Cold, and what you do about it

[Tyrion Cheddar]

So how many bum-freezing degrees below zero is it where you are? Here in the northeast of America, it's gone down to Arctic. I am feeling profoundly grateful to have a home, and to be indoors where it's warm. I have electric heat in my home, but also a woodstove, which I increasingly use, both because I enjoy it and because it's efficient as heck, and boy is wood cheaper than kilowatt hours. What about y'all?

[tailor STATELY]

Gold Country in California here (Tahoe/Sierra foothills). Wood stove only (don't have electric heat, mercifully), but it's almost been too warm to use it during the series of warm storms passing through lately thanks to El Niño. Got it cranked down as low as possible - but still burning all through the day; burning mostly seasoned oak wood. Even got a window cracked open.

Think warm thoughts. Recommended reading: Fahrenheit 451. If needed you can toss the book in the stove (he teased).

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Now you see, Tailor, I understood that joke about Farenheit 451, 'cause I are a smart person.

Different kinds of wood, in relation to how they burn and which is most desirable in a wood stove, is something I only started learning about some eighteen months ago when I dun move to these here parts. Lots of people heat their homes with wood stoves here, and many folk go out in the woods and cut it themselves. I'd never lived in such a place so it's all kind of rustic and fun to me. I bought one cord this winter, and next winter will get two; many folks get several. Where I used to live, closer to civilization, I'd never ordered more than half a cord. Whole different way of life.

Yeah, I like that mix of a little cool, fresh air coming in and the warmth from the stove. I recently acquired some new long johns, 'cause I go out into the woods behind my house to get wood ranging in size from kindling to maybe two inches, and boy it gets cold when the wind bites. I like it, though, good for the soul. Not so much for the 'nads, though. :-0

[prendrelemick]

Many years ago I heard a short story on the radio about the work of a servant in charge of the fires in Hermann Georing's hunting lodge. He used different woods in different hearths depending on the mood his master wished to engender - cheerful, warm, bright,intimate,etc. I've been trying to find that story again but can't.

I've found seasoned oak (from old fence posts) the best for heat, it glows like coal. Beech burns bright but leaves alot of ash. Ash gives a good combination of heat and flame. Holly can be burnt green, but is sooty. Birch is ok if it is thoroughly dry but its smoke is strong smelling. Cypruses are fragrant. Pine is noisey and bright but not so hot.

The main trouble in soggy old England, whatever the wood, is getting it to dry. You have to cut it the winter before you use it and have somewhere undercover to store it.
I have a multi-fuel Rayburn and make sure I've plenty of coal in as well.

[North Star]

It's been around -20 F in these parts for a long while now. I live in an apartment building so it's not a good idea to crank a fire in the electric stove. Thankfully there's no need for that, though. Going outside is doable, if I put on enough clothes.

As for firewood, it doesn't really matter what wood you burn - as long as it's dry - as far as the heating properties are concerned. If you burn denser wood like birch, you need a smaller volume of it than e.g. birch, but there's no other real difference.

[Lokasenna]

In my student days, I did manufacture this home-made candle-powered heater: http://www.instructables.com/id/Flower-Pots-Tea-Lights-Heater/?ALLSTEPS. It worked about as well as you would expect.

The house I currently live in is perishingly cold, so much so I'm almost on the verge of breaking out the candles and plantpots again...

[Helga]

Well here on the ice it's just around zero on the Celsius. I like the cold weather. Here we have very cheap electricity and heat so no one should be cold. Candles are more fun though so I have a lot of them. It's around minus twenty in some parts but not my part. Coffee and tea always get me warm too, late at night, more so if accompanied by a good book. It has been constant snow and very slippery since November I think and looks like it will continue for some time.

My dream though is the alarm clock that makes coffee, that would be a nice, warm way to start the day.

[bounty]

extra insulation in the attic space, a hat on my head, and extra tea throughout the day.

when its above 30, I use just wood. when its 20s, I somewhat alternate between days of just wood, and wood plus propane. when its below 20, I use both wood and propane.

I recently, though it pained me to do it, went up about 30-40 ft and cut off the branches of two nearby spruce trees that were blocking light to the house. when the sun is shining, I can notice the difference. im considering next winter to tack up some black plastic on the side of the house.

im hoping this coming summer, when the run rises in the sky, the level to which I left the branches is sufficient to block the direct line to the sun.

[qimissung]

It's getting down to the mid-thirties at night here, but mid-forties during the day. I cordially dislike the cold, but I'm not willing to move so I'm trying to accept it. I grew up just a little farther north and we had an actual autumn and we had some snow in the winter. Where I live now has a shorter fall season and it's mainly just cold in the winter so the weather here is not very interesting. I wouldn't want it to be any colder, though. I have a fireplace, but it's not gas and I'm not very good at keeping fires going without that; also, I think there's a crack in the flue, so I'm not sure how safe it is to light a fire in the fireplace. I adore fires, but am just making do with candles right now.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

The house I currently live in is perishingly cold, so much so I'm almost on the verge of breaking out the candles and plantpots again...

It is because you use phrases like 'perishingly cold,' Lokasenna, that I love you and am prepared to bear you many strong sons.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Well here on the ice it's just around zero on the Celsius. I like the cold weather. Here we have very cheap electricity and heat so no one should be cold. Candles are more fun though so I have a lot of them. It's around minus twenty in some parts but not my part.

Very low temps, 'here on the ice', and very cheap electricity, plus the name Helga...Norway? Denmark (all those windmills)?

[Tyrion Cheddar]

im hoping this coming summer, when the run rises in the sky, the level to which I left the branches is sufficient to block the direct line to the sun.

I've long envied those people who have very modern underground homes, or at least rooms. Dome windows at the top, and the earth keeps the place cool in summer, and probably keeps out some of the biting cold in winter. I'd like such a space as an adjunct to my house, a dark, cool place I can escape to during summer, since that's what I do during summer anyway. My underground space would have fast WiFi and snacks, naturally.

[North Star]

Very low temps, 'here on the ice', and very cheap electricity, plus the name Helga...Norway? Denmark (all those windmills)?

"On the ice", and you think all the other North European countries but not Iceland, Tyrion...

[Tyrion Cheddar]

"On the ice", and you think all the other North European countries but not Iceland, Tyrion...

<shuffles feet, coughs> Um...I, uh...

[The Comedian]

I heartily recommend to get out in that cold: strap on a pair of Nordic skis or snow shoes and exert yourself on the trails. Or maybe invest in a fat bike and ride, ride, ride. Or, given your wood stove issues, pack a good maul and chainsaw and cut some wood. If it's dark, get yourself a good headlamp and some running spikes for your sneakers and go for a jog.

[swathisharan]

The snowfall is more and seriously freezing temperatures are noted down.

[YesNo]

According to my phone it is 16 degrees Fahrenheit right now outside Chicago's north side. There is some kind of heater in the basement of the town home we live in. There are buttons that set the temperature that my wife knows how to operate, but the house takes care of itself as far as heat goes. I know how to change the filters. Just sitting here typing this and looking out the window I have no idea what the temperature is outside. The house is like living inside the belly of an artificially intelligent machine. It has a fireplace should we get in a romantic mood and want to have a real fire. We have never used it. We don't light candles. We don't even have matches to light one.

However, I used to live in Maine where I would collect five cords of wood each season to burn. That involved a lot of time in the fall, but I didn't have anything critical to do. Think about it. You have to cut the wood, move it to the house, split the wood, stack it in a shed to dry and then move it from the shed to the stove, get kindling and paper to light the stove if it is not already lit, adjust the flue and other steps I can't remember. My favorite wood was alder because it grew fast after I cut it. Since it was small, I did not have to be split it. The houses were more primitive there and then. Drafts were possible. Open the door and drafts were likely. The snow was deep and you were expected to have snow shoes unless you lived in the more civilized areas which I did not.

[Helga]

Very low temps, 'here on the ice', and very cheap electricity, plus the name Helga...Norway? Denmark (all those windmills)?



as said, I live in Iceland, I think my location beneath the pic of Grendil also gives it a way

[Lokasenna]

It is because you use phrases like 'perishingly cold,' Lokasenna, that I love you and am prepared to bear you many strong sons.

Sad to say, but that's the best offer I've had in ages!

On the subject of Helga's wonderful homeland, I always found that nothing warmed both body and soul on a cold Icelandic night like a dip in a volcanic pool... sadly, we don't all live in places where you only need to sink a spade two feet into the earth to get hot water.

[Helga]

On the subject of Helga's wonderful homeland, I always found that nothing warmed both body and soul on a cold Icelandic night like a dip in a volcanic pool... sadly, we don't all live in places where you only need to sink a spade two feet into the earth to get hot water.

true, but it is my guess that you have seen more of my country than I have.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Speaking of rigatoni, do any of you watch videos on YouTube that are about outdoor living, survival, bushcraft, etc? I'm into some of that.

[bounty]

I've long envied those people who have very modern underground homes, or at least rooms. Dome windows at the top, and the earth keeps the place cool in summer, and probably keeps out some of the biting cold in winter. I'd like such a space as an adjunct to my house, a dark, cool place I can escape to during summer, since that's what I do during summer anyway. My underground space would have fast WiFi and snacks, naturally.

there was one of those en route to my undergrad school. it was built into a hillside with only the front of the house exposed to a southern face.

[Emil Miller]

What do I do? I hibernate. Nobody hates winter as I do. Cold, dark and usually wet mornings are definitely to be avoided; as a wage slave I had more than enough of them for two lifetimes. So now that I am my own master, I sleep, sleep and sleep to keep them at bay.
Today, I got up at 10.15 am but I'm working on 11.00 am before the week is out.

The mantra is: warmth, comfort and relaxation.

[kev67]

I came off my bicycle after slipping on some ice this morning, which caused me to hurt my shin and to spend 10 minutes getting my fingers oily, getting the chain unstuck, so that I had to cycle the rest of the way without my gloves. The beginning of a long day. By the time I got home, it looked like the roads were getting ready to ice up again.

Usually I don't bother doing anything about the cold except for putting on a jacket. I can see my breath now.

[bounty]

Speaking of rigatoni, do any of you watch videos on YouTube that are about outdoor living, survival, bushcraft, etc? I'm into some of that.

tyrion, have you heard of, or read anything by tom brown?

[Tyrion Cheddar]

tyrion, have you heard of, or read anything by tom brown?

No. I just looked him up. Tracking, you say? P'shaw! I reply. I got GPS. :-0

[prendrelemick]

Speaking of rigatoni, do any of you watch videos on YouTube that are about outdoor living, survival, bushcraft, etc? I'm into some of that.


I watch those. I have a Swedish candle prepared in case I need a cuppa after the apocalypse.

[Delta40]

Summer here. tropical storms but that's all.

[bounty]

No. I just looked him up. Tracking, you say? P'shaw! I reply. I got GPS. :-0

less about tracking in particular and more about wilderness survival in general. last I knew he used to have a school and did classes. you might enjoy one of his books, the vision. its a pretty fascinating read.

[Dreamwoven]

Sweden is a very big country, over 1,500 km north to south, as well a being thinly populated. The last 5 years have been mild, but this year we are having a cold winter, lots of snow (about 2 feet deep here in southern Norrland), with temperatures round minus 20 to -10 celsius. I can't go out in -15 as with a wonky ticker I struggle to breathe. Many days indoors all day. But I love to watch the light change and the sun rising and setting: very pretty.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Sweden is a very big country, over 1,500 km north to south, as well a being thinly populated. The last 5 years have been mild, but this year we are having a cold winter, lots of snow (about 2 feet deep here in southern Norrland), with temperatures round minus 20 to -10 celsius. I can't go out in -15 as with a wonky ticker I struggle to breathe. Many days indoors all day. But I love to watch the light change and the sun rising and setting: very pretty.

Sounds beautiful. I've been to your lovely country, but in summer. My niece just arrived in neighboring Denmark to do a semester in Copenhagen studying environmental things. Boy I love that city. Anyway, those temps you mention, ouch! Even without the bum ticker, that's tough. And I stay inside all day anyway. ;-)

[Tyrion Cheddar]

I watch those. I have a Swedish candle prepared in case I need a cuppa after the apocalypse.

Wise man. Life without a cuppa is scant worth living. I myself just acquired some emergency fire making materials. I've never actually used my wood stove as an actual stove, but if need be I could boil water that way. Any particular YouTubers you watch, Pren?

[prendrelemick]

No not really, Peter Friebel on survival tracker is the man, but I tend to search by subject, like "post apocalypse tea making".

[Tyrion Cheddar]

No not really, Peter Friebel on survival tracker is the man, but I tend to search by subject, like "post apocalypse tea making".

Heh, and I'll bet there are some. The post-apocalypse and survivalist thing has been going on so long now that you see videos like "Improved Atlatl making, part 2" or "Wattle and daub hut making." ;-)

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Well, lads, this is it, if you live in the northeast, anyway. It's bleedin' cold already and going down to 25 to 30 below zero this weekend. I'd like to take this opportunity to say blimey. I've done my grocery shopping and brought in some wood for the old stove. I shall be hunkering down for the duration. Who else is currently beset by this winter siege?

[Dreamwoven]

That is cold, Tyrion. Here we have cold snaps like that but winters are mercifully short. Its a different story 800 miles north of here well above the Arctic Circle...

[YesNo]

It is around midnight and 6 degrees Fahrenheit which is above 0 but below freezing which is 32 degrees. If I remember correctly. I don't know what that converts to in Celsius.

[Dreamwoven]

6 Fahrenheit is about 14.4 celsius. Just about at the limit of what I can do outside for a short while in full winter clothing, its the old ticker that makes it hard to do.

[Lokasenna]

I'm discovering that the house I currently live in is damn cold. Having the central heating on full blast doesn't seem to make much of a difference, except to the gas bill. I've seen phoneboxes with better insulation than this place.

Still, lots of people wear three jumpers at the same time - right?

[Dreamwoven]

Its a problem especially in the UK where it is damp and often-just single glazed.

[qimissung]

Right now it's 43 degrees Fahrenheit where I live, with a high of 66. Yesterday it was in the 70's. We think winter might be over. Kind of sorry not to get a snow day; on the other hand, I will be going to the dog park this afternoon and I'm looking forward to enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon.

[Dreamwoven]

Winter might be over in mid-February, that's nice.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Still, lots of people wear three jumpers at the same time - right?

If the jumpers are all young, female and attractive. A lot of the jumpers the fire department rescues around here are fat guys named named Lou.

[Dreamwoven]

We are now in the middle of what Swedes call Spring-Winter (Vårvinter). This lasts from February to early March in Southern Norrland.

[Helga]

it's only minus 3 on the Celsius at the moment but there was a decent storm yesterday and the day before. Still winter on the ice for sure.

[Dreamwoven]

It seems that here we are having a wolf winter (vargavinter). Snow and -8 celsius at 9 am.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

Although they're warning us of a storm next week, here in the Northeast of the USA, I've just looked at the forecast into early March and it's remarkably warm. If it proves accurate (he said, knowing he was about to jynx himself), we could be nearly over with winter, and a mild one at that.

[qimissung]

It's 80 degrees Fahrenheit today, warm and sunny. It will get down to the mid sixties next week. I've got the air conditioner on now; it's set at 74 so it just comes on periodically. I could open the doors and probably will do that tomorrow. Once it gets later in the year and the mosquitoes are out I won't be doing that.

We worry about a blisteringly hot summer , with many days over 100 degrees. A few years ago I got a new roof (white) and a new front door and my living room is more bearable in August than it used to be.

[YesNo]

It seems rather warm today in the 50s although windy.

[Dreamwoven]

The temperature goes up and down here (where else can it go???), but the cold winter looks to be behind us.

[Helga]

I don't know when I can tell you winter is over on the ice, it snowed a lot yesterday but it's not that cold, just around zero or a little below today. it will be the same for a while I think, but that's OK, I prefer the cold. clear skies most nights and even a chance to see the northern lights.

I do feel it getting brighter by the day, I am not looking forward to the summer when it doesn't get dark at night, hate that time of year.

[Dreamwoven]

I can relate to that, Helga, though the light nights don't bother me. Icy south wind blowing today, makes it feel exceptionally cold, though it is only -3 celsius here today.

I still see the northern lights, as we get up so early, at 5 am.

[OrphanPip]

It's remarkable how we can adapt to different temperatures. I used to sweat constantly when I first moved to Malaysia, but now I get a chill when it drops to 20 C on a "cold" night. The 1-3 pm period during the day is still unbearably hot though.

[Dreamwoven]

Yes, its all relative...

[Dreamwoven]

Its still deep winter here - we have -10 celsius and the landscape glitters in frost. Very pretty. But the days rapidly get longer, and when we have a cloudless day like today the sun is high enough in the sky to bring the temperature up to near zero. The first cranes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_(bird)) have arrived in Southern Sweden.

[prendrelemick]

I've been watching "Trapped", a murder drama set in Iceland in a town cut off by snow, but no one seems to wrap up warmly or draw the curtains or have double glazing or a good fire going. They must be tough up there.

[Dreamwoven]

I shouldn't go by TV fiction, or generally to "all Icelanders".

[Helga]

We don't really use fire to keep warm, heat is really cheap on the ice. A big guy like Ólafur Darri is probably not very cold even though his coat is open, also his character was in a way made to represent a tough 'viking' like brooding cop.

Even though it is snowed in it can be very calm weather and not so cold.

I do button up most of the time but I never wear socks, I always have bare toes and even running out in the snow getting my dogs is fine barefoot.

Warm weather on the other hand kills me, I hate it when the heat gets just over 20 degrees C. rather have the cold

[Dreamwoven]

And there is the answer, thanks Helga.

[Dreamwoven]

Just when you think winter is over and the snow is melting, a heavy blizzard strikes, snowing all day, depositing another couple of decimeters of snow. Next day it starts to melt, creating pools of water everywhere...

[prendrelemick]

We don't really use fire to keep warm, heat is really cheap on the ice. A big guy like Ólafur Darri is probably not very cold even though his coat is open, also his character was in a way made to represent a tough 'viking' like brooding cop.

Even though it is snowed in it can be very calm weather and not so cold.

I do button up most of the time but I never wear socks, I always have bare toes and even running out in the snow getting my dogs is fine barefoot.

Warm weather on the other hand kills me, I hate it when the heat gets just over 20 degrees C. rather have the cold

I do wish he'd button up his coat and tie down his earflaps all the same, and hasn't his wife ever heard of a jumper! At least his collegue has a cardi for indoors.
Anything over 20 C and I suffer too.

Meanwhile we've had a load of cold slush dropped on us - my least favourite weather of all.

[bounty]

just going off in a slightly different direction---the thread reminds me of that "survival literature" is one of my favorite genres and that raises the question to what extent could we/should we be influenced by and gain perspective from the stories we read.

[Tyrion Cheddar]

just going off in a slightly different direction---the thread reminds me of that "survival literature" is one of my favorite genres and that raises the question to what extent could we/should we be influenced by and gain perspective from the stories we read.

bounty, you are, in part, correct, as although my primary focus here is on the home and how to design it, prepare it, etc., for efficient defense against the cold, I, as you know, have an interest in preparedness and possible SHTF scenarios, without actually being a prepper. Preppers and survivalists, as I am constantly reminded when I scour the internet for just one single such site that is not populated by escaped mental patients, are like, uh, escaped mental patients. Also, as you say, I strive to consciously prevent myself from getting too hyped or worried by what I read and hear about world events, though it is getting harder to do so. Also, I need more tea and must go get some.

[bounty]

tea and a good cold jack London or mountain climbing story...smiles...

[Danik 2016]

My thread would be: "Heat, and what you do about it".It is still hot on some days here and then it is lovely to read about grades below 0, snow jackets, winter exercises, heathening wood and tea.:lol:
It has such a nice cooling effect!

[Dreamwoven]

It's remarkable how we can adapt to different temperatures. I used to sweat constantly when I first moved to Malaysia, but now I get a chill when it drops to 20 C on a "cold" night. The 1-3 pm period during the day is still unbearably hot though.

We had a similar problem in Australia, especially with the hot desert winds from the interior. We developed the skill that we called "shade-hopping".

[Tyrion Cheddar]

We had a similar problem in Australia, especially with the hot desert winds from the interior. We developed the skill that we called "shade-hopping".

Me, I'd live a hundred feet below ground in a dugout, like in Coober Pedy. A really nice one, though, beautifully designed, furnished and with all modern amenities. Not to mention fast WiFi.

[Dreamwoven]

Swedish springs where we live are reverting to their old pattern, with spring coming in early to mid May,see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night. It poured wiith rain all night and all morning and zero Celsius.

[YesNo]

The weather here has been rainy, but pleasant. I forgot about winter.

[Helga]

Yeah, same here, not the rain but forgetting about winter. It's getting warmer every day. Can't say I am happy about it, but the change in weather is in part why I love winter

[Dreamwoven]

Spring-Winter (Vårvinter) can be trying, but the winter is coming to an end. So what if it snows or sleets and is cold and with icy winds. Summer will soon be here.