Suggestions to keep the pipes from freezing during absence

[hemlock]

Hello,
I have just installed a second stove (pellet) in my upsatirs to avoid having to turn on the oil at all during the cold winter months (oil up here is $4.00/g and up). Local code requires you to replace your oil tank every 10 years, which mine is coming up to next year. Rather than spend $1000 on something I may only use a handful of times over it's life, I would rather not replace it at all.
My "problem" is finding something relatively cheap to use to keep the house from freezing during any absece longer than a few days.
Would installing a handful of electric baseboards be the best option? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[SolarAndWood]

In general a slow drip will keep the pipes from freezing. We use free standing electric heaters under the kitchen sink adjacent to the dishwasher and in the bathroom when we are going to be gone for a while. When I replumb the house, it is going to be set up to be easily drained.

 

[peakbagger]

Electric Baseboards mounted in key locations where water pipes are located will do wonders, plus they dont require maintenance. You can leave the thermostats set low all the time as all you really need is to keep the lines above freezing. I expect in Eastern Canada you dont have dead end pipes in poorly insulated spaces but you may want to remedy that if you do.

 

[pen]

Do you have propane? It would be a heck of a lot cheaper to install a vent free propane heater somewhere for occasional use.

My parents have one med size one in their basement in a 15x15 rec room. In the event of a power failure they close that room off, open up the stairwell door and let that puppy crank. It will be 85+ in there but it will keep their upstairs in the mid 60's for as long as necessary. Point is, if the only goal is to keep things from freezing this is good option, especially if you already have propane.

pen

 

[billb3]

10 years for a tank ?
Outside ?

I might have to replace the copper supply tube this year as there are regs regarding contact with concrete. I'd rather not even do that.

Draining the lines and the safe anti-freeze for the p-traps sounds like the cheapest way to go. Unless this is an every weekend deal.

 

[begreen]

Do you have propane? It would be a heck of a lot cheaper to install a vent free propane heater somewhere for occasional use.

My parents have one med size one in their basement in a 15x15 rec room. In the event of a power failure they close that room off, open up the stairwell door and let that puppy crank. It will be 85+ in there but it will keep their upstairs in the mid 60's for as long as necessary. Point is, if the only goal is to keep things from freezing this is good option, especially if you already have propane.

pen

Depends on the supply costs. For us, propane is outrageously expensive, but electricity is moderate.

 

[hemlock]

10 years for a tank ?
Outside ?

I might have to replace the copper supply tube this year as there are regs regarding contact with concrete. I'd rather not even do that.

Draining the lines and the safe anti-freeze for the p-traps sounds like the cheapest way to go. Unless this is an every weekend deal.

Yup. Local code says outside tanks must be replaced every ten years.
We have no propane either.

 

[pen]

Yup. Local code says outside tanks must be replaced every ten years.
We have no propane either.

Well, sounds like electric is the way to go then. Hope you have a 200 amp service already.

pen

 

[begreen]

This really depends on the area that needs to be kept above freezing and the house design. If the house was poorly designed with plumbing on the outside walls, it is going to have to be kept warm while you are away. If it has very little or no plumbing near outside walls, a well placed 1500w heater or two may suffice.

 

[dougstove]

I have electric baseboards in my basement, on the wall under the plumbing. I set them to about 7C. They almost never come on, because the basement is insulated.
I also run my freezer in the basement, on the thought that the waste heat is useful there.
I was very happy to get rid of my old oil tank, under similar circumstances to yours. When (not if) they leak, it is a gross mess, either outdoors or indoors.

 

[snowleopard]

Hello Hemlock,

I'm in a cold climate, too, and I got lucky with my house; most of the plumbing is on interior walls, and the system was designed to be drained. Even so, I know it's not something I would want to do on a whim.

What I would consider doing in your situation is to wrap heat tape to the recommended specs around any pipe you thought might be in danger of freezing, and then I'd insulate it. To do that, it's imperative that you select heat tape that is designed to work with insulation, and to get the kind that's on a thermostat, so it will come on automatically when it hits a pre-selected temp. Curve them, don't crimp them in installation. Know that they have a limited life span. This is not something you're going to want to run in a concealed area, but if you have pipes that are exposed in a ceiling, for example, it can be a good choice.

And as mentioned above, put a little antifreeze in the toilet tank and bowl, and anywhere you can't drain (obviously only on drainages, not where there might be potable water.

 

[hemlock]

I'm lucky in that the plumbing is not on any exterior walls, and the house is well insulated. All of the plumbing comes from the laundry room which is kind of "central", and spreads out from there (except for where the water enters the house from the well of course). Sounds like a few electric heaters may be the way to go - especially one in the laundry room. The house has 200A service, which is nowhere near full.
I'll be glad when that oil tank is gone for good. It'll be nice stacking wood where it used to sit.

 

[woodchip]

We drain off our tank and pipes when we have left our home in midwinter.

It really is the only guarantee of no frozen pipes.

Another thought, do you need a huge expensive new oil tank if you only heat for a few days here and there?

Just wondering if you could get away with a 45 gallon drum inside a bund which could contain any unexpected spillages.

Knowing some local codes round here, that might give a few officials apoplexy though ;-)

 

[Don2222]

Hello

See my Heated Hearth for Wood Pellet Stove project. It keeps the room warm with a line voltage thermostat with the 900 Watt 220 Volt KickSpace heater with convection Fan

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/75379/