"VaTreeFarmer" wrote in message
...
My Virginia tree farm near the Blue Ridge Parkway is remote and has no
grid power. I currently only work it on weekends. My agricultural well
is generator operated. I use large pressure storage tanks for the well
water, and the shed that encloses my well and tanks is 8' x 12' in
size. I want to put an older working washing machine in the well pump
shed, and use it to do cold water washes.

I am insulating the pump shed (at about 1500 ft elevation near Stuart,
VA) to ~R19. When freezing weather comes I pump the water out of the
well pressure tanks and above ground pipes to protect them from
freezing damages. My question is about the washing machine that I want
to keep in the same shed.

Can I use compressed air at the water intake hose to blow water out of
the washing machine for freezing weather storage? I heard that would
still leave water in the washer's drain trap, which could freeze and
rupture plumbing.

How might one 'winterize' a washing machine for possible freezing
temperatures? Could I use RV water tank antifreeze by pouring some in
the water intake while the machine is set to fill the wash drum, and
then by setting the machine to 'drain' so that the antifreeze would
occupy both fill and drain lines?

I realize already that this is an atypical location and usage for a
washing machine. Relocating the machine to an alternate location is
not an option for me. Thanks for any help folks may have on this
unusual query.



*Many years ago when I worked for my father a lot of his work was in dry
cleaning plants and Laundromats. I remember seeing some washing machines
being changed over to gravity discharge instead of using the pump to extract
the dirty water because the drains were in the floor. These were commercial
washing machines and a factory conversion kit was used for the changeover.
Perhaps something like that is available for residential machines. I never
inquired. Of course you would still need to drain the inlet hoses, but it
would not be too difficult to just disconnect them.

I'm thinking that antifreeze might leave a residue film that may affect the
clothes.