Frozen Pipes

Wayne and I returned to the cabin after the first snowy day of the season. On Thursday, we went up the lake just to check things out. We returned on Friday to settle back in after three weeks away. Yes, I know it's winter (at least as of today), but we aren't used to long cold spells below zero degrees here in Powell River. In addition to the snow sticking on the ground all week, my kitchen water pump was a casualty.

The hand pump draws water up from the lake. It's a simple luxury of our float cabin life. I'm not sure what happened, but my guess is that water froze in the pipe below the pump. We left it alone for a day while the Kozi wood stove warmed the cabin. A bucket of lake water took care of our immediate needs. In early evening, we heard a sound like ice sliding down the pipe. On the second day, we poured some warm water into the pump and let it sit. After about 15 minutes we gave it a prime and up came lake water. It takes a while for the water to run clear after a long break. The pipe is PVC, but the water still discolours over time.

The pump is back working, but it won't hold its prime. The seal is either stiff from the cold, or it needs replacing. We keep a cup of water handy for now. When the tempuratures rise we'll know what needs to be done. Have you had any problems due to the unseasonably cold weather? Let us hear your stories. -- Margy