Patrick45
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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Joined: 09/04/2006
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Last winter we were absent from home for 3 1/2 months. We left the thermostat at 58 with a monitor to notify us if temps dropped below 45? Luckily all went well but with the rising cost of heating oil, we are looking at shutting all down and draining the lines. We already have antifreeze in the basebord heating lines.
1. What experience/advice do you have on the subject?
2. If we leave the heat off -- what appliances etc. that do not have liquid in them do we need concern ourselves with? ie TV's, stereos, computers etc.?
We would hire a plumber to put in appropriate drains.
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Ron & Shirley
Lake of the Ozarks Missouri / Donna Texas Winter
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Joined: 12/13/2004
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If you ask to have this moved to Snowbirding you will get a lot of replies.
Shirley
Ron & Shirley
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Roadpilot
Lakes Region of New Hampshire
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I wouldn't worry about electronic devices, but make sure you've drained all the water and put antifreeze in the potties and traps. We have a lot of bottled water and foodstuffs that could freeze. In the shop I have a lot of paint that doens't like freezing temps. I keep the shop at 45-50 with a Modine.
2007 Newmar Essex 45'
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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I left my furnace on it's lowest setting.. However winterizing is the best. Just like a MH drain all the water blow the lines pink stuff in the traps and take off
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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gstanton
Oakland, MD and Tierra Verde, FL
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Don't forget to drain your icemaker?
Don't forget to drain your dishwasher?
Dusty & Lindsay
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Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
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My parents did this for years with their summer home. It looked like something out of Dr. Zhivago in the middle of winter. Surprisingly, their old tube-type television worked just fine in the spring when it thawed out. Drain, drain, drain.
Remove all bottles and cans.
What kind of money are we talking about to leave the heat off compared to holding it at 58 degrees. How about 50 degrees?
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
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traxtermax
UPSTATE NEW YORK
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Joined: 05/26/2004
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Something else to think about:
Plan as if the furnace will malfunction (fail) by minimizing the amount of cans and bottles you leave behind or at least contain them in a box lined with a plastic bag especially if the house would/could remain unheated for several days—I found that out the hard way before phone-type monitors were available. If you're confident that your monitor can catch the failure at 45* and the furnace can be fixed within 24 hours, then my suggestion isn't as “necessary”.
I have my monitor set at 45* and the thermostat at 50* (thermostat and monitor are within 4’ of each other and “calibrated”). The monitor will call the heating company first, me second, the same heating company again and then my neighbor. Make sure you call the repair persons to let them know about the message. I tested the monitor by having it send its message and immediately after, called the heating company. They were glad I called because it was the first time they got a call from a temperature monitor.
Somewhere I read that every degree you drop the temperature from 70*, oil consumption is reduced by 3%. I can tell you that, across the main part of the heating season, we use less than half as much oil at 50 as 70.
I have an air line and bypass hooked into our plumbing system so I blow lines before an extended absence.
If you have a fireplace, close the draft. Put a note on it so you don’t forget to open it before starting a fire—-did that too.
Spray the garage floor and garage door seal whree they contact with silicone so they don’t freeze when you attempt entry during sub- freezing weather. Some spray silicone products don’t work at all below 32*-- I had to call the manufacturer to find that out because I thought it was a defective batch. You can also close the garage door on a piece of plastic instead of using spray silicone.
These things work for us but your mileage and experiences may vary.
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tatest
Oklahoma
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I've had to replace some supply plumbing after leaving water lines empty in a cold house through the winter. The pipes don't really go dry (over a time scale of months) when drained, and freeze-thaw cycles loosened scale. Some of it could be flushed out, some couldn't.
Keeping the house warm doesn't always work, either. I had an ice storm take out the power while I was away, on a house that was empty and warm. One water line burst before I got back, and I have about a third of a house to tear apart and rebuild.
The strategy that has worked best for me, being away as much as a year at a time, has been to keep the house warm, hire someone to do a daily maintenance check, exercise plumbing regularly, and contract repairs as the need arises, before anything goes too far awry.
Tom Test
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NanciL
Bakersville, NC, USA
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We do it every winter, and we are in the high country of NC where our winter temperatures are colder than yours. (We used to live in Plymouth)
I don't leave any heat on
I drain the water from all the pipes and the water heater, (make sure you shut the breaker off if it is electrical).
Leave antifreeze in the toilets and all sink traps to keep sewer gas from coming into the house.
Also after you drain the toilet tanks either sponge out the rest of the water or if you are lazy like I am dump a cup of antifreeze in.
Don't worry about any of your electronic stuff, but when you come back in the spring and turn on your heat, just wait about a day for the heat to evaporate the initial condensation that will form from the heat before you turn them on.
You have to remove all freezable liquids, such as canned goods, bottled freezable liquids and latex paints.
Remove all your plants.
Just keep in mind that if it is minus zero outside, it will be minus zero inside after several days of the same temps.
On your plumbing it is imperative that you have your drains at the low points and there are no sags in the lines, and then leave your faucets and your drains open. If you don't leave the faucets open, air will keep the lines from completely draining and you will be subjected to broken pipes unless you have "Quest" polybutelene or equal which can freeze solid and not break.
We never have worried about our dishwasher or washing machine, and have found that the water in the pumps, sump and rubber piping can freeze solid and then thaw out without doing any harm.
Jack L
Jack & Nanci
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Admin
Channel Islands Harbor, Ca.
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Joined: 06/20/2000
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Moved to Snowbirds for more responses.
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