Winterizing Houses for Extended Absences

If you're leaving a house or cabin for an extended period of time during the winter, you don't have to leave the heat on in order to avoid plumbing disasters. You can save money by turning off your utilities and winterizing, which involves shutting off the water supply and draining the whole plumbing system. If you have a private water system, the process is slightly more involved -- you'll also have to drain the holding tank and any water-treating apparatus. The result will be peace of mind that the plumbing system is safely dormant, without the expense of keeping the home fires burning.

Home Again After returning to your winterized house, follow these steps, in order:

• Turn off all faucets, including the sill cock. Remove any aerators on the faucets, and clean if necessary.
• Reconnect all disconnected pipes, and close down all drainable valves.
• Turn on the main water-supply valve.
• Turn all the faucets on slowly, beginning at the sill cock. The water will "spit" out for a while, then assume a normal flow.
• Replace the aerators.