Did I almost mess up on a winterizing step?

[bobm253]

Every year I have used the pink antifreeze with no problems. This year I decided to try using compressed air only and I think I may have dodged a bullet.

Drained fresh water tank and low point drain. Closed low point drain so the system would pressurize.
I bypassed,flushed and drained water heater.
Hooked up air compressor at 40 psi to city water inlet.
opened all faucets one at a time until only air came out then closed each faucet.
Feeling pretty good that I got all of the water out of the water lines and only needed to add antifreeze to toilet and traps.

Then I decided to double check the low point drain with the compressor running to ensure only air came out. To my surprise I released a good amount of water that had remained in the pipe.

Now I know I need to ensure that I do that last step every time or the low point drain would have surely froze and broke.

Don't remember seeing this as a last step to take but thinking about it it sure is a must do.

I'm probably going to pump antifreeze in the system anyway or am I wasting my time and money?

[bobm253]

old guy wrote:
I used only air one time. I did not use anti freeze and the next year I had leaks from water still in the lines. I winterized my brothers the other day, blew out the lines and put pink in and you can not believe how much water came out ahead of the pink. I always blow out the lines and follow up with the pink now. if you have a winterization kit on the pump it is now much more work to do it right.

I disconnect the inlet side of the pump and connect my plastic line. Use about 2 gals of antifreeze total and none goes in heater or fresh water tank.

[old_guy]

I used only air one time. I did not use anti freeze and the next year I had leaks from water still in the lines. I winterized my brothers the other day, blew out the lines and put pink in and you can not believe how much water came out ahead of the pink. I always blow out the lines and follow up with the pink now. if you have a winterization kit on the pump it is now much more work to do it right.

[schlep1967]

DrewE wrote:

Campfire Time wrote:
This is the reason I not only blow out the lines, I use antifreeze in them as well.

You're certainly welcome to do that.

However, I must say I am a bit puzzled by how you're less likely to forget to pump antifreeze out the low point drains than you are to forget to pump air out the low point drains when winterizing. Failing to do either one would seem to me to be approximately equally problematic.

If you forget to open the low point drains when adding antifreeze the antifreeze will mix with the remaining water in the lines. Reducing the chance of freezing and breaking.

[DrewE]

Campfire Time wrote:
This is the reason I not only blow out the lines, I use antifreeze in them as well.

You're certainly welcome to do that.

However, I must say I am a bit puzzled by how you're less likely to forget to pump antifreeze out the low point drains than you are to forget to pump air out the low point drains when winterizing. Failing to do either one would seem to me to be approximately equally problematic.

[PSW]

I agree with Campfire Time. I do both. I also use about two gallons more antifreeze than is necessary. I figure overkill is pretty cheap insurance.

[Campfire_Time]

This is the reason I not only blow out the lines, I use antifreeze in them as well.

[gkainz]

and remember the black tank flush, if so equipped? I use the outdoor shower hose connected to an adapter to winterize both outdoor shower and black tank flush in the same operation.

[bobm253]

sch911 wrote:
You did fine. The low point drains are one of the last things I open up while under air pressure. Did you remember to flush the toilet a few times?

Yes. I flushed until only air came out. Thanks

[sch911]

You did fine. The low point drains are one of the last things I open up while under air pressure. Did you remember to flush the toilet a few times?

[Artum_Snowbird]

Nope, you did it right, and the low point drains are indeed the low point drains, they should be the last thing you blow out. Do not forget your outside shower too.

I leave my low point drains slightly open, the fresh water tank loose open too, I make sure I see pink in both the black and the grey tank valves verified into a bucket. Blowing works, but you have to really be careful.