drain vacation home

I would like to learn to winterize my summer home. Are there any books that tell how to do this? I have a general idea, but I don't want to miss something important.

Where is it, how cold does it get, for how long, is it on city water, well, septic, public sewer?

Don't know of any books on the subject... though I'll bet some of the pros on the site might... or at the very least can give you pointers based on your answers to the above.

First, turn off power and the water supply to the water heater, and drain it. To do this, attach a hose to the drain valve on the tank, open all of the hot water faucets in the house. Actually, only one has to be opened to drain the tank, but all faucets should be left open. To drain the cold water lines, turn off the main supply line, open all faucets. Since there may be low points in the line that will not drain by gravity, compressed air should be applied to the lines, both hot and cold. Drain the toilet(s) and plunge as much water from the bowl as possible. Pour RV anti freeze in the toilets and all other drains so the traps all are protected. This includes showers, tubs, sinks and basins, and any floor drains. Be sure if you have outside hose bibs that they are open and that no hoses are connected to them. This should take care of the plumbing during the winter.

drain vacation home 2

The house is in Massachusetts, on the Cape. It has town water and septic system. It gets cold enough, long enough to freeze anytime between Nov. and March.

What about the washing machine drain, Gary? Do I put antifreeze in it?

Thanks for the information.

Every drain is supposed to be trapped, so yes. Let me emphasize RV anti freeze, not automobile. A couple of cups each (more for toilets) should do it.

Gary gives some very good advice.

If this is a house that has never been drained, the first year will be a learning experience for future years.

We have a home where the plumbing has been installed allowing for gravity to drain all the lines, which makes life easy. Was not always that way. Still have to use compressed air on some water treatment equipment

Since you are on city water, be sure you have a way to sufficiently drain that line. You may also want to make a hose adapter with a quick connect air fitting. It makes it easy to hook up an air compressor to a hose bib.

Since the antifreeze seems to evaporate rather quickly, especially in the toilet, I pump out the toilet and traps stuffing them tight with rags. A marine hand pump (the vacuum type) makes it quick and easy.

Paul

i lived on the cape for years

old timers us to put sawdust in the toilets , it can compress

winterize house

I winterized 250 vacant homes last winter... oh what fun it was

you need an air compressor and a hose with

a hand trigger. and buy a few gallons of rv antifreeze 3+

ITS CHEAP< CHEAP< CHEAP about 2 bucks a gallon
Its MUCH cheaper than the plumbing repairs
BE GENEROUS with the RV antifreeze


you loosen the water meter first and then drain down all the
water lines to the meter or well....

open all the faucets

drain down the water heater ---turn off gas or power

flush the toilets..

take the areators off all the faucets and blow them out
with 140psi air with some sort of hose attachment
that you can stick up into the faucets

blow the lines back down at all places available...


then

pour rv antifreeze in both toilets and tanks

pour it in all the traps....

dont forget the dishwasher...pour enough in the DW
to see it floating in the bottom of the unit


BE GENEROUS everywhere with the RV antifreeze

loosen the water line to the dishwasher too

open up the hose bibs and blow them out too


blow out the water conditioner if you have one


thats about as good as you can do