will my pipes still freeze???

Question

Hi
I currently own a home and wich I do not live In recently it has gotten cold IF I was to shut off the heat and drain all water in the lines including hot water and shut the heater off will my pipes still freeze or is this just an insane idea???
My electric bill nears $100 a month and Im never there!!
so I hope you see my point

Answer 1

You wontr get all the water out of the pipes and if it is a fairly new house the pipes should be fairly well insulated. a way to get the water out of the pipes, As impractical as it seems, is to use low pressure or a vaccum. All homes water systems are pressure tested to pass code, if it is fairly new. To vaccum the system you need to open the highest point and the lowest point and apply suction, use a shop vac. that will get the most out of the system to leave very little in the pipes. to drain a water heater, shut the water off, and turn the electricity off immediately at the breaker and drain. dont forget to FILL the water heater before flipping the breaker back on as you may damage the heating element without water in the system.
Hope this helps and $100 a month on electric isnt really that much from where i live in South Florida.

adding antifreeze to the system takes a long time to get out of the system if it backs into your main water supply and is dangerous if ingested, would not recommend that.

Answer 2

Not an insane idea, but impractical. You can't drain all the water, and your pipes may still freeze and burst in those stretches of pipe where the water remains.

You can save money on your electric bill in several ways. First, lower the temperature to which your water heater heats. A temperature of 125 degrees is really all you need. Secondly, take showers and not tub baths. When you first step into the shower, wet yourself down, then shut off the water while you lather yourself up, then turn the shower back on to rinse off. Thirdly, install a blanket made especially for the water heater that will further insulate it and keep the water inside hotter longer. You can buy those special blankets at a plumbing supply house and many hardware stores. You'll need to take the dimensions - height and circumference - of your particular water heater with you in order to purchase the correct size, Fourth, if you live in an area of the country that receives a fair amount of sunshine, consider installing a rooftop solar water heater. There are areas in California and the Southwest where municipal codes mandate such installation in all new house construction.

Answer 3

well I think even if you shut off the water then it should´t freeze, unless there is still some water left in some off the pipes. If your central heating system is on a timer, that might be a better Idea just set it to come on for an hour or two at night, and the same in the morning like that your house will still be warm, but you will have less electric to pay. better than having a burst water pipe and having to decorate again.

Answer 4

Ok by the numbers lol.
1. Shut water off outside house.
2. Drain all water line in house then use compressed air to force any water that remains in lines out. Just like we do with campers in winter time.
3. Go to hardware store and buy some antifreeze for autos any kind will do. Pore antifreeze in toilets and sinks ect enough for each one to fill the traps. Then shut heat all the way off.
4. Just know that if you shut heat off for long period of time, I am talking months here. You could have problems with floors and walls inside house. Things like flooring coming up, or paneling on walls coming apart.
This would only be if it is left over long period of time say like a year or more.

Answer 5

With no water in the pipes there is nothing to burst your pipes so you should be all right, after shutting off your main I would leave all the other valves open to let any expansion of any water that may be left to come out, won't be much if any. Good luck

Answer 6

If there is moisture interior the line then confident your gas meter and or piping can actually freeze. Older gas lines by the northeastern US adventure this concern somewhat generally. The organic gas itself won't freeze nor will the piping that consists of it yet whilst there's a leak everywhere that moisture can get into the line then that moisture would be carried by the piping gadget, convey at the same time, and freeze in intense wintry climate climate.

Answer 7

Be sure to open the outside water valve so any water that is below the floor level will drain from the cold water lines, be sure you have a valve open in the house for a vent when drain the outside valve. Use an air line to blow any hot water line be sure to open a valve to blow the water to, your local plumbing store has an anti-freeze for your drains these cost you littel in $$ mostly just some time.

Answer 8

shut the water off turn off electric to the water heater and drain open all faucets get a wet and dry vac and hold it tightly over a open faucet and suck the pipes dry do the same with the drain then pour rec safe anti freeze in each drain including toilet

Answer 9

shut the water off where it enters the house.
Drain all pipes cold and hot.

Should be fine after that.. and when any residual water freezes it has place to expand and wont burst your pipes.

Answer 10

The pipes will freeze but, they will not burst because there's nothing in them. Drain everything and shut off the heat, save yourself some money!