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Turn off the water ⛔💦

In the winter, the water system must be turned off and disconnected so the pipes don't burst 🥶💥. The winterization procedure is the reverse of the checklist to Turn on the Water.

CHECKLIST

Turn off the water

At the pumphouse🏃

The master switch for the 24V water pumps. The water system at the pump house.

  1. Turn off the 24V Master Switch
  2. Close the water tank main valve valve

Summertime shortcut

The remainder of this checklist is only required if there is a chance of freezing temperatures before the next property visit (typically from November through March). Otherwise, the steps above are adequate and draining the system is not required.

The water system is still pressurized!

The large pressure tank holds about 40gal of water at about 50psi of pressure. That tank must be emptied to de-pressurize the water system

Drain the water at the cabin 🏃🏡

  1. Drain the water from the pressure tank:
    • Open the hose bib between the two really big rocks 🪨🚰🪨
    • Open THREE faucets in the cabin: kitchen sink, bathroom sink, bathtub

Self-draining hose bibs

The hose bibs poking out of the cabin walls (one front, one back) are self draining and so do not need to be opened now.

Wait for the water to stop coming out ⏱️

The water will stop coming out when the pressure tank is drained. However, there is still water in the pipes and that water needs to be drained.

  1. Empty the water from the pipes
    • Open TWO hose bibs 🚰 inside the water heater (white rectangle built into the exterior cabin wall): Hot water and Cold water.
      • Remove the brass cover from the Hot water
      • OPEN BOTH VALVES and drain into a small container
      • Place the brass cover in the bottom of the water heater enclosure
    • Open TWO hose bibs 🚰 in the cabin crawlspace 🪜
      • Access the crawlspace through the hatch in the master bedroom floor
      • Look for buckets: 🪣 one just to the side of the concrete pad, 🪣 one under the bathroom. Above each bucket you will find a hose bib🚰
        • OPEN BOTH OF THEM and let the water drain into the buckets
        • EMPTY the buckets after the water stops coming out
    • TWO hose bibs🚰 in back of the cabin:
      • one in the fenced garden
      • one in front of the bed shed
      • OPEN BOTH OF THEM

Wait for the water to drain from the pipes

With the faucets in the cabin open, the water will drain from the pipes. It can take from 5 to 10 minutes for it to finish. Be sure to pour out the water from the buckets under the cabin; they can be poured into the bathtub.

Drain the pipes at the pumphouse🏃

The water system at the pump house.

  1. Use the buckets and bowls in the pumphouse to catch the water that comes out when you remove the water filter tank and open the union fittings
    • Remove/unscrew the water filter tank (clear)
      • hold onto the O-Ring!
      • pour the water into a bucket
      • place the clear water filter tank, the O-Ring, and the water filter on top of the washing machine
    • one at a time, open each of the union fittings catching the water that drains out in a bucket or bowl.

Connect the union fittings

Engage the threads on the union fittings just enough to keep the water pipes connected but loose enough that water will still drain from them. Do not tighten them all the way or else water may collect in the pipes causing them to burst during freezing conditions.