Author Topic: Ready for Winter? (Read 3135 times)

bcksknr · « **on:** October 02, 2018, 07:53:03 AM »

Just a quick reminder that the days are getting darker and colder (and not just politically!). I'm in the process of swapping out gear from various kits to winter mode. Don't need the mosquito netting anymore. Also changing the potable water jugs in the truck over to those Mainstay pouches. They can freeze, but won't burst. I'm also busy with winterizing the house and property. Just got new tires on the truck too. Done canning and moving wood to the pallet near the house. The deer seem to be more active too. I'm going to beat the rush and check the sighting in on our hunting riffles while it's still light jacket weather.
What I'm saying is that now would be a good time to rethink what portable gear needs to be replaced with items appropriate for your situation for the winter. What could possibly go wrong.... that's what we need to be ready for.

Alan Georges · « **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2018, 06:03:12 PM »

Sort of. Ready for this hurricane season to end. We're still having 90^o days, 75^o nights, and likely will for a few more weeks. Winter usually isn't too big of a deal down here on the Gulf, very few preps to make for it.

It is odd though, we had two hard freezes with snow last winter. We average about one of those every five years. Nobody here has a clue about how to drive when there's snow and ice on the ground, so the cities and counties shut things down for a couple of days.

David in MN · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2018, 05:49:54 AM »

I got the car set up but it's been rainy the past week or two so all the outdoor stuff still needs to be done. Hoping today to turn off the water and store the hoses. I still need to go around thee outside and run a bead of removable caulk around the windows and sliding door (sounds dumb but in MN really helps). If I get time to clean up the garden, so be it. But I doubt I'll make it out there.

Redman · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2018, 06:11:29 AM »

Quote from: Alan Georges on October 02, 2018, 06:03:12 PM

Sort of. Ready for this hurricane season to end. We're still having 90^o days, 75^o nights, and likely will for a few more weeks. Winter usually isn't too big of a deal down here on the Gulf, very few preps to make for it.

It is odd though, we had two hard freezes with snow last winter. We average about one of those every five years. Nobody here has a clue about how to drive when there's snow and ice on the ground, so the cities and counties shut things down for a couple of days.

You must be on a different part of the Gulf Coast than I am. Geniuses here have no clue about driving in the rain either. I'm south of Houston but still too close to Houston. Actually it's getting hard to know along I 45 south when you leave Houston.

Carl · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2018, 07:27:05 AM »

They just don't know how to drive even under the most ideal conditions...too many distractions for today's drivers.

Redman · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2018, 09:13:11 AM »

Quote from: Carl on October 03, 2018, 07:27:05 AM

They just don't know how to drive even under the most ideal conditions...too many distractions for today's drivers.

Too many geniuses that think they can do two or more things at the same time.

mountainmoma · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2018, 12:48:26 PM »

I have been working to get the outside ready for rains. Wood is now stacked in the woodroom, most spots repaired on the house have paint as well as primer. Tools are put away. There is still a to-do list. You think you have all this time, then next thing you know, it is October again !

bcksknr · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2018, 01:20:52 PM »

If you burn wood, even just to take the chill off, don't forget to check and clean the chimney or flue. Stovepipes getting rusty; maybe time to replace them. I put sheet metal screws in exposed stovepipe connections so that in case of a chimney fire the joins can't vibrate loose. A good thing to have on hand is a "Chimfex" brand chimney fire extinguisher. They look like a double size railroad flare and strike-to-light the same way. If you have a chimney fire, you light one and toss it in the stove and then close everything down tight. It releases a large volume of fire smothering "smoke" to smother the fire. I also check and replace any worn or loose gasket material around stove doors. It's also a good idea to have one of those magnetic stove thermometers stuck on an exposed stovepipe. I watch the temperature to keep it in the "clean" burning, no creosote range. If your stove is in a living are watch how close combustibles are to hot surfaces. I have a fire resistant pad on the slab in front of my stove door, in case something sparks or rolls out. A pair of welders gloves sits on top of the woodbox to prevent burns loading the stove and in case I have to "scoop" something burning back into the stove.
So much to do. so little time (like check your anti-freeze in your vehicles). You Southern folks probably have a whole different set of seasonal changes to deal with. How about we keep this discussion going with more tips for prepping for Winter?

David in MN · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2018, 02:07:06 PM »

I actually built a foam insert for the fireplace to better insulate the flue because wwe haven't used it since our daughter was born. I got about a half a cord of wood from a neighbor who had an ash felled and didn't want it. Maybe by next year it will be dry enough and our daughter will be 4. But I totally agree about inspecting the flue. At the very least you might find like me it's a big heat trap.

All I really need to do is caulk. Today I got the hoses done and the water turned off. Hand warmers in every jacket. Fresh can of Zippo fuel for the Zippo hand warmer in the car.

I'm quite ready to transition into cold weather cooking. We've already made chili once and I can't wait to make the German, Polish, and Russian dishes I love. And you just can't make lasagna in the summer. So I am stocking up on those ingredients and drawing down on the summer staples.

mountainmoma · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2018, 03:04:30 PM »

Ah, yes, first child. For our first child, we bought a baby fence/barrier for summer vacation cabin to keep baby from getting to the wood stove. Number 3 was 9 months old when we moved to the this wood-only heated house. Did not take long for baby to know to stay away from the free-standing wood stove. I bet your child knows that the oven and stove burners are hot, we teach about the wood stove same way

Alan Georges · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2018, 10:10:03 PM »

Quote from: Alan Georges on October 02, 2018, 06:03:12 PM

Nobody here has a clue about how to drive ~~when there's snow and ice on the ground~~ PERIOD

OK, OK, fixed it.

It's 11pm here and it's still 80^o on my back porch. Last year we went from summer to about one week of fall and then straight into winter. It's shaping up to be another year like that.

Stwood · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2018, 06:54:19 AM »

I've got several things to prep for winter, but usually wait about another month.
Thanks for the ideas here. I do need to go through the GHB in the car, and adjust it for winter.
I haven't put a bag in the pickup, as there's not really a good place to put one. Maybe some flat containers slid under the seat.

I do need to get all the gas cans refilled again. We try to rotate them by using the gas around the ranch here.

Most essentual firewood is already up and dry. I'll be starting on next years house wood as soon as it cools off some. I don't have enough put up for the shop though, which comes last on the wood cutting. I can burn it green if necessary in the shop.

Carl · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2018, 09:44:48 AM »

Rotate out the food,water ,and first aide supplies ....replace flashlight and radio batteries and put in 4 ply toilet paper.

Stwood · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2018, 11:02:00 AM »

Quote from: Carl on October 04, 2018, 09:44:48 AM

put in 4 ply toilet paper.

That would be the John Wayne T paper??

David in MN · « **Reply #14 on:** October 07, 2018, 07:18:21 PM »

I feel like I'm in a good place now. Today I sealed some parts of the drive, cleaned gutters, got the yard mowed (hopefully for the last time in 2018), and got set to do the rest. I've got some planters still producing so I need to dump them and stash them in the shed and I need to caulk the back door shut but beyond that I'm pretty set. I have the caulk and I cleaned the shed. Doesn't mean winter won't have some hard days as it always does but I'm about as ready as I can be.

Nothing worse than a thaw in May to show you the yardwork you didn't do in Autumn.

mountainmoma · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2018, 10:28:50 PM »

I went thru the grab and go, refreshed a few things. Grab and go is looking good. I need to put grab and go water near it though.

More wood was split, and I put the partially worn out tarp over that pile, as the woodroom is full.

Stwood · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2018, 10:51:01 AM »

Gas cans all full now. No more mowing most likely, so will mostly only use the gas for the tractor while cutting firewood.
Most of it is kept for the generator if needed.

My GHB has canned tuna in it, and I'm thinking I need to remove those and put the pouches of tuna in there now for winter. Freezing shouldn't break open the pouches?

David in MN · « **Reply #17 on:** October 20, 2018, 08:03:30 AM »

Ready or not it's snowing!

Stwood · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2018, 08:14:55 AM »

Ugh. The S word

mountainmoma · « **Reply #19 on:** October 21, 2018, 12:31:41 AM »

I am not ready for winter -- house has had walls opened up to access pipes, and I am likely about to fire the plumber.

Alan Georges · « **Reply #20 on:** October 21, 2018, 07:55:07 AM »

Quote from: Stwood on October 20, 2018, 08:14:55 AM

Ugh. The S word

Here's another S word: Sixties. It's finally down into the sixties here this morning! So nice to open the house up for the day.

Stwood · « **Reply #21 on:** October 21, 2018, 09:05:10 AM »

Quote from: Alan Georges on October 21, 2018, 07:55:07 AM

Here's another S word: Sixties. It's finally down into the sixties here this morning! So nice to open the house up for the day.

Same here. Very nice outside. But lows at night are too cool, which seems to early

Stwood · « **Reply #22 on:** October 21, 2018, 09:06:06 AM »

Quote from: mountainmoma on October 21, 2018, 12:31:41 AM

I am not ready for winter -- house has had walls opened up to access pipes, and I am likely about to fire the plumber.

Oops.

David in MN · « **Reply #23 on:** November 08, 2018, 09:00:43 AM »

I'm glad this thread kicked my butt into high gear. 22 degrees today. Thanks for the shot in the arm, after dropping the kid at school I took a walk. Passed a couple neighbors dealing with hoses and pools and I thought how good it felt to have all that work done.

Couple days ago we had a good snowfall and I got to take the kid out to jump around and catch snowflakes.

I hate to admit it but every year winter hits like this. Getting colder, getting colder, and wham! It's 20 degrees with a stiff wind and snow. Nice to be done outside when it hits.

Stwood · « **Reply #24 on:** November 08, 2018, 09:07:38 AM »

Yes. Its very comforting knowing you are ready, other than running around draining hoses, checking auto antifreeze, etc.
We have very little to do here for winter.

One lawnmower to put up, one more bee box cover to make.
Still cutting wood, but that never seems to end.

Stwood · « **Reply #25 on:** February 11, 2019, 12:46:26 PM »

So...how is everyone's winter preps working out? Anything you wished you would have done? Forgot? Added to?

Smurf Hunter · « **Reply #26 on:** February 12, 2019, 09:33:53 AM »

It's like the zombie apocalypse here.

Stwood · « **Reply #27 on:** February 12, 2019, 09:48:40 AM »

Quote from: Smurf Hunter on February 12, 2019, 09:33:53 AM

It's like the zombie apocalypse here.

So, you've been whacking zombies?

Smurf Hunter · « **Reply #28 on:** February 12, 2019, 10:02:22 AM »

Quote from: Stwood on February 12, 2019, 09:48:40 AM

So, you've been whacking zombies?

I should say the behavior of most people here is resembling that.

I hear the supermarket got a truckload of fresh eggs...

Stwood · « **Reply #29 on:** February 12, 2019, 10:12:39 AM »

So....compared to a Walmart black Friday rush, just as bad or worse?

News:

Author Topic: Ready for Winter? (Read 3135 times)