We’re planning an extended road trip in January ‘22 that will keep away for several weeks. I always turn off the water main from our well-water system when we travel but now I’m thinking I should also drain the water from the pipes in case of a power outage/freeze (we’re in the mid-Atlantic region). Is there any reason this is not a good idea?
Freeze Prep?
- Thread starter jimmyjohn
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No, that's a great idea, we have a house with hot and cold draw offs under each bath or riser,and we use a compressor at each set of draw offs
Maybe even a little rv anti freeze the safe kind in the toilets, bowl and tank. In case power goes down and the temp in the house drops below freezing.
Oh yeh we did that in anything that had a trap
That's a good idea, we have 2 places in N Minnesota that we winterize, even though we leave the heat on low. I blow out the water lines with an air compressor, but I never go above 60 psi, you need to have a regulator. After the pressure tank and water heater are empty of water they will provide a good blast of air to blow the lines out clear. Be sure you shut off the power or gas to the water heater before blowing the water out of it. I remove the aerators and shower heads so they don't plug with scale, and leave them off until the water runs clean in the spring. I flush the toilets with a bucket of water quickly, that lowers the water level in the trap to minimum so you don't need so much RV anti-freeze. I think I can do the whole house with 2 gallons. I never put anti-freeze in any water lines, if you blow them out with a good surge from the pressure tank I don't feel it's necessary, unless you have drop legs, and you can drain them. Don't forget the clothes and dishwasher!
arctic bill
Well-Known Member
I go to Florida every year for a month. I live in Montreal Canada where temp can get to -20f . This is what i do
1) turn off main shut off valve and drain all water piping and tanks .
2) EMPTY and then fill with plumbers anti freeze all p-traps. sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, dishwashers, laundry machines etc.
3) Turn the heating down to 45 degrees f
I also have some one come in to check the place every three days for insurance protection.
1) turn off main shut off valve and drain all water piping and tanks .
2) EMPTY and then fill with plumbers anti freeze all p-traps. sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, dishwashers, laundry machines etc.
3) Turn the heating down to 45 degrees f
I also have some one come in to check the place every three days for insurance protection.
Thanks, arctic bill. Can you tell me how you go about emptying all those p-traps and the washing machines?
The pressure tank should completely drain as soon as you start putting air in the system, and the water heater you need to put a hose on the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. It's recommended that you flush/drain a water heater occasionally anyhow. The air going down the dip tube will agitate any silt and make it flush out much better than just draining the tank. I don't try to empty P-traps, i just put some ant-freeze in, the toilet I flush with a bucket, that gets most of the water out of the trap, then it doesn't take so much anti-freeze.
arctic bill
Well-Known Member
how to empty p-traps.
1) if you have a good shop vac you can suck out the water out of most p-taps
2) in case of toilet you can remove water with a sponge, do not for get the tank
3) in case of appliances like dishwasher or clothes washer turn off the water and run cycle and then add plumber anti freeze before spin cycle . then add a little move when the machine stops
4) some p-traps have a plug on the bottom that can be removed to empty them.
5) in some difficult cases just pour lots of antifreeze down the drain
RV antifreeze
Empty water heater, and drain pressure tank until no more water comes out. You should blow the water lines out with an
air compressor. There will be dips in your water lines that will hold water if you don't. Pour the antifreeze in all drains with
p-traps, including floor drains. Pour some in your dishwasher. Empty your toilet bowls and tanks with a shop vac and then
pour the antifreeze in both.. Also do like RS suggested and take off the shower heads. If your electric goes out for a while
and its freezing cold you will have nothing to worry about if you winterize it properly. PS. Don't forget about the ice maker.
air compressor. There will be dips in your water lines that will hold water if you don't. Pour the antifreeze in all drains with
p-traps, including floor drains. Pour some in your dishwasher. Empty your toilet bowls and tanks with a shop vac and then
pour the antifreeze in both.. Also do like RS suggested and take off the shower heads. If your electric goes out for a while
and its freezing cold you will have nothing to worry about if you winterize it properly. PS. Don't forget about the ice maker.
Tom, please excuse my ignorance but where/how do you attach the compressor?
You can really attach the air compressor anyplace on the hard and cold water side of your system, at home there is a faucet near the pressure tank, at the cabin I connect to the outside sillcock, but it has to be one without the anti-siphon feature. Once the system is mostly blown out the pressure tank and water heater will supply a good surge of air to clean the lines out completely. Just don't go above 60 psi.
Also, do you have a water meter??
No water meter; it's a well-water system.
FishScreener
Well-Known Member
The guys winterize a couple of dozen buildings every fall. Most of what you listed is right on the target.
We have installed tees and pressure gauges just before the inlet of the water heater, which have a ball valve, and air fitting. We turn off the water heater, and tag it out with a tag saying “refill and run water from the hot water tap in the furthest tap, before turning on water heater., and then hook the air compressor to the air chuck, and set the regulactor to about five psi lower than what the gauge was reading.
We hook a hose to the drain on the water heater, and blow out the air compressor, and the water heater becomes a secondary air chamber for the compressor. The extra volume of air lets you do a better job of blowing out the system. Let the compressor run until it recharges and shuts off.
And, then open and drain the hot water to the furthest run from the water heater, and then blow out the cold. Work your way back to the water heater, stopping if he compressor restarts to let it recharge. Then go back to the first one you did and redo them all. Yes it takes longer, but is nothing compared to the time required to redo split pipes. Particularly if they are buried in the wall. Be sure to run the washing machine and dishwasher, etc. Some of the newer ones are a real pain because they sense there is no water in teh line and don’t wan to open the valve. We made a reservoir out of some 6-inch PVC which holds a gallon of RV antifreeze, and hook it inline with the washer inlets. This flushes the antifreeze through the entire washer, including the drain pump.
Once we finish the water lines, we use the compressor to blow out the traps, using a wet rag to seal around the air gun nozzle, and then pour about a quart of RV antifreeze into them. When you do toilets pour the RV antifreeze into the over flow. That gets it into and flushes out the internal passages.
It has been about ten years since we had problems opening in the spring.
