If you own a mountain home, you probably eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring when you can first enjoy it. But in order to have your house ready for use, you must take precautions to get it safely through winter first. The higher up your house is located, the greater your chances are of encountering cold temperatures. And while the year-round temperatures in and around Las Vegas might not feel so bad, they can drop below freezing in the mountains. To prevent frozen pipes, which can burst and flood your home, there are some precautions you can take to winterize your home.
Turn Off the Water Valve
One of the most critical components of winterizing a mountain home is shutting off the main water valve. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long at all to turn the valve off. And by doing so, you can offset tremendous amounts of damage and repair bills. To turn off the main water valve, you’ll need to turn off the water heater and water pump. This keeps the water heater’s heating elements going, even without water in the tank.
Open the Valves and Taps
Before leaving your house for the winter, open all the taps and drain valves. Leaving them closed can create a vacuum that holds water in the pipes. This, in turn, elevates the risk of a pipe burst. A plumber in Las Vegas can help out if you’re unsure of how to complete this step.
Open the Water Tank Drain Valve
Another important step in winterizing your mountain home requires opening the drain valve of your water tank and letting it run until all the water drains out. This prevents water from accumulating in the drain, which in turn means that if temperatures drop below freezing there won’t be a risk of a pipe burst or damage. If your hot water tank does not have a drain, connect a garden hose to the system to remove excess water. If you’re not sure how to find the valve, the Henderson best plumber can help you out.
Drain Water in The Holding Tank
Similarly, you’ll want to get rid of any water remaining in the holding tank. Be sure to remove water in the rubber diaphragm too, which is a component of the water tank that helps build water pressure. To make sure all the water is out, just adding antifreeze to the jet pump storage case.
Flush the Toilets
Flushing the toilets during your last stay helps winterize your home. If you can’t get all the water out of the toilets, use antifreeze to remove the remaining water droplets. Antifreeze also prevents any excess water from freezing and making the toilet crack.
Having a home in the mountains is a perk for many Nevada residents. But to make sure your home stays safe through the winter, you’ll need to take precautions to remove water and prevent pipes from freezing. If you need assistance winterizing, we can help. In the unfortunate event that you discover frozen pipes upon your springtime arrival, we will gladly solve that problem too!
