Heading south for the winter, closing a camp or leaving a rental empty between tenants? An unheated house in a Maine winter can freeze its pipes, and a burst pipe in an empty house can run for days before anyone notices. You have two basic choices: keep the heat on and have someone check the house, or shut off and drain the water. For every service, see our main page on Portland plumbers.
Option 1: Keep the heat on
- Set the thermostat to 55°F or higher, the common guidance for keeping pipes from freezing.
- Have the boiler or furnace serviced before you go, and make sure there's plenty of fuel. See boiler repair.
- Open cabinet doors on exterior walls.
- Shut off the main water valve while you're away, if the heating system doesn't depend on it. Ask your heating technician first.
- Ask someone to check the house regularly, and consider a temperature alert or water leak sensor that texts you.
Option 2: Shut off and drain the water
For a home that will be unheated, the plumbing needs to be fully drained, often called winterizing. A plumber typically:
Shuts off the main
And the water heater's power or fuel.
Drains the lines
Opening faucets on every floor and draining the water heater.
Empties toilets and traps
And adds non-toxic plumbing antifreeze to traps and toilets so the seals stay full and don't crack.
Protects the heating system
Hot water heating systems need their own treatment, so this part belongs to a heating professional.
Draining a house properly takes experience, especially in an older home with low spots in the piping, so it's a good job to hire out.
Don't forget
- Outdoor faucets: shut off the inside supply and drain them, as the American Red Cross advises.
- The sump pump: keep it powered if the house keeps its heat. A flooded basement is just as bad as a frozen pipe.
- Your insurer: some policies have rules about vacant homes, so ask before you go.
Coming back
Turn the water on slowly, then check under sinks, around toilets, at the water heater and on basement ceilings for drips. If you find water, shut the main off again and call. Read what to do about a burst pipe and frozen and burst pipe repair.