First-World Problems...

For those of you in warmer climes, that is a steam pipe. The one on the bottom is a main, and the pipe going off to the right feeds one of the radiators. You can see that it is insulated along its length, but the problem is that the insulation comes only in generic shapes for the joints and junctions, and as anyone who has seen the steam systems in older houses, nothing is generic. The angles are weird and the lengths aren't standard, so it is almost impossible to insulate the entire system. I have about 90% of it well insulated, even the return lines (they are still very hot!), but that 10% warms the basement very, very well.

Too well. It is toasty warm at my work bench...shorts weather in January!

If that were the only issue it would be tolerable, but I am also a cheap bastard, and the idea of over-warming part of the houses gives me a rash!

Luckily this may be coming!

If You Thought December's Arctic Blast Was Bad, Something Much Worse Could Be Barreling Toward America

Yeah...I'm not holding my breath. They can't forecast much past 72 hours around here, so at this point the prospect of a REAL winter, not the pathetic facsimile we have had so far is just a tease.

posted by CBD at 02:00 PM

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