Copyright

Related Articles

Service Directory

Top Articles

Article Directory

Newsletter

  1. Winterizing Your House - Tips for Winterizing Plumbing
  2. >
  3. Plumbing Guide

View Plumbing Guide RSS feed

Winterizing Your House - Tips for Winterizing Plumbing

This article discusses the importance of winterizing your house and offers tips to help you winterize the plumbing.

If you plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time during the winter, you should winterize your house, especially the plumbing. Winterizing the plumbing in your house will prevent busted pipes, which can lead to water damage and huge plumbing expenses.

Here are a few winterizing tips to make the job easier:

  • The first step in winterizing your house is to turn off the water at the source. Ask the water company to turn off your water service or if you have no water service company, shut the main valve off yourself.
  • Drain all of your outdoor garden hoses, roll them up neatly, and store them somewhere indoors to prevent them form cracking in the cold temperatures.
  • Drain all outdoor taps and wrap them with some type of insulating material.
  • Open up all of your sink and shower/bath fixtures and let them run until all of the water has drained.

The steps shown above are the bare minimum requirements for winterizing your plumbing. To take it a step further, and make sure your plumbing is completely winterized follow the steps below:

  • If possible, drain your hot water heater by opening the valve. Be sure to turn off the power or gas first. (This is good to do once per year, whether you are winterizing your plumbing or not.)
  • Flush and empty all of the toilet bowls and toilet tanks.
  • Remove and drain the sink traps and clean out plugs from all of your sinks. Then, replace each one and fill with a small amount of RV antifreeze. (This works great for sink traps, but you should never put antifreeze in your dishwasher, drinking system, or washing machine.)

Related Articles

Hot Water Heaters - Buying a New Hot Water Heater

Are you looking for ways to make your home more energy efficient and save some money? Purchasing a new energy efficient hot water heater can be one option. When choosing a hot water heater, it's important not to skimp too much since it's essential to a home's plumbing system. Read this article for tips for buying a new water heater.

Kitchen Fixtures - More Than Just A Sink

Kitchens will always benefit from better-looking plumbing fixtures and now there are many options to consider when designing the kitchen of your dreams. This article will explore the types of sinks and faucets available.

An Open Letter to Mortgage Borrowers Waiting for a Bailout

This is an open letter addressed to all of the struggling mortgage borrowers (and their lenders) sitting on their haunches waiting for the government to come to their rescue.

Mortgage Bailout Bill Moves Forward Despite White House Veto Threat

U.S. Senate lawmakers have decided to press on with their unethical and irresponsible mortgage bailout bill despite a veto threat from the White House.

Where the Presidential Candidates Stand on a Mortgage Bailout

The housing crisis is a big issue for many voters. Not surprisingly, John McCain and Barack Obama offer vastly different plans to solve it. Let's see where they stand.

Fed Report Shows Americans Have Less Home Equity Than Ever Before

Falling prices are eroding the value of U.S. homes. According to a new Fed report, the equity that Americans have in their homes has dropped to the lowest level on record.

Survey Says Most Renters Won't Buy a Home

A survey commissioned by a national federation of state and local apartment associations shows that most renters will not be jumping into the U.S. housing market anytime soon. Has renting become the smart decision?

What the American People Think About a Mortgage Bailout

Some politicians are in favor of providing assistance to the millions of homeowners who are facing default as a result of poor decision-making and falling home prices. Others are dead set against it. Let's see where the American people stand.

What Will Happen to Your Money When Your Bank Fails

Small banks and big ones alike are on the verge of bankruptcy, due to all of the bad loans that have been approved over the past few years. Although people tend to assume that their money will be safe even if their banks fail, history has shown that this isn't always the case. Find out if your hard-earned cash is at risk.