How are my fellow Texans doing this morning lol

[JJ_Tex]

Another winter fun fact I just learned is that if you have a fridge in the garage or outside, it will not work below 36 degrees. That is fine for stuff in the fridge, but your stuff in the freezer will start to melt since the fridge will never run. My garage is currently 28 degrees, so I guess I'm going to load up the inside freezer and put the rest on the patio.

Cold weather sucks. Any time someone makes fun of us for getting 95 degrees and higher in the summer, must not understand that our extreme weather can easily be fixed by flip flops, shorts, a beer and a pool. You dont have to worry about stuff breaking, you don't have to "summerize" stuff, and your freakin refrigerator works like it is supposed to.

 

[Newdude]

I also just checked on my pool since it is snowing like crazy, and I had some slushy stuff forming even at 2600 rpms

Its the snow. If the water is moving good the snow won't freeze but it won't melt either so you have a big chlorine flavored slurpee right now. (At least the top couple of inches anyway)

 

[Newdude]

My garage is currently 28 degrees, so I guess I'm going to load up the inside freezer and put the rest on the patio.

Thats fine. Instead of normally losing cold to the heat, the cold will keep the freezer frozen. I have never seen melting in the garage fridge. It either runs, or its so cold out that its frozen either way.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Thats fine. Instead of normally losing cold to the heat, the cold will keep the freezer frozen. I have never seen melting in the garage fridge. It either runs, or its so cold out that its frozen either way.

Oh sure, post that now that I've put all of the chicken on the back patio table

 

[mknauss]

Oh sure, post that now that I've put all of the chicken on the back patio table

Coons will like that.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Oddly enough we dont have those, at least I have not seen any in the 9 years we have lived here. We usually just have rabbits and the occasional thing that eats rabbits (coyotes and bobcats) but they are becoming more rare with construction going on all around us. Regardless its in a cooler with the lid propped open, so hopefully safe from most critters.

 

[markayash]

From what I am hearing y’all might have more coming for some of you

 

[George2269]

This cold sucks, I dont feel like there is much I can do. I tarped my pool equip, my pool guy said not to run the heater but make sure the VS pump is running at a higher speed. I guess as long as the pool is running and water is flowing I a good. There are sheets if slush forming on top of y pool, I keep going out there and breaking up the ice/slush sheets

 

[JJ_Tex]

Yep, I just spend the last 30 mins stirring my pool before I go to bed to help break up the ice. These pieces were noticeably thicker than when I did it a few hours ago, and they also clogged up my skimmer so dont neglect those. I'm setting alarms to get up and do the same in the middle of the night. Gonna be a rough 24 hours, winter sucks.

 

[Mdragger88]

Another winter fun fact I just learned is that if you have a fridge in the garage or outside, it will not work below 36 degrees. That is fine for stuff in the fridge, but your stuff in the freezer will start to melt since the fridge will never run. My garage is currently 28 degrees, so I guess I'm going to load up the inside freezer and put the rest on the patio.

Cold weather sucks. Any time someone makes fun of us for getting 95 degrees and higher in the summer, must not understand that our extreme weather can easily be fixed by flip flops, shorts, a beer and a pool. You dont have to worry about stuff breaking, you don't have to "summerize" stuff, and your freakin refrigerator works like it is supposed to.

My freezer lives on my carport & all my stuff is still frozen - we’ve been well below freezing temps for days.
it’s at least 20 yrs old though so maybe its a new appliance problem?

 

[lardo5150]

Looks like the rolling blackouts have started.
I have not been hit yet.
What is the plan? Anything more than 15 start the drain process?

 

[antgoesmarching]

Yep, I just spend the last 30 mins stirring my pool before I go to bed to help break up the ice. These pieces were noticeably thicker than when I did it a few hours ago, and they also clogged up my skimmer so dont neglect those. I'm setting alarms to get up and do the same in the middle of the night. Gonna be a rough 24 hours, winter sucks.

JJ, you’ve been like my northern star through this, lol. Every time I want to wave the white flag I see you’re still in it and I feel just a little bit better. I just posted another thread though asking some final questions about draining. I think it’s time, especially with the rolling blackouts being a real thing now. Terrified of the pipes freezing though once I go that route.

 

[lardo5150]

I am still going. I don't have a pool noodle but put a small plastic container and a block of styrofoam into each skimmer to save me time if I have to drain.

 

[antgoesmarching]

I am still going. I don't have a pool noodle but put a small plastic container and a block of styrofoam into each skimmer to save me time if I have to drain.

I’m not far from you, im on the north end of FW. Last night did a number on me, pretty thick ice all around, waterfalls freezing etc. With tonight forecasted to be same/worse, I don’t think I can make it. Waiting for daybreak to drain I think. I’m just so worried about losing pipes afterwards.

 

[antgoesmarching]

Well this Texan pulled the trigger and shut things down. I drained the pump and filter and covered things up. Added a bottle half filled with antifreeze in to the skimmer and surrounded it by some pool noodles. Hopefully that works. Got fairly lucky too- decided to see if my $50 Rigid vac would have enough power to blow the lines- removed the salt cell and put the end of the vacuum in there towards the returns and opened one line at a time- waterfalls blew out like a geyser! Fingers crossed I adverted a disaster. Was surprised to find the drain ports of the pump were already iced as well as the pump and skimmer baskets.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Ant, sounds like you've done all you can do. Its out of your hands now. Make sure you've cut the power also to the pool.
Hang in there.... spring is somewhere out there waiting for you ✌

Maddie

 

[antgoesmarching]

Ant, sounds like you've done all you can do. Its out of your hands now. Make sure you've cut the power also to the pool.
Hang in there.... spring is somewhere out there waiting for you ✌

Maddie

Yes, fingers crossed. It'll certainly be nice to get a full night's sleep tonight. I was telling my wife as we were standing over our frozen ice pool that with any luck, in about 3 months or so, we'll be sitting here in the blazing Texas sun while the kids swim and say "you remember when his was frozen over this winter? Crazy!"

 

[Twolabs]

I'm amazed at how much a 150w incandescent light bulb can do. It's actually "heating" the water. That, plus the heat from the 3hp Hayward pump running full bore. We covered the entire pad, including the heater and filter. I used the filter and a sawhorse to create a tent above the pool pump and bedside lamp. The lamp is off the ground but turned sideways, and the lamp shade is preventing anything from touching the actual bulb. Underneath its almost cozy. We got down to 6 degrees this morning, 8 inches of snow. Water temp has never fallen below 43 degrees and actually just kicked up to 44.

 

[mjpohl]

I'm amazed at how much a 150w incandescent light bulb can do. It's actually "heating" the water. That, plus the heat from the 3hp Hayward pump running full bore. We covered the entire pad, including the heater and filter. I used the filter and a sawhorse to create a tent above the pool pump and bedside lamp. The lamp is off the ground but turned sideways, and the lamp shade is preventing anything from touching the actual bulb. Underneath its almost cozy. We got down to 6 degrees this morning, 8 inches of snow. Water temp has never fallen below 43 degrees and actually just kicked up to 44.

The fact that you are even above 35 degrees at this point is a life saver. You should be fine. I'm holding strong at 33 degree water temp.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Remove the lampshade. They can brown the inside of the shade and burn also from overheating bulbs.