[fg19537]

I want to build an attached carport to my house. I am from New England (Mass).

I've been told I can't pour a footing until Spring and I've been told I can do it now if alcohol is added to the cement.

Any informed opinions out there?

Thank you.

[Handyman2007]

Check with your local building inspector. I have seen concrete poured in temps as low as zero with no adverse affects.

[smearcase]

You just need to keep the concrete from freezing and if you can insulate the top with straw, insulating blankets made for that purpose, or other types of insulation. You shouldn't have a problem unless you will get temps. Below 10 degrees or so.
If you have temps. Much colder, you may have to tent it with tarps and add a heater. You can use an $ 8 therm. Which records hi-lo temps, and add insul. Or heat as nec.
Here is one guy's experience with the issue:
-Concrete Engineering general discussion - Frozen concrete footer, still building

[smearcase]

I should have added that the temp. protected cure should be for 7 days. The concrete still needs to be kept wet.

[21boat]

I pour footers all the time in the winter (32 years). It's a pain but it can be done. First check for restrictions on building code as handyman 2007 said. Here's how to do it. Buy some craft face insulation R19 by 24 wide. Now dig the footer and pour the same day and use this insulation to cover right after the pour paper side on footer to insul. OR insul the ditch overnight and pour the next day if possible. " caution your ground can't be frozen to the footer depth on the get go New England very cold" The other thing is keep and eye on the weather and also you HAVE to call the concrete batch plant and ask them what Temp do they shut down at. DON'T use that mix as you go concrete. Reason they can't run the hot water you are going to need and time pour takes to long. When you order concrete get it with 3% additive alcohol/ accelerator and hot water! Don't pour too stiff. Order it at about a 5 or 6 slump. Juicing up the concrete will weaken it up a little bit and the water on the truck is cold and defeats the purpose of hot water so order at 4,000 psi. This is a little more for Crete but it offsets the weakness from the added mixtures and from the wetter concrete. Pour fast and get the closet Ready mix batch plant not necessarily the cheapest the more it has more distance to travel gets colder in the trucks steel drum on time travel. Use rebar in footers. After its poured roll insulate paper side down. Nothing will hurt the footer unless it freezes. Now if it rains on it the R Vale will be shot. I try to cover the top with good mill plastic and 2x4 or lath across the ditch to protect it. When it time to lay block after the corner pins are set roll the insul back in and just expose the area toy are working in or enough masons can get it done in one day. Cover at night the ditch/block that was laid that day. Keep an eye on the excavator and keep the dirt away from the ditch the rain/ freezing rain doesn't run into the ditch ( I bought a backhoe for that reason) As long as the frost doesn't get under the footer you are fine. Water spots on the footer is fine as long as it doesn't freeze so block sticks. It's a lot of caring on but if you can get it out of the ground and backfill no worries. I would let the footer set for a couple of days before block work. And no structural weight for a week or so for footer to cure. I started this post and posted it and now read other post so I will add here.

DON'T put WATER on the footer. Its WINTER and the footer needs to dry and set. It will have a hard enough time given the time of year! If a heater is applied the wrong way you can CRACK the footer form the quick temp changes then you will expose the footer to a cold air mass to uncover to work again CRACKS might happen. The main objective is to keep the footer at ANY temp above freezing and don't let it expand and contract to quickly.

Smearcase, Its winter, concrete drys very slow when its cold and it needs to dry and cure not just sit there. The only time conc needs water is in direct sun and or VERY hot conditions . IE Poured walls, slabs,walks, formed footers and or on stone exposed! Formed caps, formed casons, pillars Rarely below grade trenched footers

fg19537 Who told you you can't add alcohol/accelerator? And If there is a restriction on it by code maybe it a slice of a 2%/ 3% or the PSI ratio to alcohol in combination Because of your Geo region I would think you could add something or all construction in your area would be very limited and OUCH!

I hope this helps you and Happy Holiday!