NGC. Two Things

[Park Ridge Phil]

 For you snowbirds, how do you prepare your home for winter when you leave, especially with a boiler system for heat? ( not able to turn the water off) And anyplace to rent motorcycles in the Mcallen Tx area? 

[guzzisteve]

There is a water shut-off at the street from city water, well water is at the pump. Drain or heat w/lectric.

[rocker59]

For you snowbirds, how do you prepare your home for winter when you leave, especially with a boiler system for heat? ( not able to turn the water off) And anyplace to rent motorcycles in the Mcallen Tx area?

Need clarification:  Are you not able to "turn the water off" because you're leaving the boiler running to keep some heat on in the house?

At least turn off the supply lines to the sinks and toilets, and flush the toilet after, so the tank is empty.  Also turn off the supply line to the ice maker on your fridge. 

Not due to freezing, but I've seen serious water damage when a house was left unattended for a few weeks and a toilet supply line let go, flooding the house!  Also have seen it happen when a supply line to a fridge went bad and ruined a kitchen.

When someone is real-deal winterizing with no heat, they turn off the water supply at the meter, then open the outdoor water spigots and let all the water drain from the lines in the house.  Flush toilets to get water out of the tanks, and drain the hot water tank. 

I've never winterized a house with a boiler in the basement, but would guess the process is the same as for other houses.  You just turn it off and drain all the water from the system.

[Park Ridge Phil]

 Yes, need to keep the boiler on to have heat in the house. But will be using the shutoff valves and toilet flushing idea. Planning on leaving cabinet doors open as well. I’m getting a nest thermostat to control it at all times too. Snow removal is another story. $50 for 2” or more and double if it’s over 6”. Ouch. Not paying that.

[rocker59]

Yes, need to keep the boiler on to have heat in the house. But will be using the shutoff valves and toilet flushing idea. Planning on leaving cabinet doors open as well. I’m getting a nest thermostat to control it at all times too. Snow removal is another story. $50 for 2” or more and double if it’s over 6”. Ouch. Not paying that.

What is the snow removal for?  The driveway, or the roof?

[Park Ridge Phil]

Driveway, steps and sidewalk

[rocker59]

Driveway, steps and sidewalk

Ah, the joys of the great white north!

[cliffrod]

We were never "snowbirds" but kept our home in VT for decades after moving to SC.  You either turn water off at or outside of building, drain all water in pipes, hot water heater, toilet tanks, etc, dismantle to drain the traps or pour some antifreeze in them (including toilets) and shut it all down. Or you keep some manner of heat going to keep things from freezing. 

If water is left on, it can leak.  If heat fails (actual malfunction, temp electrical blackout) & water is on, pipes can freeze and then thaw when heat comes back on automatically.  Not cool. With a low heat situation, pipes will already be closer to freezing temps and it can happen fast.  Went hunting for a Norton (supposedly a Manx but actually a ManxMan) in VT.    Renters upstairs had left the building mid winter. Turned off heat but not water.  Pipes froze, thawed in Spring and destroyed the entire upstairs floors & workshop/studio downstairs including the Norton by the time the owners returned from CA many weeks later.  Have someone check your place regularly in your absence.

Even when you can drain everything, it's not ideal to let the structure go through serious cold cycles like typical outdoor temps of some areas.  Things like Hardwood floors can suffer over the long term.   Dad would just drain the house and leave it.  After years of doing that, the floors & more were wrecked from the cold by the time I moved back & lived there.

Our family just sold my grandparent's/great grandparents home in VT (next door to our old house) after it being vacant since 06 when Gramp died.  No matter, heat in the house was kept on around 45-50F all these years for these exact reasons- to help keep it from failing any more while being for sale- and checked regularly to make sure nothing was leaking.

Just pray for less snow.  Nothing like a heavy snow winter & extra plowing/shoveling bills to wreck the budget.....

[fotoguzzi]

I have a leak detector to notify me by email if the floor gets wet.. you need WiFi for it to work tho.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-CHW3610W1001-Lyric-Wi-Fi-Water-Leak-and-Freeze-Detector?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpdCh04SN5QIVgcDACh3bcgltEAQYAiABEgJOtfD_BwE

[screamday]

I have a leak detector to notify me by email if the floor gets wet.. you need WiFi for it to work tho.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-CHW3610W1001-Lyric-Wi-Fi-Water-Leak-and-Freeze-Detector?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpdCh04SN5QIVgcDACh3bcgltEAQYAiABEgJOtfD_BwE

That's pretty cool. 

[fotoguzzi]

It alerted me when the hot water heater started leaking and avoided a major spill if it would have split.

[s1120]

Yes, need to keep the boiler on to have heat in the house. But will be using the shutoff valves and toilet flushing idea. Planning on leaving cabinet doors open as well. I’m getting a nest thermostat to control it at all times too. Snow removal is another story. $50 for 2” or more and double if it’s over 6”. Ouch. Not paying that.

How long are you going for? Are we talking a few weeks away, or are we talking gone for 4 months? As for plowing I would just have them plow before you get home if there is any snow.. 

[Park Ridge Phil]

I’ve been looking into those Honeywell leak detectors.  Will be gone 3 months. After New Years. But my son will be checking on everything four five days a week.

[Wayne Orwig]

Don't forget to shut off the water lines to the washing machine. I had one of those let go when on a trip and it cause a huge amount of damage.

Don't get a Nest thermostat if you can help it. Get an Ecobee, or just a cheaper Honeywell WiFi model. I hated the Nest for the couple years I used it. Lots and lots of issues. The Ecobee just works as expected and has more features IMHO.

If someone comes in, occasionally have them put water in the traps to prevent odors from dried out traps.