Affects of the Icy Conditions

arctictree

Thought I'd open a thread about affects of the current icy weather. Anything you have noticed such as thick ice on lakes, canals, frozen pipes etc

Danno remarked on the current conditions temp that his mains water pipe has frozen. The recent temps have been extreme but not that unusual. We could have got a lot worse charts and much lower temperatures. I wonder what they do in Germany/Poland to stop the water freezing in the mains pipes with much lower temps?

My heating system failed this morning due to the water pump being frozen. Have to keep the heating going all night now.

BTW, I saw pictures this morning of skaters on icy canals in Holland. Wonder how many days of frost would we need for that? I think the key is for the ice not to melt during the day. The act of forming an ice layer on open water would be the hardest in the ice formation process.

Mothman

Local primary school flooded today with burst pipe in attic. Rained down at about 2pm inside. Probably first day back at school and no heating on for past couple weeks.

Swans had a very uncomfortable landing on my pond. Ice is 2cm thick, but they made no impact. They've left. It'll be weekend before it thaws.

pipsqueak

our pipes frozen all day too, heating stopped workin so called plumber out he got it going again , Sounded bit louder than usual (boiler) so i rang next door neighbour he said you should not have oil boiler on as no water coming through. I have it turned off now but dont think i should re start it as pipes are still frozen, This right?

p.s no water left it toilets. taps, showers etc. tank in attic must be empty now

Mothman

pipsqueak wrote: »

our pipes frozen all day too, heating stopped workin so called plumber out he got it going again , Sounded bit louder than usual (boiler) so i rang next door neighbour he said you should not have oil boiler on as no water coming through. I have it turned off now but dont think i should re start it as pipes are still frozen, This right?

p.s no water left it toilets. taps, showers etc. tank in attic must be empty now

You may wait till the water has thawed before putting the boiler on. The boiler will not thaw water in pipes feet away, and the water won't move till it melts. Then I guess you may check for burst pipe....

Danno

The plumbers will be delighted of course, puts the recession off for another short while I guess.

The ice also has put paid to my wiper blades. A local food crop grower cannot get produce out of the ground and the severity of the frost may have damaged alot of it now anyway.

ONE WORD OF CAUTION: With all the salt grit on the roads over the past two to three weeks, when the rain comes over the weekend the roads will be LETHAL and slippery. The rain causes the salt grit to turn into a slime on the roads. So be extra slow and careful going around sharp corners and keep well back from the cars in front.
ADVICE: Make sure your window washer tank is full.

ninebeanrows

Those pictures of Galway Harbour are something else.

nacho libre

Pipes frozen here too for the last couple of days, i'm not complaining, though. it's winter, and we all - well most of us - wanted a cold snap akin to the eighties. while it might no be as notable as the ones in those halcyon years, it's a long time since i needed a blanket as well as duvet to keep me warm in bed. now if we could just get a decent snowfall:(

Deep Easterly

nacho libre wrote: »

Pipes frozen here too for the last couple of days, i'm not complaining, though. it's winter, and we all - well most of us - wanted a cold snap akin to the eighties. while it might no be as notable as the ones in those halcyon years, it's a long time since i needed a blanket as well as duvet to keep me warm in bed. now if we could just get a decent snowfall:(

Yep, had no water today either, nay a drop. Had to buy water just to shave and I won't talk about the state of the jacks...:D. -7c on the car thermo this morning. Bracing to say the least, but I love it.

nacho libre

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Yep, had no water today either, nay a drop. Had to buy water just to shave and I won't talk about the state of the jacks...:D. -7c on the car thermo this morning. Bracing to say the least, but I love it.

that's the attitude to have paddy1:) we probably won't see it as cold again this winter so you are enjoying it while it lasts:)

Snowaddict

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Yep, had no water today either, nay a drop. Had to buy water just to shave and I won't talk about the state of the jacks...:D. -7c on the car thermo this morning. Bracing to say the least, but I love it.

Indeed. The dryness of the air is simply fantastic combined with the bitter cold . I have not seen these conditions in a long time. The ground is rock hard. Even local streams with a gentle flow of water were completely frozen at the top layer locally today.

A fine spell of very cold weather.

CianRyan

1 inch thick layre(sp?) of ice on some lakes in Tallaght.

Any water spilled during the day turns to ice at night.
Cats water keeps freezing.
Put a peice of ice down on a table outside earlier, came back to it five minutes later and its was propper stuck down on it, not getting that off this it starts to thaw.

Pic of the lake.

Snowaddict

nacho libre wrote: »

that's the attitude to have paddy1:) we probably won't see it as cold again this winter so you are enjoying it while it lasts:)

Hey NL. It sure is a great spell of cold weather. Maybe we won't, but I still think that we just might have another shot at it yet;). Of course I could be wrong also, but you'd never know.... Things might yet turn interesting again during the winter
When I see ice floating in Galway harbour, it certainly makes me sit up and think that this winter has been very different so far to many recent one's.

SA.

Snowbie

nacho libre wrote: »

Pipes frozen here too for the last couple of days, i'm not complaining, though. it's winter, and we all - well most of us - wanted a cold snap akin to the eighties. while it might no be as notable as the ones in those halcyon years, it's a long time since i needed a blanket as well as duvet to keep me warm in bed. now if we could just get a decent snowfall:(

There is other alternatives for that:D

Although i am seeing sweet FA of what the majority of you and the country is seeing, this is fantastic. Galway harbour saltwater freezing (usually at -8C saltwater freezes) pipes bursting, pipes frozen, streams coming to a halt, lakes partially iced up. WoW, havin heard the likes in years.

I say it was not fun in arctictree's house getting up in baltic conditions this morning alright but i think he will look back on this and smile.:)

@Danno, when driving down to Laois on Monday, the cars in front where throwing up the salt onto the windscreen on the M7 and without the washers i would have had to pull in and constantly clean the windscreen. The car was a mess especially on the way back as the roads where a bit wetter after engine heat and cold road surfaces created dampness.

Danno

Yup, the salt and grit makes it a mess allright. Funny though how on the other hand the drier roads look dusty now!

arctictree

Snowbie wrote: »

Galway harbour saltwater freezing (usually at -8C saltwater freezes) pipes bursting, pipes frozen, streams coming to a halt, lakes partially iced up. WoW, havin heard the likes in years.

Remember, Galway harbour has a lot of fresh water in it due to the massive inflow from the corrib. I remember over the years, during cold spells, it was always one of the first harbours to freeze. I can remember similar photos from years ago.

The biggest problem for me has been frozen pipes.
I have been leaving taps running - as yesterday it took 2 hours to get water where it was needed.
The water to the house here froze for the first time last night.

Martron

i rember as a kid the net curtains on my mothers house freezing to the window.

but these cold days remind me of that. that and the gf wanting the electric blanket on all night.....

shamwari

Crossing the Malahide estuary on the train earlier and I noticed that part of it had frozen.. Never saw that happen before..

Mocking Burd

My mains water has frozen, but my neighbours haven't been affected for some reason. I've managed to empty my tank also. I am coping okay as I am on my own, my house is always cold anyway , and I have stocked up on containers of water.
What should I do with my taps etc while I wait for the thaw? Should I be leaving in the on position at all, or is that pointless as nothing there to come through?

arctictree

Was just down at the reservoir near here. The lake was completely covered in ice. There is a part of it that is only a foot deep and I could walk on it. Ice was crystal clear and it was amazing walking over it. In some parts cracks started to appear so it was just about thick enough to hold my weight. The dog soon learned that the best way to walk on ice without slipping was to take lots of tiny steps. Was very funny!!

arctictree

Mocking Burd wrote: »

My mains water has frozen, but my neighbours haven't been affected for some reason. I've managed to empty my tank also. I am coping okay as I am on my own, my house is always cold anyway , and I have stocked up on containers of water.
What should I do with my taps etc while I wait for the thaw? Should I be leaving in the on position at all, or is that pointless as nothing there to come through?

Don't leave your taps in the on position as when they thaw, water will come gushing out and you may not be there!

Supercell

My water is a brackish brown
The little reservoir in the field above me is frozen over so i guess the only water flowing is lower near the bottom which is muddy, or maybe the filter is frozen solid, I dunno, its not nice though!

CianRyan

I threw up some more day light pictures of the lake in the weather pictures subforum.

fcekin diesel pipe from tractors tank to engine froze solid and cracked and is leaking like a sive now I've thawed it.
It was in the shed too.

Freezing diesel...now theres something from yore.

Snowbie

arctictree wrote: »

Remember, Galway harbour has a lot of fresh water in it due to the massive inflow from the corrib. I remember over the years, during cold spells, it was always one of the first harbours to freeze. I can remember similar photos from years ago.

I didn't know that, that explains that then as i thought after posting that that it seemed too extreme the harbour subzero'ing that much.

My windscreen washers in my car frozed is my only claim:o

Nice hoar frost on the windscreen also this morning, you know the frost that spreads across and thickens to ice. Day after tomorrow stuff :cool:

Supercell

Snowbie wrote: »

I didn't know that, that explains that then as i thought after posting that that it seemed too extreme the harbour subzero'ing that much.

My windscreen washers in my car frozed is my only claim:o

Nice hoar frost on the windscreen also this morning, you know the frost that spreads across and thickens to ice. Day after tomorrow stuff :cool:

Wow, how did you cope with such extreme conditions ?!! :pac::pac::D

Villain

I was in Dublin about 2pm today driving alongside the canal and it was frozen in many places it so funny to see seagulls landing and jumping back up again in surprise at hitting the ice

Snowbie

Supercell wrote: »

Wow, how did you cope with such extreme conditions ?!! :pac::pac::D

Turned the ignition off and went back to bed as it was too dangerous to drive with a dirty windscreen

Latchy

The summer of 09 is predicted to be a heatwave .Were are just paying the price now .:)

Villain

latchyco wrote: »

The summer of 09 is predicted to be a heatwave .Were are just paying the price now .:)

I'd be willing to pay more for a bit of snow

Latchy

Villain wrote: »

I'd be willing to pay more for a bit of snow

I am fond of a bit of snow myself and was hoping we would get some .It clears the air of germs and hides all the dog poo as well

jambofc

back to the rain and wind from friday nite
have to say im disapointed that we got no snow after being so cold for so long we didnt even get a flake here in meath
is there any chance that the high might refuse to move and push the atlantic fronts back?????

Mocking Burd

arctictree wrote: »

Don't leave your taps in the on position as when they thaw, water will come gushing out and you may not be there!

Oh god I never thought of that :eek ! :o

Danno

No water again today. Baby will have to get Ballygowan in her bottle now - as if the Cow and Gate wasn't dear enough! :P

LEIN

Went sideways around a roundabout at 6 this morning due to the ice on the road, regained control and order was restored and i also need new wiper blades for the car.

€35 for new ones in Halfords i nearly got sick and walked straight back out the door.

Danno

Had the neighbours in tonight looking for water - seemingly over half the estate is out also. I wonder how the river is :eek:

Mr Benevolent

The underlit pond that encircles the apartments opposite Dundrum Town Centre is frozen over. The lights are still working, even under the ice. Very cool.

peasant

arctictree wrote: »

I wonder what they do in Germany/Poland to stop the water freezing in the mains pipes with much lower temps?

Insulation is the key word here.

Bury them deep enough outside and insulate the house properly, no exposed pipes.

Remember one winter with several days of under -20 (like this winter in Germany). Many things froze, but not the water or heating in houses. No tanks in the attic (attic is well insulated anyway). Oil tanks are inside the house as well for that reason.

BTW ..it's an interesting sensation when the inside of your nose freezes solid

ronbyrne2005

Nothing spectacular but here in Dublin (live next to Glasnevin Met office), I have a large glass square vase(one foot tall,6 inches wide) sitting on patio that had filled with rainwater. It has been frozen solid and impressive looking for past few weeks and most of last 2 months.

nacho libre

all good things must end. although, those crying out for a shower might be glad it's coming to an end. now it's time to begin the countdown for our long overdue foot of snow:(

Danno

EFFECTS OF THE THAW

Horrible muck and skutter on the road. 15 mile journey this morning completly destroyed my car.

arctictree

Was driving over the reservoir here earlier.

The ice was melted over most of the lake but the southerly wind had created waves which were piling broken up ice against the dam. Was spectacular to see but unfortunately we were in a hurry and the wife wouldn't let me stop to take a weather pic!!

Supercell

arctictree wrote: »

Was driving over the reservoir here earlier.

The ice was melted over most of the lake but the southerly wind had created waves which were piling broken up ice against the dam. Was spectacular to see but unfortunately we were in a hurry and the wife wouldn't let me stop to take a weather pic!!

I was cycling past that this morning but was totally shattered so the aesthetics were lost on my slavering mouth and runny nose!!

The last of the ice was still in the yard here this afternoon which is incredible given the strong southerly and the fact it didnt freeze last night here.

Also I was talking to a neighbour this evening who works down at Arklow harbour who said it was frozen over for 2 days and people were going down all day to look at it.The seagulls were coming in to land and were getting a shock to find solid ice instead of water.Damn I should have went in to look!

rc28

The ground in the fields was still frozen today only a few mm's below the top surface and it still felt rock hard underfoot.