Closing a cottage for winter means leaving no water in any part of the plumbing that frost can reach. Shut off the pump, drain the pressure tank, the water heater and the lines, then pour non-toxic plumbing antifreeze into the traps and the toilet. At Wilfrid David, a Chénéville plumbing company since 1989, we help cottage owners across La Petite-Nation with this every fall.
Heated or drained: the first decision
There are two ways to get a cottage through the winter. Either it stays heated and the water stays on, or the supply is shut off and the plumbing is fully drained. The in-between option carries the most risk: heat set to a minimum can stop during a power outage, and lines that are still full can then freeze.
If nobody will be visiting the cottage over the winter, we recommend draining the plumbing, even if some heat is left on. Pipes in the crawl space or along an outside wall are the first to be affected by the cold. If your pipes have frozen before, our article on thawing frozen pipes safely explains what to do.
The steps, in order
- Switch off the pump at the breaker, not just at the valve. A pump that starts while the system is draining runs dry, which damages it.
- Close the main valve downstream of the pump and tank, if there is one.
- Open every tap, hot and cold, on every floor, including the shower and the outdoor faucets. Disconnect the garden hoses.
- Drain the pressure tank through its drain valve or the lowest tap in the system, until the gauge reads zero.
- Drain the water heater, following the precautions in the next section.
- Open the drain valves at the low points of the piping and leave them open until spring.
- Empty the toilet: flush, then sponge out the water left in the tank and the bowl.
- Pour non-toxic plumbing antifreeze, the kind sold for RVs and cottages, into the bowl and every drain: kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, tub and washer standpipe. A trap always holds a little water, and that water can crack it when it freezes.
Never use automotive antifreeze. It is toxic, and anything poured down the drains ends up in the septic tank.
Water heater: power off before draining
An electric water heater drained while it is still powered heats with no water around the elements, and they can burn out. Switch off its breaker first. Then give the water a few hours to cool, to avoid scalding. Connect a hose to the bottom valve and run it outside or to a floor drain. Opening a hot water tap in the cottage lets air in and helps the tank drain.
In spring, the order is reversed: the tank is filled first, and the power is restored afterwards. These steps are covered in our article on opening the cottage in spring.
Pump, well and water treatment equipment
The preparation depends on your setup. A submersible pump at the bottom of the well usually stays in place over the winter, since it sits in water below the frost zone. The point to watch is the line between the well and the cottage. Buried below the frost line, it normally comes through the winter without trouble. If it is shallow or poorly insulated, it can freeze and needs to be drained or protected.
A jet pump inside the cottage or in a shed holds water in its body. Remove the drain plug underneath and let it empty. We suggest keeping the plug in a small bag attached to the pump, so it is easy to find in spring.
Filters, water softeners and UV lamps each have their own winterizing procedure, and the manufacturer's instructions apply. In most cases, the cartridges are removed and the housings are emptied.
Commonly overlooked items
Washing machines and dishwashers hold water in their pumps and hoses; the owner's manual explains how to drain them. Also remember the fridge ice maker, the hand-held shower hose and the grey-water pump, if you have one. A frost-free outdoor faucet only protects the line when the garden hose is disconnected.
Where the piping sags under the cottage, water can stay trapped in the flat sections even with every valve open. Blowing out the lines with compressed air, at moderate pressure and with all taps open, empties them completely.
The septic tank needs no special preparation for winter. If you are unsure when it was last pumped, plan to check in spring: Québec's regulation on waste water systems for isolated dwellings (Q-2, r. 22) requires a tank used seasonally to be pumped at least once every 4 years.
When to call a professional
Contact us if you are not sure where the low points of your piping are, if the jet pump has no accessible drain plug, if the well line has frozen in the past, or if you would rather have a plumber close the cottage for you. Our residential plumbing and pipe thawing and heat cable services cover this work. Call us at 819-428-3161. Replacement parts are available at our store, 77 rue Principale in Chénéville.
Filed under Residential plumbing · Thawing and heat cable
