Steps
- 1 Shut off both water spigots.
- 2 Turn the timer knob to "fill" and select warm wash, warm rinse.
- 3 Turn the machine on for ten seconds. This will run the water out of the inlet valve.
- 4 Disconnect the hoses from the washer inlets.
- 5 Pour a quart of pink RV antifreeze into the basket. ...
- 6 Set the washer for "drain and spin". ...
How do you winterize a vacant house?
To winterize a vacant home, make sure the water is turned off at the main supply point so it doesn't freeze and burst the pipes. You should also drain the toilets, water heater, and expansion tank, using an air compressor to blow excess water out of the lines.
How do you winterize an outdoor faucet?
In order to winterize your outdoor faucet, you need to know if your home has an interior shut-off valve. Usually, the valve is located on the interior wall of the house, directly behind the outside faucet. It will have either a gate valve (wheel-shaped handle) or a ball valve (lever-shaped handle).
How do you insulate a sprinkler system?
Insulate all exposed outdoor water pipes with pipe insulation. Turn off the outdoor water supply using the main shut-off valve, then partially open each faucet and leave it open. If you have a multi-zone sprinkler system, you have to follow a particular sequence to drain it.
How do you drain a cabin water system?
Ideally, says Hill, the cabin water system should connect to a faucet or valve at its lowest point so you can drain all the water from a single place. This is most often an exterior spigot mounted on the side of the building, but it could also be the drain valve situated in the crawl space or basement (if there is one).
Why do sinks need to be winterized?
Can you winterize a portable toilet?
How to winterize a faucet?
You don’t want the water lines to freeze over, and damage your faucet, so it’s important to winterize it as soon as possible. First, turn off the water valves. These are most often located under the sink. Then, add some soft insulation to the pipes to reduce the risk of freezing and breaking over the winter.
How do you winterize an outdoor kitchen?
Now that you’ve enjoyed several warm months of barbecue and outdoor activities with friends and family, it’s time to prepare your outdoor kitchen for winter. If you want your outdoor kitchen to last for years to come, you must winterize it every year.
How to keep pipes from freezing in winter?
Tip: Pour some antifreeze down the drain to keep the pipes from freezing during the winter months.
Can you use an ice maker outside?
Ice makers are useful outdoors since you don’t have easy access to an ice machine. But, you probably have an ice machine inside; if so, store this away with your outdoor furniture and break it out again next year.
Do you need to drain your sprinklers before winter?
If you turn off your sprinklers a few weeks before cold weather hits, you might not even need to drain them, because all of the water may evaporate. But to be safe, it’s a good idea to drain your sprinkler system. Check out the video below to learn more.
How to keep hoses from freezing in winter?
Before freezing temperatures set in, take a couple of minutes to disconnect and drain all your hoses. Doing so will keep any excess water from freezing inside the hoses over the winter. This will also allow any frost‐free outdoor hose bibbs to drain so they can do what they are intended to. You can also cover the faucet with a freeze cap.
What can cause a pipe to freeze?
If you have cracks in windows and doors , cold winter winds can easily blow through and lower temperatures even indoors, causing pipes to freeze or burst. All you'll need for this project is a tube of caulk and a caulking gun. Make sure you do this job carefully as you don't want to seal any air vents or electrical outlets that appliances need to function properly.
Can you wrap pipes in heat tape?
If you have pipes that are exposed on the outside of your home , in a crawl space or a garage, they're going to be susceptible to temperatures much colder than pipes that are fully enclosed. Before winter comes, take some time and thoroughly wrap all your exposed pipes in heat tape or foam tubes. These materials should be readily available at any hardware store and are not cost prohibitive.
Can you leave pipes open in cold weather?
If you simply leave these spaces open, you most likely won't have to worry about these pipes freezing.
Can pipes freeze?
During the coldest of cold snaps, pipes even inside your home can freeze. If your pipes are old or temperatures get down into the single digits or below zero, leave a small constant flow of water dripping from your faucets. When water is moving through pipes at a steady flow, they are much less likely to freeze.
How to stop water from dripping out of a house?
Shut off the water supply, open the drain valve, then open the highest-elevation faucet in the building to break the vacuum in the pipes and allow water to drain completely . When water stops flowing from the drain valve, close it almost all the way, leaving it open just enough to allow any remaining water to drip out.
Where should cabin water be drained?
Ideally, says Hill, the cabin water system should connect to a faucet or valve at its lowest point so you can drain all the water from a single place. This is most often an exterior spigot mounted on the side of the building, but it could also be the drain valve situated in the crawl space or basement (if there is one).
How to remove water from washing machine?
To remove residual water from the washing machine, disconnect both the hot and cold water supply hoses and run the appliance through a drain cycle. Pour about a cup of antifreeze into the bottom of the basket to prevent any remaining water from freezing.
Can you drain water from a P trap?
When you leave, drain as much water from the plumbing system as possible, though you may not be able to drain all of it from toilets and P-traps. To prevent freezing, you’ll need RV/marine antifreeze, which is safe for residential water systems. You’ll also need pipe insulation for outdoor pipes that can’t be protected any other way.
Do you need to wrap insulation around pipes?
If you do this, he says, you won’t need to wrap insulation around the pipes.
Can you replace a conventional exterior faucet?
If you’re using a conventional exterior faucet for this purpose, consider replacing it with a freeze-resistant one to reduce the chances of the faucet itself freezing and bursting .
Can you insulate water pipes?
It’s a big project to reroute existing plumbing pipes against interior walls. However, you can and should insulate your water pipes (if they’re not already), and you may need to break into walls to do this properly.
How to get more heat from a sink?
Introduce more heat by opening the cabinet doors below your sinks. This small act lets more heat get to the pipes within.
How to stop a frozen faucet from bursting?
On extra cold nights, turn on faucets along exterior walls and let them drip through the cold. Keeping dripping faucets eliminates pressure that can build between the faucet and any potential ice blockage. So even if the pipe freezes, it might not burst.
How to protect pipes from freezing?
Pipes in places like the attic, crawl space, or garage are more likely to freeze—especially when temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Using heat cables and insulation together will help protect your pipes. Insulation tools can be found in your local hardware or plumbing supply store.
Can a frozen pipe burst?
Contrary to popular belief, pipes don't burst at the point where water freezes, but somewhere between the freeze and a closed faucet, such as the kitchen faucet or washing machine. When the pressure builds due to ice blockage, it has nowhere to go but through the pipe walls, leading to extensive water damage. Winterize your home plumbing, stop frozen pipes before they happen and prevent expensive water damage by properly insulating the plumbing pipes in your home.
Can insulation keep pipes warm?
But keep in mind: Just using insulation alone won’t be enough to keep your pipes warm, and it can even prevent heat from getting to the pipes. So it’s important to use insulation and heat cables as your pipe protection dream team.
How to shut off water to a spigot?
To shut off water to the spigot, turn the gate shut-off valve clockwise until it stops. If the gate valve is difficult to turn by hand, apply a lubricating spray (like WD-40) and turn it with an adjustable wrench.
How to stop cold air from entering spigot?
After all the water has finally drained from the outdoor faucet, shut it off by turning the handle clockwise. This will prevent cold air from entering the spigot and the water pipes inside your home.
How to drain a hose that has no water?
If you have neither, extend the hose to its entire length. Raise one end to waist level and, putting one hand in front of the other, walk the length of the hose. This will drain it of any trapped water. You may need to repeat this a few times.
What is the best way to loosen a spigot handle?
Lubrication might come in handy to loosen a spigot handle that won’t budge.
How to get water out of a bleed cap?
Using the adjustable wrench, slightly turn the bleed cap counterclockwise. Leave it open for a few seconds only (you want to close the cap immediately when this step is done) to allow air into the pipes. This will help force out any trapped water. Use the rag to catch drops of water that may drain from the bleeder.
What to do before a cold weather flood?
Before cold weather strikes, your pipes, faucets, and fixtures need to be protected. Otherwise, you could be in for a frustrating and enormously expensive flood.
Where is the water shut off valve on a spigot?
The water shut-off valve to the outdoor spigot can sometimes be accessed by a wall panel (in this case on the inside wall behind the location of the spigot).
What to do when water freezes?
Remove items that could freeze. In areas subject to freezing, remove all bottled liquids, such as mineral water, soda, beer and paint, because their containers may burst when their contents freeze. Empty water from jars, vases and even decorative indoor mini-fountains. ...
How to stop a furnace from freezing?
If the furnace should fail on a very cold day, water in a pipe could freeze and burst the pipe.
How to get rid of water in drain traps?
Get an air compressor to blow the lines of excess water. Eliminate or dilute the water in drain traps by pouring an "RV" type antifreeze solution into them, as directed by the instructions.
Why is it important to winterize your home?
When you're leaving your house during winter for an extended period, closing up a summer vacation home,or cleaning a foreclosure, it's important to winterize your property to prevent it from deteriorating while you're away.
How to keep your house from freezing?
Turn down the thermostat. Set your thermostat to a level adequate to keep the inside temperature above freezing and to keep things dry. If the home is located in a warm, damp climate, you should have a humidity indicator installed and set to maintain a reasonably dry interior. ...
What to do if you have vermin in your house?
Vacuum carpets and floors. This will ensure that no crumbs or other sources of food remain for vermin.
Do you drain water in an outdoor pool?
If you have an indoor or outdoor pool, drain the water.
Why do sinks need to be winterized?
Since there’s a huge market for sinks, offering them through the winter is a great way to satisfy your customers. It allows you to earn extra income on equipment rentals and stay busy during a slower season.
Can you winterize a portable toilet?
Good choices exist for winterizing portable toilets, like using de-icing additives or brine solutions. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to winterize a sink, and no options are 100% proven to work. Yet, you may want to extend your season by trying:
