vicrider 0 Report post Posted January 15, 2017 This ice storm is big and nasty. We are right on the south edge of it and yesterday and last night our trees got iced and lots of weaker branches came down. Our temps ranged from 30-32 but because we were just coming off a few days of in the high 60s or 70 the roads just stayed wet around here. Not so lucky in other areas where several multi car wrecks and deaths have already occurred. Our KS neighbors and members seem to especially hard hit and it you're being effected by this storm I wish you luck and stay safe and stay home. No use going to the stores around here anyway since the shelves got cleaned out a couple of days ago of bread and milk and canned goods anyway. Nick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted January 15, 2017 Good luck to anyone effected. I hope it goes North of Richmond, VA !!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicrider 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 We had about 4 hours of brown out with low power, then about 4 hours of no power. I can only thank those people out there on the power poles in that weather to get us back to the safety and comfort we have definitely grown used to. I know I wouldn't to be out working in those conditions, even though in the past I did work in that and worse but I'm done with those years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 We got a bit of it here in Michigan last week, but no where near as bad as they said it was supposed to be. Then we dodged this latest one yesterday. Supposed to get a bit of freezing rain today but nothing major. So I think we fared better than many other states. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bimini15 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 How do those extreme conditions affect gas pipes? Ice can make you lose power, but can you also lose gas? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Gas lines are ran under ground so they aren't affected at all. When we lose power it's usually from falling branches or transformers blowing out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bimini15 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Afraid to ask, but... Should I assume then that all furnaces are gas up north? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hazathor 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Yeah, furnaces are pretty much all gas up here (Iowa). Today was Icy enough to cancel school, side roads are bad here, main roads are ok. I don't mind snow, but ice storms can be brutal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lesg 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 No they are not. You could have natural gas, propane, oil or electric forced air furnaces. The problem is that they all need power to function. I have a natural gas furnace which needs electricity to run, but I also have a gas fireplace/stove that runs without power. Some folks around have backup generators that automatically start up when the power grid goes down. Business as usual for them. Les Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lesg 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Yeah, furnaces are pretty much all gas up here (Iowa). Today was Icy enough to cancel school, side roads are bad here, main roads are ok. I don't mind snow, but ice storms can be brutal. Cross post.lol There are lots of parts of Ontario that are not serviced by natural gas lines so you might get any kind of furnace here. Les Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bimini15 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Yeah, furnaces are pretty much all gas up here (Iowa). Today was Icy enough to cancel school, side roads are bad here, main roads are ok. I don't mind snow, but ice storms can be brutal. Cross post.lol There are lots of parts of Ontario that are not serviced by natural gas lines so you might get any kind of furnace here. Les Yikes! Sure hope every house has a fireplace if the power goes down. Haz, where in Iowa? I spent a year in Burlington, many years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hazathor 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Bimini, I live in Cedar Rapids. Lesg, Gas/propane is the norm in the Midwest, and they do indeed require electricity. That's not to say there aren't other options (my previous statement was not meant to exclude other options). I have a buddy who lives outside of town and relies heavily on a pellet stove furnace and loves it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lesg 0 Report post Posted January 16, 2017 Bimini, I live in Cedar Rapids. Lesg, Gas/propane is the norm in the Midwest, and they do indeed require electricity. That's not to say there aren't other options (my previous statement was not meant to exclude other options). I have a buddy who lives outside of town and relies heavily on a pellet stove furnace and loves it. Hazathor, I wasn't trying to answer your post. I was answering Bimini's question about furnaces. You posted while I was typing thus my answer sounds abrupt. I have a pellet stove in a cottage but it requires electricity as well. Unless you have a gas fireplace or a wood stove you're gonna be cold without a generator.Hopefully the weather changes for the better soon. Les Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bimini15 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2017 How about gas water heaters? Are those popular in the great white north? Growing up across the pond we had very compact models that worked on gas alone. No need for electricity. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2017 Most, modern, gas appliances require electricity for the monitoring and switching functions. If I lived "Up North" ... I'd have one of those center-of-the-room, 360 degree fireplaces. If the room was a 20 by 20 living room, the fireplace would be 10 feet in diameter so I'd never be more than a foot or so from the fire. I'd probably go through a cord of wood or two if the power was out for 4 hours !!! And I'd have one of those fireplaces in every room of the house, just to be sure !!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
