Recently purchased a new vacation home in the NE..It has public
water coming in on a PVC line connecting to copper just inside the
basement. It also has a grinder pump in the basement. It also has a heat
pump and electric HW heater that has a pressurized expansion valve
(never seen one of these before)..

I would appreciate any tips on winterizing it so I can shut the heat off
for the winter. I plan on having the water turned off at the street and
wrapping the water main line and draining as much as I can out of the
pipes going from the top down. I also plan on putting RV antifreeze in
the traps and draining the HW heater.

I'd like to avoid using heat tape if possible. The water main line is
the lowest point of the system. There is an outside faucet that is lower
than that but there is a run up between this outside faucet and the
main. I am wonder if gravity will pull enough through this outside
faucet to prevent any breakage from freezing..

Someone suggested since there would be no pressure from the street, that
would give it room to expand back. Someone else suggested using vacuum
at the lowest point to help pull any remaining water out. TIA
CP

Charles Pisano wrote:

Recently purchased a new vacation home in the NE..It has public
water coming in on a PVC line connecting to copper just inside the
basement. It also has a grinder pump in the basement. It also has a heat
pump and electric HW heater that has a pressurized expansion valve
(never seen one of these before)..

I would appreciate any tips on winterizing it so I can shut the heat off
for the winter. I plan on having the water turned off at the street and
wrapping the water main line and draining as much as I can out of the
pipes going from the top down. I also plan on putting RV antifreeze in
the traps and draining the HW heater.

I'd like to avoid using heat tape if possible. The water main line is
the lowest point of the system. There is an outside faucet that is lower
than that but there is a run up between this outside faucet and the
main. I am wonder if gravity will pull enough through this outside
faucet to prevent any breakage from freezing..

Someone suggested since there would be no pressure from the street, that
would give it room to expand back. Someone else suggested using vacuum
at the lowest point to help pull any remaining water out. TIA
CP


The water heater must have a thermal expansion "tank" (pressurized).
If it's hanging down, unscrew it to drain.

Bring a "carry tank" of compressed air to help blow out lines.

Don't forget the toilet traps (bowl) when putting the RV in.

Appliances, such as dishwasher and washing m/c can burst pumps
and solenoid valves if not drained carefully. You'd need to
get specific info on a model.

Jim

Oops ... double posted there..

I"ve heard of the lines getting blown out. But where do you apply the
compressed air? To a sink faucet? Highest point down? PSI -max?
Tanks
CP