During the holiday season last year, and every year for that matter, families everywhere begin singing songs that romanticize the winter season. Songs like “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” have many of us ready for the cold, snowy season, with visions of building snowmen and snow angels in our heads. We even had some of our portable restrooms for rent at ice skating rinks, where the winter spirit was truly alive.
Now, as we quickly approach the month of February, the romance of winter is starkly broken. The Midwest and East Coast are experiencing what weather professionals call the Polar Arctic Vortex. While this may sound like something out of a movie, it is no joking matter.
The National Weather Service describes a polar vortex as “a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles. It ALWAYS exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter. The term "vortex" refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. Many times during winter in the northern hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, sending cold air southward with the jet stream. This occurs fairly regularly during wintertime and is often associated with large outbreaks of Arctic air in the United States.”
Record low temperatures will be challenged by this polar arctic vortex over the next week, with some towns and cities in the Midwest reaching as low as -65 degrees! We will be shutting down our shipping for the week to keep our drivers safe and sound with just one of our portable restrooms for rent on its way to the Salvation Army in California. Below, we outline how you can protect yourself and your family during this polar vortex, along with additional precautions to take when preparing your portable restrooms for rent for the chilly weather.
PREPARING YOURSELF FOR THE POLAR ARCTIC
While the Polar Arctic is nothing new, it is certainly bringing some record breaking temperatures with it this year. In some areas that reach -20 and colder, frostbite seems almost instant as exposed skin can acquire it in as little as thirty minutes. Nature itself must take extra care. Animals that aren’t hibernating must stay near fresh water to keep warm.
With the many warnings that are being sent out by weather reports and news stations, it is important to take action now and prepare for the temperatures to come. Here are some tips from the National Weather Service that will ensure you, your family, and your home tough it out during the cold.
Remember the four Ps: Pets, Pipes, Plants and People.
Bring all pets inside and provide them with plenty of water and food.
Frozen pipes are one of the worst forms of damage that extreme cold weather can bring on. Make sure you insulate all pipes, especially those not located in warm areas of the house, and empty all outside faucets of water. If your pipes do freeze, turn on the water and defrost with a heating pad or space heater.
Cover your plants or bring them inside if possible. Plants will die in sub-zero weather.
Make sure you have all the necessary supplies you need to stay inside, like food, drinking water, flashlights and blankets in case of a power outage, and other items to keep you and your family warm, comfortable, and safe.
Going outside is not recommended, but if you must, dress accordingly. This means layers, one insulated jacket, a warm hat, face mask, at least two layers of pants, and waterproof boots.
PREPARE YOUR PORTABLE RESTROOM FOR RENT
As the Polar Arctic approaches, we want to ensure that all of our renters are prepared for this extreme weather. Fortunately, our portable restrooms for rent are built to survive the harshest of weather when four-season packages are installed. Despite their designed resilience, we recommend a few additional steps to protect your restroom trailer. Follow the steps below to ensure that your portable restroom for rent is ready for the storm to come.
Protect Your Water Supply
Wrap heat tape around a ¾” garden hose. Use duct tape to hold it in place, about every 12 inches.
Put foam tube insulation around the hose and heat tape. Leave the plugs and power lights uncovered.
Run duct tape down the insulation, leaving the connecting ends, plugs and power lights uncovered. If you cover them, you will not be able to connect the water or power. Leave test lights and power lights uncovered (for testing and to be sure the hose remains working).
Create A Box
Place two 1500-watt electric heaters under the unit. Be sure you have sufficient power!
Build a 2×2 or 2×4 wood frame to fit underneath each side of the unit. This is going to box the bottom of the outside of the unit.
Fill any gaps with insulation
Cut ½” plywood to fit frame for each side. Be sure to consider stairs when cutting your wood. Stairs should be out and in place before measuring.
Measure and cut out a 6”x6” square to cover the drain access. Attach this with hinges so you can access the drain when needed. This will protect drain valve from freezing.
Eliminate gaps and holes on the tongue side of the unit with R-13 (or greater) insulation.
Staple insulation inside the wood box
Cut a piece of insulation in half and lay it on the ground where the box will be placed. This eliminates gaps between the wood and the ground.
After Plywood is Attached
Fill any small gaps on the top and bottom of the box with insulation
Staple bubble wrap around the outside of the wood unit. This closes of gaps and keeps cold air out and heat in.
Use electrical tape to cover plug connections that will remain outside.
For Units Not Used in Winter
Eliminate the use of power and water until the unit is ready to be used again.
Drain water from all the lines.
Add non-toxic RV “Pink Water System” antifreeze
Unplug
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH PORTABLE RESTROOMS FOR RENT
As the cold week comes to an end, keep in mind that we are here to help if your portable restrooms for rent experience any types of difficulty. Contact us if you have issues with your brakes, plumbing, or other maintenance issues that may arise due to the frosty weather.
Despite the chilly weather, we know that our friends in the Midwest ar resilient and will survive the extreme weather to come. As the weather passes, we will be equipped and ready to send our winter portable restrooms for rent to those who may need them.
We have a long history of providing our portable restrooms for rent as facilities during events, disaster recovery, and for seasonal employees, as well as for those needing more long term solutions, like construction sites, logistics companies, and more.
This year, we look forward to servicing a large variety of businesses and organizations. We have seen portable restrooms for rent elevate event experiences at festivals, outdoor weddings, and black tie affairs, even during the winter season. When have seen them provide a little relief for those displaced by the many natural disasters we saw last year. They’ve provided a restroom solution for small businesses going through renovations.
We are proud to be a leading provider of portable restrooms for rent and are here to help. What are your restroom needs? Do you have temporary staff in your facilities that your brick and mortar bathroom can’t quite service effectively? Need a restroom solution after the polar arctic to get business back up and running? Contact us and let our team of experts find the perfect portable restrooms for rent for you!
We encourage you to take time to browse our large inventory of portable restrooms for rent. Ready to purchase? Send us a message or get a quote on the perfect trailers for your needs. Our team is here to help you and equipped to get you the tools you need for your business to succeed!
