Wood/Pellet Stoves and Extreme Temps

[thinkxingu]

Just a note with the extreme temps coming that wood and pellet stoves heat the inside of the home well but leave the outside casing less warm—this can lead to frozen pipes even when it feels warm inside.

I discovered this back in the ice storm of '08 and, since, when the temps get to the teens and below, I make sure to keep my heating system on, open the cabinets under the sinks overnight, and let the water trickle a bit in certain faucets.

Good luck these next couple days—it's gonna be cold! (Higher summits forecast attached—oof!)



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[pondguy]

Good advice think. Now I wonder what John's take on this is?

[John Mercier]

Generator.

[Susie Cougar]

Good advice, think.
As someone who has lived through many -20 degree nights, I would like to also say that now is not the time to cut back on the heat in your house. Try to maintain the temperature higher than you normally would, so when it starts to plummet, it will be starting out higher.

I used to have about two times a year when I lived in Old Town, Maine that my pipes actually did freeze inside. My neighbors quickly told me just to use a hairdryer to thaw it out.

The weather really needs to be taken seriously. Do everything you can.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by pondguy

Good advice think. Now I wonder what John's take on this is?

I tried sending you a PM for the LOL, but it appears you have them turned off. Probs a good decision!

Anywho, thanks for the laugh!

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[8gv]

Look on the bright side... this presents an opportunity for some barefoot hiking, up hill, both ways.

That's something I have not done since I was walking to grade school!

[Biggd]

It's wise to keep a faucet running when it goes below zero!

[BroadHopper]

All my plumbing all on the inside walls, so it has never been a problem. Also, the plumbing is set up so that the water will drain to the cellar if I should turn off the heat. Something to think about if you decide to build a new home.

Thanks to Bensonwoods for suggesting this for new builds.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

All my plumbing all on the inside walls, so it has never been a problem. Also, the plumbing is set up so that the water will drain to the cellar if I should turn off the heat. Something to think about if you decide to build a new home.

Thanks to Bensonwoods for suggesting this for new builds.

In my opinion, this should be code if its not. Water lines on exterior walls makes no sense to me whatsoever...

Dan

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

In my opinion, this should be code if its not. Water lines on exterior walls makes no sense to me whatsoever...

Dan

Absolutely, especially in my home's case: we have a split where the pipes are run in the 2' overhang which is absurd.

We insulated well when we redid the siding but still have issues below 0.

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[WinnisquamZ]

Spilts and gambrels are the worst. Had a gambrel with a two car under. Found out the hard way they ran all the plumbing in the finished garage ceiling. Insulation did little at these temperatures


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[John Mercier]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

In my opinion, this should be code if its not. Water lines on exterior walls makes no sense to me whatsoever...

Dan

Kitchen designs generally place the sink on an exterior wall with a window in front of it. Depending on when the home was built, and more importantly - the plumber - pipes sometime end up on exterior walls.

[bobkatfly]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

In my opinion, this should be code if its not. Water lines on exterior walls makes no sense to me whatsoever...

Dan

Agree. I'm renovating a house in Tuftonboro and found potable lines running up exterior walls. While I had walls open I decided to re-route them. Lot of work but peace of mind. Also found old copper baseboard lines running up exterior walls into unheated crawl spaces and then back into heated rooms. They had been cut off and replaced with PEX and the heating system charged with glycol. Probably had a leak in the past. Moved them as well and went back to water.

[thinkxingu]

Well, after posting this advice, we ended up with a frozen pipe...in the kitchen that I mentioned could be a problem...when on of my, ahem, darling children "forgot" to turn the faucet back to trickle after using it sometime last night.


Grrrr...

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[John Mercier]

Would a thermostatically-controlled heat tape have helped?
Or is the line in the wall?

The newly adopted 2018 IECC changes our exterior wall requirements from the 2x6 R19/R21 code to a continuous insulation requirement, so maybe the newer homes will not have this problem.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Would a thermostatically-controlled heat tape have helped?

Or is the line in the wall?



The newly adopted 2018 IECC changes our exterior wall requirements from the 2x6 R19/R21 code to a continuous insulation requirement, so maybe the newer homes will not have this problem.

I'm sure heat tape would have helped, but access to power is limited given that it's in the overhang.

My brothers and I are planning on pulling the overhang apart in spring to see what's what. I gotta think some additional insulation is all it will take.

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