Thread: Winterizing
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Old 10-25-2008, 07:18 AM   #9
sreigle
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
You mentioned wanting to blow out the lines with air. Those lines you refer to are the low point drains. You should open those drains and allow all water to drain out. I'd close them again and then blow out the lines. The way I used to do it is to go to Walmart and spend 3 or 4 bucks for a fitting that screws into the city water connectin. It has a tire type valve on the end. Connect that to your air source and blow. I'd keep pressure down to no more than about 50 psi so you don't damage anything. Open one faucet at a time until all water is blown out of it. Don't forget the outside shower line. After doing this for all faucets, open the low point drains again and let the residual water drain out. YOu might go ahead and apply some more air while they are open.

Others covered most everything else. The one thing I'd add is to relieve the pressure and thus the water behind the city water connection point. Remove the washer / screen. Behind there you'll see a white pin (on a one-way checkvalve). Press that pin to release the pressure and any trapped water. Stand back as you can get sprayed pretty good. If you can reach the back of the city water connection you can just remove the hose instead of pushing the pin.

I prefer to use antifreeze, or did when I had to winterize. However, a few times I used air and had no problems. Just be thorough about it.

Regardless of method, air or antifreeze, I'd recommend you pour a little antifreeze in the toilet to keep the seal from drying out. I never bothered to leave antifreeze in any of the tanks. There's nothing much left to freeze and if there is a gallon or two in there, there's plenty of room for ice to expand without damaging anything. Same for the water heater. I just drained it and left the drain open.
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