Avoiding the crack(ed) pipe.
November 29, 2010 2:13 PM Subscribe
HeatFilter: I'm out of heating oil, and won't get delivery for 24-48 hours. Should I worry about my pipes?
In the Boston Area, temperatures in the low 40s (day)/low 30s (night) for the next couple of days.
Should I worry about my pipes? Anything I can do to mitigate the issue?
In the Boston Area, temperatures in the low 40s (day)/low 30s (night) for the next couple of days.
Should I worry about my pipes? Anything I can do to mitigate the issue?
Get a space heater? Remember it can be pretty cold before your pipes actually freeze. As long as your house is relatively well insulated and not too drafty you should be ok. Wouldn't be a bad time to put the plastic up over the windows or install the storm windows.
posted by electroboy at 2:21 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by electroboy at 2:21 PM on November 29, 2010
Assuming you are in a house that is normally insulated, you should be fine. You can do a few things that will help.
- open any cabinets where under-sink pipes are to let the ambient temperature in the room get to closed-off and colder areas.
- run warm water through pipes, flush toilet regularly, etc. If you also have no hot water, don't stress over this.
- do the normal things you'd to to keep your house at a decent temperature, open shades on sunny days etc
- people say to leave taps at a trickle, I haven't found that particularly useful.
You may want to call the oil company if you haven't and indicate that you are, in fact, out of oil. They may have some way to do a small emergency delivery. That said, usually pipe problems are when it's bitter cold for long periods of time or in unheated or poorly insulated spaces like under trailers or in basements. If you think you have vulnerable pipes, you could even buy heat tape at the hardware store for not too much money and wrap the pipes [make sure you check to make sure your type of pipes are an okay type to do this with] which might set your mind at ease.
posted by jessamyn at 2:22 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
- open any cabinets where under-sink pipes are to let the ambient temperature in the room get to closed-off and colder areas.
- run warm water through pipes, flush toilet regularly, etc. If you also have no hot water, don't stress over this.
- do the normal things you'd to to keep your house at a decent temperature, open shades on sunny days etc
- people say to leave taps at a trickle, I haven't found that particularly useful.
You may want to call the oil company if you haven't and indicate that you are, in fact, out of oil. They may have some way to do a small emergency delivery. That said, usually pipe problems are when it's bitter cold for long periods of time or in unheated or poorly insulated spaces like under trailers or in basements. If you think you have vulnerable pipes, you could even buy heat tape at the hardware store for not too much money and wrap the pipes [make sure you check to make sure your type of pipes are an okay type to do this with] which might set your mind at ease.
posted by jessamyn at 2:22 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
And yeah, let your faucets run if you're worried.
posted by electroboy at 2:22 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by electroboy at 2:22 PM on November 29, 2010
Response by poster: In a fairly recently renovated (last couple years) apartment on the third floor of a house, so I'm hoping that the first and second floor's heat rising will keep me relatively in the clear. Will break out the space heater though...
Oil company is closed for the night. But I'll call them first thing in the morning to speed up the delivery.
Hot water's still up and running.
posted by weaponsgradecarp at 2:25 PM on November 29, 2010
Oil company is closed for the night. But I'll call them first thing in the morning to speed up the delivery.
Hot water's still up and running.
posted by weaponsgradecarp at 2:25 PM on November 29, 2010
I was going to post that heating oil is essentially diesel, but the specs are different according to wikipedia. Would it be possible to go get 5-10 gallons of diesel or similar and keep the system going for another day or so, or is that too likely to cause problems (mechanical or legal)?
posted by Blackanvil at 2:31 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by Blackanvil at 2:31 PM on November 29, 2010
Since you have two heated apts beneath you, you will be fine.
Personal experience here.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 2:37 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Personal experience here.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 2:37 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are any of your pipes along exterior walls? If so, those are the ones most likely to freeze. If they're all located inside interior walls, you'll probably be fine without doing anything. Unless, of course, your apartment temperatures end up around freezing.
posted by metarkest at 2:38 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by metarkest at 2:38 PM on November 29, 2010
Nthing do the trickle and also, you'll be fine. If you're letting water trickle, it can go in pots for the use of drinking or cooking with later on.
posted by Night_owl at 2:43 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by Night_owl at 2:43 PM on November 29, 2010
Oh, if you're in a 3 decker, you'll be fine. it's not going to get crazy cold, so you'll be chilly but your pipes will be fine.
posted by rmd1023 at 2:46 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by rmd1023 at 2:46 PM on November 29, 2010
The only time my pipes have frozen have been when the temps have been about -25C (about -13F, so you've got a ways to go) for an extended period of time, and then only in a part of the house against an outside wall with poor insulation.
posted by angiep at 2:50 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by angiep at 2:50 PM on November 29, 2010
Take a 5-gallon can to the gas station and get 5 gallons kerosene. (K-1)
posted by JayRwv at 2:51 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by JayRwv at 2:51 PM on November 29, 2010
Blackanvil: "I was going to post that heating oil is essentially diesel, but the specs are different according to wikipedia. Would it be possible to go get 5-10 gallons of diesel or similar and keep the system going for another day or so, or is that too likely to cause problems (mechanical or legal)"
My father-in-law just recommended this to a friend of his.
posted by mkb at 2:52 PM on November 29, 2010
My father-in-law just recommended this to a friend of his.
posted by mkb at 2:52 PM on November 29, 2010
"Road Diesel" that you'd get at the pump, and #2 fuel oil are similar enough that it should get you through in a pinch. The biggest difference is that "road diesel" is subject to taxes that "off-road diesel" (for tractors, etc) and heating oil are not. Both off-road diesel and heating oil are dyed red; if you're caught with red-dyed diesel in your on-road vehicle, the fines can be pretty steep.
Take a 5-gallon can to the gas station and get 5 gallons kerosene. (K-1)
Kerosene (#1) is rather substantially different from #2 fuel oil (and common diesel). Kerosene is sometimes used to thin out diesel to avoid gelling in cold climates, but is not a direct replacement.
posted by xedrik at 3:26 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
Take a 5-gallon can to the gas station and get 5 gallons kerosene. (K-1)
Kerosene (#1) is rather substantially different from #2 fuel oil (and common diesel). Kerosene is sometimes used to thin out diesel to avoid gelling in cold climates, but is not a direct replacement.
posted by xedrik at 3:26 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
If your kitchen sink pipes are enclosed in a cabinet and are on an exterior wall leave the cabinet doors open. You should be fine given the other apartments are heated.
posted by mareli at 3:29 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by mareli at 3:29 PM on November 29, 2010
I work for an oil company, when people are out of fuel we always recommend getting 5-10 gallons of diesel from the gas station. Like xedrik says, they are essentially the same product, just with different tax structures and dyes.
If you are out of fuel (and the fact that you have hot water may indicate that you still have oil, unless you have an electric hot water heater), you may also need to restart your system after putting some diesel in. Only hit the restart button once! If it still doesn't come back on, you may need to bleed the lines (it takes a wrench and helps if air has gotten into the system.)
good luck!
posted by firei at 4:58 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you are out of fuel (and the fact that you have hot water may indicate that you still have oil, unless you have an electric hot water heater), you may also need to restart your system after putting some diesel in. Only hit the restart button once! If it still doesn't come back on, you may need to bleed the lines (it takes a wrench and helps if air has gotten into the system.)
good luck!
posted by firei at 4:58 PM on November 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
angiep writes "The only time my pipes have frozen have been when the temps have been about -25C (about -13F, so you've got a ways to go) for an extended period of time, and then only in a part of the house against an outside wall with poor insulation."
Pipes will freeze easily in a few hours if they are subjected to a 30F draft. In still air it takes a lot longer even if the temp is colder. OP you are probably fine but I'd crank up a space heater in the bathroom and kitchen (plug into the stove) if I had them (and I'd buy a couple if I didn't; today it's only low 30s; the next time your furnace is non functional you might not be so lucky).
posted by Mitheral at 6:16 PM on November 29, 2010
Pipes will freeze easily in a few hours if they are subjected to a 30F draft. In still air it takes a lot longer even if the temp is colder. OP you are probably fine but I'd crank up a space heater in the bathroom and kitchen (plug into the stove) if I had them (and I'd buy a couple if I didn't; today it's only low 30s; the next time your furnace is non functional you might not be so lucky).
posted by Mitheral at 6:16 PM on November 29, 2010
When the ice storm hit Worcester in 2008, we were without power for approx 60 hours. No heat or hot water (furnace/water heater won't run without the exhaust fan). If I recall correctly, the outside temperature was about the same. Temperature in the house got down to 48 - and we have some draft problems, it's hard to get the house to hold at 68.
You should be fine.
posted by neilbert at 7:24 PM on November 29, 2010
You should be fine.
posted by neilbert at 7:24 PM on November 29, 2010
Road diesel is very close to furnace fuel oil/Fuel No. 2. It's a wee bit less dense, but your furnace should burn that fine, though it may be too expensive to do so practically.
Kerosene will not work properly and should not be used. It's much lighter (Fuel No. 1) and it may not work properly in your burner. It's also probably more expensive.
posted by bonehead at 8:08 PM on November 29, 2010
Kerosene will not work properly and should not be used. It's much lighter (Fuel No. 1) and it may not work properly in your burner. It's also probably more expensive.
posted by bonehead at 8:08 PM on November 29, 2010
I lived in Boston for years without heat due to my cheap roommates.
Nothing ever happened. Not saying it couldn't... but just thought I'd throw my experience in.
posted by KogeLiz at 9:28 PM on November 29, 2010
Nothing ever happened. Not saying it couldn't... but just thought I'd throw my experience in.
posted by KogeLiz at 9:28 PM on November 29, 2010
Your pipes are not going to freeze when the temperatures are in the low 30s. In those conditions, the interior of your walls (where the pipes are located) are in no danger of being below freezing.
posted by ssg at 10:55 PM on November 29, 2010
posted by ssg at 10:55 PM on November 29, 2010
Nthing using diesel as a substitute for fuel oil. I've worked with a lot of cheap construction foreman that filled their fuel oil tanks with off-road (untaxed) diesel and vice versa.
posted by electroboy at 6:20 AM on November 30, 2010
posted by electroboy at 6:20 AM on November 30, 2010
Electroboy: That's why home heating fuel oil is dyed -- to differentiate it from diesel, which has had road taxes levied on it.
posted by rmd1023 at 3:43 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by rmd1023 at 3:43 PM on December 1, 2010
Right, but the difference is that these guys had an expense account for filling compressors and skidsteers with off-road diesel, which is just regular diesel without the road tax. You fill the bed mounted tank, then use the bed mounted tank to fill your truck tank and your home heating oil tank, tax-free (and usually cost-free, because your employer is eating it).
posted by electroboy at 8:44 PM on December 1, 2010
posted by electroboy at 8:44 PM on December 1, 2010
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posted by fixedgear at 2:19 PM on November 29, 2010