Coldest night of the year = no heating!

[Leif]

I lived in Montreal for two years. -15C during the day was not uncommon, and it’s not nice. Soon after I left a solar storm brought down the power grids. That’s also not nice. Mind you, they did have good bagels. And ice hockey. The spring thaw was a bit smelly though.

[bionichamster]

Thanks for the replies

The 'engineer' showed up first thing and apparently there was a modest amount of water inside that had possibly come in the flue, apparently it was affecting a "pressure sensor" which was preventing the boiler firing up properly. He said it was quite possibly snow build up melting down the tube.

Sounds like Mike4's : "4) One or both of the little thin hoses connecting the APS to the fan are blocked with something, e.g. a snowflake....."

A melted one... Thanks Mike (not much I could do about it other than remember to go and clear snow from the outlet the next time it's six inches deep (i.e. before it covers the pipe!)

Thank goodness it was fixed that day because the following night dropped to -14!

BH

[6Tricia]

I see that a couple of nights ago, the weather station near me recorded -18C. That is seriously cold.

Dod

I spoke to my sister two days ago complaining about the cold here (+1C at 3pm). She laughed as she told me that it was -28C at 8am with a high of -25C forecast! (Maybe I should mention that she lives in Calgary).

Tricia

So swerving right off topic for a moment if I may, what sort of heating does your sister have in Calgary? Gas fired warm air would be my guess as radiators would be too prone to freezing in houses left unoccupied or if the boiler packs up.

Or is it still whale-oil lamps?

Edit to add: This may seem an odd question as I assumed this was Canada where it gets seriously cold in some places, but now I think this is Calgary on the island of Mull!

No Mike4, my sister lives in Calgary, Alberta! You are right though about the heating being gas fired with warm air ducts (from a furnace in the basement). It's a great system and the houses, even though only wood framed, vinyl clad, shingle roofed and with plaster board inner walls, are so cosy!

I lived close to her for three years from 1997 - 2000 and experienced some pretty severe winters but my newly built frame house was always snug with none of the drafty corners I have to contend with in my current late Victorian home in Torbay!

Tricia