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Okie State

Certifiably Surly
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Everything posted by Okie State

  1. Yup. It's the running scenarios that most people don't do. They just kinda go with the flow and hope for the best. Usually works out for them too.
  2. I didn't drain the water heater. Didn't feel like that was necessary.
  3. It's funny reading all the stories about weirdos like me who stay up at night worrying about this shit and checking everything a thousand times. More than a few of my neighbors threw one of those foam covers on their spigots and called it a day. Also I'll admit I wasn't worried at all about this storm a week ago since I've been through much colder growing up in Oklahoma. That was before I realized our entire power grid was on the brink of collapse.
  4. Mine has been off the past two nights. Looks like this will be the last night below freezing for us in the ten day forecast. I'll likely do this going forward as well because it literally takes five minutes to shut off and drain everything.
  5. I learned basic plumbing from my Uncle as a kid and by working one summer for the OSU Physical Plant. The guys I worked with were dipshits, but they knew all there was to know about plumbing...and scoping out sorority girls on campus during rush week. Also learned a lot about painting working there.
  6. I was going to say they could sure as fuck tell you which Kardashian is dating which athlete. You know, important shit.
  7. The IPAs I had were okay, but not really better than what I've had locally.
  8. People just don't care to learn. This shit ain't rocket science. Lady next door gave no fucks to pay attention while I was shutting off the water to her exploding backflow preventer. I wanted to tell her to get her oldest son out there so I could teach him.
  9. Take the opportunity to install shut-off valves wherever you can. Insulation can only do so much.
  10. I've been trying to help people on Nextdoor with this. So many people are helpless when it comes to these things. I've physically shut off a few and posted pics and step by step directions for others. At least they'll know for the future.
  11. Someone in my neighborhood on Nextdoor told me all these pipe breaks were due to so many snowflakes moving here from the NE and California. So there's that.
  12. I never realized how many Surly posters live in Colorado.
  13. Good idea. Nextdoor has actually been useful during all this. People trading or donating what supplies or know how they do have. It's been good to see actually.
  14. This or a simple angle stop will do the trick until you can get it fixed correctly. I have a few on hand, but will be buying more spare supplies once this is over just in case.
  15. So my electricity contract is running out soon and it won't let me sign up for any new plans. Everything just says it's under maintenance. Am I about to get fucked with a huge rate increase?
  16. Went to HEB yesterday and it was low, but I managed to get a few things we needed. Stopped by the shitty Kroger by me this morning and their entire refrigerated/frozen section was blocked off with signs to not buy. I'm guessing they lost power and it all went bad. What a waste.
  17. Yeah just looking at where the pipes connect that makes sense. So I guess there's no need to do anything.
  18. I certainly wouldn't do anything based on my advice only. I found it on the internet and have no idea what should actually be done. I assume my tank is empty or low since nothing is coming out of my faucets so it made sense to me that I wouldn't want it heating up too much. Or maybe the tank doesn't empty at all unless you physically drain it. I don't really know how they work.
  19. Mine drained so I guess they weren't frozen. I'd think it would release some pressure if they were frozen, but I don't know. I turned my water heater to pilot mode. Not sure if that's necessary, but I'd at least turn it down. I did rewrap, but I don't really know why.
  20. This is absolutely what's happening and it's spreading like wildfire just as planned.
  21. I just did this. Wasn't going to open the outside spigots, but didn't want to regret it later. Pain in the ass unwrapping everything in the freezing ass cold though.
  22. All my friends and family in Oklahoma have working utilities. So there's that.
  23. Probably already said, but can I shower if there's a boil notice? Ours doesn't specify.
  24. Got damn what a day. Pipes overhead garages are all shitting the bed throughout the area. In-laws yesterday, friend's last night, and my Dad's today. Went over to help him tear down the ceiling to find it was a CPVC run to an outside spigot on the Northwest corner of his house. Zero insulation up there. Drove all over creation dealing with Mad Max crowds trying to find a simple 3/4" plug and some solvent cement. Second trip to Lowes I was able to find one 3/4" solvent to thread adapter which I then rigged up to some existing PVC parts to fashion a plug. Some random guy found two packs of primer/cement and gave me one. Seems to be holding so we'll see. I told him to install a shut-off valve to that section and drain it anytime temps get below freezing. Before I left the house I explained to my wife what to do in case the water came back on and shit went sideways. In hindsight I should have just shut everything off before I left. I come home and see water pouring out into the street and my wife scooping out the valve box with a pitcher. WHAT THE FUCK! Oh it's the neighbor's backflow exploding everywhere and she doesn't even know what a main shut-off is let alone how to shut if off. So I freeze my balls off soaked in water getting that shut off only to actually go look at the backflow and see that she just threw a towel over it and didn't actually winterize anything. Fuck me. Oh well she still has water until the rest of it blows up I guess. We're refilling bathtubs, running the dishwasher and I'm shutting the valve back at the street for the next few nights.
  25. This is happening all over. Nearly every break I've heard of, including my wife's parents, has been in an attic over a garage.
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