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Old 11-10-2012, 07:57 PM   #1
JamesJet
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melrose MA
Posts: 587
Plumbing question summer home shut down

A question for a plumber (or one who knows) regarding a small home down cape with gas forced hot air and gas water heater in basement. In years past we fully shut the place down, had plumber turn off gas, water & electric turned off for the winter. Lately we have been keeping it open as my family and I enjoy going down and spending a weekend or two a month or so just to bum around or get a few improvements done on it. My question is if there is a happy in between where I can basically shut off heat and be OK.

My thoughts were to fully drain water except the water heater in basement and to shut furnace off. I have a drain right about my main that would take out everything but the water heater, probably leave some small amount of water in the pipes in basement. I could put a shutoff right above WH and use a compressor to blow whole house clear except for that if that amount of water would be a concern. I would then fill RV antifeeze into all the traps and be done.
Is this a good or bad idea and why? Thoughts come to mind of - its gas, exactly how would I do that and is it safe to keep turning it on and off? Water heater will be turned down but will need to call for water cause issues? Am I over thinking this, main issue is I don't want to worry about the place.
Thanks
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