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Polar Vortex
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We got already a foot of snow this morning (still falling). So workout #1 was snow shoveling.
But the real fun starts tomorrow until thursday. Wednesday is supposed to be quite spectacular, with -23 and -45 windchill.
Historic lows!

Who else is preparing for all that fun? We're renting an older house that is not insulated well enough to heater is cranking and the fireplace is on.
Any tips from the long timers in the midwest?
Last edited by: Francois: Jan 28, 19 8:31
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Old house. Poorly insulated. Pipes in the walls. Not the time to save on heat. Keep it warm maybe a few degrees warmer than normal so the pipes in the walls don't freeze. If you have water faucets outside make sure the inside shutoff valve is closed and open up the faucet so as to let the water closest to the outside drain out. fYou don't want that to freeze. Only for a few seconds once drained you can close it.

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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See my other post. Make sure your pipes don't freeze.

Other tips, check your car batteries and be prepared if the vehicle doesn't start. If you have kids, school will most likely be cancelled so have backup plans.

Stock up on beer.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Welcome to Chicagoland! Yes, this week is going to suck hard. We've been in IL for 23 years and we've come close to these temps but this week will be above and beyond. I'm considering taking Wed off, partly so that my car doesn't have to sit outside all day in those temps. No real advice that you don't already know - wear layers, embrace Netflix and best of luck.

If your heat craps out, feel free to PM - we've got room (as long as you're o.k. with dogs).

_________________________________________________
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare" - Juma Ikangaa

http://www.litespeed.com
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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- Snow is a great insulator. If you have drifts against the house they will help keep the heat in.... though that may not seem like such a good idea in the spring if you have poor drainage and a leaky basement.

- Open all your blinds ; when the sun comes out (it will eventually) take all the free indoor heating you can.

- On all the electrical outlets inside the house on outside perimeter walls - put a patch of masking tape or a child-safety plug in. You loose a good bit of heat through those.

- Inspect your doors and windows for drafts. Roll-up some towels and put them against doors and windows that leak. For Doors that are not used regularly you may want to tape them up. On windows you can use the plastic 'shrink wrap' film to improve insulation.

Remember - It's important to be comfortable in your own skin... because it turns out society frowns on wearing other people's
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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I live in Yellowknife, NWT. -36C (-32F) right now, which is normal. My advice:
- Shovel the snow up against the house, especially around doors. Makes a big difference in insulation.
- Plug in your car if you don't plan on starting it every eight hours. Try to park it so that it's not front end into the wind. Keeps the battery (a little) warmer.
- Check the wind direction. Close the doors to the rooms on that side of the house if you don't use them.
- Depending on how desperate you are, tape windows shut. Also makes a big difference but the tape sometimes sticks to the frame. Plain masking tape works: it stops the worst of the cold coming through the window opening for a short time.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Francois wrote:
We got already a foot of snow this morning (still falling). So workout #1 was snow shoveling.
But the real fun starts tomorrow until thursday. Wednesday is supposed to be quite spectacular, with -23 and -45 windchill.
Historic lows!

Who else is preparing for all that fun? We're renting an older house that is not insulated well enough to heater is cranking and the fireplace is on.
Any tips from the long timers in the midwest?

Depending on many factors the fireplace might be keeping the few people in front of it warmer with radiat heating but might be sucking in cold air into the rest of the house.

Windchill is a great media scare term, as long as you are properly covered it means nothing. Especially if your indoors. When I am indoors I cant tell if its 10 our -20 outside.

Wed. boil a pot of water then take it outside and throw it into the air.
Wed. Go outside and blow bubbles.
Wed fill balloons with water then set them outside
Wed. just stay indoors. and remember its going to be above freezing and raining on Sunday.

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.
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Re: Polar Vortex [TiDriver] [ In reply to ]
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TiDriver wrote:
'm considering taking Wed off, partly so that my car doesn't have to sit outside all day in those temps. No real advice that you don't already know - wear layers, embrace Netflix and best of luck.

Hmmm, logic fault here. Temps wed are going to be -10 to 0. Pretty sure there are environments where that is a normal day and cars sit in that weather all daylong many days without problems.

What problem's do you think will happen to your car sitting in the cold?

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.
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Re: Polar Vortex [DavHamm] [ In reply to ]
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DavHamm wrote:
Wed. boil a pot of water then take it outside and throw it into the air.

From the local "paper":

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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Just got the word, school is closed for tomorrow.

Oh yeah if you go to home depot or menards you can find plastic to put over windows, does an amazing job keeping those rooms warm.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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The record may have been surpassed but I lived in chicago during the biggest 48 hours of snow fall ever

If you park on street. Beware of being ploughed in.

Stay warm........

Down is your friend
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Don't leave the house.

Seriously.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Francois wrote:
Wednesday is supposed to be quite spectacular, with -23 and -45 windchill.

Just another reason I like living in Texas. That's fucking ridiculous.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Harbinger] [ In reply to ]
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Harbinger wrote:
Francois wrote:
Wednesday is supposed to be quite spectacular, with -23 and -45 windchill.

Just another reason I like living in Texas. That's fucking ridiculous.
DFW had 100 days over 100. Fuck that I'll take 36 hours of cold
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Re: Polar Vortex [windywave] [ In reply to ]
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windywave wrote:
Harbinger wrote:
Francois wrote:
Wednesday is supposed to be quite spectacular, with -23 and -45 windchill.


Just another reason I like living in Texas. That's fucking ridiculous.

DFW had 100 days over 100. Fuck that I'll take 36 hours of cold
Don't forget it's humid as fuck in DFW too, at least that's what I remember.

--------------------------
The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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You people living in this are hearty stock. No way I would last more than a week in that type of winter climate and my stuff would be packed and on the road to the south.

Good luck.
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Re: Polar Vortex [windywave] [ In reply to ]
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I can run all summer in 100 Degree heat. Can't do anything when its below 10, much less in the zeros. I think my blood is thin from living in the south my entire life. Anything below 40 and its uncomfortable yet I feel great in 95 degrees all summer.
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Re: Polar Vortex [windywave] [ In reply to ]
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windywave wrote:
Harbinger wrote:
Francois wrote:
Wednesday is supposed to be quite spectacular, with -23 and -45 windchill.


Just another reason I like living in Texas. That's fucking ridiculous.

DFW had 100 days over 100. Fuck that I'll take 36 hours of cold

2nd that. -10 (which is what the real temp is expected to be) while I am sleeping is way better than 100 (heat index of 120?) when I am outside.

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Wednesday is going to be the killer here in Iowa. It will be -27 with a wind chill of -52 at 8:00 a.m. The high is going to be -14. I am going to have to break out the big dog coat. From personal experience I know it’s good to -60 wind chill.
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Re: Polar Vortex [ACE] [ In reply to ]
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ACE wrote:
I can run all summer in 100 Degree heat. Can't do anything when its below 10, much less in the zeros. I think my blood is thin from living in the south my entire life. Anything below 40 and its uncomfortable yet I feel great in 95 degrees all summer.

Yes you can. Temps are going to reach something like -35 (excluding windshield).

This race is going on right now: http://www.arrowheadultra.com/
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Re: Polar Vortex [AndysStrongAle] [ In reply to ]
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AndysStrongAle wrote:
ACE wrote:
I can run all summer in 100 Degree heat. Can't do anything when its below 10, much less in the zeros. I think my blood is thin from living in the south my entire life. Anything below 40 and its uncomfortable yet I feel great in 95 degrees all summer.


Yes you can. Temps are going to reach something like -35 (excluding windshield).

This race is going on right now: http://www.arrowheadultra.com/

No thanks. As I said, you folks are hearty stock. That is insane.
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Re: Polar Vortex [AndysStrongAle] [ In reply to ]
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Whoa, that's early. We had one of the last ones to close today and it was obvious. Kinda tough as I work in a SD that I'd diff then my daughter and we only have one car. Really hoping both get cancelled the next two days. It's like a 20 min walk radius for the middle school where they don't bus and lots of kids do it. It's a mile radius for the elementary which seems like a lot for North WI unless the cold cancellation cutoff is a little higher. They say 10 min frostbite though.
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Re: Polar Vortex [ACE] [ In reply to ]
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ACE wrote:
You people living in this are hearty stock. No way I would last more than a week in that type of winter climate and my stuff would be packed and on the road to the south.

Good luck.

We moved from Gainesville, FL in October. I am done with freaking 90deg and 90% humidity for 6 months. I'll take the cold.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Francois wrote:
ACE wrote:
You people living in this are hearty stock. No way I would last more than a week in that type of winter climate and my stuff would be packed and on the road to the south.

Good luck.


We moved from Gainesville, FL in October. I am done with freaking 90deg and 90% humidity for 6 months. I'll take the cold.

I can see that but to each his own. I like being able to wear shorts and t-shirts in December or January and no shoveling snow or dealing with wet, mud and ice.

I love the snow for a ski trip at Spring break but the rest of the year give me heat and warm sun.

The north is great in the summer though I will give you that.
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Re: Polar Vortex [Francois] [ In reply to ]
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Francois wrote:
ACE wrote:
You people living in this are hearty stock. No way I would last more than a week in that type of winter climate and my stuff would be packed and on the road to the south.

Good luck.

We moved from Gainesville, FL in October. I am done with freaking 90deg and 90% humidity for 6 months. I'll take the cold.

Already adjusted
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