Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!
By Polly1
@Polly1 (12645)
United States
January 16, 2009 3:31pm CST
I live in Northern Ohio, we have been having an artic blast. Our temp isn't even going to get to zero, its staying below that. Last night I had a rude awakening, I should say cold. I woke up in the middle of the night, freezing. The outside temp was -15, the coldest it has gotten in years here. We also had low wind chill warnings, wind chills were between -30 and -35 below zero. I had no heat, at first I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. I came downstairs and found out the heater was not working. I have an old gas space heater, it stands alone and is vented thru the chimney. Normally it works good and heats the house up good. Let me tell you that was scary, here I was, alone, in the middle of the night, 15 degress below zero, my heater wasn't working. I said a prayer, lite the pilot light. I was so thankful that the pilot light lit. I got the heater going again, but then was scared to just go back to bed, in case something was bad wrong with it. I waited a few hours to make sure it was still working correctly, that is coming on and off. It did, I kept the heat turned down just to be on the safe side. Knock wood, so far things seem to be working ok. I am hoping that it doesn't go out anymore. Have you ever woke up to a cold house and found out the heater or furnace wasn't working? What did you do about it? Tomorrow we are supposed to have a heat wave, the temp might get up in the teens. Take care everyone and if you are in an area that is getting this cold, stay warm.
7 people like this
18 responses
@ladybug565 (2216)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Hi polly, I'm glad that you were able to get your heat going. we are having pretty much the same weather here and my furnace isent keeping up too well. I have been using the oven to warm it up in here. the heat is working it just isent working well enough. good luck/stay warm.
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Good luck to you too, stay warm. The heaters can only do so much, they have to shut down so they can cool down. if they don't they would blow up. I borrowed my sons oil filled electric radiator, they work real good. I have that going too. We have another night of this artic blast and then its supposed to warm up some. I am so looking forward to spring. Take care.
1 person likes this
@ladybug565 (2216)
• United States
18 Jan 09
YES, I cant wait for spring!! we are supposed to warm up a little here too. have a good (warm) night.
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Well, we have little space heaters here in our Condo. Seriously I would Love to live in a place that had Central heat as sometimes it feels so Cold in here, and we do not get near as cold as you in the midwest have been. I will be Praying for you for things to warm up there, and hope your heater continues to work for you as well.
2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Thanks for the prayers, they are always welcome. I would think you would have a regular furnace, I thought it got cold up your way. Most people here have regular furnaces with duct work throughout the house. I happen to live in an older house, I have an old space heater for my heat. Its gas and is vented out the chimney. It does a good job. I have no idea why it went out that night. I am so thankful that it is still working fine. We are having a heat wave, it has gotten in the teens today, still cold. I want to take a shower but some of my water pipes are still frooze, I keep hoping that it will thaw soon.
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
17 Jan 09
It got down to 12 this morning for us here in SC. It is supposed to get down to 10 tomorrow morning. You should come and spend this cold spell here. years ago in Nebraska we had the electricity go out and our heating stove had a fan the spread the heat but we were lucky enough that the gas came on with out the electricity. Then a few years ago in Kansas. The heating stove would not come on with out the electricity. I'm glad you got the stove lit but I never had to deal with lighting a stove. i would be scared too.
2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Wow, that realy cold for you guys, that artic air is really reaching far south. I am lucky with me heater that it does't need electricity to work, just the gas. Normally I am not scared to light the heater, but with it going out and no knowing why it went out. That was the scary part and not knowing if the heater would work and work properly. I stayed up for hours and finally layed back down around 8 this morning. Thank God the heater is still working and had been fine today. I have also borrowed my sons oil filled electric radiator. That helps me feel better for tonight. I plan on turning down the heater some tonight. I will say an extra prayer before bed too. Take care and stay warm. Where is that Global Warming, I could use some of it.
1 person likes this
@olivebranch56 (910)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Polly, So glad you got the heat going again. I grew up with wood and coal heat, or kerosene. We were very poor and a lot of times my parents didn't have money to buy the coal, or kerosene, so yes I know what it is like to wake up cold, but not in temps like that, I am in NC and grew up here. Our lows in the winter are normally in the 30's. We also have the cold weather here right now, coming down from Canada. It is suppose to be around 5 degrees tonight, if it is it will be a record low for us. Keep warm am cozy, Marilyn
2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
From one Maxine lover to another, Hello. That artic blast sure has reached far down to you, thats unusual for you southern states. We are more used to the cold then you are, but these last few days its been so cold it will take your breathe away. Furnaces and heaters are having a hard time trying to keep up. Last night I am happy to say that everything was fine. I have no idea what made the pilot light go out like that. I just hope and pray I don't have anymore troubles this winter. Of course it had to happen on the coldest night we have had in years. At least I have a heated water bed.
1 person likes this
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Thank goodness you could get it back to working again and things turned out good for you. This cold weather is reaching down south now that is where I am. It got down in the teens last night and didn't get any higher than 35 to 38 today and tonight which is Friday it is suppose to get down to 13 degrees, (somebody is going to freeze) not me.
Take care and stay warm.
2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Its still below zero where I live, we have another night of the artic blast before it warms up past zero. Its been way too cold. The heater has been working good today, I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that it keeps working ok. take care and stay warm to you too.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
7 Feb 09
Yep, We have been getting hit with it too. It was 17 below 0 the other night. It hurts to even breath when you go outside. I get pneumonia easy so I have to stay out of the cold. I hate it. I want summer to come back. I want it back NOW.
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
You have it cold too, I borrowed my sons oil filled electric heater just in case it happens again. hopefully the heater stay lit thru the night. My heater keeps running too, it never got above zero today, brrrrrr. Stay warm and becareful.
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
16 Jan 09
oh you are so lucky! here in soutnern ontario (canada - we are an hour north of buffalo, ny) and today the high was - 17c with a -25 windchill and on sunday we are supposed to only get a windchill of -12c! just think, in 6 months we will be complaining about the heat!!
2 people like this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
16 Jan 09
We finally got up to zero this afternoon....man it was so cold. Glad you got your heater going again. That did happen to me once....well actually the lights went out and it got so cold. It was out for four days.....I stayed in the kitchen and kept warm there...this morning our temp was actual -26 when I left for work....hope you get through the cold okay!
1 person likes this
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
8 Feb 09
Hi friend,
We have a lot of our projects close to completion and I wanted to drop by and visit with friends in Mylot and you sure are among my first stops.
When I saw this discussion it makes me wonder about all the talk about global warming. What about global cooling? There are so many discussions about the deep freeze many are experiencing throughout North America.
Canada has had below normal temperatures and high wind chills for the past two months. Thankfully we did a lot of winterizing and insulating this year and our electrical bills are the lowest they've been in years.
I am relieved to hear that you made out OK during your scare and that things seem to be working better. I notice you posted this a month ago so hopefully things are warming up a little where you are.
We won't be having real warm weather for awhile yet...although we have had a little respite the past few days.
So please stay warm and safe...there are a lot of us who care about you!
Raia
1 person likes this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
9 Feb 09
Hello again, Thank God my heater has been working good. We have had a "real" winter too. I am so looking forward to warmer weather. The last few days our snow has been melting. Of course we still have a few more weeks of winter yet, Spring is getting close. Thanks for stopping by to say hi, as always its a pleasure.
@carinio98 (2929)
• Philippines
16 Jan 09
here in our country only heavy storm and wind are only the problem. and the houses are very easy to break apart and the see are roaring like a mad tiger... the wind are very strong that even a iron roof can take out from your house and can be dangerous to fall from the ground as it is the tip and edges are very sharp. and some mountain can easily ruin and because of heavy rain... some are buried under the ground.
2 people like this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
16 Jan 09
I'd be scared also. We sleep in the livingroom where we have a wood heater when the electric power is out and I guess we could go into town and find a hotel or resturant that was open. But we are dependent on our modern conviences. Stay warm
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
17 Jan 09
I was scared, I didn't know why the pilot light went out and I didn't know if I could get it relit again or if something was bad wrong. Then when I got it lit, Istill didn't know if something was wrong. So far so good, its been working good all day, Thanks God. I still don't know why the pilot went out, I just hope it doesn't do it anymore and if it does, pick a night when its not so cold.
@dreamweaverjan (3471)
• United States
16 Jan 09
HI Polly: I'm so glad you got that thing to work again, I hope it doesn't go out on you its too freakin cold!! We had another cold day here too but not as bad as
yesterdays temps BBRRRR!!! for sure!!!
take care and be safe now!!!
2 people like this
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
18 Jan 09
Oh thats scarey, and being alone only made it worse...I am sure i have woke up cold in the past but its been so long i hardly remember..I have central heat and i try to keep it at a comfortable level...I remember as a kid ,we had space heaters and i would be cold and stand so close it almost would burn my legs..haha...I cannot even imagine any coldness like you have in Ohio..I live in Texas and we have very mild winters here..Cold for us is in the 30's or 40's,so that would be weird for you ,i know...I am like you ,i would not wanted to go back to sleep fearing that heater would go out again..I do hope you have bunches of covers and i bet you were in need of a nap today...
1 person likes this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
18 Jan 09
I have a heated water bed so I was lucky that way. I managed to get it working again and have no idea why it went out in the first place. I have been in this house for 3 years and this never happened before. My luck,it had to happen on a bone chillin cold night. All is well now, Thank God. I went back to bed for a few hours in the morning. I borrowed an extra electric heater too, just in case. We have a heat wave going on now, its a balmy 17 degress, hehe.
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
18 Jan 09
Oh, I am so sorry to know that this happened to you. I could not imagine something like that happening to me. Thank God, you woke up in time and were able to fix the problem yourself. Please, do your best to stay warm. That sounds like some pretty mean coldness.
1 person likes this
@leenie50 (3992)
• United States
18 Jan 09
Hi Polly,
I have never been in weather that cold. I lived in the Mountains of California but don't remember how cold it got. I think the coldest was like 9 degrees but the lowest usually was in the teens. It wasn't that cold all the time thankfully but it was pretty cold with snow of course. We always had a wood burning stove or in one house a big fireplace in the middle of the house. As long as you have firewood you're ok. An old gas stove must be pretty scary. Please take care of yourself.
leenie
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
18 Jan 09
We have a heat wave going on, its 17 degress. The low tonight going to be around 10, thats not too bad. Having it that cold is unusual for us too, it does happen. Lighting the heater was the scary part, not knowing why it went out and if it would stay lit, if it even lit for me. Thank God it all worked out ok. Its been working fine and dandy since then. You take care too and thanks.
@apples99 (6556)
• United States
17 Jan 09
I use to live in Ohio and it was really cold during the winters there, thats one of the reasons I moved to a place with a warmer climate, because those winter freezes were rough, but to spite that I loved Ohio, and I kind of miss it, but I dont miss being cold, back when I lived there I didnt have central air and heating I had one of those awful space heaters and it would still be cold, lol.
1 person likes this
