fchammer1 wrote: Do they actually make thermostats that register 40 degrees? The lowest setting on ours is 55.
Yes they do. They're called "Low temperature thermostats"
Ask your local HVAC tech to order you one.
It'll be difficult to find a Heat/Cool thermostat in a Low Temperature thermostat. It'll probably be "heat only"
But that's OK. You can have two thermostats wired to the same heating system. They don't even need to be at the same location.
Just switch your regular heat/cool thermostat to "OFF" and let the system rely on the low temp thermostat to keep the house above freezing. There will never be a need to switch off the low temp stat, because when you're home the room temperature will be kept well above the range where it will activate.
I'd locate the low temp stat where you definately didn't want it to freeze. Like where most of the plumbing is located.
With the present cost of fuel, you'll save the cost of the low temp stat in a few days.
There is no advantage in keeping an empty house more than 1 degree above freezing.
We leave during the winter with no heat on all the time. I now live in what used to be our weekend home. When I built it I plumbed it so I could drain the lines. Its no different than then, you just got to get all the liquid out of the lines or add antifreeze where you cant. My home is actually eaiser than my RV. I have my hot water heater drain plunbed back into my drain lines so I can drain it. All my pipes are elevated so they will drain backward so I dont have to blow any lines out.
mtnman
Here are my instructions:
WHEN LEAVING (WINTER)
A. Turn off hot water heater in breaker box in kitchen
B. Go to cabin back porch to power box and Turn off well pump
C. Go back outside to back of cabin and open both (2) drains in covered 4-inch white PVC pipe (Careful with one on left, its plastic)
D. Go back inside Lodge.
1. Open hot and cold water in kitchen, bathroom & shower
2. Close shower curtain
3. Flush toilet (hold handle down until tank is drained)
4. Put antifreeze in toilet bowl use plunger to push to back
5. Put antifreeze in sink drains kitchen & bathroom
E Go in closet to water heater and open drain on bottom of water heater, (red handle) turn counter-clockwise
Heating fuel is running close to 4 dollars a gallon now and by fall think it will be, my house uses close to 800 a year, so looking at about 3000 dollars if wintered in it, so you bet I am shutting it down and if something happens, hello alstate
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