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We’re expected to have some snow later today, with temperatures dipping into the teens overnight, and I’ve learned at least one thing since I’ve moved in here–check all the outside vents to make sure they haven’t come off somehow. If they’re off, that lets in cold air that can freeze pipes.
Actually, I’ve learned two things–double-check the bladder tank in the barn to make sure the heat tape is still plugged in, nothing’s tripped or anything. My tank is now also wrapped in an insulation blanket. I should be good to go!
By the way, I don’t have a generator here. If I did, it wouldn’t do me any good because I never could start that generator at Stringtown Rising. I can’t pull the starter hard enough. I tried and tried. If I’m going to have a generator, I need a button-start generator. And those are expensive. (Any generator is expensive, but they are even more so.) In any case, I can’t afford any generator, so I will be doing without this winter. If the power goes out and it’s freezing, I’m going to find every blanket in the house and pile it on top of the insulation wrap on that tank!
For heat, while there is free gas here, the heat in the house comes from a gas furnace with an electric blower, so it will be no good in a power outage. There is a fireplace here, but it has a very small Buck Stove insert. You can hardly get two small logs in there at the same time. It’s for looks. However, there is a gas wall unit in the studio, so the heat would stay on there and that is where we’ll be headed. Public water has been brought to this property and I’m planning to have it hooked up in the studio as soon as possible because in times of a power outage, public water would still be running. Having an alternate water source in the studio will also mean that if something is wrong with the well, I can get the public water there. If something is wrong with the public water, I can get well water in the house. Options are GOOD. The water heater is gas-powered, so in the case of a power outage, I would even have hot water over there. If there is a long power outage, I would be warm, and could flush toilets, take hot showers, even cook (lighting the gas range in the studio with a match), and wash dishes. If I had to haul water from the studio for the animals, I could. So, I may be generator-less, but that’s my winter power outage plan at Sassafras Farm. I’ll manage, and it won’t be too bad.
Well, I don’t have the public water hooked up yet. But I do have the plumber coming back to take a look at that on Sunday and tell me what it would take to tie it in to the studio’s plumbing, cutting the studio off from the well. (Public water in the studio is also a requirement for a commercial kitchen, so tying in to the public water will serve an additional purpose for the future.)
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on January 12, 2012
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I am glad that you have a long-range and short-range plan too! Also glad all those vents and the heat tape are where they’re supposed to be. You’ve had enough challenges this year for a month or three already!
Blessed be –
Judi
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we picked one up last year as a Black Friday deal, and it was under $300.
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The best money we ever spent was for the propane powered automatic generator. It comes on every Thursday and runs for 10 minutes as a test. So far it hasn’t required any maintenance.
Most pumps don’t work if the power is off…so public water would be a good thing.
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Have a great winter!
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I can’t do that pull start thing either. I make hubby start all the pull start power tools for me or buy them with an alternate push button start. Occasionally I can get the chainsaw started without bothering him to do it, but most of the time he has to start it and hand it to me. Once these tools are warmed up good, I can start them, but not cold.
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Suzanne, I also meant to add, you may want to do some checking online and check around to see if you can find a larger used buck type stove for your living room, so many times people will have items in a barn or shed that they dont need any more, you may be able to pick one up pretty cheap or even better. A good way to find something like this is to put adds in a local paper or a “wanted” post in some of the local stores that have post boards. The one saving grace, the prediction if for a fairy mild winter–hopefully this is true, and you can be more prepared for next winter.
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A kerosene heater might be a useful thing to have–just in case, ya know
We don’t have a gas generator yet, either but I think one is in our future. We’ve managed so often with the power off it’s not too big a hassle. Oddly, the frozen gas was more inconvenient than the power being off! We have a gas fridge now, so the problem is on the other foot so to speak.
Maybe the snow will give us a miss. We can hope anyway.
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I have found tons of valuable self-sustaining information in Backwoods Home Magazine… even today while I don’t live on a farm, I read the articles and learn a lot.
http://www.backwoodshome.com
Best wishes in this journey.
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I have a gas heating system that has an electic pump. Mutters…
Not sure if I understand what Old Geezer is saying. I have a relatively new hot water heater and it requires no electricity.
I have a small space heater that runs on propane in my emergency stores. I am not sure I would actually have the guts to try it, since I think I’d either asphyxiate myself or blow the house up.
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We actually use solar power for hot water in the summer. 200 feet of black hose coiled on the roof produces water so hot it scalds. For the winter we have a holding tank in the loft and copper tubing (mostly free/scrounged)that wraps around the woodstove chimney and has a faucet on the bottom.
What we’ve learned (or had drilled into our heads) is that if you want to live out in the country it’s better to learn the old ways that people used before there was electricity, plumbing, etc. We used a sawdust toilet for two years while we were building ~ and they don’t need any water. We still have it handy.
We bought good oil lamps because while we have candles, we also have cats (and dogs with long tails). The lanterns are safer. We also wired for a 12 volt system and invested a teeny bit of cash in some led lights. No generator required, but you will need some rather expensive batteries. The plus side is that it can all be tied together with solar. We’re now working on that … one panel at a time.
You’ll get there Suzanne. Honest! Don’t be shy about telling people what you are looking for. As others have mentioned, there may well be someone right down the road with one of those thingamajigs collecting dust in a shed or barn. Having electricity and running water is great … knowing you’d be comfortable without either is a worthy (and doable) goal.
And, lol, eventually I’ll get done working on all of these practical things and have time to catch up to all you’ve done in your kitchen, the soap and cheese making, etc. Kudos to you!
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Judi
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Thanks Suzanne to you and all your/our friends (fellow BlOGGERS).
Farmers UNITE!
WVG
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