| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| owwlady |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 08:29:28 AM
Moving up here to the Northwoods has brought about a lot of changes. One of them is the use of propane instead of good old reliable gas straight from the gas company. As I was sitting in my cozy warm living room last night, the furnace kicked in. I could hear it wanting to do something but no heat was blowing out. Then I heard a clunking in the basement coming from the water heater. Didn't know what to do so I pulled the plug and went to bed hoping for the best (when in doubt, go to sleep). I woke about 2:30 a.m. when it dawned on me that my propane tank might be empty. Got up and tried the burners on the stove and lo and behold, they didn't work either. Went back to bed, got up early and called the propane company. They are sending someone out at this very moment to fill my tank, as I write to you in the warm library. This is my first experience with a propane tank, it looks sooooo big. I thought that would take me through most of the winter. WRONG!! Well, now I know where the gauge is to tell me when I'm running low. Gas used to just magically flow into my house and I just paid the bill when it came. Well, I learned a lesson today in my 50 degree house...CHECK THE GAUGE!!!!!! |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| idgie |
Posted - Jan 12 2007 : 9:53:53 PM
wow, these experiences are so similar to mine when i first moved to my place - i didn't even know where the tank was. mine is an inground tank from the 40's and the gauge is right on top when you lift the lid. it can be tested for a leak just like above-ground tanks. heating with propane has been so difficult for me in a drafty little house - at first, i would pay $500 to have the tank filled, and two weeks later, it would be drained and i would be in tears. my first few years here were very expensive and still cold! beware too of indoor kerosene heaters - the instructions are not kidding when they say ventilation is needed.
even after some insulation and some furnace repairs, propane is still expensive and my house is still cold, so now i pretty much just use a woodstove and space heaters. as long as i keep doors to each room closed so that heat can accumulate, it works ok except in severe weather, when i can't help but turn on the furnace. |
| Ronna |
Posted - Jan 06 2007 : 8:20:47 PM
The odor added to propane (which is odorless) is similar to sulfer/rotten eggs, to make one aware of a leak. Anything with a flame; gas stove, water heater, furnace, etc. will have a yellow flame when it's getting low. For your propane dealer to allow someone new to run out is not even nice. The tank may or may not have had much in it left by the previous people. This should have been addressed before/when you moved in so you would know. People that just assume you know all you need to know are.....asses! It's a shame you had to learn the hard way.
FYI for those in areas where the power goes out occasionally or often. A Bunn (not Braun) is the best coffeemaker to have. Water is kept hot in the receptacle, so even if your power goes out, you can still make a pot of coffee, providing you have some water to pour in the container. My daughter learned this the hard way and now is glad Mom pushed for her to have a Bunn. They are a bit pricier than most, but our water is terrible here, many minerals, and we've been using the same one for 11 years. Used to buy a new one every year or two when they got clogged up and this ends up being much less expensive.
Ronna |
| bboopster |
Posted - Jan 06 2007 : 07:45:42 AM
Hello Jan, I have relatives all over the Wausau, Eland, Schofield area. Drop me an e-mail with your address and phone number. When I go to visit maybe we can get together again. And if you need some fun loving people to met maybe I could introduce you. Oh and 54 as far as I'm concerned is young!!!!!!! You go Babe! 
3 Blue Start Mother and Proud of it!
Pray for our troops to come home safe and soon.
Enjoying the road to the simple life :>) |
| grace gerber |
Posted - Jan 04 2007 : 10:25:13 AM
I just love black squirels, we have now brown ones because of the increase in population of two legged's. Margaret, Larkspur is around 90 miles south of Greeley and yes it is great even in the snow. Trash is an issue, recycling is great and we have used our paper to start campfires in our pit that we have built in our forrest. I use cans for starting plants and we have very limited plastics. Paper is great for your gardening beds, some plastics I use in the bottom of my planters to create air pockets for the plants. I love thinking of new ways to use up trash but most of all I try to not have too much. Your young Jan and I am excited for your new adventure, life is to take new roads and I can't wait to hear more about yours. The sun is shinning and the goats and jumping - life is great!
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com |
| owwlady |
Posted - Jan 04 2007 : 08:20:43 AM
I'm loving it, but at the same time it's been lonely because I'm not working right now and will be looking for a job soon. I had a really fun job at the Cracker Barrel in Germantown where I had lots of friends and crazy, fun people around me 5 days a week. It takes some getting used to not having everything in the world I need only 5 minutes away. Now I have to go 35 min into Wausau to go to Michaels and JoAnns. But I know I'll get used to things being different and it will feel like home real soon. I'm not getting any younger (54) so why not try new things?! Saw my first black squirel today. Yippee. |
| bboopster |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 1:52:32 PM
Hey Jan, Tomahawk is a nice place and being closer to Jim I would imagine is nicer too. Country life is different but are you loveing it? I would imagine that there is a town dump that you have to take it to. We have found since we have to transport we have become much more conservitive when it comes to garbage. More green I think they call it.
Pray for our troops to come home safe and soon.
Enjoying the road to the simple life :>) |
| owwlady |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 08:54:51 AM
oops...forgot to say where I am now. I'm in the Tomahawk WI area. Quite a bit further north than I was before. |
| owwlady |
Posted - Jan 03 2007 : 08:24:03 AM
Gee Grace, my experience looks like a picnic compared to yours!! Betty Jo, yes, I moved from Germantown just this November, so I'm very new to my new home and surroundings. But now I'm living just 30miles away from Jim (my guy) instead of 200. When I went to the propane company office and paid for my propane, the woman there gave me lots of info, told me how to set up automatic delivery, and gave me a scratch and sniff to be able to recognize the gas odor. She said it's pretty bad. I haven't tried it yet. Now I just have to find out what to do with my garbage. I'm used to garbage men coming every week and just making it all disappear. No garbage pick up here. Live and learn I guess. |
| Mag |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 4:08:06 PM
It is such trial and error when you move from city life to country life! I am glad to hear you were able to get heat back on.
Grace, is Larkspur near Greeley? I have a niece in Greeley and one in Colorado Springs. It is such beautiful country, even with the snow.
Keep safe and hope for an early spring! |
| grace gerber |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 3:06:16 PM
Jan, I am with you on this one - I too was sitting in my living room Thursday reading and wondering why my nose was cold. We have had several blizzards here in Colorado and I just thought I must have another air hole in my log house. After two hours my hands got cold, so off to the basement to see if the strong winds had blown out my pilot. Sure enough it was out, after trying to lite it several times I got on the heavy gear and snowshoes and out the door I went with head light on. There was a six foot drift over the tank so I had to dig that out and screamed a few things that ladies should not be saying. My son was on his way to a climbing trip but I called him when I got in to ask him "Do you remember when I asked if you saw the gas guy? He said yes, I said "Did you see him stop in our what?" he said "I saw him drive by why?" I guess we still have to work on our communication skills. So I went into camping mode. What that means to us out here is all windows are covered, my large dye pot (large canning pots) are filled with water and put on my electric burners and if we would be without electricity it would be portable propane stoves. We get water boiling to add heated warmth to the house and move into the main level of the house. Since we had electricity I also started baking so I had a good reason for having the stove running. When I called the propane company they stated they would love to come but the roads will not be plowed for at least two or three days and then we have to get our driveway (about a block long)also plowed but all companies will be busy for three or so days. Well we finally got propane Monday afternoon and you know after 10 years of learning the hardway with propane we have learned to live without it. To show you how much I have learned the first time we lost electricity I decided to go take a bubble bath by candle light untill halfway thru filling the tube I figured out I had just drain our water heater and we had no way to get water from our well - it took four days before power was back and I sure learned that lesson. Stay warm and remember to check those tanks and we will do the same.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 1:58:58 PM
You can probably set your tank up for auto delivery. I have my tank filled once a month. In the spring I have the tank on the greenhouse filled every week to be absolutely sure I don't run out and lose the heat. It's very convenient.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com
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| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 12:16:20 PM
we have had a leak in our yard for over a year from natural gas, anyhow..guess what is going on in my driveway today? We have workers from the gas company drilling up my driveway to find a leak that we told them was there I know over a year ago..anyhow there is a guy out in my driveway in a hole about 6 foot deep, they did find the leak.Funny, we could smell it almost every day, and it was 6 feet underground!
I guess I will be getting at least part of a new driveway in a few days..ha.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
| bboopster |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 12:10:28 PM
Hello Jan. Did you move from Gremantown? Propane is a funny thing to use . Beware of leaks. We had this sewer type smell in the basement of our new house and for months I kept tell my DH about the odor in the basement and he would just tell me he did not smell anything so it was ok. (Needless to say I did not believe him as he lost his complete sense of smell a few years back after a bad fall.) Of course the smell came and went so none of the other men smelled it untill one day it was so strong that it mad my eyes water. When the UPS guy came I asked him to come and take a smell. He could smell something but was not sure of what it was but this did send my husband into gear and we found 3 gas leaks in the basement. Thank goodness or we would have had a big boom! The smell they put into propane is very different from other gases so ask the delivery guy to let you smell it so you know what it smells like just incase. I have never heard of an underground tank but the delivery guy should be able to show you where the gauge is.
Pray for our troops to come home safe and soon.
Enjoying the road to the simple life :>) |
| country lawyer |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 11:13:06 AM
Jan, This is one of the things I love about this forum...we learn from each other. You just taught me something I'll need to know. I'm wondering though, what about a buried propane tank...how does one know when it's running low? Anyway, glad you've got heat again!
"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."
James Taylor
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| therusticcottage |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 10:00:49 AM
Jan -- glad to see you online! Yes, getting used to the difference in living in the country vs city can be kind of frustrating. But so worth it! Glad you're enjoying your home in the woods. I had the same experience many years ago when I let the fuel oil tank run dry. That was a major mess as sludge from the tank got sucked into the furnace. We had to have the whole think taken apart and cleaned! Never did that again.
The Rustic Cottage Etsy Shop http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands -Proverbs 31:13
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