6 degrees below zero and we have no heat
@shaggin (74988)
United States
January 1, 2018 8:31am CST
Well this was my welcome to the New Year ..
I woke up this morning and said brr it’s cold and went to check the thermostat. It was at 48 degrees. (The photo shows 52 because I have an electric heater plugged in near it)
I usually keep it at 62 and saw it was turned to 70 and realized my boyfriend was in the cellar checking on it.
I’ve lived here since 2003 and have never had the line freeze no matter how cold it got outside. My boyfriend looked in and said the oil in the tank has a thin line of ice across it. I guess from now on I will have to have them put 1/4 of the tank with kerosene in the winter instead of just fuel.
I have a robe and slippers on like usual. My fingers and toes hurt they are so cold.
28 people like this
31 responses
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
1 Jan 18
The tank is outside and the way its so low to the ground and so close to the house it was very hard to get to the lines. He turned on a heat tape thing in the cellar and put a hair dryer outside and a blanket around that. It took about an hour and a half to get it going. It's running now but by the sounds its making its not going to stay running.
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
1 Jan 18
Can he poke a stick or something at the ice to break it up?
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
2 Jan 18
@shaggin Maybe you should put a thermal blanket on it.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
The thin layer of ice on top wouldn't have actually been causing the problemso breaking it up won't help much. I'm going to get a can of dry gas to dump inside in a few days to hopefully get rid of some of that water in it. The pipe from the furnace to the house had oil all froze up inside it. It took hours to get it unthawed. My dad put 20 gallons of kerosene in the tank so hopefully that will mix with the fuel oil well enough to keep it from freezing up. I think the way the tank is sunk down so close to the ground its going to continue giving me problems.
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
1 Jan 18
It never gets so cold here. But I have lots of warm clothes around as I don´t have central heating.
2 people like this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
@marguicha I live in Pennsylvania near New York
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
2 Jan 18
@shaggin In what part of the US do you live?
1 person likes this
@topffer (42155)
• France
3 Jan 18
@shaggin Wow, it is good that you managed to have it running again
I heat the house with electricity, but with such low temperatures I would have the water pipes frozen. We are not used to low temperatures in my area, and the pipes are not deep enough in the ground. In my previous house I have been without water during a week because of that. I had to wait until the thaw, fortunately it never freezes during a long time here
.
I heat the house with electricity, but with such low temperatures I would have the water pipes frozen. We are not used to low temperatures in my area, and the pipes are not deep enough in the ground. In my previous house I have been without water during a week because of that. I had to wait until the thaw, fortunately it never freezes during a long time here.1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
My son was worried its a sign of a bad year ahead. Let's hope not!
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
My father in law is a plumber and he was busy until 3 taking care of other peoples pipes that had frozen up as well one being my aunt. My brother in law happened to drop by before heading home to Maryland and got it going for me thankfully. If it weren't for all my boyfriend did this morning and my father did this afternoon he wouldn't have been able to get it running. The pipes were so frozen.
@Marilynda1225 (91044)
• United States
1 Jan 18
Oy that doesn't sound like a good way to start the day. Hope you can get the heat back on
2 people like this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
1 Jan 18
I am so sorry! I know how you feel I did not have heat or power for 2 days with snow on the ground.
I really hope that he can thaw ti somehow.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
1 Jan 18
Better put on more layers of clothes.
2 people like this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
3 Jan 18
I had coffee but my kitchen was the coldest room in the house so sitting there drinking it made me colder than if I sat in the living room under blankets. The electric heaters I plugged in didn't help much either as the downstairs is so open.
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jan 18
I cannot imagine being in weather like that! I hope the heat works now? =)
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
7 Jan 18
@infatuatedbby yep we were cold for a few hours but then the heat tape and blow dryer thawed the line out and it’s been running since then thankfully. We went and got groceries so we hopefully won’t have to go back out shopping for at least two weeks. It’s going to be really cold all week then warm up more next week. I expect the lines will be frozen every morning this week. I am dreading waking up tomorrow.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jan 18
@shaggin Ah is your heat working?
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174296)
• United States
1 Jan 18
Oh, WOW! Brrrrrr! Yes, even I would say that is a bit too chilly, Shaggin! (And I LIKE the cold!)
If you need to, you are welcome to come stay with us...
Of course, we would need to figure out how to divide up the chores around here
... 
I could stay toasty in bed while... uhm... 
someone else shoveled the driveway and takes out the trash
(grinning and giggling at you!)
I hope your boyfriend can get the heater working and can figure out how to keep it running correctly. 
If you need to, you are welcome to come stay with us...
Of course, we would need to figure out how to divide up the chores around here... I could stay toasty in bed while... uhm... someone else shoveled the driveway and takes out the trash (grinning and giggling at you!)
I hope your boyfriend can get the heater working and can figure out how to keep it running correctly. 1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
Lol well shoveling is excellent exercise and since I have no man of the house I always have to do it. If you get to stay toasty and warm while I shovel I think I deserve a delicious dinner!
He got it running then left to get his son and it quit. My father put kerosene in it for me and got it started and it quit again. My brother in law dropped by before heading home to Maryland and he managed to get it going. The lines were just so frozen up. Hopefully it won’t happen again if I keep 1/4 of it filled with kerosene from now on when it’s cold.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
@DaddyEvil Everyone can use exercise I'm just to tired and lazy to stick to doing it. I don't check calories and never go with low fat options I like my food to be really tasty. But it has to be vegetarian so that limits your cooking options more.
I didn't think got much snow where you are? Its supposed to be 16 below here tomorrow so I'm praying the lines stay unfrozen.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174296)
• United States
2 Jan 18
@shaggin I know you believe you need the exercise, Shaggin... so I am wondering if you REALLY want me to fix that delicious dinner? You realize that delicious means it is full of fat, calories or both!?
I am glad someone was able to get it running! Hopefully, it won't freeze up like that again. (gentle smile.)
... so I am wondering if you REALLY want me to fix that delicious dinner? You realize that delicious means it is full of fat, calories or both!?
I am glad someone was able to get it running! Hopefully, it won't freeze up like that again. (gentle smile.)1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
2 Jan 18
Ouch, ( fingers crossed) that doesn' t happen here. its have been below freezing for a long time and it takes our breath away to step outside, so far we have stayed warm, I hope you get warm too soon.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
3 Jan 18
@PainsOnSlate do you go south for the winter or just for vacation?
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
That is what my boyfriend said as well about stepping outside. He went out two hours before I got to let the dogs out. When he stepped outside and the air blew it took his breath away for a few seconds. I bet its even colder where you are so much farther North of me.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
2 Jan 18
@shaggin The air does take out breath away, looking forward to warmer wheather when we go south.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
2 Jan 18
He got it running after over an hour and left to get his son. 10 minutes after he left it quit. My dad got kerosene for me and dumped it in the tank for me. He got it started and 5 minutes later it quit. My brother in law happened to stop by to visit before going back to Maryland and he puttered with it and got it going and finally it stayed running by 3pm. I am so thankful when I woke up today and saw the house was warm. I had been very scared the line would freeze up again.
1 person likes this
Well the iPod battery I dying and that means I have to plug it in and get back to cleaning.
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
3 Jan 18
First day of the new year and I woke up to a freezing house. My son was worried it's a sign of a bad year. I hope not. The pipe freezing could have happened anytime it just happened to be the coldest night we have had so far.
