Freezing water pipes and toilet
With temperatures in the 20s for the next couple days and no heat and an open roof. Is there a good way to keep the water pipes from freezing.
I can shut off the water valve and drain the pipes.
Will the toilet drain pipe and other drain pipes freeze? It is in an unheated basement. Can I pour antifreeze in the toilet?
Thanks,
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No experience on the scale you're dealing with, but every fall I blow out the lines and pump copious amounts of RV antifreeze into my travel trailer pipes ... has worked so far. Just be sure to really flush everything before you resume consumption. I don't trust their nontoxic claims. Sorry you're going through this. It's a real pain, I know.
6 -
I'd suggest the shutoff and drain them, but I am not a plumber. Good luck.
6 -
You could use RV anti-freeze like they do in stored campers.
What about a kerosene heater in the basement, just to keep it above 32.
0 -
Shut 'em off and drain the inlet lines IF the shut off is deep enough or in a location that it won't freeze.
Pour copious quantities of RV antifreeze in the sinks, tub drains, and the toilets. Don't forget to drain the toilet tanks!
A small garden pond pump works great for getting a lot of the water out of the toilet bowl before you put the antifreeze in.
Good luck!
9 -
Shut off water to house at the main. Hopefully you have a faucet in the basement near the main to open.
Open all faucets in the house to include bath tub and showers. Leave open to allow air to enter pipes and allow for drainage. Open all faucets in basement. Disconnect washer hoses but leave valves open.
Do not put antifreeze or anything into fresh water system.
Drain your water heater. Make sure it is off with either the circuit breaker or gas valve turned off.
Drains: pour RV antifreeze down each drain and leave it. Do not drain or blow out any drain line. You need the water in the p traps to prevent sewer gas from entering house.
Flush each toilet, but not necessasary to disconnect them. Pour a good amount of Rv antifreeze in the toilet bowl but do not plunge it dry. You need that water to prevent sewer gas. Pour some Rv antifreeze into toilet tank and leave it.
Pour a good amount of RV antifreeze down each drain, kitchen sink, bath sink, showers, tubs. And leave it.
Refrigerator with ice machine,water,,turn off the switch off the ice maker on your fridge so it does try to keep making ice. DO NOT attempt to put antifreeze or anything into the water system of fridge.
Dishwasher, Open door and pour good amount of RV antifreeze into bottom of dishwasher. This will keep the pump, that always has water in it, from freezing. When water is restored to house, run dishwasher a cycle with no dishes, to flush it out.
Washing machine, pull drain hose out of drain, pour RV antifreeze into drain. Laying drain hose on floor should allow washer to gravity drain some water out of the pump. If it does great, if not still OK. Put washer drain hose back into drain. Open washer and pour good amount of RV antifreeze into washer to prevent pump from freezing.
Good luck, best wishes.
18 -
Make sure any outside faucets are left open also.
6 -
What Montana said . Only other advice would be to blow lines with compressed air if you could .
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Not sure if I missed it here but draining is not good enough if you have some pipes that lay low and the water stays there. Blowing them out with compressor is way to go. Hope you have access to power. Wished i were there to help you. Lots of experience in this area. Learned a lot the hard way in a mobile home on my property in Virginia about 20 years ago. Prayers for you.----------------------------Ray
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