Frozen Texas Washes

[AnalyticWash]

Let us hear the horror stories...

 

[MEP001]

I won't know how bad mine is until it gets above freezing. I bought a kerosine heater but didn't know there wouldn't be power to run it while it's 5 degrees outside, nor be able to get there and drain the lines. I just hope I can get to it and shut off the water main before it thaws.

 

[mjwalsh]

I wonder how many of us have a portable generator that could help during a "badly timed" power outage ... to at least be able to emergency shut down - "blow out" in a way ... much less disastrous. It probably would not need too many watts rating just to accomplish "less damage done" shut down. It might be a a challenge to scramble on a moment's notice with possibly temporary wiring if the generator was not expertly installed with the specific facility???! Heat tape on a water meter & initial piping above ground could eat up some serious amps-wattage though. The locals that had REC instead of MDU were affected by the SPP Texas grid problem ... even though we are over 1K miles away.

 

[mjwalsh]

Anybody fair better with a portable generator that was previously expertly installed or "possibly improvised at the moment of danger"? In our area the blackouts occurred during sub zero -20° F over 1K from the Texas SPP Grid issue. MDU customers like me got lucky this time around. REC customers not so lucky. Actually ... I tend to be the first to say that luck should not be the driving force.

 

[Damoni88]

I'm in Lake Charles La and mine has yet to thaw out. Weep system is frozen tomorrow will be day 4. Very unusual weather for Southwest Louisiana.

 

[Rfreeman]

Analyticawash where are you at in TX?

I'm in ft worth and lost power to my washes and it's not pretty. Right now I have one equipment room fully frozen another one partially frozen and main water line leaking only bc its still frozen. Haven't made it to the last location due to bad roads.

 

[cantbreak80]

Good Lord!
I’m so sorry to see and hear of my fellow washers suffer so much damage and misery.
And, sorry to say you guys are just beginning to feel the pain.

Ive been involved in fixing frozen car washes and it ain’t pretty. One site had freeze related issues for well over 1 year. Another required replacement of absolutely everything...except the electrical service.

Best wishes...hang in there!

 

[Dan kamsickas]

I'm in Lake Charles La and mine has yet to thaw out. Weep system is frozen tomorrow will be day 4. Very unusual weather for Southwest Louisiana.

Dude. Between the hurricanes last year and now the death freeze I'm beginning to think it may be someone gunning for you.

 

[Damoni88]

Dude. Between the hurricanes last year and now the death freeze I'm beginning to think it may be someone gunning for you.

Seriously. Never ending. Stuff is slowly thawing but now the city has no water pressure.

 

[AnalyticWash]

Analyticawash where are you at in TX?

I'm in ft worth and lost power to my washes and it's not pretty. Right now I have one equipment room fully frozen another one partially frozen and main water line leaking only bc its still frozen. Haven't made it to the last location due to bad roads.

I am not from Texas but I know a few wash owners in Texas and have not heard anything great. The picture I posted was circulating on the web.

During the recent weather, one of our washes lost its trough heat and multiple self serve bays froze when the temp dropped to -12.

What is the standard freeze protection setup on washes in Texas? Is it just weep?




Ice is a vicious Bitch...

 

[traveler17]

Sorry to see you guys that are affected by this. I’m from central Florida and moved to SE NC. Had a nasty winter storm a few years back almost like this, equipment , pumps and everything else was jacked. One thing I learned and it has worked flawlessly is I put a patio heater in the center of the room and it keeps my equipment room above 40 if it gets below 20, and my room is big and uninsulated. Obviously make sure ya have some sort of ventilation.
Hope this passes sooner than later to all who are affected

 

[MEP001]

What is the standard freeze protection setup on washes in Texas? Is it just weep?

Mostly yes in central Texas. A lot of washes don't even have heat in the room, even then only minimal, usually electric. A lot of people lost electric, water, and gas, and the roads were undrivable. I thought I was well prepared, I blew out the lines and shut off power to the bays, but by the time they were forecasting the lows around 5 degrees and warning about rolling blackouts I had no way to get to the wash to do more.

 

[mjwalsh]

How about a dual fuel generator at your house that can also recharge 1 of 2 standby solar panel connectible lithium storage generators for the car wash minimal preventative protection. Since the power outages are intermittent ... an "auto emergency on" ability?

All of a sudden our "deep pockets of reserve" are not $$$ quite enough to be $$$ totally prepared? Oh Kamala ... Kamala ... Joey ... where are you when we need you in a timely way!!!

 

[CheetahExpress]

Our WW Profile shuts down automatically when temps go below 35. We've been down since Sunday. I haven't actually been to the site, since roads have been treacherous for driving, but I plan to go there today. My cleaning helper lives very close to the wash and took pics of broken pipes, hoses, fixtures, which I've sent to the distributor, who is 2 hours away from us. Power and water just came back to the area last night. Distributor said they can't fix anything until power and water is back so they can test the wash once everything's been fixed. Haven't heard back from them yet, so not sure when to expect them; and to add insult to injury, temps are supposed to be in the 20's tonight. Peat and Repeat.

 

[soapy]

I keep a few backup things if we ever had a power outage during our cold winter. A small generator to power fans on propane heaters. I also have a nice infra red propane heater that I can put on top of a 80lb tank that would keep a equipment room above freezing for a few days. I feel sorry for those in Texas because you would never think it could be this bad down there. Better keep more of those NG power plants running during winter. My daughter is in Houston and they can't even get enough water to the hospitals to operate on people unless it is a emergency.

 

[soonermajic]

I am not from Texas but I know a few wash owners in Texas and have not heard anything great. The picture I posted was circulating on the web.

During the recent weather, one of our washes lost its trough heat and multiple self serve bays froze when the temp dropped to -12.

What is the standard freeze protection setup on washes in Texas? Is it just weep?




Ice is a vicious Bitch...

I think it's just weep, shut doors & turn on little heaters. Man, this thing had me scared $hitless. We even put multiple heaters in there. Not sure if that's gonne help...

 

[Rfreeman]

Well I just got back from checking the 3 washes. My latest wash that I purchased in Aug of last year I figured I would "get around to adding a heater in the spring" well......didn't think this would happen. You know you have issues when you pull up to the wash and hear "gushing and splashing water" haha that's all I can do at this point is laugh. This wash the GC valve stem broke from the threads and popped off the block causing water to pour out the HP soap solenoid bank.

2nd location lost electricity so heater went down and a small 4" long piece of 1/2" copper pipe that goes to my sink froze up, broke and flooded the room, 6" of water. Once I opened the door the water was able to finally drain out enough so that I could shut the main off I just hope the cold weather tonight doesn't freeze up the main supply line. All the filters in R.O. system that were holding water froze solid and cracked right off.

3rd location was still frozen but noticed a 2" crack in the copper supply line to the Ryko. Luckily the line wasn't frozen so that I couldn't turn the valve shut and cut it off. Hoping it will thaw out and I can asses the damage. Other than that broken inline swivels, 90 degree swivels and fittings.

Should be fun

 

[Greg Pack]

Well Ralph it looks like you can charge for ice skating though....

 

[CheetahExpress]

Got a call from the City this morning advising they were turning off the water at our meter because water was coming "out of the corner of the wash". Looks like the main pipe from the city water to our wash burst overnight. Plumber can't make it until later today, so all the other repairs will be postponed until Monday. Don't want to pay overtime in addition to all the lost business and headaches caused by all this.

 

[Randy]

I really feel sorry for those car wash operators in Texas and the Southwest. There’s nothing worse than the unknown when you can’t get to your car wash due to bad weather etc. and when you do get there you have thousands of dollars in damages. A friend of mine up here had his car wash freeze up and it took him well over a year to get everything running the way it’s supposed to.