Road Phantom
pa
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Joined: 10/25/2005
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Is it possible to shut off the heat in the house if all the water is drained from the house and the traps filled with RV antifreeze the same way we winterize our RV's? Here in Pa we get a hard freeze that can last a few weeks at a time. What am I not seeing? I would like to head out this coming winter without having to spend anything to heat an empty house. One month I paid $275. That could play a month in a campground. Thanks for your help.
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MichDoc
Michigan
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Joined: 01/02/2006
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I have heard that some people do that, but I would be afraid of damage to furniture, plaster and paint, carpeting, and the like, from condensation and mold as it warms up. If you do it, you probably want to leave some windows cracked a half an inch to allow moisture to escape, just as you do when you leave your RV in storage. You'll also have to remove all your canned or bottled foods from the pantry and cabinets, paint or other fluids from the garage or basement, cleaning fluids and liquid soaps, etc. I would be concerned about missing something and returning to a smelly mess. We leave our thermostat set at 50, but you might be able to go even a little bit lower to save more money. I'd make sure someone was checking regularly either way you go.
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tom_kat
way upstate new york/lake george area
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i set my house up so i could blow out all the lines with a air compresser and drain things, i could fill the lines if i wanted to.but would never leave it without heat just turn it down so its around 40 deg its better then not leaveing it on and running into problems when you return at least at 40 its above freezeing in most of the house.
1985 Class A Holiday Rambler Imperial 33 +1979 Class C Holiday Rambler Statesman 1000 = 24 ft
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GrandpaDick
Green Bay, Wisconsin
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I would not take the chance of not heating and having frozen ground outside the foundations pushing in basement walls or foundation walls that will cost you a lot more to fix than you will ever save by not heating the home.
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pawatt
Brainerd MN / Mission TX
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We live in a resort area with many weekend & summer homes & cabins.
1000's shut them down for the winter with no heat. They range from shacks to million dollar mansions. I have not heard of problems. I would not leave any windows open.
We personally turn off and drain the water and turn the heat as low as it will go.
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weathershak
Delaware
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Joined: 12/11/2006
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It can be done. Just make sure where you shut the water off is not in an area prone to freezing. (city hookup) If you have a well that is located under the house you may have a problem as heat from the house keeps thing warm. I know on our house we would have a problem. The well pump has a check valve to hold the water level up to the jet pump. That would freeze if we turned off the heat. You have to remember to drain the expansion tank and hot water heater also. Dont forget the washing machine and ice maker.I would still keep the heat set at 40.
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fchammer1
AR, FL, PA & points in between
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Do they actually make thermostats that register 40 degrees? The lowest setting on ours is 55.
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masman
Ohio
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My folks spent their winters in the RGV and shut down their house (northern Ohio) completely for 20 years without a problem. They had a modular home...no drywall or plaster and baseboard electric heat. They drained the water lines, hot water heater, washing machine, stools, etc, put antifreeze in the traps, shut off the heat and left. Never had a problem. No mold, no mildew, no ruined anything. Obviously, they did not leave freezable stuff like canned goods, pop, etc. behind. They empied the refrigerator and left the door stand open just like you do in your RV. Dad always said that not paying for heat paid for his winter lot rent and gas...of course gas was cheaper then but so was electricity.
Mark
33 Itasca - The Den of Antiquity
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lat471
Lebanon, PA
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We do it every year with my brothers lake house in upstate NY. Usually after our last fishing or hunting trip. Drain all the water and water heater antifreeze in the traps bedding in plastic tubs or expanding bags. Then in winter we go up and basically dry camp with a porta potty and take in our own water.
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Don in Niagara
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
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Does your house have a poured concrete or cement block basement? Basement floors and walls may crack if not heated to avoid thermal expansion and contraction.
Don
1990 Barth Regency 34'
Spartan/Cummins 8.3
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