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Nasty Christmas present

Yep had my waterer issues already too this year. Hopefully through the worst for the season
We’re not eve to January yet. Yikes
may dad had a wood burning tank heater it actually worked pretty decent. He did cover part of the tank with plywood to keep the heat in
Ive got a neighbor that still does that. I had an old neighbor when I was a kid who covered a tank in layers of straw and dirt and just had one hog drinker on the south side of an 8 ft tank. I don’t remember him ever having a problem. Kind of AMAZING considering global warming and all. It HAD to be colder back then. 😉
 
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A good chunk of my fam has a stomach bug picked up at a family gathering with people attending from all over the country. I had to stay home to thaw out livestock waterers and feed the beasts so fortunately so far I haven’t gotten it……yet. I guess there’s some benefit to being a semi-retired hobby farmer. So much for the tenderloin Christmas dinner this afternoon☹️


 
That’s not fun. We have a busted pipe and an almost flooded house for Christmas. Water pouring in from under the kitchen cabinets. Luckily we were home when it popped last night or things would’ve been real fugly.
I know how you feel! Broke a bathroom facuet off last Dec! Was home alone, & shut off under neath broke also! Went to crawl space to shut off water to house! About crapped my pants! About a $2900 remodell job! Worked out ok!! Ha!
 
They’re supposedly “frost free” and there’s a heat tape on the valves. The issue is 50-60 below wind chill freezes the ball floats in the openings so the critters can’t push them down to drink. They’re plastic so you have to be careful with heat bulbs or elements inside them. They work great as long as it stays above zero.
I have used those. You are right. They work great until it gets mega cold
 
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A good chunk of my fam has a stomach bug picked up at a family gathering with people attending from all over the country. I had to stay home to thaw out livestock waterers and feed the beasts so fortunately so far I haven’t gotten it……yet. I guess there’s some benefit to being a semi-retired hobby farmer. So much for the tenderloin Christmas dinner this afternoon☹️
Hope they recover quickly! Merry Christmas to all!
 
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I was almost certain you were going to say someone gave you an Iowa sweatshirt or an autographed brain ferentz photo.

Get well soon and take care of those glorious beasts.
🎄
I wondered when I posted it how many people would check out the thread to see if there were some naughty pics…..…
 
I have used those. You are right. They work great until it gets mega cold
They are based on the number of livestock that drink so water keeps flowing in so if you buy one that’s to big it won’t work properly. We had a mirfountain or something like that it had like a 16 in tube buried in the ground with the water pipes inside to tube. it worked great never had a issue
 
They are based on the number of livestock that drink so water keeps flowing in so if you buy one that’s to big it won’t work properly. We had a mirfountain or something like that it had like a 16 in tube buried in the ground with the water pipes inside to tube. it worked great never had a issue
The problem up here was that the windchill was so brutal that the cattle wouldn’t leave the windbreak to go drink. IF it had been a more NNW or North wind it would have been better than the WNW wind I had for 3 days. It was -7 this morning and the waterer was open. Didn’t have the wind this morning.
 
A good chunk of my fam has a stomach bug picked up at a family gathering with people attending from all over the country. I had to stay home to thaw out livestock waterers and feed the beasts so fortunately so far I haven’t gotten it……yet. I guess there’s some benefit to being a semi-retired hobby farmer. So much for the tenderloin Christmas dinner this afternoon☹️
People were instantly sick?
 
A good chunk of my fam has a stomach bug picked up at a family gathering with people attending from all over the country. I had to stay home to thaw out livestock waterers and feed the beasts so fortunately so far I haven’t gotten it……yet. I guess there’s some benefit to being a semi-retired hobby farmer. So much for the tenderloin Christmas dinner this afternoon☹️
That's a tough break. Reminds me of a time about 20 years ago, when I got food poisoning two years in a row after one of our Christmas gatherings.
 
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Hope you all feel better. On the bright side, you know have a Christmas story you’ll all be telling the rest of your lives. 😁👍💪
 
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That’s not fun. We have a busted pipe and an almost flooded house for Christmas. Water pouring in from under the kitchen cabinets. Luckily we were home when it popped last night or things would’ve been real fugly.
Was the pipe busted due to freezing? I am always conflicted about dripping a faucet if we leave in the winter or if that’s asking for trouble
 
Was the pipe busted due to freezing? I am always conflicted about dripping a faucet if we leave in the winter or if that’s asking for trouble
The problem gets to be when something weird happens. Our debacle 35 years ago was caused by the plastic flap on a dryer vent cover freezing open which allowed the -60 windchill to blow in and freeze the water line right next to it for the washing machine. It was a brand new house and those 2 things should have never been that close together. Letting water drip wouldn’t have prevented that. Just turning off the main valve inside your house at least prevents a catastrophe while you’re gone.
 
i got this cold about December 1st...1st bad cold since 2019 probably...tested negative for Covid...but I was down and out for about a week and still have this lingering cough that is just annoying...Been treating it with various Whiskeys and bourbons ....at least those make me feel better...the more they burn the throat, the better.
 
Was the pipe busted due to freezing? I am always conflicted about dripping a faucet if we leave in the winter or if that’s asking for trouble
I got lucky! On 2 fronts. First, that I was home when it happened and avoided the flooding. And 2nd, it was a part under the dishwasher that snapped. And yes, it was due to the freezing. Froze, expanded and snapped. However, running the water wouldn’t have stopped this. Not even sure flipping the breaker and shutting off power to the dishwasher would’ve stopped it. I did try to run it and discovered the freeze up, so maybe I jumpstarted the issue. No idea, dishwasher repair isn’t my jam.
 
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Was the pipe busted due to freezing? I am always conflicted about dripping a faucet if we leave in the winter or if that’s asking for trouble
Not an expert here, but my brother-in-law has been Superintendent of the Water Department for almost 40 years, so we've relied on his recommendations.

In the fall, when you're done watering the lawn or using any outdoor faucets, shut the main water off and then go turn on those outside faucets and turn them on and let any water in them run out. When they are done, turn your main water supply back on. On those outside faucets, buy those cheap foam covers and put washcloths or old tee shirts inside to seal up the inside and then attach it to the faucet to prevent any air from getting in.

We bought that relatively cheap foam insulation and covered all the pipes exposed just as added insurance. It's not very costly, probably can get it for $ 2-$ 3 for each 6' section. They are slit and you put them around the pipes while taking the little sticky strip off and sealing any outside the pipe air. That insulation was good for 10-15 years.

If you have any small holes leading into the house just use the spray expansion foam which will prevent really cold air from entering.

He highly recommends leaving the water on with a trickle. As many have mentioned, leave the cabinet doors open below any sink faucet to let warm air circulate. If you suspect the dishwasher may be an issue, you can use a small space heater and place it 3' to 4' away and just turn it on low and let it heat the area for an hour or so. Dishwashers seem to be a major problem area for a lot of people because the pipes are not visible. He said, over the years, since a lot of dishwashers are setting on a small uplift or rise, and the heat from the floor will rise and not really benefit those dishwasher pipes, some have actually drilled a small hole in that riser which would allow the heat from the room or from using a heater to actually heat up those pipes which may have began to freeze.

Anyhow, not any professional advice here, just some suggestions. Sometimes we are just at the mercy of a brutal cold spell and stuff happens.
 
i got this cold about December 1st...1st bad cold since 2019 probably...tested negative for Covid...but I was down and out for about a week and still have this lingering cough that is just annoying...Been treating it with various Whiskeys and bourbons ....at least those make me feel better...the more they burn the throat, the better.
Steroid inhaler a couple of times per day followed by some Bourbon will cure your cough. Dr’s orders 😉
 
i got this cold about December 1st...1st bad cold since 2019 probably...tested negative for Covid...but I was down and out for about a week and still have this lingering cough that is just annoying...Been treating it with various Whiskeys and bourbons ....at least those make me feel better...the more they burn the throat, the better.
Oh you need to switch to a Bloody Mary
 
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