How to keep pipes from freezing in old house?

Question

So I recently moved and my old house is going to be empty for the winter and it is way to expensive to heat the house through the cold months. How do I keep the pipes from freezing and bursting?

Answer 1

You will have to drain the water out of all the pipes in the house. Shut off the water at the service entrance where the meter is and open a hot and cold water tap in the basement. Then open all the upstairs taps. This will allow air into the system and the water will drain. You may have a problem if the line from the meter rises to the basement ceiling because water will be trapped in the vertical section. You may want to build an enclosure around the water meter and put a 40 watt light bulb inside. That will provide enough heat to keep it from freezing. Also don't forget the water standing in the toilet, bath and sink traps. Get some RV antifreeze and fill all the traps.

Answer 2

As an option, you could keep heat at 40 degrees. If the pipes get below 32, they wil freeze.

If your house will be empty, you need to drain the water from your pipes.

You could insulate the pipes. Insulation will only help to some point.

You could hire an electrician to wrap heating wires around pipes that have water in them.

Be very careful. Otherwise, your pipes will be damaged and leaking when you come back.

Answer 3

If there is not a drain for the pipes, have one installed. Shut off the water outside, drain the pipes and all tanks, even the toilet tanks and bowls. Put anti-freeze in the toilet bowls and down every drain. That serves two purposes. It will help prevent freezing of any residual water in the traps by forcing it out or mixing with it and it will also prevent the traps from drying out and allowing gases from the sewer to back up into the building.

Answer 4

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if you drained your pipes there's nothing inside to freeze. Also, I don't know how you'd get antifreeze or anything else to circulate through your supply pipes anyway. As for drain traps and toilets, I've heard that RV anti-freeze is the stuff to use because it is not regarded as toxic. It is different stuff than standard automotive antifreeze.

Answer 5

Is there a way to gain access to them? perhaps you could see about wrapping insulation of some kind around the major parts. If not, find someone you trust, and that will take the time, and every so often maybe just run the water in your house every so often or something...
May be a corny idea(s)....but that's just off the top of my head.

Answer 6

If it is going to be empty for awhile the best way is to shut the water off to the house and drain all of the water out of them.

Answer 7

Usually people leave the water dripping because moving water is less likely to freeze.

Answer 8

Turn off your main shut-off valve and water heater.
Drain irrigation systems, water heater, and all interior water lines (make sure faucets are open).
Flush toilet to completely drain tanks, but leave water in bowls.
insulate your pipes

Answer 9

shut the water off,unhook the faucets ,drain the toilet,and add the pink anti freeze to any water ya can't get out.....the traps and whatnot of your drains.....also pour it back down the lines you've unhooked after turning off the water

Answer 10

if you can't keep the heat in house@least35degrees,use heat tape ,wrap as many as you can,strech it out,tape w/duct tape if you have to,or drain all pipes ,including hot water heater,leave fascet open,in &out