cmmemecenteraa-53418641.png)
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@Ghost Bear
Been to Round Rock many times in my life. Dell Computer Co. was in Round Rock, imagine they are still there. I went there one time and had them build a computer for me. So, they dumped the name "Round Rock" - did not know that.
Temps in Texas will not have above freezing temp. until this coming Friday. Some people in our area saying they are having rolling blackouts but we have not had one - yet.
They need to put anti freeze in their pump leaf filter and surge the pump a couple of times to get it in the filter as well.
When they start the pool back in warmer weather then start the pool by flushing it all down the waste/drain.
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All:
@Gefn
10 am, Denton County, Dallas County, Tarrant (Fort Worth area).
Saw some power outages and grabbed these, 241,000 in Dallas, no power; 305,000 in Fort Worth, no power. 14 below wind chill.
Reporters are staying in a hotel on northside of Fort Worth and water line in hotel broke, lobby is full of water and no power. This is the first report I have seen about significant water pipes breaking. Sure there will be more today and tomorrow. Don't see how these pipes could be fixed quickly - not going to happen.
Gefn: I put Prissy's warm sweater on her so she is warm in the house during the day. She is so little her body is close to the floor and it is colder on the floor so the sweater keeps her body warm. She sleeps with us all the time, so she will not get cold during the night. When we opened the back door, she barked because the ground was white, not it's usual darker color. She would not walk on that white stuff called snow.
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(https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e24a1ce8bb7ad4b4aa5b3dcf1690fd7dc4c62d096ebca4e8165e3908a3ad57ed.png)
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They need to put anti freeze in their pump leaf filter and surge the pump a couple of times to get it in the filter as well.
When they start the pool back in warmer weather then start the pool by flushing it all down the waste/drain.
@mrpotatohead
Thank you; I will get that on the subdivision website.
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All:
@Gefn
10 am, Denton County, Dallas County, Tarrant (Fort Worth area).
Saw some power outages and grabbed these, 241,000 in Dallas, no power; 305,000 in Fort Worth, no power. 14 below wind chill.
Reporters are staying in a hotel on northside of Fort Worth and water line in hotel broke, lobby is full of water and no power. This is the first report I have seen about significant water pipes breaking. Sure there will be more today and tomorrow. Don't see how these pipes could be fixed quickly - not going to happen.
Gefn: I put Prissy's warm sweater on her so she is warm in the house during the day. She is so little her body is close to the floor and it is colder on the floor so the sweater keeps her body warm. She sleeps with us all the time, so she will not get cold during the night. When we opened the back door, she barked because the ground was white, not it's usual darker color. She would not walk on that white stuff called snow.
Thanks for the reports @Victoria 33. This reminds me of the time when we lived in MI and visited FL during Easter. We came back to an ice storm and we had no power for a couple of days. Luckily we had a wood stove to keep us nice and warm and wound up putting some of the food outside to keep cold.
Prissy sounds like a character...too funny. What kind of dog is she? Even in FL my daughter's puppy (8 mos. old) hates the colder temps and she won't go outside without her sweater -- and she sleeps under the blankets.
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@Ghost Bear
Been to Round Rock many times in my life. Dell Computer Co. was in Round Rock, imagine they are still there. I went there one time and had them build a computer for me. So, they dumped the name "Round Rock" - did not know that.
Temps in Texas will not have above freezing temp. until this coming Friday. Some people in our area saying they are having rolling blackouts but we have not had one - yet.
Yes, Dell is still here, and the town is still called Round Rock. But the town isn't little any more. :laugh:
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Thanks for the reports @Victoria 33. This reminds me of the time when we lived in MI Prissy sounds like a character...too funny. What kind of dog is she? Even in FL my daughter's puppy (8 mos. old) hates the colder temps and she won't go outside without her sweater -- and she sleeps under the blankets.
@libertybele
Prissy is 7 lb. Yorkie.
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Not hearing about any power outages in my area. 18F, still a few flurries, and about a half inch of sleet/snow mix. Maybe an 1/8 inch of ice. Really big news and worry, is we may be seeing single digits here tonight for the first time since 1989.
Just got a call that Entergy may be enacting rolling black outs here as well due to energy demands.
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https://poweroutage.us/area/state/texas
Updated in real time pointing-up
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Texans Forced To Cut Open Cattle With Lightsabers And Climb Inside For Warmth
February 15th, 2021
(https://media.babylonbee.com/articles/article-7998-1.jpg)
HOUSTON, TX—Texans are struggling to keep warm amid a cold snap that has brought arctic temperatures to the region. Left with no other options, many Texans are being forced to cut open cattle with lightsabers and crawl inside to stay warm.
One rancher and his ranch hand were forced to take these drastic measures when temperatures approached the level of springtime in Ohio and his horse froze before he reached the first marker.
"This steer really smells bad kid," said the rancher to his shivering ranch hand. He then cut open the cow's carcass and encouraged his employee to crawl into the warm, steamy entrails. "But it'll keep y'all warm until I get the shelter up." ...
Babylon Bee (https://babylonbee.com/news/texans-forced-to-cut-open-cattle-with-lightsabers-and-climb-inside-for-warmth)
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Our entire city just lost water....ugh!
Still having rolling blackouts. Some have been without power for 12 hrs.
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Our entire city just lost water....ugh!
Still having rolling blackouts. Some have been without power for 12 hrs.
Oh no ... definitely not good at all. Thanks for the updates. Worried about everyone. **nononono*
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Texas Storm Chasers
@TxStormChasers
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32m
At 7 PM there are 3,845,168 customers without electricity in Texas. Like last night, tonight will feature the coldest weather we've seen in 30+ years. I'm sorry we can't give better news. I really am.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuT0hcpWYAEGhkS?format=jpg&name=small)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuTxEhiWQAAD1FZ?format=jpg&name=small)
7:51 PM · Feb 15, 2021·Twitter Web App
https://twitter.com/catturd2/status/1361478160836157442
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Oh no ... definitely not good at all. Thanks for the updates. Worried about everyone. **nononono*
It's 10 pm and it's ZERO outside. We have no water in a city of over 100,000 and they say that it will be off for 24 hours to FOUR DAYS.....DANG!!!
Still having rolling blackouts. This is getting serious fast.
Oh and get this....It's supposed to SNOW TOMORROW! I'm waiting for the plagues to come as nothing would surprise me at this point.
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This is weird and horrible. Weird that Texas is getting so much snow. And horrible because of all the blackouts and everything.
I really do hope our members and the lurkers who pop by who live in Texas are ok.
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Without my emergency band radio
I would be going insane by now
If you don't have one...
Buy it now! You never know
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We lost power last night for about 5 1/2 hours. I was very worried about the house pipes freezing. Barn water was shutdown on Sunday.
Yesterday I hauled over 100 gallons of water with buckets from inside the house to water horses and cows.
I am so grateful the power is back on. So co-workers are on their second day with no power.
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We got our power back 3AM this morning. My daughter is still without power. My son in Brownsville even lost power.
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We lost power last night for about 5 1/2 hours. I was very worried about the house pipes freezing. Barn water was shutdown on Sunday.
Yesterday I hauled over 100 gallons of water with buckets from inside the house to water horses and cows.
I am so grateful the power is back on. So co-workers are on their second day with no power.
We have been VERY lucky so far here. Everything working as it should so far. Low temp this morning 3 degrees.
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We have been VERY lucky so far here. Everything working as it should so far. Low temp this morning 3 degrees.
We did have a couple house pipes freeze, like to the washer.
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Tweet by Daniel Turner (https://twitter.com/DanielTurnerPTF), founder and exec. director of PowerTheFuture, which advocates for American energy and exposes the socialist radical green political movement:
@DanielTurnerPTF
China is building more coal plants this year than all Europe combined currently has.
You know why? Look at Texas.
You think china is going to allow itself to get caught in the dark? They have a world to conquer.
And liberal American china apologists are aiding them.
8:23 AM · Feb 16, 2021·
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We got our power back 3AM this morning. My daughter is still without power. My son in Brownsville even lost power.
We were out 2a-4a, in what was one of those rolling blackouts. Not long enough (yet) to do any damage. 12 degrees this morning here.
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I wouldn't call our outages "Rolling".
I lost power for 27 hrs. My son's power was out for 8 hrs. My daughter has been out of power now for 15 hrs and counting. At least now the temp has come up. It's 20 now.
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Wow... from the NWS in Lake Charles, Louisana.... Lake Effect Snow flurries being observed off Toledo Bend. Lived within 100 miles of that area of my whole life, and never heard of this.
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@mystery-ak
@Gefn
Denton County 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Today is Tuesday, 10:30 am central - temp now 7 degrees. Were at 0 last night. Wind chill was -30 last night.
We are feeding the birds good birdseed and they are in and out eating all day. We put the pans with the seed under a table out there so snow would not get into the seed.
Here is why they do not freeze:
https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter (https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter)
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Just lost power again, Dang It!
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Just lost power again, Dang It!
@Elderberry
You and I have talked before now about where you live and where we lived around the NASA area. I am sorry your power is going in and out. Seems to me the power up north of Dallas where we live, should be going on and off but it is not. Our power has not gone out even once. Now, I wrote that sentence, so probably our power will go out as soon as I post this. :beer:
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@mystery-ak
@Gefn
Denton County 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Today is Tuesday, 10:30 am central - temp now 7 degrees. Were at 0 last night. Wind chill was -30 last night.
We are feeding the birds good birdseed and they are in and out eating all day. We put the pans with the seed under a table out there so snow would not get into the seed.
Here is why they do not freeze:
https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter (https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter)
Birds are swarming here. Have to refill all three feeders 3X a day now. Did see one dead Robin and Blue Jay out by the tree line though Who knows, may have been sick and vunerable, and the freeze did them in,
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Birds are swarming here. Have to refill all three feeders 3X a day now. Did see one dead Robin and Blue Jay out by the tree line though Who knows, may have been sick and vunerable, and the freeze did them in,
@catfish1957
Thanks for your bird post. We can sit at the kitchen table where we are now, and there is a large window, and see the birds flying in and eating. They live in our bushes and in the many bird houses we have.
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@catfish1957
Thanks for your bird post. We can sit at the kitchen table where we are now, and there is a large window, and see the birds flying in and eating. They live in our bushes and in the many bird houses we have.
@Victoria33
Enjoy watching the birds. 3 feeders pretty much cover any bird we have. One with sunflower, and second with mixed seeds, and a 3rd with meal worms.
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Being that the city owns iits own Electric Company living near the Mayor and your City Council member does seem to have it's advantages. Rolling Blackouts are throughout town, damn near 51% last I looked. My bed and it's electric blanket is still the warmest thing in my old house. Damn Germans went cheap when they built this thing in 1894 using Limestone blocks for insulation which obviously has a very poor RH factor.
*Even the Radio Station is down.
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@Victoria33
Enjoy watching the birds. 3 feeders pretty much cover any bird we have. One with sunflower, and second with mixed seeds, and a 3rd with meal worms.
@catfish1957
We have peanuts for Jays and squirrels (have four squirrels in residence here), mixed seed, sunflower seeds, sunflower suet mix, and dried pumpkin seeds. Had a pie that was left in the freezer too long, so we put that out there, it is made with blueberries/raspberries/blackberries/strawberries. (No, you cannot have a piece). 44444heart
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Being that the city owns iits own Electric Company living near the Mayor and your City Council member does seem to have it's advantages. Rolling Blackouts are throughout town, damn near 51% last I looked. My bed and it's electric blanket is still the warmest thing in my old house. Damn Germans went cheap when they built this thing in 1894 using Limestone blocks for insulation which obviously has a very poor RH factor.
*Even the Radio Station is down.
@corbe
I see you are in the Texas hill country. I wonder if you have power lines down due to ice, as I think power lines in that part of the state have poles carrying the lines, as opposed to being underground. This to you 44444heart
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It's 10 pm and it's ZERO outside. We have no water in a city of over 100,000 and they say that it will be off for 24 hours to FOUR DAYS.....DANG!!!
Still having rolling blackouts. This is getting serious fast.
Oh and get this....It's supposed to SNOW TOMORROW! I'm waiting for the plagues to come as nothing would surprise me at this point.
Yikes!!! I am so sorry that this is happening to you .... I wish there was something that I could do. Prayers up!!
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Our power lines are mostly above ground. I suspect it is the rolling blackouts more than power lines down due to ice accumulation. I have power I just don't have adequate electric heaters. My old 50's Gas Dearborn will have to do, so I moved to the Living Room (near the heater) and my breath is still visible vapor. @Victoria33 i learned yesterday, much to my surprise, that the memory foam you have on top of your mattress will indeed freeze. Whoda thunk that. Thankfully I have antifreeze for the toilet (no water pressure) and Bourbon for my body.
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@mystery-ak
@Gefn
Denton County 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Today is Tuesday, 10:30 am central - temp now 7 degrees. Were at 0 last night. Wind chill was -30 last night.
We are feeding the birds good birdseed and they are in and out eating all day. We put the pans with the seed under a table out there so snow would not get into the seed.
Here is why they do not freeze:
https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter (https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter)
Interesting info on the birds. Our feeder attracts; bluebirds,scrub jays, cardinals, red-winged black birds, blackbirds, finches, tanagers, parrots, morning doves, chickadees and ducks waddle up sometimes too.
Thinking about getting another feeder for another tree.
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Our power lines are mostly above ground. I suspect it is the rolling blackouts more than power lines down due to ice accumulation. I have power I just don't have adequate electric heaters. My old 50's Gas Dearborn will have to do, so I moved to the Living Room (near the heater) and my breath is still visible vapor. @Victoria33 i learned yesterday, much to my surprise, that the memory foam you have on top of your mattress will indeed freeze. Whoda thunk that. Thankfully I have antifreeze for the toilet (no water pressure) and Bourbon for my body.
Yikes....maybe invest in a good woodstove down the road?
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We were out 2a-4a, in what was one of those rolling blackouts. Not long enough (yet) to do any damage. 12 degrees this morning here.
Funny, since the power at my house was on between 2am and 3:40, and then went out again until 10....six fricking hours. The thermostat read 50 degrees when it finally came back on. Now, it's been running for almost two hours and is just now at 61. The idiots scheduling these outtages aren't leaving the power on long enough to heat the houses up again. I'm betting they're Biden supporters. 888mouth
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Yikes....maybe invest in a good woodstove down the road?
[/quote
Thought about that @libertybele It's getting harder and harder to invest that kind of money into this old place. Knowing that when I sell it they will defiantly bulldoze this old place, they want the land to build a two story McMansion on it. I don't expect to be here in a couple more years, anyway.
I have newfound respect for the Northern Plains Briefers.
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Just got a 'Boil Your Water' Alert on my phone, good Luck if you have an Electric Stove. My biggest problem is my ice maker quit working and that's probably good.
What a CF!
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Charlie Spiering
@charliespiering
Joe Biden has been "kept abreast" of winter storm in Texas and other states, says Jen Psaki but has not yet spoken to any governors personally.
12:25 PM · Feb 16, 2021·TweetDeck
https://twitter.com/charliespiering/status/1361728385240735750
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Just got a 'Boil Your Water' Alert on my phone, good Luck if you have an Electric Stove. My biggest problem is my ice maker quit working and that's probably good.
What a CF!
Our city announced our water should be going this afternoon...sure hoping that's true. We are supposed to boil our water for the next 2 days.
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Joe Biden has been "kept abreast" of winter storm in Texas and other states, says Jen Psaki but has not yet spoken to any governors personally.
BS.
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A co-worker just got power back. They were 42 hours with no power, no internet, no CELL service.
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Yikes....maybe invest in a good woodstove down the road?
[/quote
Thought about that @libertybele It's getting harder and harder to invest that kind of money into this old place. Knowing that when I sell it they will defiantly bulldoze this old place, they want the land to build a two story McMansion on it. I don't expect to be here in a couple more years, anyway.
I have newfound respect for the Northern Plains Briefers.
Gottcha. I don't blame you then for not wanting to fork over the $$, I wouldn't either in your case.
Yes, something to be said for the Northern Plains Briefers; @roamer_1 is set to survive just about anything. He's very fortunate and I envy his way of life. I just can't tolerate the cold.
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BS.
B.S. is right. He could care less and he's lucky to know what day it is.
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@amuse
@amuse
In other news, there isn't enough water pressure in many Texas cities to fight a house fire because everyone has their faucets dripping. #GreenNewDeal
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuWnJ_BXMA4aPD0?format=jpg&name=small)
9:06 AM · Feb 16, 2021·Twitter Web App
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BS.
Totally agree!
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(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LnO40UzaLOs/UanPBd6yWFI/AAAAAAAAfZU/afpZDcDqJWA/s1600/natural_gas_burner.jpg)
Though next time I'll get a Hotel.
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@Cyber Liberty
@mystery-ak
@corbe
@mrpotatohead
@thackney
@Elderberry
@libertybele
Because I am a prepper, I have these things and suggest you consider getting them for the future.
"Water Bob"
Food grade water container, goes in a bathtub, holds 100 gallons of water; has a pump to get water out when you want it. I filled one last Saturday evening. You can drink this water, is your regular faucet water. These are about $35 at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2O1HS8GQR6ZYK&dchild=1&keywords=water+bob+for+tub&qid=1613500278&sprefix=water+bob%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-2 (https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2O1HS8GQR6ZYK&dchild=1&keywords=water+bob+for+tub&qid=1613500278&sprefix=water+bob%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-2)
Sterno stoves with canned heat for fuel if power goes out.
I have two stoves with plenty of cans of canned heat. Can warm or cook on these stoves. Safe to use in house, they are like the ones under food when you go through a line at a restaurant.
Have two Melitta single cup makers, heat the water on Sterno stove to very hot, don't need to boil it, and put the water in a Melitta filter which you have put on top of a cup, with ground coffee in the filter, and have a quick, excellent cup of coffee.
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I always have quite a supply of water onhand without tying up a tub. And I have a 2 burner propane stove with around 100# or so of bottled propsne to feed it. I'm kicking myself for not yet tying my generator into my Nat Gas supply. I never thought I'd need it until hurricane season.
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@Cyber Liberty
@mystery-ak
@corbe
@mrpotatohead
@thackney
@Elderberry
@libertybele
Because I am a prepper, I have these things and suggest you consider getting them for the future.
"Water Bob"
Food grade water container, goes in a bathtub, holds 100 gallons of water; has a pump to get water out when you want it. I filled one last Saturday evening. You can drink this water, is your regular faucet water. These are about $35 at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2O1HS8GQR6ZYK&dchild=1&keywords=water+bob+for+tub&qid=1613500278&sprefix=water+bob%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-2 (https://www.amazon.com/WaterBOB-Emergency-Container-Drinking-Hurricane/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2O1HS8GQR6ZYK&dchild=1&keywords=water+bob+for+tub&qid=1613500278&sprefix=water+bob%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-2)
Sterno stoves with canned heat for fuel if power goes out.
I have two stoves with plenty of cans of canned heat. Can warm or cook on these stoves. Safe to use in house, they are like the ones under food when you go through a line at a restaurant.
Have two Melitta single cup makers, heat the water on Sterno stove to very hot, don't need to boil it, and put the water in a Melitta filter which you have put on top of a cup, with ground coffee in the filter, and have a quick, excellent cup of coffee.
Good information. We have sterno cans on hand (had for a long time though) and a clean 50 gallon drum to fill with water (plus water tabs). We also have a hand bottled water pump dispenser for the 3 or 5 gal bottles of water. If need be we also have a still to distill water out of our canal -- also a water filtering canister with a spout.
Not sure how long those sterno cans are good for? The stove is just a fold up piece of metal to hold them, but hopefully it'll do. I bought the 50 gal drum and sterno cans with stove through Emergency Essentials.
We've never used any of these, and hope that we never have to, but we have them on hand just in case. We also have about 6 mos. supply of dehydrated food -- if we keep it to about 2 meals each a day, and also a decent amount of powdered milk and dehydrate cheese. The meals will be bland, but for the most part it's dehydrated meats, fruits and vegs without all the preservatives and additives.
We've prepped pretty well (I hope).
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John Cardillo @johncardillo
Texans are sleeping in running cars with the heaters on, risking carbon monoxide poisoning so they don't freeze to death, while @CNN and @Newsweek run stories about Biden putting logs on the WH fireplace, going to sleep at sunset, and playing little kids' video games.
2:14 PM · Feb 16, 2021·
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Good information. We have sterno cans on hand (had for a long time though) and a clean 50 gallon drum to fill with water (plus water tabs). We also have a hand bottled water pump dispenser for the 3 or 5 gal bottles of water. If need be we also have a still to distill water out of our canal -- also a water filtering canister with a spout.
Not sure how long those sterno cans are good for? The stove is just a fold up piece of metal to hold them, but hopefully it'll do. I bought the 50 gal drum and sterno cans with stove through Emergency Essentials.
We've never used any of these, and hope that we never have to, but we have them on hand just in case. We also have about 6 mos. supply of dehydrated food -- if we keep it to about 2 meals each a day, and also a decent amount of powdered milk and dehydrate cheese. The meals will be bland, but for the most part it's dehydrated meats, fruits and vegs without all the preservatives and additives.
We've prepped pretty well (I hope).
You'd do better to invest in Buddy Heaters, which run on bottled propane. They have a gizmo for em to let em take a barbecue grill size tank... Which means they'll take ANY tank.
The 'Big Buddy' (around 200 bucks) puts out up to 18000 BTU , and comes with safety features.
Stock up a few 20 pound tanks, which you can swap/rotate through your grill anyway, and you're pretty golden for good immediate portable heat.
Winter overlanding, you'll be almost as likely to see that Big Buddy in a tent as you are a wood stove. Very good. Very reliable.
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@libertybele
The small sterno stoves are small, inexpensive, and can be used in the house, no need to go outside to a big stove with big gas bottles.
During every hurricane and after until power came back, maybe a week or more, I used the sterno stoves sitting on a kitchen counter. The Melitta single cup coffee makers were used every day at any time of day. These items just made living better until "normal" came back.
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Haven't really thougt of prepping. I have a supply of dried beans and rice and flour stored in aluminized/mylar bags. We cycle thru the canned good supply. And I keep the deep freeze stocked with meat and I know where I can always get more.
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John Cardillo @johncardillo
Texans are sleeping in running cars with the heaters on, risking carbon monoxide poisoning so they don't freeze to death, while @CNN and @Newsweek run stories about Biden putting logs on the WH fireplace, going to sleep at sunset, and playing little kids' video games.
2:14 PM · Feb 16, 2021·
@amuse
@amuse
Texans are sleeping in their cars as we suffer the stark realities of the #GreenNewDeal. 30% of our power comes from renewables now - and it turns out the don’t work in the ice and snow. We shutdown our gas fired plants and now we live in the 3rd world.
Video: https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1361662997463187456
8:05 AM · Feb 16, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
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@roamer_1
I prepare to live in the house with safe cooking methods inside the house, and sterno stoves are exactly that. Outside grills are fallbacks if inside house cooking method is used up. Never ran out of canned heat, which can be stored inside house, too.
I have an inside heater for heat. It is a fairly new innovation as it is safe to use in the house with small bottles of fuel. It also has a warning that goes off if oxygen around it goes down, a signal of fuel leak. That has never happened as the transfer of fuel from the small bottle is simple.
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You'd do better to invest in Buddy Heaters, which run on bottled propane. They have a gizmo for em to let em take a barbecue grill size tank... Which means they'll take ANY tank.
The 'Big Buddy' (around 200 bucks) puts out up to 18000 BTU , and comes with safety features.
Stock up a few 20 pound tanks, which you can swap/rotate through your grill anyway, and you're pretty golden for good immediate portable heat.
Winter overlanding, you'll be almost as likely to see that Big Buddy in a tent as you are a wood stove. Very good. Very reliable.
I bought some kind of stove that works with propane, wood or charcoal and it's supposed to be somewhat efficient. Come to think of it, I haven't seen it since we've moved. Hopefully it's in the garage somewhere.
Our biggest concern here during hurricane season is flooding. Our attic is about 9 ft. off the ground in the garage and we put stairs in to easily access it. It has enough of a peak to have standing head room. We laid boards across to be able to sit and lay down. We moved off gulf access onto freshwater; but 9 ft. isn't very high if we get storm surge. We've been lucky...in the 30 years we've been down here, we've experienced a Cat. 4, but no storm surge. (Knock on wood).
We don't have any kind of a boat or raft...which I've been thinking about getting.
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(https://i.imgur.com/8kZooRm.jpg)
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@libertybele
The small sterno stoves are small, inexpensive, and can be used in the house, no need to go outside to a big stove with big gas bottles.
During every hurricane and after until power came back, maybe a week or more, I used the sterno stoves sitting on a kitchen counter. The Melitta single cup coffee makers were used every day at any time of day. These items just made living better until "normal" came back.
A can of sterno is about 2500 BTU for about 2 hrs. In below zero temps, that won't heat a pup tent.
A Big Buddy heater - PORTABLE and fine to use inside, is 18000 btu and will comfortably heat 450 ft2 for a couple days tied to a 20 pound tank. It is thermostatically controlled and automatic. Two of them will keep a pretty big house from freezing up... or a small house comfortable
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(https://i.imgur.com/8kZooRm.jpg)
Something that needs to be ingrained into the liberal mental midget's heads
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I bought some kind of stove that works with propane, wood or charcoal and it's supposed to be somewhat efficient. Come to think of it, I haven't seen it since we've moved. Hopefully it's in the garage somewhere.
I can see where heat would not be a big concern. But what is happening in Texas could happen to you next.
And I have been thinking about that - Folks down there (or your way) ain't ready for cold. It ain't the thing you are used to that will put you in a trick bag... I shake in my boots in a high wind - The most I have ever seen is 80mph, other than a tornado we were caught in once. You'd probably sleep right through 80mph.
But I DO know cold. If you ain't ready for cold up in here, you're just dead. End of story. Zero temps ain't nothing to sneeze at, especially where houses ain't made for it. I shudder to think of how many broken pipes there will be down there in Texas when this is done.
Of course, the REAL thing would be a wood stove. Even if you never use it but for ambiance and the odd emergency every now and then. A wood stove will get as hot as you let it. you'll never want for heat, providing you have a supply of wood. But a big propane heater, I figger, is a better investment from a prepping position, since most folks have a propane grill... And if you have a grill, you are likely to have the twenty pound tanks laying around to feed it. So I figger it fits better in what folks already have on hand.
For me it's no nevermind. I am already committed to wood, as is natural up here. But I DO have a Big Buddy and a Little Buddy for overlanding... The convenience is hard to beat, and I already have propane on board for the Coleman stove for cooking. Not the same for up in the woods, where my 4 season tent is heated by a small wood stove I pack in on a polk with the tent. I have been pleasantly comfortable in 15 below zero weather in that tent, and the stove ain't anywhere near cherry hot yet.
Our biggest concern here during hurricane season is flooding. Our attic is about 9 ft. off the ground in the garage and we put stairs in to easily access it. It has enough of a peak to have standing head room. We laid boards across to be able to sit and lay down. We moved off gulf access onto freshwater; but 9 ft. isn't very high if we get storm surge. We've been lucky...in the 30 years we've been down here, we've experienced a Cat. 4, but no storm surge. (Knock on wood).
We don't have any kind of a boat or raft...which I've been thinking about getting.
Keep an axe up in that attic... or an electric chainsaw... Getting up in there, you'd best have a way to get out... And that is going to be chopping through the gable, or through the roof itself.
I am partial to a jon boat. Flat bottom and squared ends. Nice for up in the potholes and sloughs on the river.
I will never flood where I am. Nor will forest fire get to me. If I lose it will be to heavy snow or high wind.
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@roamer_1
I prepare to live in the house with safe cooking methods inside the house, and sterno stoves are exactly that. Outside grills are fallbacks if inside house cooking method is used up. Never ran out of canned heat, which can be stored inside house, too.
I have an inside heater for heat. It is a fairly new innovation as it is safe to use in the house with small bottles of fuel. It also has a warning that goes off if oxygen around it goes down, a signal of fuel leak. That has never happened as the transfer of fuel from the small bottle is simple.
I do the same with propane,since my overlanding kit is propane anyhow. And you can use propane inside just fine. The thing I have against canned gas is evaporation. To include sterno, which is a waste of time around here. Propane will keep a whole lot longer, and I am more likely to cycle it that I am white gas or the like. Kerosene excepted... It keeps. I also have kerosene heaters and lanterns... but largely the big buddy has replaced the kerosene heater. Just not in the same league.
18000 BTUs and portable is hard to do otherwise.
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Our kitchen stove is propane and works without electric power.
Having our on well we also have a 150 gallon surge tank as part of the set up.
There are three other shallow wells on the property but really only good for watering the cows and horses.
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My jeep runs on propane forklift tanks. Since it feeds liquid propane I use them to refill my small bottles. I also have a hand operated propane transfer pump. My problem with propane tanks and my welding tanks too, is having to recert the dang things.
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@roamer_1
I prepare to live in the house with safe cooking methods inside the house, and sterno stoves are exactly that. Outside grills are fallbacks if inside house cooking method is used up. Never ran out of canned heat, which can be stored inside house, too.
I have an inside heater for heat. It is a fairly new innovation as it is safe to use in the house with small bottles of fuel. It also has a warning that goes off if oxygen around it goes down, a signal of fuel leak. That has never happened as the transfer of fuel from the small bottle is simple.
You have a whole section in your book about keeping your electronics charged....
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@mystery-ak
@Gefn
Denton County 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Today is Tuesday, 10:30 am central - temp now 7 degrees. Were at 0 last night. Wind chill was -30 last night.
We are feeding the birds good birdseed and they are in and out eating all day. We put the pans with the seed under a table out there so snow would not get into the seed.
Here is why they do not freeze:
https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter (https://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter)
I need to get birdseed tomorrow. Mine ran out last week. This time it’s a 25lb bag.
I have a lot of very fat squirrels here. I had chipmunks but they are gone now. I hope they’re hibernating.
I assume birds don’t freeze for the same reason ducks don’t. Lot of fat under the feathers to keep them warm. That is why duck is such a fatty food to cook with, I guess.
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My jeep runs on propane forklift tanks. Since it feeds liquid propane I use them to refill my small bottles. I also have a hand operated propane transfer pump. My problem with propane tanks and my welding tanks too, is having to recert the dang things.
I ain't much for propane... Other than my overlanding kit, and it's application during emergencies. Up in here, propane is the most expensive form of heat there is. That's what kept me out of it for so long. But it is really hard to beat for overlanding, since I have a whole pickup to lug things around with.
I don't need it much otherwise. But for that, it is king.
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My propane is mostly for my jeep and small torches and occasionally with a portable stove. I like running the jeep on propane. I have a solar battery charger on it and it always starts right up no matter how long its been since I used it. I also run a metal melting forge on propane until I finish converting it over to waste oil.
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My jeep runs on propane forklift tanks. Since it feeds liquid propane I use them to refill my small bottles. I also have a hand operated propane transfer pump. My problem with propane tanks and my welding tanks too, is having to recert the dang things.
I tried that for a while. I figured it too much a trouble. I DO have a small hand held propane torch out in the shop, but usually use the oxy/acetylene for most everything, so I just buy those bottles when I need em. Everything else runs off a 20 pounder, and I have a splitter ofr it so I can run the camp stove and the heater at the same time. I don't use any small bottles anymore otherwise.
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A can of sterno is about 2500 BTU for about 2 hrs. In below zero temps, that won't heat a pup tent. A Big Buddy heater - PORTABLE and fine to use inside, is 18000 btu and will comfortably heat 450 ft2 for a couple days tied to a 20 pound tank. It is thermostatically controlled and automatic. Two of them will keep a pretty big house from freezing up... or a small house comfortable
@roamer_1
I use the two sterno stoves on the kitchen counter for warming/cooking - not heating. I used them for warming/cooking food for every hurricane that came for many years. I still have a house where hurricanes come, not far north of Houston. I have a friend who takes care of that house so it is okay during this freezing weather.
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@libertybele
@Cyber Liberty
I use "Safe Heat" cans for the Sterno Stoves to heat food, cook food, instead of the Sterno brand cans.
"Safe Heat" is discussed here:
https://theprovidentprepper.org/canned-heat-safe-fuel-for-indoor-emergency-cooking/
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The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power
(https://tnm.me/news/political/the-disgusting-reason-that-millions-of-texans-spent-the-night-without-power?goal=0_244a299551-aa19c3ac87-321252206&mc_cid=aa19c3ac87&mc_eid=9ee19a558c)
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I have gone thru many a hurricane and I guess I've been lucky as I was only without power once. I was without power for 2 weeks. I cooked on my 2 burner propane stove, my grill, and my smoker. I only had a 2.5kw gen I used, but not for cooking. It was an 1800rpm Onan that worked like a charm.
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I can see where heat would not be a big concern. But what is happening in Texas could happen to you next.
And I have been thinking about that - Folks down there (or your way) ain't ready for cold. It ain't the thing you are used to that will put you in a trick bag... I shake in my boots in a high wind - The most I have ever seen is 80mph, other than a tornado we were caught in once. You'd probably sleep right through 80mph.
But I DO know cold. If you ain't ready for cold up in here, you're just dead. End of story. Zero temps ain't nothing to sneeze at, especially where houses ain't made for it. I shudder to think of how many broken pipes there will be down there in Texas when this is done.
Of course, the REAL thing would be a wood stove. Even if you never use it but for ambiance and the odd emergency every now and then. A wood stove will get as hot as you let it. you'll never want for heat, providing you have a supply of wood. But a big propane heater, I figger, is a better investment from a prepping position, since most folks have a propane grill... And if you have a grill, you are likely to have the twenty pound tanks laying around to feed it. So I figger it fits better in what folks already have on hand.
For me it's no nevermind. I am already committed to wood, as is natural up here. But I DO have a Big Buddy and a Little Buddy for overlanding... The convenience is hard to beat, and I already have propane on board for the Coleman stove for cooking. Not the same for up in the woods, where my 4 season tent is heated by a small wood stove I pack in on a polk with the tent. I have been pleasantly comfortable in 15 below zero weather in that tent, and the stove ain't anywhere near cherry hot yet.
Keep an axe up in that attic... or an electric chainsaw... Getting up in there, you'd best have a way to get out... And that is going to be chopping through the gable, or through the roof itself.
I am partial to a jon boat. Flat bottom and squared ends. Nice for up in the potholes and sloughs on the river.
I will never flood where I am. Nor will forest fire get to me. If I lose it will be to heavy snow or high wind.
Our house is fairly well insulated -- it dips down into the 30's here and the coldest it's gotten inside the house since we've been here is 72 and we have a 15,000 watt generator and a couple of gas caddies. So not too worried about power loss.
Thanks for the reminder -- need to remember to put some sort of axe up in that attic. Jon boat would be more durable but we haven't invested in a dock, so really no place to keep it and with our backs, we can't lift. I was thinking of an inflatable -- I've looked on line and have seen some that will hold small motors --- we'd just need something to keep us afloat for awhile.
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The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power
(https://tnm.me/news/political/the-disgusting-reason-that-millions-of-texans-spent-the-night-without-power?goal=0_244a299551-aa19c3ac87-321252206&mc_cid=aa19c3ac87&mc_eid=9ee19a558c)
"Disgusting" is right. 9999hair out0000
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The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power
(https://tnm.me/news/political/the-disgusting-reason-that-millions-of-texans-spent-the-night-without-power)
So it was a mix of bird-choppers that couldn't chop and Biden's Envirocrats not giving prompt (if ever) permission to crank up the fossil-fueled generation plants to the degree that they might exceed the Feds' pollution limits.
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Spent?
Mine and my daughter's houses are still without power.
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So it was a mix of bird-choppers that couldn't chop and Biden's Envirocrats not giving prompt (if ever) permission to crank up the fossil-fueled generation plants to the degree that they might exceed the Feds' pollution limits.
:yowsa: That seems to be about the size of it.
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"Disgusting" is right. 9999hair out0000
I might be glad it happened if the result is we secede. The federal government is not a signatory of the pact we signed to enter the USA and instead is an organization created to support the states.
Right now it is turned upside down and the states apparently exist to serve the federal government.
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The Disgusting Reason That Millions of Texans Spent The Night Without Power
(https://tnm.me/news/political/the-disgusting-reason-that-millions-of-texans-spent-the-night-without-power?goal=0_244a299551-aa19c3ac87-321252206&mc_cid=aa19c3ac87&mc_eid=9ee19a558c)
And the requirement was waived. This looks like a very misleading article.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/pollution-limit-waived-for-texas-power-plants-in-emergency-order (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/pollution-limit-waived-for-texas-power-plants-in-emergency-order)
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing several Texas power plants to produce as much electricity as possible, a move expected to violate anti-pollution rules that comes amid a deepening electricity crisis in the state that has cut power to millions of homes.
The Energy Department order, requested by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, authorizes power plants throughout the state to run a maximum output levels, even as such a move is anticipated to result in a violation of limits of pollution....
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And the requirement was waived. This looks like a very misleading article.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/pollution-limit-waived-for-texas-power-plants-in-emergency-order (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/pollution-limit-waived-for-texas-power-plants-in-emergency-order)
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing several Texas power plants to produce as much electricity as possible, a move expected to violate anti-pollution rules that comes amid a deepening electricity crisis in the state that has cut power to millions of homes.
The Energy Department order, requested by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, authorizes power plants throughout the state to run a maximum output levels, even as such a move is anticipated to result in a violation of limits of pollution....
Because we know Bloomberg news is infallibly accurate. And why should we have to ask permission in the first damned place?
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:2popcorn:
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And the requirement was waived. This looks like a very misleading article.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/pollution-limit-waived-for-texas-power-plants-in-emergency-order (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/pollution-limit-waived-for-texas-power-plants-in-emergency-order)
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing several Texas power plants to produce as much electricity as possible, a move expected to violate anti-pollution rules that comes amid a deepening electricity crisis in the state that has cut power to millions of homes.
The Energy Department order, requested by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, authorizes power plants throughout the state to run a maximum output levels, even as such a move is anticipated to result in a violation of limits of pollution....
Because we know Bloomberg news is infallibly accurate. And why should we have to ask permission in the first damned place?
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Because we know Bloomberg news is infallibly accurate. And why should we have to ask permission in the first damned place?
Texas power plants get emergency clearance to crank up output
https://www.gctelegram.com/story/news/2021/02/16/news-briefs/6768852002/ (https://www.gctelegram.com/story/news/2021/02/16/news-briefs/6768852002/)
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The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing several Texas power plants to produce as much electricity as possible, which is expected to violate anti-pollution rules.
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/texas-plunges-into-electricity-crisis/ (https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/texas-plunges-into-electricity-crisis/)
How many different sources do you want?
This was not the cause of our power shortage.
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Texas power plants get emergency clearance to crank up output
https://www.gctelegram.com/story/news/2021/02/16/news-briefs/6768852002/ (https://www.gctelegram.com/story/news/2021/02/16/news-briefs/6768852002/)
- - - - - - -
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing several Texas power plants to produce as much electricity as possible, which is expected to violate anti-pollution rules.
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/texas-plunges-into-electricity-crisis/ (https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/texas-plunges-into-electricity-crisis/)
How many different sources do you want?
This was not the cause of our power shortage.
And I repeat: Why should we have to ask permission in the first damned place?
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The DoE order was issued 2/14/2021 at 8:51 PM EST, the same day permission was requested, https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2021/02/f82/DOE%20202%28c%29%20Emergency%20Order%20-%20ERCOT%2002.14.2021.pdf (https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2021/02/f82/DOE%20202%28c%29%20Emergency%20Order%20-%20ERCOT%2002.14.2021.pdf) .
Who is "tnm.me" that he/she/they/it should be believed?
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And I repeat: Why should we have to ask permission in the first damned place?
#TEXIT
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Texas largely relies on natural gas for power. It wasn’t ready for the extreme cold.
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/16/natural-gas-power-storm/ (https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/16/natural-gas-power-storm/)
Texas largely relies on natural gas — especially during times of high demand — to power the state. From pumping it out of the ground to the plants in city centers, experts say natural gas infrastructure was unprepared for the plunging temperatures brought by the winter storm.
Failures across Texas’ natural gas operations and supply chains due to extreme temperatures are the most significant cause of the power crisis that has left millions of Texans without heat and electricity during the winter storm sweeping the U.S.
From frozen natural gas wells to frozen wind turbines, all sources of power generation have faced difficulties during the winter storm. But Texans largely rely on natural gas for power and heat generation, especially during peak usage, experts said.
Officials for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which manages most of Texas’ grid, said that the primarily cause of the outages on Tuesday appeared to be the state’s natural gas providers. Many are not designed to withstand such low temperatures on equipment or during production.
By some estimates, nearly half of the state’s natural gas production has screeched to a halt due to the extremely low temperatures, while freezing components at natural gas-fired power plants have forced some operators to shut down....
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You have a whole section in your book about keeping your electronics charged....
@Cyber Liberty
Yes, my book covers any kind of emergency.
One morning, I got out of bed, picked up a pad and pen and wrote down everything I did that I could not do without power. Did that all day, then developed the best way to get it done without power. I researched that and did it for several years during hurricanes, updating as I went when I found better methods to do a job, then wrote the book. My doctor has the book and says he is coming to my house to live if there is an emergency.
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I just made morning coffee on my Propane powered stove, Not with Puny Cans of Sterno.
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Texas power plants get emergency clearance to crank up output
https://www.gctelegram.com/story/news/2021/02/16/news-briefs/6768852002/ (https://www.gctelegram.com/story/news/2021/02/16/news-briefs/6768852002/)
- - - - - - -
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing several Texas power plants to produce as much electricity as possible, which is expected to violate anti-pollution rules.
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/texas-plunges-into-electricity-crisis/ (https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/texas-plunges-into-electricity-crisis/)
How many different sources do you want?
This was not the cause of our power shortage.
Even the WSJ says that wind power supplied 42% of power generation and it was reduced to only 8% due to freezing
The Political Making of a Texas Power Outage
How bad energy policy led to rolling blackouts in the freezing Lone Star State.
Why are millions of Americans in the nation’s most energy-rich state without power and heat for days amid extreme winter weather? “The people who have fallen short with regard to the power are the private power generation companies,†Texas Gov. Greg Abbott explained. Ah, yes, blame private power companies . . . that are regulated by government.
The Republican sounds like California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who lambasted private utilities for rolling blackouts during a heat wave last summer. Power grids should be able to withstand extreme weather. But in both these bellwether states, state and federal energy policies have created market distortions and reduced grid reliability.
Mr. Abbott blamed his state’s extensive power outages on generators freezing early Monday morning, noting “this includes the natural gas & coal generators.†But frigid temperatures and icy conditions have descended on most of the country. Why couldn’t Texas handle them while other states did?
The problem is Texas’s overreliance on wind power that has left the grid more vulnerable to bad weather. Half of wind turbines froze last week, causing wind’s share of electricity to plunge to 8% from 42%. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-political-making-of-a-texas-power-outage-11613518653 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-political-making-of-a-texas-power-outage-11613518653)
http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,428905.msg2382147.html#msg2382147 (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,428905.msg2382147.html#msg2382147)
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Something that needs to be ingrained into the liberal mental midget's heads
(https://www.americanthinker.com/images/bucket/2021-02/227367_5_.png)
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Even the WSJ says that wind power supplied 42% of power generation and it was reduced to only 8% due to freezing
The Political Making of a Texas Power Outage
How bad energy policy led to rolling blackouts in the freezing Lone Star State.
Why are millions of Americans in the nation’s most energy-rich state without power and heat for days amid extreme winter weather? “The people who have fallen short with regard to the power are the private power generation companies,†Texas Gov. Greg Abbott explained. Ah, yes, blame private power companies . . . that are regulated by government.
The Republican sounds like California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who lambasted private utilities for rolling blackouts during a heat wave last summer. Power grids should be able to withstand extreme weather. But in both these bellwether states, state and federal energy policies have created market distortions and reduced grid reliability.
Mr. Abbott blamed his state’s extensive power outages on generators freezing early Monday morning, noting “this includes the natural gas & coal generators.†But frigid temperatures and icy conditions have descended on most of the country. Why couldn’t Texas handle them while other states did?
The problem is Texas’s overreliance on wind power that has left the grid more vulnerable to bad weather. Half of wind turbines froze last week, causing wind’s share of electricity to plunge to 8% from 42%. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-political-making-of-a-texas-power-outage-11613518653 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-political-making-of-a-texas-power-outage-11613518653)
http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,428905.msg2382147.html#msg2382147 (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,428905.msg2382147.html#msg2382147)
:yowsa: Farting around with green energy that doesn't work when you really need it instead of focusing on things that have been proven to work has put us in this situation. And all the excuse-making and diversions are not ever going to change that fact!
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Because we know Bloomberg news is infallibly accurate. And why should we have to ask permission in the first damned place?
We should have never even bothered to.
Let them fine us or whatever unconstitutional thing they wish to do.
Just cements our desire to leave this place.
The federal government is not a signatory to the pact Texas entered into when it came into the Union. It is a creation to serve the states.
Now it is backwards as the states are demanded to serve the federal government.
Time to end the madness.
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(https://www.americanthinker.com/images/bucket/2021-02/227367_5_.png)
Need a picture of someone washing the bird shit off with a power washer as well.
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Even the WSJ says that wind power supplied 42% of power generation and it was reduced to only 8% due to freezing
That is false. Wind does not come close to being 42% of Texas electric power.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rmvYvCKM/Tex-Elec-Gen.png)
also:
The blackouts, which have spread from Texas across the Great Plains, have reignited the debate about the reliability of intermittent wind and solar power as the U.S. seeks to accelerate the shift to carbon-free renewable energy. Rolling outages in California last summer were blamed in part on the retirement of gas plants as the state pursued an aggressive clean-energy agenda.
Wind shutdowns accounted for 3.6 to 4.5 gigawatts -- or less than 13% -- of the 30 to 35 gigawatts of total outages, according to Woodfin. That’s in part because wind only comprises 25% of the state’s energy mix this time of year.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/16/nation/why-is-power-out-much-texas-frozen-wind-farms-are-just-small-piece-puzzle/ (https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/16/nation/why-is-power-out-much-texas-frozen-wind-farms-are-just-small-piece-puzzle/)
The Political Making of a Texas Power Outage
How bad energy policy led to rolling blackouts in the freezing Lone Star State.
Why are millions of Americans in the nation’s most energy-rich state without power and heat for days amid extreme winter weather? “The people who have fallen short with regard to the power are the private power generation companies,†Texas Gov. Greg Abbott explained. Ah, yes, blame private power companies . . . that are regulated by government.
The Republican sounds like California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who lambasted private utilities for rolling blackouts during a heat wave last summer. Power grids should be able to withstand extreme weather. But in both these bellwether states, state and federal energy policies have created market distortions and reduced grid reliability.
Mr. Abbott blamed his state’s extensive power outages on generators freezing early Monday morning, noting “this includes the natural gas & coal generators.†But frigid temperatures and icy conditions have descended on most of the country. Why couldn’t Texas handle them while other states did?
The problem is Texas’s overreliance on wind power that has left the grid more vulnerable to bad weather. Half of wind turbines froze last week, causing wind’s share of electricity to plunge to 8% from 42%. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-political-making-of-a-texas-power-outage-11613518653 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-political-making-of-a-texas-power-outage-11613518653)
http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,428905.msg2382147.html#msg2382147 (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,428905.msg2382147.html#msg2382147)
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@amuse
@amuse
In other news, there isn't enough water pressure in many Texas cities to fight a house fire because everyone has their faucets dripping. #GreenNewDeal
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuWnJ_BXMA4aPD0?format=jpg&name=small)
9:06 AM · Feb 16, 2021·Twitter Web App
Which is exactly why I haven't used my fireplace during this "snowpocalypse". And call me paranoid... but... I've got the nagging feeling that this is only a precursor of what is yet to come under the 2nd Obamanation. Especially since Biteme wants to give the ChiComs access to our electric grid now.
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We should have never even bothered to.
Let them fine us or whatever unconstitutional thing they wish to do.
Just cements our desire to leave this place.
The federal government is not a signatory to the pact Texas entered into when it came into the Union. It is a creation to serve the states.
Now it is backwards as the states are demanded to serve the federal government.
Time to end the madness.
:amen: :amen: and :amen: again!
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https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/are-frozen-wind-turbines-to-blame-for-texas-power-outages/ (https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/are-frozen-wind-turbines-to-blame-for-texas-power-outages/)
...But the vast majority of energy the state generates is through natural gas. In October 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that renewables generated 22% of the state’s energy, while gas generated 51.8%.
In ERCOT’s plan for this winter, it expected that thermal and hydro resources, i.e. gas, coal and water, would need to generate 67,000 megawatts per hour during a high demand event to support the state. This didn’t take into account a historic snow storm where demand would increase and supply would be threatened.
On Monday, frozen instruments and a limited gas supply forced 30,000 MW/h of power offline. This was half of what ERCOT believed they would need. According to the agency, wind turbines account for less than 13% of the total generation that was lost. The majority of which was coal and gas....
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Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy for the ERCOT Region (SARA)
Winter 2020/2021
http://www.ercot.com/content/wcm/lists/197378/SARA-PreliminaryWinter2020-2021.pdf (http://www.ercot.com/content/wcm/lists/197378/SARA-PreliminaryWinter2020-2021.pdf)
Operational Resources (thermal and hydro), MW 67,547
Capacity from Private Use Networks, MW 3,631
Coastal Wind, Peak Average Capacity Contribution, MW 1,480
Panhandle Wind, Peak Average Capacity Contribution, MW 1,411
Other Wind, Peak Average Capacity Contribution, MW 3,251
Solar Utility-Scale, Peak Average Capacity Contribution, MW 254
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Well y'all... Hold on now... It's already lifted up in here... The deep freeze is gone, it's snowing, and soon to turn to rain... we did not go under zero last night, stayed in the teens, and a thaw is coming... And since I am north and west of all y'all, it's coming your way.
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Well y'all... Hold on now... It's already lifted up in here... The deep freeze is gone, it's snowing, and soon to turn to rain... we did not go under zero last night, stayed in the teens, and a thaw is coming... And since I am north and west of all y'all, it's coming your way.
32 degrees and raining here at present. Melting some of the snow that has been on the ground since Sunday night. God help us if the temp drops now. fortunately, that isn't expected.
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Which is exactly why I haven't used my fireplace during this "snowpocalypse".
Oh no, darlin... Do not forego the fire.... It's what makes you HOT. 8888forgot
Nah... I know you make your own hot 24/7. But don't be braggin and denying lesser wimmins.
99balloon
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32 degrees and raining here at present. Melting some of the snow that has been on the ground since Sunday night. God help us if the temp drops now. fortunately, that isn't expected.
We will be in the forty's in a day or two ... so big thaw is on the way.
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We will be in the forty's in a day or two ... so big thaw is on the way.
We will be in the 70's in a week but two more nights of dipping into the 20's before that happens.
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We will be in the 70's in a week but two more nights of dipping into the 20's before that happens.
See... Right about now is when I oughta be heading for the Gulf Coast... The Redneck Riviera... I won't see 70's for three more months...
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Still not saying what the temperatures are here..... :whistle:
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Oh no, darlin... Do not forego the fire.... It's what makes you HOT. 8888forgot
Nah... I know you make your own hot 24/7. But don't be braggin and denying lesser wimmins.
99balloon
Lol...yes, but.... having a fireplace-related fire in the midst of a low-water-pressure emergency situation is NOT the kind of "hot" I want to be. And I admit...I'm paranoid. I mean... just look how sucky things have already turned out to be. The potential for exponentially increasing sucky is massive. :shrug:
Hope you're staying warm, hon (and I know you are).
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Still not saying what the temperatures are here..... :whistle:
We're having a heatwave now... it's up to 23. Whoopee!
Expecting the idiots in charge of the "rolling outtages" to cut power again.... any... minute...now.
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We will be in the 70's in a week but two more nights of dipping into the 20's before that happens.
Your bad weather is heading towards the East Coast now,
What is strange is it’s snowing in Greece and heading towards Jerusalem.
https://apnews.com/article/snow-blankets-athens-halts-vaccinations-be193363451279cc4d105d025d0fb2b6
https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/after-warm-weekend-strong-winter-storm-snow-expected-this-week-659016
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Heads are gonna roll when this is all over and I'm afraid it will reach the top~Abbott.
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Heads are gonna roll when this is all over and I'm afraid it will reach the top~Abbott.
Well... whoever allowed the idiot left energy policies to be implemented here in Texas should be held accountable. If it turns out to be Abbott, so be it. He did fail us re: the Covid restrictions, IMHO.
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Still not saying what the temperatures are here..... :whistle:
Likewise, for similar reasons.
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Not too bad last nite and Today. 33 deg 95% humidity off and on rain. Wind staying under 20 mph. Balmy 55 deg inside. Power still out since 11am yestdy. Still have some water pressure.
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There's gonna be a few Millionaire Plumbers after this is all over, all pipes in my house are frozen, while my neighbor has some water pressure I have no water at all. Most of my pipes are of the 'old' galvanized steel type and all are under the house (pier and beam). I wonder if my Home Owners Insurance will cover any of it.
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I just made morning coffee on my Propane powered stove, Not with Puny Cans of Sterno.
@Elderberry
@libertybele
@catfish1957
Elder, to each his own - you use one way, I use another that is designed to last a year+.
I will not diss others about their methods of survival. If one way keeps you alive, it is a good way.
When I developed a survival plan, I did it for living in cities, towns, suburbia, neighborhoods - not living in the vast countryside like Roamer does. I planned to survive in the house, but I also have an outdoor fireplace designed to cook food and provide heat outside, plus the usual grill to cook. A secondary water source from the roof is out there. These are secondary to what is in the house.
I did not include a generator since fuel for that would end fairly quickly. I went with rechargeable batteries, the best kind, that can be recharged over 1,500 times. I can last years with those batteries in lamps, fans, etc., and have a fairly large solar panel with a device designed to recharge every size battery, radios, phones, etc. I have a battery powered TV and a radio that has TV stations on it, plus I have a short-wave radio powered by batteries.
I also have two oil lamps plus enough lamp oil for a year if using them at night. I also have solar lamps. They gather power from light during the day and use that power to provide light after dark.
When I developed a plan to get through hurricanes, then thought of prepping for a year+ for heating/cooking foods, I went with "Safe Heat" cans, and two foldable Sterno Stoves. I looked at how long a can would burn, how long it would take to warm/cook food, and bought enough cans to last - a year+. I still have that, plus enough storable long term (20 years) food for four for a year, as I figured two family members would come to my house in an emergency.
I could go on and on about more long term preps - how to stay warm without power - ways to have good water when there is no water in the pipes - ten ways to cook without power, medical care, etc. For now, I wish all Texans to stay warm - Bob says it will be in the 70s next week. See, Texans, you can sun your body outside next week.
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Expecting the idiots in charge of the "rolling outtages" to cut power again.... any... minute...now.
On the job now....
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LJRFUT7_0A4/hqdefault.jpg)
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There's gonna be a few Millionaire Plumbers after this is all over, all pipes in my house are frozen, while my neighbor has some water pressure I have no water at all. Most of my pipes are of the 'old' galvanized steel type and all are under the house (pier and beam). I wonder if my Home Owners Insurance will cover any of it.
I have a few friends already scheduling plumbers. The worst so far:
(https://i.postimg.cc/SxxH3p4G/4354.jpg)
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Screw it. I'm getting drunk.
Rush died.
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Thank you for all those years prior to 2016, Rush.
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Man! That looks nasty! All my pipes are clear. My hot running to the kitchen froze and then later cleared. My house was built with all galv in 1960. I had the pipe fail soon after I moved in in 85 that went from the supply up the wall to the attic. Stupid me replaced it with galv. When I redid each bathroom I replaced all the piping with copper. Last was the kitchen. Now all copper except the long runs from the kitchen side to the bathroom side of the house, I used pvc and cpvc. And I still have that one length of galvanize.
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
The infrastructure failures in Texas are quite literally what happens when you *don’t* pursue a Green New Deal.
11:00 PM · Feb 16, 2021
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There's gonna be a few Millionaire Plumbers after this is all over, all pipes in my house are frozen, while my neighbor has some water pressure I have no water at all. Most of my pipes are of the 'old' galvanized steel type and all are under the house (pier and beam). I wonder if my Home Owners Insurance will cover any of it.
Put it back in PEX. It don't care if it freezes, and if you are handy, you can do it yourself.
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
@AOC
The infrastructure failures in Texas are quite literally what happens when you *don’t* pursue a Green New Deal.
This woman is dangerously stupid.
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I have a few friends already scheduling plumbers. The worst so far:
(https://i.postimg.cc/SxxH3p4G/4354.jpg)
Looks like the ceiling falling is what woke em up (sheets thrown over the rubble on the bed)... Praise God they weren't under it. Small favors, right? but at least they are still there to enact the repairs.
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Put it back in PEX. It don't care if it freezes, and if you are handy, you can do it yourself.
Pex won't freeze and burst but it most certainly will freeze and push apart at fittings.
The only failsafe is not letting it freeze.
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Lol...yes, but.... having a fireplace-related fire in the midst of a low-water-pressure emergency situation is NOT the kind of "hot" I want to be. And I admit...I'm paranoid. I mean... just look how sucky things have already turned out to be. The potential for exponentially increasing sucky is massive. :shrug:
Hope you're staying warm, hon (and I know you are).
:beer:
Yeah, I am fine. Fifteen below ain't nothing around here.
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Pex won't freeze and burst but it most certainly will freeze and push apart at fittings.
The only failsafe is not letting it freeze.
That is right, but not right too... It CAN happen, but mostly don't. The expansion in the lines takes up enough generally... Although, if a fitting does become a problem, the fitting usually breaks before the PEX will push off. The fittings, being hard plastic, don't have the same give.
My washer lines are on an outside wall, and pass close to a vent - Crawl spaces here have operable vents that you open and close with the season. But even closed, the vent itself remains uninsulated, and the cold can pass through there.
Those lines froze hard several times at 10 below until I got a heat tape on em to resolve the problem.
A couple things to consider that northern homes are outfitted with:
Foremost a secondary heat source is paramount. I have both GFA and wood. Wood is my primary but the gas furnace is there if my stove becomes problematic for some reason (which happens more that you might think). I CANNOT be without heat. Hence the emphasis... Y'all are getting a taste of that right now.
Foundations or skirting need operable vents. That way you can close them in cold weather. It is an annual ritual here. I close em on the first freeze, and open them with planting.
Skirting particularly needs to be insulated. But if you can close off under the house, the house itself will usually retain enough heat radiated downward into the crawl to keep things thawed.
Add to that a thermometer showing ambient temp in the crawl, and a string of 100w access lights providing light to the crawl... Those 100w bulbs add significant heat if needful, which tends to stay in there if it is sealed up fairly... If I am worried about cold, (if the temp down there is under 40's) those lights are turned on.
An air pump system to exchange the interior air into the crawlspace.If it is getting cold enough to freeze down there with every other option exhausted, I flip open a duct into the crawlspace and a return duct on the other end. I have been here going on ten years, and only used that option once and I was dang glad to have that option in place.
A propane jet heater will do that too, or space heaters if you have the electricity.
All of the options above are better than broken plumbing.
Additionally, my whole house is plumbed off of a common curb-stop valve, and the lines can be drained. In the case of a major outage, with no heat either, I can go shut off the curb, open the drain, put a hose on the hot water tank and drain that, and pour antifreeze into the pea traps and toilet, and the house is impervious to frost damage.
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Meanwhile in Texas....
https://www.tiktok.com/@31jbay24/video/6929235995292339461?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v2&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6840981990364448261 (https://www.tiktok.com/@31jbay24/video/6929235995292339461?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v2&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6840981990364448261)
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This woman is dangerously stupid.
Not to her.
If you worship at the altar of Gaia, she makes a lot of sense as its high priestess.
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ABC13 Houston
@abc13houston
Mattress Mack's team says more than 1000 people were able to make their way to Gallery Furniture yesterday, and 400 stayed overnight.
His one ask today is that if you can, please bring an extra mask in the event someone may need one.
ABC13 Houston
@abc13houston · Feb 16
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuXUmwLUcAEKwrU?format=jpg&name=small)
Mattress Mack (and his adorable granddaughter) say if you need a warm place to stay, you can head over to @GFToday on 45N or in Richmond.
He has food, blankets, and clothes for anyone who needs it: https://abc13.com/10344483/
1:50 PM · Feb 17, 2021·TweetDeck
https://twitter.com/abc13houston/status/1362112099686756357
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OH HOW HORRIBLE! On our local news tonight 5 people locally have died from the cold. 4 died in their own houses that had had no electricity or heat for 3 days now.
This is just heart breaking....
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OH HOW HORRIBLE! On our local news tonight 5 people locally have died from the cold. 4 died in their own houses that had had no electricity or heat for 3 days now.
This is just heart breaking....
I'm hearing people who are dependent on various types of medical machines are struggling, too, without electricity to run them. So sad.
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Late to the game here, due to the power and WiFi being out.
Lost power Monday morning @ 7am
Restored Wednesday evening @ 7 pm.
Stayed warm by dressing (and sleeping) in layers, multiple quilts on the bed when we slept.
Used charcoal grill to cook outside, when it wasn't raining/snowing.
Some frozen pipes, but no broken ones, thank God.
Found Gasoline on Thursday, fairly easily, no wait.
Worked Friday and today (Saturday).
I live in Sugar Land and work in Katy.
A little early morning ice on the commute both days, but mostly in puddles by the curbsides, not bad.
Haven't had to be on a boil water notice, but not taking chances.
Brushing teeth using bottled water, etc.
Wife went to the grocery store yesterday.
All frozen food gone, no meat yet.
Dairy and bread hard to come by.
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Looks like the ceiling falling is what woke em up (sheets thrown over the rubble on the bed)... Praise God they weren't under it. Small favors, right? but at least they are still there to enact the repairs.
That happened in my Granddaughters room.
Thank God they were not home.
Granddaughter is 3 years old.
My son's ex-wife took our 2 grandkids to her boyfriends house.
He never lost power.
They came back to get more stuff and found the damage.
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I think whole-home generator price and demand is going to skyrocket.
I know I am looking into it, but maybe not today.........
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I went to the FiestaMart on Edgebrook day before yesterday. Produce was mostly full. No meat. No Bread. No Milk.
I went to the Food Town in Pasadena Yesterday. The whole store looked completely stocked except no 1% or 2% milk. Plenty of whole milk. I didn't go down the bread isle as I didn't need any. Meat was fully stocked.
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People need to learn that if they leave their homes in a freeze to shut off the water and drain the pipes. At least shut off the water.
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People need to learn that if they leave their homes in a freeze to shut off the water and drain the pipes. At least shut off the water.
Many houses have a drain valve, to dump the water already in the pipes after the main is shut off. My ex in-laws had a rental they owned like that, as were all the houses in that neighborhood.
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Late to the game here, due to the power and WiFi being out.
Lost power Monday morning @ 7am
Restored Wednesday evening @ 7 pm.
Stayed warm by dressing (and sleeping) in layers, multiple quilts on the bed when we slept.
Used charcoal grill to cook outside, when it wasn't raining/snowing.
Some frozen pipes, but no broken ones, thank God.
Found Gasoline on Thursday, fairly easily, no wait.
Worked Friday and today (Saturday).
I live in Sugar Land and work in Katy.
A little early morning ice on the commute both days, but mostly in puddles by the curbsides, not bad.
Haven't had to be on a boil water notice, but not taking chances.
Brushing teeth using bottled water, etc.
Wife went to the grocery store yesterday.
All frozen food gone, no meat yet.
Dairy and bread hard to come by.
Glad to see you coming up for air @GrouchoTex :seeya:
Are you plumb out of food or do you have fixins at home? If y'all have the flour and such, you can bake a loaf in that grill if you have a steel trivet and dutch oven.
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That happened in my Granddaughters room.
Thank God they were not home.
Granddaughter is 3 years old.
My son's ex-wife took our 2 grandkids to her boyfriends house.
He never lost power.
They came back to get more stuff and found the damage.
It is a caution. Praise Yah your grand daughter was spared.
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Glad to see you coming up for air @GrouchoTex :seeya:
Are you plumb out of food or do you have fixins at home? If y'all have the flour and such, you can bake a loaf in that grill if you have a steel trivet and dutch oven.
@roamer_1
No we are fine, thanks for asking.
Frozen stuff survived, we do have plenty of meat.
Lost some perishable but not all.
I did put perishables outside but made one error (live and learn).
I put them in a cooler, but did not put in ice, and shut the lid.
I should have (1) iced it or (2)left it open.
Iced being better, so critters (if some were out in the freeze) wouldn't get to it.
Still may have been okay, but the wife didn't want to chance it.
Maybe about 20.00 dollars worth, so not all bad.
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My niece who is in law school in the DFW area left her apartment to stay with a friend when the electricity went out. She returned to her first floor apartment to find the entire apartment flooded. Everything in it is ruined. Water came through the ceiling from the apartments above. The apartment complex has put her and the rest of the HUGE complex up in motels until all of this is fixed, which will be weeks to months.
Another friend here in town didn't have electricity for over 4 days. Fortunately they had a fireplace, so they put a mattress by it and basically lived there for 5 days. When the water came back on, it flooded their bedroom as their hot water heater was in the attic.
This is going on all over town, it's going to be millions in damage in just our town.
I'm going shopping for wood stoves...lol.
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Many houses have a drain valve, to dump the water already in the pipes after the main is shut off. My ex in-laws had a rental they owned like that, as were all the houses in that neighborhood.
I did that right. Go shut off the curb valve in the yard and open the other one, which shunts the main from the house into the foundation drain tile... then go open all the faucets to let it drain. All the pipes are on a grade, and it all just flows out. Only thing I did wrong was that I did not allow for the hot water heater to use that system, so I have to drain that with garden hose by hand.
And don't forget pouring a little RV antifreeze down the sinks for the pea traps and in the toilet.
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I went to the FiestaMart on Edgebrook day before yesterday. Produce was mostly full. No meat. No Bread. No Milk.
I went to the Food Town in Pasadena Yesterday. The whole store looked completely stocked except no 1% or 2% milk. Plenty of whole milk. I didn't go down the bread isle as I didn't need any. Meat was fully stocked.
That's good to know.
It was a Kroger on Sweetwater in Sugar Land, where my wife noticed the meat and frozen goods gone.
A co-worker in who lives Katy said he experienced the same thing at his local Kroger.
Weird, that I saw long lines on Wednesday, when I could venture out a little, where power was on, at gas stations pumps and outside the grocery stores.
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Lost some perishable but not all.
I did put perishables outside but made one error (live and learn).
I put them in a cooler, but did not put in ice, and shut the lid.
I should have (1) iced it or (2)left it open.
Iced being better, so critters (if some were out in the freeze) wouldn't get to it.
@GrouchoTex
It would be alright to leave it open a crack with something heavy on top.
Up in here it is quite common to see chest freezers on the porch - Simply because you don't need to run them for half the year. And most of them have blocks on the corners to leave em open to the cold, and an auxiliary latch to keep it from opening. Just mainly a coon problem there, as nothing else would really climb it (well maybe some of the weasel family too), so a coon-proof latch or chain is enough till the bears wake up.
But yeah - you can haul the fridge out on the porch too in a pinch, but the problem there is that it tends to freeze eventually. So you have to put a hot water bottle in there once a day :shrug:
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That's good to know.
It was a Kroger on Sweetwater in Sugar Land, where my wife noticed the meat and frozen goods gone.
A co-worker in who lives Katy said he experienced the same thing at his local Kroger.
Weird, that I saw long lines on Wednesday, when I could venture out a little, where power was on, at gas stations pumps and outside the grocery stores.
There was a line at the Fiesta, but not at Food Town. I went to an Ace Hardware yesterday to get some bolts. I didn't even stop when I saw the long line outside.
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Many houses have a drain valve, to dump the water already in the pipes after the main is shut off. My ex in-laws had a rental they owned like that, as were all the houses in that neighborhood.
Since living in Texas (mostly) since 1989, I have not had a home that had a drain valve. Many have had plumbing run under the slab making complete draining difficult. Down to the hose level okay, but not below.
But this does give me an idea to make draining my barn water easier next time.
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Late to the game here, due to the power and WiFi being out.
Lost power Monday morning @ 7am
Restored Wednesday evening @ 7 pm.
Stayed warm by dressing (and sleeping) in layers, multiple quilts on the bed when we slept.
Used charcoal grill to cook outside, when it wasn't raining/snowing.
Some frozen pipes, but no broken ones, thank God.
Found Gasoline on Thursday, fairly easily, no wait.
Worked Friday and today (Saturday).
I live in Sugar Land and work in Katy.
A little early morning ice on the commute both days, but mostly in puddles by the curbsides, not bad.
Haven't had to be on a boil water notice, but not taking chances.
Brushing teeth using bottled water, etc.
Wife went to the grocery store yesterday.
All frozen food gone, no meat yet.
Dairy and bread hard to come by.
No broken pipes, congratulations.
We went to Walmart today in Angleton, checking for meat if available. It is not often I get to see a meme in real life.
(https://i.postimg.cc/N0v57FPp/IMG-20210220-124653754-HDR.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/TwY2CDjq/IMG-20210220-124649121-HDR.jpg)
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We went to Walmart today in Angleton, checking for meat if available. It is not often I get to see a meme in real life.
:happyhappy:
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:happyhappy:
Yikes. Well, I don't know what their inventory is right now, but you could order from the Kansas City Steak Company ( our order was delivered within 2 days) or Omaha Steak Company. It's a little bit pricey.. but it beats plant based meat. BTW if it's plant based why in the heck do they even call it meat??
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My thoughts are still with my fellow Texans further west.
I was lucky. 2 rolling blackouts, totalling 3 hours. Didn't lose water, and took freeze precautions, didn't bust (still fingers crossed) any pipes.
Only negative, is we lost our largest pine tree. Close to 5' in diameter. Ancient tree got iced down, and uprooted. **nononono*
Out of my league with my chainsaw. $1200 for removal. Still feel terribly lucky though.
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All in all, I feel pretty blessed as well. No electric for 4 days, no water since last Tuesday. Fridge busted and flooded the kitchen TWICE, commodes...not functional. The appliance guy came yesterday and stopped the flooding (he is a story all by himself) and the plumbers came and determined that part of the house will have to be repiped...next Wed. 8888crybaby But I do have electricity now and cold boilable water. It was so cold in here the groceries in the fridge I have weren't affected. Things are looking up! happy77 Lots of people have it far worse than I. I'm going to heat water a little later and take a bird bath and wash my hair...or shave my head, lol.
My personal assessment of this...2020 brought the Covid nightmare. 2021 came along and said...you think all that was bad...hold muh beer Texas and watch this! happy77