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Thursday, January 4, 2018
Cold Snap Continues
The deep freeze continues. Kenosha had a power outage for several hours last night. They eventually opened up a couple of warming shelters. We are currently at -2 out there. Feels frigid!
To give credit for the photo: It had the photographers name embedded in the image, along with credit to CNN. That didn't publish with the image. Niagra falls, an amazing site to see in person.
My house Is probably 125 years old, and I came home on New Year's day, and the water line to the toilet was frozen. I went down the basement, and the pipe was placed In the ROCK foundation with an elbow leading It through the floor to the toilet, so I knew It was frozen at the bend. I got my trusty HEAT GUN, and proceeded to blow red hot heat at the pipe. I instantly noticed FIRE. The hole had been packed with OLD newspaper that caught on fire. I began picking the burning paper out with a long wire, but couldn't be certain I got It all, because I could still see smoldering paper, so I ran up to the kitchen and got the fire extinguisher, ran back down, and blasted It, all the while choking on the sodium chloride In the extinguisher. I presumed the fire was out, but the pipe was still frozen, so I decided to use a bucket of water to flush the toilet instead of burning the house down. The next day I somehow managed to find a HAIR DRYER, and thawed the pipe, and NOW, all Is well. I HOPE. Needless to say, I didn't have a good New Year's Day Evening. The moral of the story Is, DON'T use a HEAT GUN In an OLD wall, and PRAY the crazy COLD weather goes away. SOON.
Oh my goodness, Toad. That is so scary! I'm so glad you were able to put it out. I would have been afraid to go to bed that night, worrying that there was still a smoldering something or other going on. I hope you have adequate smoke detectors and test them often.
Our smoke alarm was doing the intermittent beeping about a week ago during one of the lingering cold snaps. Of course it happened at about 11pm. I took it down, put in new batteries, and the beeping continued. I guess there was a malfunction or something because it couldn't be reset. Wound up having to buy a new unit. You can never be too careful, especially in the winter with the furnace running full blast.
Damn, Toad!! Glad everything is safe. Do you have water now? My sister's pipes froze too. NO water ( little town in SE WI) well froze and all the pipes under the house? Susie hates smoke alarms. If there is a beep, she runs around barking like crazy!!
KK, MN, You need a new on KK. I had to buy my wife a new one also. I only have them on the 2nd floor, and they are Hard Wired. I need some also !!!. It was hard to go to sleep, but I remember the smell from the fire In 1998, and figured I would know If It was smoldering? Once you have experienced a fire, you NEVER forget the smell. I guess OLD Rosie"s Is gone now. Ken, and whatever the B****'s name was would be sad. It was great at Pete's. MN, Waters running now, all Is well, sorta. I heard a dog barking the other day, and thought It was Susie, but I think It was closer to my wife. Maybe that wide Ranch House? I said " Hi Susie " anyhow. I pulled out of my wife's driveway a few day's ago, and a pick-up was about 2 block away, He was going SO FAST he caught up to me, and actually passed me. The roads a CROCK OF SHIT at 35MPH. They should park a permanent cop across from the cemetery, or In It, or whatever. DANGEROUS.
I've driven past the building several times. It is open to the elements and very destroyed. I'd be very surprised if it could be rebuilt. You hate to see history wiped out like that. Both Ken and Virginia (Jinny) have been gone for years. They have two kids. One lives fairly nearby. I never set foot in the place. I understand the fighting only occurred at work. It was almost a "theatrical" show.... or so the family lore told me as a child. I have replaced the defective smoke alarm with a new one. I hope you make sure yours are working.
I still need to go out and buy some. Perhaps today? BTW. Ken/Jen did put on quite a show. I liked him. They had the only round hot dogs In town. Ken would slice the dog part way through on an angle, and deep fry It, which made It curl In a circle to they could put It on a burger bun, and not have to buy hot dog buns. Best darn hot dogs you could get. Moons ago, a barber shop was where the parking lot was, and my dad and me got our flat tops done by Mike the Barber.
To give credit for the photo: It had the photographers name embedded in the image, along with credit to CNN. That didn't publish with the image. Niagra falls, an amazing site to see in person.
ReplyDeleteMy house Is probably 125 years old, and I came home on New Year's day, and the water line to the toilet was frozen. I went down the basement, and the pipe was placed In the ROCK foundation with an elbow leading It through the floor to the toilet, so I knew It was frozen at the bend. I got my trusty HEAT GUN, and proceeded to blow red hot heat at the pipe. I instantly noticed FIRE. The hole had been packed with OLD newspaper that caught on fire. I began picking the burning paper out with a long wire, but couldn't be certain I got It all, because I could still see smoldering paper, so I ran up to the kitchen and got the fire extinguisher, ran back down, and blasted It, all the while choking on the sodium chloride In the extinguisher. I presumed the fire was out, but the pipe was still frozen, so I decided to use a bucket of water to flush the toilet instead of burning the house down. The next day I somehow managed to find a HAIR DRYER, and thawed the pipe, and NOW, all Is well. I HOPE. Needless to say, I didn't have a good New Year's Day Evening. The moral of the story Is, DON'T use a HEAT GUN In an OLD wall, and PRAY the crazy COLD weather goes away. SOON.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, Toad. That is so scary! I'm so glad you were able to put it out. I would have been afraid to go to bed that night, worrying that there was still a smoldering something or other going on. I hope you have adequate smoke detectors and test them often.
ReplyDeleteOur smoke alarm was doing the intermittent beeping about a week ago during one of the lingering cold snaps. Of course it happened at about 11pm. I took it down, put in new batteries, and the beeping continued. I guess there was a malfunction or something because it couldn't be reset. Wound up having to buy a new unit. You can never be too careful, especially in the winter with the furnace running full blast.
Damn, Toad!! Glad everything is safe. Do you have water now?
ReplyDeleteMy sister's pipes froze too. NO water ( little town in SE WI) well froze and all the pipes under the house?
Susie hates smoke alarms. If there is a beep, she runs around barking like crazy!!
KK, MN, You need a new on KK. I had to buy my wife a new one also. I only have them on the 2nd floor, and they are Hard Wired. I need some also !!!. It was hard to go to sleep, but I remember the smell from the fire In 1998, and figured I would know If It was smoldering? Once you have experienced a fire, you NEVER forget the smell. I guess OLD Rosie"s Is gone now. Ken, and whatever the B****'s name was would be sad. It was great at Pete's. MN, Waters running now, all Is well, sorta. I heard a dog barking the other day, and thought It was Susie, but I think It was closer to my wife. Maybe that wide Ranch House? I said " Hi Susie " anyhow. I pulled out of my wife's driveway a few day's ago, and a pick-up was about 2 block away, He was going SO FAST he caught up to me, and actually passed me. The roads a CROCK OF SHIT at 35MPH. They should park a permanent cop across from the cemetery, or In It, or whatever. DANGEROUS.
ReplyDeleteI've driven past the building several times. It is open to the elements and very destroyed. I'd be very surprised if it could be rebuilt. You hate to see history wiped out like that. Both Ken and Virginia (Jinny) have been gone for years. They have two kids. One lives fairly nearby. I never set foot in the place. I understand the fighting only occurred at work. It was almost a "theatrical" show.... or so the family lore told me as a child. I have replaced the defective smoke alarm with a new one. I hope you make sure yours are working.
ReplyDeleteI still need to go out and buy some. Perhaps today? BTW. Ken/Jen did put on quite a show. I liked him. They had the only round hot dogs In town. Ken would slice the dog part way through on an angle, and deep fry It, which made It curl In a circle to they could put It on a burger bun, and not have to buy hot dog buns. Best darn hot dogs you could get. Moons ago, a barber shop was where the parking lot was, and my dad and me got our flat tops done by Mike the Barber.
Delete