Replies

1. 
   gdavis62 | Sep 30, 2004 03:44pm | #1

   Your water lines need to be drained completely.  If the system wasn't set up for this, with shutoffs placed properly, sloped pipes, drain valves, etc., you can ruin your plumbing with the deep freeze.

2. 
   DavidThomas | Sep 30, 2004 04:36pm | #2

   I've done a number of times in rental ski cabins.  Which always come with a detailed list that has been fine-tuned by years of screw-ups.

   Ideally, the potable lines went in sloped with drain valves at all the low points.  But, lets be real - that didn't happen.

   DWV - the bulk of the water drains automatically.  But ever fixture and toilet has a P-trap.  You can slurp them dry with a shop-vac if you neck it down to fat-soda straw size.  Or add a cup of anti-freeze to each one and, I forgot, about 1 quart to a toilet.  The stuff is pink and sold in auto-parts stores for RVs.  This may or may not be allowed by your sewer district.  (But they could never track it down).  If on a septic, since you're doing it once a year - no biggie.

   Gotta shut-off and flush the toilets empty first.  The 1/2" in the bottom is usually okay, but I'd shop-vac it.

   Potable piping - here's the tricky part:  those pipes are long, skinny, and got snaked all around framing and ductwork.  Opening the fixtures and draining at the bottom gets out most of it but can leave enough in a low spot to freeze and split pipes. 

   I use a shop vac to clear potable lines a lot when sweating fixtures.  (Yeah, Wonder bread works for stopping the dribble, but it seems cheesy.)  I connect at in the basement or service entrance (you may need to install a new hose bib at the low spot.  But don't use a hose bib.  Use a tee to a full-bore, 3/4" ball valve so you can get max flow (of air and of water) through it.

   Start the shop vac.  I open all fixtures for a few minutes.  Then close them and open each one individually (max suck through that 1/2" tap).   Then open all the ones to each area - e.g. leave everything in a bathroom open - to get the most air through the 3/4" branch to that room.

   Drain the water heater. Turn it off first!!!!.  Likewise the water softener, under-sink filter, instant-hot, shop-vac the dishwasher supply line, water line to ice-maker or cold-water tap in fridge, etc.

   Baseboard hydronic heaters?  what a pain.  The little vent valves on them are to get rid of air.  Not to drain water.  Treat like potable piping but there are so many ups and downs in a loop, that I'd leave the shop vac sucking for 30 minutes on a loop.  You may have to cut in a air-vent valve to be able to suck enough air through.  Zone valves have to manually opened, expansion tank probably unscrewed if mounted with the piping on the top, blah, blah, blah.  You need a pretty good understand of the FHW system and which zone is which to know that drained and then sucked on every line.

   That ought to do it.  You'll leave a little residue in some lines, but unless a section is filled with water, it can freeze safely.

   Especially with the first move-in:  Listen really carefully for leaks when you re-pressurize.

   Good luck

   David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
3. 
   TrimButcher | Sep 30, 2004 05:13pm | #3

   Pay attention to David Thomas's post.

   Beyond what he said, I'd add (assuming that your supply is copper):

   1) Since your supply plumbing likely wasn't set up for a thorough complete drain, you should consider adding some drain valves. Particularly at the supply entrance to the house. I'd get the supply shut off at the street, otherwise it could burst inside the house before the main shutoff.

   2) David said it, I think, but I'll re-emphasize: leave all the taps/drain valves open after draining.

   3) Don't be stingy with the RV anti-freeze. It's non-toxic. Rather than vacuuming out the toilet, we flush most of the water from the toilet, add anti-freeze to the tank and bowl, and then perform a partial flush to get anti-freeze into the trap.

   Regards,

   Tim Ruttan

4. 
   4Lorn1 | Oct 18, 2004 10:47am | #4

   Don't forget to turn off, at the stop for gas and at the breaker for electric, any water heaters.

   You can tape and tag the breaker but if you do this a few times it will pay to go to your electrical supply house and get a lockout device for your breaker. You will need to know the brand. This makes accidentally turning on the breaker less likely.

   Draining would also be advisable as the enamel linings can be damaged by ice.

   To get the water into them tilt up the lever on the T&P valve as you turn on the water. Keep the valve open water until it comes out of the T&P discharge. Only then should you think about turning on the gas or power to the unit.

   Failure to fill the tank before restoring power will melt the element on a electric water heater in something like three seconds. I have less experience with gas units but I have heard they too can be damaged by not being full when turned on.

   Be careful and if there is any doubt about how to do this call the manufacturers and/or read the manual. Most better manufacturers have technical support staff that are quite good. Most of these calls are 1-800 numbers so you have little to lose.