It costs me nothing to undo a plumbing winterization. Not exactly sure about your sitiuation, but here’s what I do.
First, I drain any outside faucets (hose bibs) by shutting off the inside valve which feeds the hose bib then opening the outside valve. Leaving the inside shutoffs to the hose bibs closed, I drain the supply lines by shutting the water main on the street side of the meter, and opening all the faucets. Then I’ll pour a little anti-freeze in all the drains of all sinks, toilets, and floor drains. The anti-freeze will prevent the drain traps from freezing.
Of course, you’ve got to remember to close the faucets once you re-charge the system.
Never had any problems, and believe me, it gets very cold here.
What exactly is done to winterize plumbing, and how much does it cost to reverse? Many of the properties I see are winterized. That’s ok, I would just like to know how much to put into my cost workup for reversing the process.
Posted by David Krulac on January 05, 2002 at 18:54:54:
to add to Rolfe’s advice if you have a hot water or steam system for heating, usually gas or oil fired then the heat lines are evacuated in the winterization process. A pro will use compressed air to blow out the lines. when reactivating you need to make sure that the air is bled from the lines to prevent air hammers, which is the loud banging noise when air and water clash inside the pipes. also with a steam system you need to make sure that you don’t over fill. Its a one pipe system where the delivery line is also the return line. when the steam is created it rises in the pipe, no pump, then it cools and retreats back down the same line. With a hot water system there are two pipes a supply(delivery) and a seperate return pipe.
sometimes the winterization occurs after the freeze has already happened and there is freeze damage to pipes, boilers, etc. be on the look out for leaks, sometimes small sometimes large. don’t turn on the water and leave the property.
hth
David Krulac