I have some questions about how to winterize your place. We live way out, and are have a well. we have two baths, and kitchen. We can do back to back showers in bathroom, and still have water for other uses. In short, I never run out of water. I am somewhat careful and don't waste any, either.

To winterize, we generally leave here in Nov, and come back up in early May.

I've heard stories about water that's left in water heater, and accumulator. Some say drain it. Others say leave it alone. I wonder what happens to water that is left sitting there for long periods.

Generally, do you think draining water heater and accumulator, and flushing commodes down with water off would be one good way of winterizing?

However, would this require quite a bit of time to start getting water back in house, once you're ready to move back in?

I could leave water in accumulator and water heater. I set interior heat on 45degrees to keep it from freezing. This is what the closet everything is in gets to. Do you have any problems with it "going sour" on you?

 

Where are you located? It sounds like you're more concerned about the water going stale rather than freezing?

 

Tennessee. I'll take any advice anyone can give me on this whole topic.

 

I let my rental houses freeze in the winter when they are vacant. Damage sometimes occurs when water freezes in a pipe forming a plug and the ice freezes toward a closed faucet or fixture, splitting the pipe.

Here's what I do:
1. Turn off the water and open all the faucets and leave them open. Make sure to open shower diverter valves.
2. I leave the water in pressure tanks and water heaters.
3. I remove all the water I can from the toilets (tank & bowl). Try to get most of the water out of the trap.
4. Remove and drain sink P traps and re-install.

 

Glad to hear this. The water you leave in your accumulator and water heaters: seems like it won't be a problem several months downstream.

 

Dane, won't draining the traps allow nasty stinky gases into the home?

I've heard people who do RV'ing use a special anti-freeze for the purpose. Pour into sink and terlet drains to displace water...

I think if I left a pressure tank or water heater full, I would be feared it would freeze up... but if it didn't freeze up, I would certainly drain, flush, and refill before I used any of the water that had been sitting there... especially on a non-chlorinated supply from a private well. Who knows what will be growing in there? I might even consider a shock chlorination before consuming, but that is a lot of work.

 

The proper way to wimterize the plumbing in the home is to blow the water lines out with compressed air. Water heater and all.

Then add RV antifreeze to all traps.

Never leave the traps dry. Someone can die when they enter the home within minutes They can be overcome by the fumes and there is risk of explosion from methane.

Even though you leave the heat on power failures often occur. Even lightning striking nearby can blow the heaters electronics.

If I told you what I charged people to repair thier 7 burst pipes in the walls, and thier 5 elbows on the copper baseboard, one toilet that exploded, ( it really just cracked but thats what it looked like ), you would go out and rent a compressor and spend $5 bucks on antifreeze.

Plus I dont do sheet rock. I left the walls looking like swiss cheese.


My father used to tell me dont be, " Penny wise and a pound foolish"

Just my opinion

Mike NJ

 

Oh yes, I forgot to mention plugging the drain lines to prevent sewer gas from getting in the house.