Pump for Winterizing Garage

[vetleap]

HI all - I purchased a cabin last year that has a kitchen and bathroom in the garage. We live in ND and don't use it in the winter time. It's plumbed pretty well to allow you to winterize it. The previous owner's husband passed away and she doesn't know much about the place. She said they had put a pump in a bucket which pumped RV antifreeze through the lines. I assumed it was a sump pump from her description and they lived there 17 years. I was leery about using a sump pump thinking maybe it was too much pressure. I used a transfer pump which was more of a hassle than a sump pump would be as it adds an additional hose and needs bleeding. I'm thinking I'm going to switch to a sump pump to distribute the antifreeze this year. Just a 1/4hp model should work. It does need to pump it 10' up to reach the highest water lines. I think I might be a little over cautious with my concerns with the sump pump. Do you think I should use the sump pump for winterizing?

Thanks

 

[mike93lx]

Why wouldn't you just drain the water lines and pour antifreeze in the traps?

Hopefully you aren't putting antifreeze in water lines that are ever being used for drinking water...

 

[DGersic]

We winterize our beach cottage every year. Drain the plumbing, empty the toilet tank, put R/V antifreeze in the traps. Leave the plumbing open. That’s all.

I can see someone thinking that antifreeze in the plumbing would be “better” but I wouldn’t do it.

 

[P0234]

Why is it people make stuff way more complicated than it needs to be?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-3-4-in-Quick-Connect-Brass-Garden-Hose-Irrigation-Blow-Out-Fitting-2-Pack-860520

Don't forget the washer, fridge and dishwasher....

And put the Pink RV antifreeze in the traps and you are done.

 

[ycgoat]

Many RV antifreeze are considered non-toxic by the FDA. I take that to mean non-potable, but safe to dump on the ground. As long as you are flushing the system with clean fresh water before using the plumbing you “SHOULD” be fine. I would bring bottled water for drinking and cooking.

 

[whitesco]

Why is it people make stuff way more complicated than it needs to be?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-3-4-in-Quick-Connect-Brass-Garden-Hose-Irrigation-Blow-Out-Fitting-2-Pack-860520

Don't forget the washer, fridge and dishwasher....

And put the Pink RV antifreeze in the traps and you are done.

^^^ this. This is what we do with our RV. Blow it out, RV antifreeze in the traps and call it good.

 

[Sumboodie]

Many RV antifreeze are considered non-toxic by the FDA. I take that to mean non-potable, but safe to dump on the ground. As long as you are flushing the system with clean fresh water before using the plumbing you “SHOULD” be fine. I would bring bottled water for drinking and cooking.

It's propylene glycol, ethanol and water.

Car or boiler antifreeze that is just PG and water would actually work better, but $15/gal vs under $5 for RV.

 

[mike93lx]

^^^ this. This is what we do with our RV. Blow it out, RV antifreeze in the traps and call it good.

Wild idea

 

[DGersic]

Why is it people make stuff way more complicated than it needs to be?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-x-3-4-in-Quick-Connect-Brass-Garden-Hose-Irrigation-Blow-Out-Fitting-2-Pack-860520

Don't forget the washer, fridge and dishwasher....

And put the Pink RV antifreeze in the traps and you are done.

We’ve never blown ours out, just drained it with gravity. I don’t have a source of compressed air out there, and hauling a compressor back and forth seems difficult.

 

[mike93lx]

We’ve never blown ours out, just drained it with gravity. I don’t have a source of compressed air out there, and hauling a compressor back and forth seems difficult.

Everbilt 1/4 in. x 3/4 in. Quick Connect Brass Garden Hose Irrigation Blow Out Fitting (2-Pack) 860520 - The Home Depot

Control the flow of water pressure in your home with addition of this high quality Everbilt Quick Connect x Brass Garden Hose Irrigation Blow Out Fitting.

www.homedepot.com

I use one to blow out my pool lines and outdoor spigots

 

[whitesco]

Wild idea

 

[wes73]

We blow out the water lines at our cabin everytime we leave int eh winter. A male airline fitting fits inside 1/2 pex nicely. A couple valves to both hot and cold, isolate the line from the pump, and set air compressor for 40 psi. Blown out in 15 minutes. Drain HW heater and RV antifreeze in the toilet. Been doing this for 15yrs no issue.

 

[vetleap]

I apologize that I've not replied to the thread I've started. Got a little busy. The question was, would a sump be better than a transfer pump? I live in ND, I take no chances with frozen pipes. Rv antifreeze has been used in this home for 18 years and counting. After seeing nothing but antifreeze coming out of the faucets, it all gets blown out with air. Thx

 

[BobnCO]

No transfer pump is better; sump is too much volume. RV antifreeze is in fact used in drinking water lines (as you know; and apparently are not dead! : )

Problem with all “gravity” and “blow out” suggestions is you don’t know all the peaks and valleys of the system… plent of sprinklers and rv have frozen as the little remaining water in the system pools somewhere. Why change what former hubby (RIP) used to do with what “other people” say will work on his plumbing?

 

[Stuart in MN]

We winterize our beach cottage every year. Drain the plumbing, empty the toilet tank, put R/V antifreeze in the traps. Leave the plumbing open. That’s all.

When I was a kid this is what we did at our family's summer cabin, it worked for many years with no issues. The key of course is the water lines need to be sloped so they will completely drain.

 

[mike93lx]

I apologize that I've not replied to the thread I've started. Got a little busy. The question was, would a sump be better than a transfer pump? I live in ND, I take no chances with frozen pipes. Rv antifreeze has been used in this home for 18 years and counting. After seeing nothing but antifreeze coming out of the faucets, it all gets blown out with air. Thx

So you are running antifreeze in the lines and then blowing it out or are you leaving the antifreeze in the lines?

Either way, what's the apprehension with just draining or blowing them out?

 

[Firebrick43]

Many RV antifreeze are considered non-toxic by the FDA. I take that to mean non-potable, but safe to dump on the ground. As long as you are flushing the system with clean fresh water before using the plumbing you “SHOULD” be fine. I would bring bottled water for drinking and cooking.

PolyPropylene glycol, aka RV antifreeze, is put in all your snack cakes, cookie, and such you buy to keep them moist along with a lot of other foods.

Thats why they use it and why they label it non toxic because you can eat it. Setting for a while it needs to be flushed clear but it will not harm you just because its been in the lines.

I apologize that I've not replied to the thread I've started. Got a little busy. The question was, would a sump be better than a transfer pump? I live in ND, I take no chances with frozen pipes. Rv antifreeze has been used in this home for 18 years and counting. After seeing nothing but antifreeze coming out of the faucets, it all gets blown out with air. Thx

I second to use a transfer pump. Milwaukee makes a nice one that I use regularly.