Community Chat

[cheriere]

@1Snickers   I'm so sorry to hear that you're dealing with heating issues too.  I sure hope that it doesn't up and go out on you again, but if you remember getting it filled in December I'd be afraid I had a leak too.  It's so hard to get any of these technicians to listen to you and really check things out.  

Thank you for the advice about talking with my dad.  It's just something that has to be done.  I need to learn how to do some of this maintenance work myself.  In fact, I think I'm gonna buy a large binder with plenty of paper and take notes on how to do various things around here.  I'll start by making a good list of the first things that come to mind that are kinda simple.  This might ease him into teaching me a bit easier. 😊❤️

[cheriere]

@Allegheny   Yes, I know other folks that also have the same type of agreements regarding the gas lines.  I thought it was our responsibility from what he said.  So there's really no one to call lol.  This is just something I'm gonna have to learn just in case it ever happens again.  

[monicakm]

@cheriere

She would've loved you

Thanks   Unfortunately, a lot of people have no filter or comman courtesy.  The person you're speaking to on the phone just takes calls.  

I will also call the manager of a restaurant over to the table to praise him for a delicious meal and excellent wait staff.  I know they hear complaints all the time but I bet it makes their evening when a guest compliments a meal and/or waitstaff.  People need to know when customers appreciate their services

[monicakm]

@cheriere 

It's scary to think of all the things (maintenance related) I don't know diddly squat about.  I've always had my dad, brother and husband to take care of those things.  Now my brother is gone, my dad is nearly 90 w/ dementia so that just leaves my husband.  It's a lot for one man to deal with when he has the kind of job DH has.  He will be semi (or maybe fully) retiring next year tho.  Life Hard.

[Nightowlz]

No. I thought they buried their lines by temperatures where you live.

I wouldn't want to let the air out of those lines either. Especially when it's so cold. I would want someone to do it for me. Stay Warm.

I know our water is deeper then my sisters in Fl. We have cold water from the faucet to wash your face with. When I was at my sisters in Fl I told her your cold water doesn't get cold. They started laughing at me. She said that's because our water lines are not buried as deep as yours? Anyways I didn't like it.

[shoesnbags]

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@cheriere wrote:

@On It   First, let me start by saying how very sorry I am that you had to go through all of that by yourself.  God bless you!  I'm glad the gas company sent someone out quickly for you.  

As far as our gas well.  Yes, we own it.  There's a lot of gas underground so we only lease some of what's down there to a company, not local.  So, we essentially have free gas, but there's not really anyone I know of that we can call for general maintenance...but I'm going to talk to my dad a lot about this tonight.  I need some answers and phone numbers to write down in the happenstance he's no longer physically able to do this.  Believe me, this kind of talk about lots of things is LONG overdue.

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@cheriere 

Around here, it's plumbers who work on gas lines.  But it might be different where you live.  We don't get sub-zero temps, and our gas is municipal, not from a private well. 

It would be good for you to make a few calls and find out who to call, even if your dad will still be doing it for the time being.  You'd have peace of mind knowing how you can handle it when it's your responsibililty.

[gardenman]

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@1Snickers wrote:

 @cheriere   I've heard of that happening but I don't have gas heat.  You are  correct you will need to know how to do it if they can't, or  have someone knowledgeable available to contact. 
   I've been a widow for 20 years and my husband always handled things. But, I watched my farther as I grew up. I'd help hand him tools as he repaired things. I'd hold a mirror so he could see the TV screen as he worked  from the back. 
   This morning it was 17 and I was enjoying coffee and I smelled oil. It came from the heat vent.  I went in the garage and it really smelled like furnace was running but no heat in the vents.  I pushed the reset button. Nothing. I have an underground tank that was supposedly filled in December. When the technician came he said the tank was empty! I was livid and asked if it could have a leak he said no. He filled it with two gallons of oil and I insisted that he get the truck here ASAP. I called and left messages at multiple numbers. The oil truck man came and didn't recall filling it in December and I had told them I wasn't left a ticket. 
  Heat works, but I really had to insist on help and am still concerned about a leak in that tank . If it has one they replace it free. 
   So, calmly explain to your Dad you are interested in learning. Even if you don't do the actual work you can be certain that another technician does.  Keep warm!

   😱  🥶   🔧🛠️🧰 🤗

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You're very lucky they'll replace the leaking oil tank for free. Here in my part of NJ, the cost to replace an oil tank is on the homeowner and starts at around $2,000. If there was a leak, you're also required to have the soil tested and soil remediation done which can add thousands more. It can get crazy expensive in a hurry. And just disposing of the old tank has to be done in a very specific manner. It's not something they'll just let you haul off to a recycler. The whole thing can quickly add up to more than the cost to switch to an alternative type of heating fuel with a new furnace. 

[cheriere]

@Nightowlz   Our utilities are all buried pretty deep.  However, this was at the gas well itself...something I know absolutely nothing about.  I've talked to dad about showing me how to do this, even though super scary.  He seems to be in the mindset that he's going to show our neighbor how to do this....but I'm not giving up!

[cheriere]

@shoesnbags   We normally never get sub zero temps either.  It's been one of those fake things this winter.  But I agree completely with you.  I'll feel much better once I learn to do this myself.

[Icegoddess]

Someone locally complained about this the other day.  I think it was on Facebook, but may have been on Nextdoor.  After a long discussion with someone who said Natural Gas doesn't freeze, the person explained that because their property was on a slab, the gas had to go in through the attic.  And, yes, it had to do with condensation.  there was also a box outside the property that could've been the culprit.  

I say property rather than house since it seemed to be a condo or some similiar situation since each one had a separate line.  They commented that a different home in the property had that problem last year. 

We aren't in sub zero and I'm hoping we don't ever go there, but we have been having single digit nights this week which also isn't normal for our area.