Do you have a summer home that is not used much during the winter, and now the temperatures are about to go below freezing? If so, it is worth hiring a winterization service to come out to the home and take care of this problem for you. Here is what you can expect to be done to winterize the plumbing to make sure that your pipes do not freeze and burst. 

Shut Off The Main Water Supply

The process starts by using the main shut-off valve to stop water from coming into your home from the city water system. This shut-off valve is sometimes located near your water meter, but it may also be in an underground box that is accessible from outside of your home. 

Drain The Hot And Cold Water

The next step will be to drain all of the hot and cold water from your home's plumbing system to ensure that there is no water in the pipes. This will involve connecting a hose to the main faucet at the lowest level of your home and turning on the hot and cold water. The water can then go directly into a nearby drain or a sump pump pit. However, there is a trick that can be used to get the water flowing. 

It helps to start at the top of your home and open the hot and cold water faucets everywhere. This helps relieve the water pressure and allows the water to flow out from the faucets freely. Once all of the water has finished raining out of the faucets, you'll need to go around the home and close all those faucets

Hook Up An Air Compressor

The winterizing service will then connect an air compressor to that faucet at the bottom of your home and start forcing air into the lines. They'll then slowly start opening the faucets in your home so that the air can blow out the water in the pipes. Not only do faucets need to be open, but appliances like a washing machine and dishwasher need to be run briefly to clear out the water in those lines. 

Fill The Traps

With all the water out of the plumbing system, there is a risk of sewer gas coming up through those empty traps when water starts evaporating. A non-toxic antifreeze can be put in each drain to fill it up and form a good seal. Thankfully, you won't have to worry about the traps freezing now and causing a pipe burst once the antifreeze is there.

Contact a plumber who offers home winterization services to learn more.