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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOne more Texas update (North Houston)
I don't normally complain about weather, or for that matter discuss weather. Weather is one of those topics that you resort to when you really don't have anything better to say. "How's the weather?" is a sure fire sign that it is not a 'real' conversation.
Well, like others who have posted here, I live in Texas, a bit north of Houston. We got hit like everyone. We ran our faucets (mistake) to no avail and our pipes ended up freezing and bursting - more about that in a bit. We have a pool so we got plenty of water available, along with a couple large 5 gallon jugs.
The roads were shutdown for the first 36 hours and now they are passable, but it is a challenge. You need to drive carefully and my experience living in Minneapolis MN for 20 years has really come in handy as I know how to drive on icy roads.
Construction standards suck in Texas. 20 years in MN and -30 below and never a problem with power or water. Once or twice the power went out for a few hours, once for a couple days (it was warm and due to straight line winds destroying everything), but nothing we could not handle. Move to Texas and lo and behold, there are no real construction standards that prepare any home for severe or even mildly severe cold dips. The water enters EVERY house from the outside. EVERY HOUSE. The pipes that enter most houses are PVC and then turn to copper inside, but that is not the real problem. Texas builders like to put that water main in the garage area and most times it runs up an outside wall and then through the ceiling (or in our case a vented attic space off the library/playroom) of the garage.
Unless your garage is heated (or the attic crawl space) your pipes will freeze. Even with water running. We were running water and about 8 am Monday morning I had the kitchen sink going full and then all of the sudden, it stopped. Frozen pipes in the crawl space above the garage near the library/playroom. Yee Freaking Haw.
The pipes in that area burst. Talking to my plumber, he said we were supposed to shut off the main and then drain the system on Sunday. I asked him why this was not something that was widely taught to homeowners in Texas. He just said, we hardly ever get hard freezes.
So yesterday, things thawed a bit and all the water in our pipes backed out from the burst pipes and destroyed our garage ceiling and a ton of papers stored in the crawl space...yay!
As far as going to the store to get some water, forget about it. The stores look WORSE than during the beginning of the pandemic. No shipments for the last 3 days. Today the store I went to had got a truck this morning and it had nothing but milk.
That's it for now...just wanted to add my little tale of cold and woe. Rolling blackouts are common, we originally lost power for 24 hours and now we have power but it goes off every couple hours for a few more than that...just peachy.
We will survive and mostly this is a first world problem, but lesser prepared and people living in trailers near our place have been hit very hard and had to go seek warm shelters.
Stay safe and warm everyone...peace and love to all.
Faux pas
(14,681 posts)for your troubles.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)MFGsunny
(2,356 posts)Our daughter in Pearland hears you loud and clear. We must be stronger and wiser than the miserable repuke fraudsters that masquerade as "public officers."
We will indeed have to build back better.
TwilightZone
(25,471 posts)Not sure about Houston, but the Austin media spends a significant amount of time talking about it every time the temp is going to dip below about 28F. Our HOA (I know, everyone hates them including me) provided detailed information when we moved in, and our management company sends out detailed tips every time it's going to be cold.
Could just be our situation and not indicative of elsewhere, but info like this is pretty prominently disseminated here.
Agree on everything related to TX building/insulating standards. Was a bit of shock moving here from the Midwest and experiencing our first cold spell a decade or so ago.
As for the stores, every little blip in the weather brings out the hordes here and HEB is ransacked. Ours are on reduced hours and many are closed.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)BGBD
(3,282 posts)Have them use PEX, atleast in the non heated areas.
PEX expands more than water can while freezing, so ice can't bust it. Doesn't help now, but it might next time.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)Thank you for the tip!
yonder
(9,666 posts)They come in a big roll. Really flexible so you don't need to use as many joints and such. I ran one solid piece from my manifold to whereever I wanted it.
Other colors too, but those are for heavier duty applications I think.
yonder
(9,666 posts)harumph
(1,900 posts)We live in an older home (pier and beam). City water runs from the street through the cutoff and then is buried at least
30 inches under the soil leading to the house. The water line then branches under the house. We've only had on faucet freeze up and that one faces a north wall. Stores are looking a bit threadbare however. I've decided to forego the chains; e.g., Kroger, and have gone to a Chinese grocery store that is well stocked.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)We live in a quite rural suburb.
Lots of red-belly whack-a-doodles around here...lol
dalton99a
(81,513 posts)SallyHemmings
(1,822 posts)cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)Thank you!
rateyes
(17,438 posts)cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)My DU name is just a coincidence. lol.
It has more to do with Ducks, than cities.
rateyes
(17,438 posts)and Corsicana.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Like the worst. All relatives in Houston and south and are out use them.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)They are not the billing agent, just the main provider.
The open electricity market creates lots of small billing agents that compete, but when it is all said and done, CP is the culprit.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)they are worst in So TX. Why?
https://poweroutage.us/area/utility/312
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)If you can cut corners and save money while screwing the people you serve it seems like that is acceptable.
Hick mentality.
Scruffy1
(3,256 posts)At least PEX won't burst when it freezes. Here in El Paso I was worried about my outdoor faucets so I jury rigged some enclosures with 100 watt light bulbs for heat. I don't know if it was necessary, but it it didn't cost much. I always put tie on foam covers on them. I have one hot water pipe that runs through the attic and might just replace it with PEX even though it didn't freeze this time at 15 degrees.
when I insulated the attic I buried it in lots of insulation and I did keep a trickle going all night on that line. I also put a water softener outside last year. I built a well insulated cover and added a small heater and a freeze stat plug that switches on at about 2 degrees (c).
Luckily, we didn't get as cold as some places. In 2011 the water supply for the city was down because of frozen pumps and mains. My neighbor pointed out to me where the main ruptured on the street. I lived in Minnesota or northern Wisconsin for over 40 years. After 2 years here I think freezing is cold. It actually got to well below -40 in one house I lived in.
cate94
(2,811 posts)aka-chmeee
(1,132 posts)Today is the first time since weekend we have got above single digits (positive) after -20 yesterday morning. Sunday never got above -2. Dripping faucets worked for me (Live in berm home...all the plumbing is in the attic).
My in-laws live in Yorkwood in north Houston. Sounds like the same situation as yours. Not only are the pipes in the attic, but most are near outside walls. All the soffits are half hail screen and none of the pipes are insulated in any way. Most of the water system has been replaced over the years, most recently with Pex, but this weekend found the last of the galvanized iron pipe and broke one...bringing down the sheetrock once again. And I'm sure plumbers are going to in great demand for awhile.
Glad I moved north 45 years ago. It gets cold here, but if you're ready for it, it's just uncomfortable; and now that I'm retired, I don't have to go out.
As you said, Stay safe and warm too.
Vinca
(50,273 posts)Plumbers are so scarce where I live you pretty much have to learn to do everything yourself. Take care and stay safe. Your burst pipes and trashed garage are, in the end, just stuff that can be fixed.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)Stuff is stuff, after all.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)up a week early. Generally stores dont run out. But the pandemic was different, shelves of certain things and meats were wiped out for weeks.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)Certain shelves and meat were stripped bare.
Plenty of toilet paper though...
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)upon us, when all they have to do is buy enough stuff to make up a just few days provisions.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)Fear is what sells. When anything out of the ordinary strikes, people respond in kind.
By keeping the vast majority of people hyped up on fear 24/7 it is easier to control them.
The only thing to fear, is fear itself.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)It just never ceases to amaze me about how idiotic some people can be. Not everyone is going shit crazy, but enough of them are to really cause a mess.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)That is what they capitalize on. Fear-mongering does not have to work on everyone, just enough to start the cascade of lemmings towards the sea, then all of those who are standing around wondering WTF? will get swept away in the crowd.
I am sure I am over generalizing this a little, but when you analyze media and look for fear mongering in stories it is quite apparent that there is a massive push to rationalize fear.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)society today?
Vivienne235729
(3,384 posts)the system. wow. I was taught to keep it running so that the pipes don't burst. I wouldn't have known either. This is terrible. Hang in there. Wishing you warmth and electricity.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)We got power right now, but it rolls and goes off from time to time.
thank you for the well wishes.
MagickMuffin
(15,943 posts)She sent me a videos and the water is just pouring through her indoor ceiling. She said it was running down her light fixtures and she had to shut off the electricity. She also said that there was no water shut off valve located anywhere, she had professional people to look for one and they could not find one and that her neighbor had to install one in his house.
My father was a custom home builder, I grew up having to help. Back in the day building codes were more strict, now not so much. He built houses mostly in the D/FW and surrounding areas.
I still live in Tarrant County and was without power for over 24hrs. It was no laughing matter as so many of our DUers appear to think it is. People are dying and suffering because of things out of our control.
Regardless of who people vote for we are still all human beings just trying to make it one day at a time.
Let me know if your plumber is affordable. My friend is going to need sub contractors to rebuild the inside of several rooms. We don't want to talk with contractors as they just siphon money from the home owners. She already was told it would cost her $60-80,000. She has no insurance.
I hope things improve for you.
cayugafalls
(5,641 posts)I am doing well, thank you. We will make it ok as I have the love of my life and our health.
I have plenty of camping gear and a gas stove so cooking is ok. I even have water filtration gear.
My plumber is affordable, but right now they are not taking new clients as they are local neighborhood business and the line started almost immediately outside their door with all of us trying to get them to service us. They are currently working in a circle pattern because the need in their neighborhood is high. Unfortunate for me, I am in the neighborhood next to theirs so it will be a week before they can even get to me.
Water is the only issue, but we will make do. My brother has water so I can go there and fill bottles as the stores are completely out.
Use the internet to find a local (to your friend plumber) small mom and pop businesses are usually the best to not be shady and if they live in your area, they like to do good business so they can continue to live in your area...lol.
Hugs to your friend...so sorry she is going through that. She needs to make sure mold does not set in...fans to dry once its warmer.
Hugs and prayers to you all.
KentuckyWoman
(6,679 posts)My sister lived 40 years in metro Atlanta and they do the same crazy thing. They get 1 ice event a year and usually lost power a day or two.
Her husband bought the "key" which is a nut wrench on a 3 foot pole, to turn off the water if the power goes out. They would first fill up both tubs and 10 - 5 gallon bottles.
Their first year there they got it like you. It was not pretty. I feel for you.