Bitter COLD in Oklahoma!

[Birry]

I know a few people that now plan to spend a bunch of $$$ on generators, etc....so they can avoid feeling the effects of a similar event. It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. Isn't it far more likely that you won't see another similar event in your lifetime?

 

[sc5mu93]

Well, I'm not in Texas. We've had 3 Ft of snow in the last 3 weeks (the most since 1979) and bitter cold weather too, but its basically business as usual here!

i learned a few additional lessons that I am going to correct before the next storm, whenever that will be.
1) generator cover
2) elevated cabling hooks under eve of house
3) possibly turning leaky translucent polycarbonate roofing on outdoor kitchen to conventional roofing.

 

[sc5mu93]

It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. You already survived it. Why spend the $$$ on the back side of that event? Do you believe that another 500-yr event will happen in your lifetime?

i get it. I think there are some less expensive things people can do that most definitely can help in other more frequent issues. My area has frequent power outages/storms/natural disasters, so it makes sense. Obviously you (personally) have to balance the cost vs the risk.

 

[Birry]

i get it. I think there are some less expensive things people can do that most definitely can help in other more frequent issues. My area has frequent power outages/storms/natural disasters, so it makes sense. Obviously you (personally) have to balance the cost vs the risk.

We used a fairly small generator to survive for 2 weeks without power during in ice storm on the East Coast. We also had a wood burning stove. That combo worked really well.

I'm not saying people shouldn't be prepared to lose power. I'm just wondering about people spending BIG $$$ to prevent another scenario like this when it's ridiculously unlikely to happen again anytime soon.

 

[Binman4OSU]

I know a few people that now plan to spend a bunch of $$$ on generators, etc....so they can avoid feeling the effects of a similar event. It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. Isn't it far more likely that you won't see another similar event in your lifetime?

well when you combine the earthquakes (4.2 this morning just north of Enid felt all over), Floods (remember Tulsa 2 years ago), the ice storm a decade ago, this winter event.

These Major once every x number of year events seems to be happening about every 10-15 years

 

[Pokit N]

I know a few people that now plan to spend a bunch of $$$ on generators, etc....so they can avoid feeling the effects of a similar event. It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. Isn't it far more likely that you won't see another similar event in your lifetime?

As many ice storms etc. happen in OK a generator seems pretty smart. My folks have used theirs many times. and w/ all the hurricanes that Houston gets it seems like a really good idea.

All of this is about measuring risk vs cost etc...You can't prepare for everything.

 

[Binman4OSU]

https://twitter.com/JudgeClayJ/status/1362805870623526912

 

[osupsycho]

well when you combine the earthquakes (4.2 this morning just north of Enid felt all over), Floods (remember Tulsa 2 years ago), the ice storm a decade ago, this winter event.

These Major once every x number of year events seems to be happening about every 10-15 years

+ Windstorms and the idiot that wrecked and took out a power pole up the line from me and took out our power for days...

 

[gogetumpoke]

I know a few people that now plan to spend a bunch of $$$ on generators, etc....so they can avoid feeling the effects of a similar event. It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. Isn't it far more likely that you won't see another similar event in your lifetime?

I wouldn't have if I lived in the city. We were actually out of juice less during this 500 yr event than we typically are during a regular winter storm. Our situation is unique to almost everyone else in that our location is remote (definitely not a high priority), livestock must be watered, and because of our location and the age of the system (poles) we are out a lot.

 

[andylicious]

Stop ruining my dreams!

What are yours or the rest of the boards thoughts on a whole house generator? My neighbor has one (a generac) Our power has never been out for more than 10 minutes in the 2+ yrs I've lived in my house, but the last year has shown anything can happen.

I have one at the farm and one at house in town. They are worth the money, particularly if you live in a town with Municipal Power or in the middle of nowhere. Ours get used more during storm season and in the summer, but it comes in real handy during the heat of summer. With the stress the grid has been under it might be an interesting summer.

 

[oks10]

We used a fairly small generator to survive for 2 weeks without power during in ice storm on the East Coast. We also had a wood burning stove. That combo worked really well.

I'm not saying people shouldn't be prepared to lose power. I'm just wondering about people spending BIG $$$ to prevent another scenario like this when it's ridiculously unlikely to happen again anytime soon.

Seems like as good a use of that stimulus money as any... Plus I'd think it would at least have a LITTLE impact on home value if you were to decide to sell your home later. Not that anyone is struggling to sell their homes right now...

 

[Jonkr06]

So do they build a lot of houses in Texas with water pipes in the ceilings? I'm seeing all these stories of people's busted water pipes and collapsed ceilings. This is exactly why that's a horrible idea. Is that a Texas thing or a new house thing in general? F all that.

It should be against code. Absolutely ridiculous setup.

 

[Jonkr06]

I know a few people that now plan to spend a bunch of $$$ on generators, etc....so they can avoid feeling the effects of a similar event. It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. Isn't it far more likely that you won't see another similar event in your lifetime?

Those 500 year events are seemingly happening every 5 years. I'll definitely be looking into a whole home generator or a transfer switch at the very least when we buy a new house in the next couple of years. The peace of mind is worth a lot to me after this latest round of BS.

 

[Party of common sense]

I know a guy with a generac whole house generator. He lives in the country so it runs off of propane. One morning this week it was so cold his wouldn’t start so it was useless.
I live in the country also and we decided against a generator due to cost. Instead put in a transfer switch and bought a welder I found on Craigslist. We have used it twice in five years for about 2 hours each time. It was my chance to get the wife to approve me buying a welder.

 

[andylicious]

I know a guy with a generac whole house generator. He lives in the country so it runs off of propane. One morning this week it was so cold his wouldn’t start so it was useless.
I live in the country also and we decided against a generator due to cost. Instead put in a transfer switch and bought a welder I found on Craigslist. We have used it twice in five years for about 2 hours each time. It was my chance to get the wife to approve me buying a welder.

If you have a Korean made refrigerator or dishwasher unplug them, the welder isn't stable enough in its generation cycles and will fry them, but I was running a Miller and not a Lincoln . I speak from a terrible experience, that's why I have a generac. I've had good luck, but you can't use the emergency heat strip if you have a heat pump and you have to service them and make sure the green light is shining. When they don't want to run they are a pain. It is easier to get a welder run if it doesn't want to start and you do have to get generac parts which costs more.

 

[ashpkt]

I know a few people that now plan to spend a bunch of $$$ on generators, etc....so they can avoid feeling the effects of a similar event. It seems counterintuitive that people are planning to spend a ton on emergency prep for a 500-yr event directly after a 500-yr event. Isn't it far more likely that you won't see another similar event in your lifetime?

Funny thing about those 100-yr, 200-yr, etc events is that we've had several of them in last decade. And, they don't have records that go back that far but are based on statistics which might be OK if basis of assumptions never changes or there is linear growth but that's not reality.

Take for example the 100/200yr FEMA flood plains. Those studies take years to complete meanwhile in Houston the building is exponential. By the time the study is complete, there are countless new developments completed that render the study obsolete before it is official.

During Hurricane Harvey several folks at my church who live in old Katy, TX and never flooded, but were now flooded by several feet. The consortium of builders have a lot of political influence here. New neighborhoods are built 3/4/5-ft up above adjacent homes. They supposedly have 100yr retention to offset their runoff, but they just push the water to the folks unfortunate to be next door. Generally speaking, every new home built to N/W is better off than those to S/E until someone else does the same to them.

Everyone knows its a problem but it will require someone sticking their neck out politically to push for HUGE cash to fix it. Apparently it's same problem with Texas grid. I have seen very little done to mitigate another Harvey situation. People have short term memory and the news changes fast. I'll bet nothing is done, same as always.

 

[Party of common sense]

If you have a Korean made refrigerator or dishwasher unplug them, the welder isn't stable enough in its generation cycles and will fry them, but I was running a Miller and not a Lincoln . I speak from a terrible experience, that's why I have a generac. I've had good luck, but you can't use the emergency heat strip if you have a heat pump and you have to service them and make sure the green light is shining. When they don't want to run they are a pain. It is easier to get a welder run if it doesn't want to start and you do have to get generac parts which costs more.

We have GE appliances. Are they Korean?

 

[andylicious]

We have GE appliances. Are they Korean?

Nope, it's when they have the strange compressors you run into. SAMSUNG AND LG are the two I'm talking about

 

[OranGE-KK]

Working my 7th straight night to get my plant through this. Man there is some grade A top shelf BS being spouted off from every direction. I know how the medical folks feel seeing all the discussion on COVID by all the weekend "experts".

Glad to see temps coming back to normal, we have had our hands full & need a break. Lots of folks busting ass to keep the lights on.

 

[TexanCowboy]

Funny thing about those 100-yr, 200-yr, etc events is that we've had several of them in last decade. And, they don't have records that go back that far but are based on statistics which might be OK if basis of assumptions never changes or there is linear growth but that's not reality.

Take for example the 100/200yr FEMA flood plains. Those studies take years to complete meanwhile in Houston the building is exponential. By the time the study is complete, there are countless new developments completed that render the study obsolete before it is official.

During Hurricane Harvey several folks at my church who live in old Katy, TX and never flooded, but were now flooded by several feet. The consortium of builders have a lot of political influence here. New neighborhoods are built 3/4/5-ft up above adjacent homes. They supposedly have 100yr retention to offset their runoff, but they just push the water to the folks unfortunate to be next door. Generally speaking, every new home built to N/W is better off than those to S/E until someone else does the same to them.

Everyone knows its a problem but it will require someone sticking their neck out politically to push for HUGE cash to fix it. Apparently it's same problem with Texas grid. I have seen very little done to mitigate another Harvey situation. People have short term memory and the news changes fast. I'll bet nothing is done, same as always.

It will take a ridiculous amount of money to get me to even consider moving back to Houston. Born and raised in Dallas, thought I'd give Houston a try. 3 years, 3 floods, I was done. Wife and I packed the bags in 2017, went back to Dallas and are never going back. The lack of zoning in that city is atrocious. People can pretty much build whatever they want, where ever they want. The bayous cannot function as natural drains, there's simply too much water. The city needs an adequate pumping system.