Re: [A/S] How cold would it be...

["Lewis A. Lindner" <lindner.1@xxxxxxx>]

>...full-timing, possibly up here in Ohio for awhile, 

Congratulations!  Whereabouts in Ohio?  We have overwintered in central Ohio for 
most of the last three winters.

>I'm trying to figure out at what point we should blow the 
>water lines out with air, 

We blew ours out last week.

>and head for a shelter before an ice storm 
>or blizzard makes roads impassable.  

Real ice storms and blizzards are rare in Ohio, and they pass -- travel in Ohio has 
really benefitted from global warming.  Even after the last true blizzard (1978), 
interstates were driveable with an a/s after about forty-eight hours (if memory has not 
faded too badly).  

>It's usually only down in the single digits below zero in the winter here, but we 
>occasionally get into the teens, and got down to 28 below about 10 years ago.

Yes, it has happened -- but that's the all-time low, and it persisted for only minutes.  At 
no time in the past three winters has my heater run continuously.  

>That's only 22 hours for the 25K furnace with 
>a 40# bottle and 21.5 hours for the 34K furnace with a 40# bottle.  
>Not even a day on one bottle.

Again, that is a worst case scenario that presupposes the furnace is running 
continuously.  We currently are getting more than a week on a 30# tank, and I've done 
nothing to decrease the heat losses (hoped to head south soon).  However, since it 
looks like I may be staying here somethat longer, I'm probably going to put plastic film 
over the AC, vents, and windows soon -- that got me through the past three seasons.  
Also, an electric radiator can do much to decrease propane consumption.

>I guess a larger concern would be electricity if power lines go down.  
>Those furnaces can drain a set of batteries pretty quickly.  

Properly connected, your tow vehicle (or even a small car) will take care of 
emergencies.  Again in Ohio, power outages are measured in minutes to hours, 
except in the most isolated places.

In short, proper preparation -- and the ancient Eastern art of patiently doing nothing 
until the weather changes -- should get you comfortably through anything that will 
happen in Ohio.  So welcome, and enjoy!

                     -- Lew #4239

'72 Safari
bicycle