How to avoid frozen pipes while away in winter

[JamesEB]

Can someone please tell me how to avoid frozen pipes while away in winter.

I have had burst pipes once when I left the central heating on constantly while I was away and another time when I followed instructions to leave the central heating on and drain the pipes.

Thanks

JamesEB

 

[dilalio]

Where was the previous burst(s) when it happened before?
On CH or HW?

It's better to have some heat going into the property if it's empty for the winter, so having the heating on as it normally would be is probably the best option with slightly lower setting on the roomstat (& TRVs) plus a frost setting on the controls!
Cheaper than a leak!
You can drain down the HW tank(?) & circuits though!

 

[Burnerman]

You may need some trace heating in your loft, if that is appropriate......even leaving the loft hatch ajar would help. You can leave the heating on with the water supply turned off, though.
Its a great advantage if you can call on someone to enter the property on a regular basis.
John

 

[nauseous]

Neighbours of ours go to live in Spain for the winter months. He says he adds antifreeze to the ch system and leaves everything off.

 

[JamesEB]

The first time we had left the central heating on all the time as usual and the water on too and came home to 4 feet of water in the lounge.


The next time we turned off the water main and drained off the cold water,
did not drain the hot water and left on the central heating. The flood was the hot water left in the system

Both times it was burst pipes in 2 lofts.

This time I am thinking I will turn off the water main and drain the hot and cold water taps and turn off the central heating.

Thanks for help
JamesEB

 

[Agile]

Drain by all means but why leave heating off?

The correct procedure is to leave heating on 24/7 and just turn the room stat down to about 8 C to 10 C.

Tony

 

[JamesEB]

That's is what I said we did last time in my last message and we had a flood from the hot water left in.

Can you leave central heating on if you have drained all hot and cold water?

James EB

 

[JohnD]

I had my burst loft pipe even though the heating was on low 24hrs, while away for a week around Christmas.

The reason was that, with the house unoccupied and no movement of water in the pipes, the well insulated loft and plumbing got cold enough for the copper supply pipe to the F&E tank to freeze where it was exposed at the elbow connector to the ballcock. Pipe insulation slows heat loss, but does not prevent it, but this particular elbow had not been wrapped. As it was supplied at water-main pressure the escape was spectacular.

If I had realised the risk, I would have turned off the house stopcock, and the amount of water that could have escaped would have been insignificant.

 

[JohnD]

Can you leave central heating on if you have drained all hot and cold water?

Yes

A pressurised system should not be leaky enough to run down in a few weeks, and a vented system will have a reserve of a gallon or so in the F&E tank. If the heating is on the tank will tend to be slightly warmed by movement in the F&E pipe.

Your insurance company will have a leaflet or web page describing precautions to be taken when the house is unoccupied. I think mine specified 24hr CH to 12C; which does not use much fuel as the daytime temperature is often mild in UK.

 

[JamesEB]

Thanks. I am confused now as I don't know whar to do.

I thought that is what we did when we had the second flood above and the CH bill was enormous

JamesEB

 

[nortonj]

If you dont want to leave your heating running drain hot, drain cold leave an open end (tap open).
drain central heating but also leave an open end.

 

[AndyPRK]

Sounds to me like you need loads of insulation material wrapped around pipe runs in the loft.


Or the pipes moved away from the roof edges/eves.

 

[JamesEB]

Yes I should. I just want to know the best thing to do to go away now.

Jameseb

 

[dilalio]

Speak to your insurers. Do everything they prescribe, then you know that you're covered for any problems!

 

[DaveHerns]

You can never drain pipework completely so it may freeze and burst but less water will escape until you turn it on again. Whereabouts in Surrey are you? In Worcester Park it hasn't been that cold for many years