Selling Out/Where To Be

General Discussion of Diary Posts and Questions on Beekeeping Matters
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Countryboy
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Re: Selling Out/Where To Be

Unread post by Countryboy »

I wonder how the water service would stand up to a hard freeze, say if the building was not heated over winter. Can water meters stand freezing? What about the plastic pipe to the meter?
The plastic pipe can usually handle freezing. As long as you have electric, heat tape is an option.

A lot of new homes are now going with pex water lines instead of the old cpvc because the pex can withstand freezing and thawing. The cpvc cracks if it freezes.

I don't know what your water meters are like, but I suspect they are similar to the water meters we have here. The body of the water meter is metal, but the back side is a plastic plate. If the water meter freezes, the plastic cover cracks to protect the meter. A couple small bolts and you can install a new plastic cover and you are back in business. The plastic cover is designed to act like the freeze plugs in your automotive engines.

I'm not sure about draining washing machines. I would suspect that getting the water out of the pump at the bottom would be the hardest part. Maybe dump some antifreeze into the washer, and then run the spin cycle to get the antifreeze pushed into the pump and drain line.

How big is the laundry room? As long as you have electric, a small electric heater with a thermostat on the frost-free setting will keep the room above freezing.

An alternative to draining a lot of water lines is to leave faucets dripping. The water coming out of the ground is 55 degrees (it is here) and the warm 55 degree water keeps the pipes from freezing. I don't know what you water bill is like, but leaving faucets trickling water may be a lot cheaper than fixing frozen pipes.

I assume you are on some kind of municipal water, since you have a water meter. I assume they have a water tower, and that you still have water pressure even in the event of a power outage. Our water towers here have generator backups for the water pumps. Leaving faucets trickling has an added benefit that it would keep pipes from freezing even if you lost electric service for a while.
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Allen Dick
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Re: Selling Out/Where To Be

Unread post by Allen Dick »

Good points. I wonder about plumbing antifreeze. I don't have any and will not be anywhere to get some before I go this time and, besides, it could get expensive.

I think the lines will drain well enough just by opening drains at the lowest points and opening faucets, with the exception of the lines to the downstairs washer and the dishwasher. Also the RO filter would have to be disassembled and I am not sure the membrane likes to be exposed to air. Those devices can be risked when the heat is left on and the only worry is a temporary failure. Only when turning off the heat entirely do I know that things will freeze for certain and need to take extra precautions, and I am not intending to freeze up the building. I just want to make sure that if something happens that the damage will be minimal. Obviously, I would lose my plants before I lost any appliances or pipes.

Generally when a drain cock at the bottom of the system is opened, and faucets are opened, siphon action pulls the water from the lines unless they really loop down and back up somewhere. Compressed air should blow out most of the residual water, and a little lying in a line won't hurt as long as it does not fill the pipe at any point.

If the pressure is off, any leaks won't show up until I'm home and the system is pressured up again. If pressure is left on, there is the risk of freeze and thaw as happened at my Mom's, and then there can be a huge mess -- and also potentially a huge water bill.
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Allen Dick
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Re: Selling Out/Where To Be

Unread post by Allen Dick »

I'm not sure about draining washing machines. I would suspect that getting the water out of the pump at the bottom would be the hardest part.
On reflection, I think I could just turn it upside down a time or two.

Washer and drier are in a large open space.
An alternative to draining a lot of water lines is to leave faucets dripping.
Good point. We did that in a house we rented years ago. Had to or the underground service line would freeze.

In my current situation, there multiple taps and toilets, a shower, washer, drier...
Leaving faucets trickling has an added benefit that it would keep pipes from freezing even if you lost electric service for a while.
Yes, but that would be a lot of taps...

I think draining is the better solution. We'll see if I do anything this trip. I'm running out of time.
Allen Dick, RR#1 Swalwell, Alberta, Canada T0M 1Y0
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TWall
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Re: Selling Out/Where To Be

Unread post by TWall »

Allen,

It seems to me that while dealing with a cold house is a concern your bigger issue is bees. The bees place demands on you that constrain your ability to make spur of the moment decisions to go places and do things. You are too good of a beekeeper to just stay at a handful of hives very long. If you want to keep a few hives you need to get rid of all remaining equipment so you won't accidentally find yourself with 100 hives heading into winter.

I think you need a beekeeping intervention. You don't want your dues to hold you down but you can't help yourself when it comes to increasing colony numbers.

All that said, beekeeping is what has drawn most of us here. I have learned a lot from your blog. Your experience and opinions are not found any other places on the internet.

Tom
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Burke
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Re: Selling Out/Where To Be

Unread post by Burke »

Think about gas heat and solar panels to run it when the power goes out.
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