February 2021 Arctic blast crippled the South

[John E Davies]

Just a reminder for those Southern Ollie owners and soon-to-be ones. There were a lot of RVs that suffered severe damage then through lack of awareness and bad preparations. One Ollie owner in Oklahoma had his trailer completely freeze up, he posted a frantic thread about it, but I never heard the results, if it destroyed his tanks or not. If somebody can post that link, I think it would be a good warning for the rest of us. Don’t let that be you…. Once the drains freeze, you can no longer empty pipes and tanks! This shows that event, not the current forecast!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_2021_North_American_cold_wave

It is going to be below zero here tonight, but at least here in NE WA we expect that sort of chill. It’s 48 degrees in the RV bay.

Stay warm.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[John E Davies]

Found the thread, it was -18 degrees there when he posted.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5185-extreme-weather/

Read and weep, I never did hear how this ended.

I like to think of winter cold as the temperature differential (the “delta T”). The difference is what drives the heat loss through walls, roof and air leaks. On a 30 degree day with a 70 degree inside temp, the house or trailer has a 40 degree delta T. Normal heating systems can handle that easily. When the delta T gets to 70 or 100, that is when stuff starts to break and freeze. Especially if the home or RV was not built for it. Or the owner did not take steps to prevent it…

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Toojennifer]

I think that was us.  We were living in the trailer during house remodel.  
 

Tanks were fine but we do have tank heaters.  We had lost our tankless water heater when we were out of town and the contractors knocked the trailer plug out.  I think a faucet and the toilet valve thing.  That was round one.

Then during the really cold weather I went to my sisters and my husband stayed in the trailer with bunks pulled up, every possible type of heater going (we were trying to keep house from freezing as well), propane freezing up so water lines frozen etc. it finally thawed.  I’m not getting all that exact but my husband could sure fill you in on any damages.  It was rough though.