Open Letter On Why I Got Zotted

IntoRightField.com ^ | September 30, 2011 | Ryan Larsen

[Slings and Arrows]

Standing upright is bad enough, but if they develop opposable thumbs we’re doomed!

[Monkey Face]

That’s the TROOF!

Somewhere, I have a photo of PV doing that, and if I can find it, I will post it! :o]

[Slings and Arrows]

*gasp*

DOOMED!

[Tax-chick]

Oh, good point. It’s rarely that cold here.

[Monkey Face]

See?

[Slings and Arrows]

...doomed.

[Monkey Face]

DOOMED!!!!

[Monkey Face]

(PS: If I could remember how to do HTML, it would be HUGH and bright red!)

[ColdOne]

Heat tape good idea I will see if we have it already on the pipes under our place.

[Monkey Face]

It’s worth whatever you have to pay. The reduction in the cost of heating is awesome.

[Tax-chick]

[Tax-chick]

My forecast has highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s the next few days. Won’t have to huddle up to keep Frank warm!

[NicknamedBob]

"Heat tape good idea"

Some people seem to have the notion that insulation alone will do the job. It won't.

The function of insulation is to slow the transfer of heat, (or the inexorable creep of icy cold).

But there has to be at least some heat involved. That's where the heat tape comes in. The ideal is to have heat tape on your water pipes, (or even fuel lines), and perhaps then to have insulation over that. It needs to be balanced and applied properly, so that no "hot spots" appear where the tape is not in contact with the pipe, but may be isolated by the insulation.

Burning your house down is not a good way to prevent the pipes from freezing.

If you want to make the investment, you could make a circulating loop of your exposed water lines, so that heat at some point gets into the liquid, and no spot remains stationary and subject to eventual freezing.

Even better is getting all exposed lines dug into geothermal heat banking, which prevents freezing from occurring by putting all liquid transfer conduits under the frost line.

[ColdOne]

Thank you for that info!

[Tax-chick]

Or we could all live in the South.

[Monkey Face]

I live in southern Nevada. Does that count as “south?”

[Tax-chick]

Nope. That’s “West.”

[Monkey Face]

Dang. West (to me) is Utah, Wyoming and parts of Idaho, Colorado and Montana.

I think, when the concussions occured, my brainz fel owt and have not been fownd...:o|

[NicknamedBob]

"Or we could all live in the South."

Anyplace in what is called the temperate zone can be comfortable to live in.

What's needed is a well-insulated house. A proper design would keep the same temperature throughout the year.

But what temperature?

Ah, that's the sweet part!

By installing good windows to let in the sunlight, you can bring your temperature up to whatever your comfort level is.

Keep in mind, this works just about anywhere below the Arctic circle. But it may depend on really complete earth-sheltering, superlative insulation, and great windows in the proper orientation.

The problem with this notion is that while you may be comfortable, the weather outside may prevent ordinary travel. Even travel for emergency purposes.

My solution to that problem? Tunnels.

I think that small towns and large cities in northern climates should have tunnels connecting everything together.

Convincing the town fathers to do this may be a bit of a hard sell. I'm working on it.

[NicknamedBob]

I live in southern Nevada. Does that count as “south?”

I live in Maryland. While I like to think it is somewhat "southerly", the fact that I am west of the Mason-Dixon line means that I'm actually in the Twilight Zone.