..... you will be subjected to broken pipes unless you have "Quest" polybutelene or equal which can freeze solid and not break.
Jack L
Is this true for multiple cycles of freeze/thaw OR just a one shot? The reason I ask is unless the material shrinks back to its normal size after a freeze/thaw cycle, it will just keep getting bigger and bigger and something would have to give eventually.
We have left our house at 48 for about the last nine years, with the water turned off both inside and at the street, but since it cost us $500 last year NOT to be here, this winter I think we're going to have a plumber blow out the lines, etc...and just turn the whole system off. We did add the "pink stuff" a couple of times, but not always.
It completely slipped my mind about canned goods and liquids - after years of winterizing a rig (before snowbirding,) you would think I would have remembered that. Thanks for the reminder.
If so many people do this it can't impact your homeowner's policy, can it? Reasonable precautions and all that?
Pat
May the road rise with you, the wind be always at your back.
We leave the heat turned on at about 50 degrees. We shut the water off, drain & blow out the water lines, anti freeze the traps and the commode, put the various types of drain plugs in to assist in not having any evaporation (and to keep any bugs from getting into them)close the lid on commodes, drain the water heater and shut off the pilot light, put the water softner on bypass, keep a large thermometer where it can be seen without entering the house and have someone check the place during the very cold conditions to ensure everything is working. Many folks keep their eye on the place and we always have mail stopped and sheriff and local police notified. Been doing it for 20 or more years. So far no major problems.
We tried the 55deg heat and my duughter checking the house often. A pipe broke under the sink even with low pressure to the plumbing.
The next year the only outlets hot were the security lights and the pipes were blown out with my compressor.
Some pink stuff in the drains and bowls along with the hot water tank drained and all was well when we returned.
Saved on garbage pickup, water and sewer and over $1200 on electric heat.
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