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Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

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Freeze protect TH 09-29-2006
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Posted by hallerb@aol.com on October 3, 2006, 4:32 pm


i would install a low temp alarm so that if anything goes wrong help
would come.

vacant homes are at risk of arson and oyther troubles a monitored
security system is likely a good idea.

a backup no electric propane heater is a nice addition but i would set
it to come on well under normal building temp to minize on times.

main furnace set at 55 if below 49 auxilliary kicks on


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Posted by Doug on October 4, 2006, 12:12 am



>
>Doug wrote:
>>
>> >I am looking for a not electric space heater that will keep the cellar of
>> >our vacation home above freezing during periods of -20 degrees f.. Upstate
>> >NY. We normally leave the oil fired central heating system (hot air) on ...
>...
>> Unlike some other posters, I agree with you about keeping heat in
>> homes here in the Northeast. ...
>
>But, that was precisely the point, Doug--the home _IS_ heated and what
>was proposed was to _ADDITIONALLY_ heat a cellar with no indication of
>even being finished living space or anything stored there that
>would/could be damaged. Being called a cellar, I would presume that it
>is also below grade which will also tend to mitigate extreme
>temperature fluctuations. Without know a lot more, I stand by
>recommendation that it seems an unnecessary expense.


As I read the original posting, the writer was concerned that he
needed a source of standby heat under electric power outage
conditions, NOT when the home is already being heated....
Why else would he worry about the cellar temp when his oil fired heat
is working? Under such circumstances the heat lost from furnace ducts
or boiler piping will always keep the cellar above freezing.
Under those conditions, the celler is BEING heated.

Thus I stand by my answer...

Doug



Posted by on October 3, 2006, 5:58 pm



TH wrote:

> Power failures and furnace
> mis-firings (one in the past three years, had a neighbor press the reset-
> service tech could not find an issue) make me somewhat worried about the
> home. While I drain the plumbing each time we leave during the winter, I am
> not comfortable letting the structure itself go below freezing in the event
> of a power or furnace failure.

We have owned a vacation home (actually a '60s-vintage mobile home with
several additions) near Flagstaff AZ. Winter lows usually hit the 20's
or teens. First year we owned it, we would leave the furnace (propane)
on the lowest setting in the winter, even after blowing the water lines
out with a compressor. Cost a small fortune in propane.

Since then, we've just been shutting off the furnace, blowing out the
water lines, and pouring RV antifreeze down the drains and toilets.
Only problem I ever had was my own stupid fault - one time while
winterizing I forgot to turn off the water heater before blowing out
the water lines, burned out both elements on the water heater. Other
than that, no problems.

I guess what I'm saying is, drain the water lines, put antifreeze in
the drains and toilets, and don't worry about it.

Only thing I would be concerned about - with no heat in the house, some
of the food in the freezer compartment of your fridge might soften or
thaw. Seems illogical, but it can happen. The way I understand it, the
temperature sensor is in the refrigerator side, not the freezer side.
The controls are set to keep the temperature in the refrigerator side
in the range of 35-40 degrees. The cold air passing through the freezer
on its way to the refrigerator side keeps the freezer in the vicinity
of 0 degrees. Now, if the inside temperature of the house falls below
30 degrees, the compressor is never going to run. So, the fridge
compartment is cold enough (30 degrees), but the freezer gets kinda
warm and the meat gets pretty soft. So, we take the perishables out of
the freezer when we winterize. I have also heard it said that putting a
low wattage (25 watts) light bulb inside the fridge on an extension
cord provides enough heat to keep the fridge running. Don't know about
that one, never tried it.

Jerry


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