Winterizing a house

I developed this list when shutting down the cabin in Maine.

To prevent pipes from freezing and critters from entering a house, follow these steps

1. Remove exterior screens.
   1. Replace with storm windows if available.
2. Lock every window and door.
3. Turn off water heater before turning off water.
   1. For electric heaters, turn off circuit breaker.
   2. For gas, follow specific instructions.
4. Turn off circuit breakers to everything but important lights and security system.
   1. If there's a breaker to a water pump, turn it off.
   2. If you turn off the refrigerator, leave the door open so oxygen gets in and mold doesn't grow. But beware of mice, their feces is not something you want in a refrigerator.
5. Turn off water. There should be a valve where the water supply enters your house, usually just inside the wall penetration.
6. Drain water pipes and water heater (after water heater is turned off):
   1. Attach hose to lowest spigot, and the one on the bottom of the water heater. Lead hose outside or to a drain lower than everything else.
   2. Shut off water supply to house.
   3. Open drain valve attached to hose.
   4. Open all faucets, valves. If you have a single knob for both hot and cold, as in a shower mixing valve or kitchen faucet, set it to the middle position so both hot and cold drain.
   5. Flush all toilets, keeping handle held down while pipes drain.
   6. Wait two minutes or until there's no more flow.
   7. Close all but one valve, leaving one slightly open over a sink to allow air and trace water to expand and contract. Since it's a sink, if water does come through, it'll drain.
7. Pour antifreeze in all drain and toilet traps to keep sewer gases trapped.
8. Turn heating system thermostat to low or off, depending on your decision.

Re-opening a winterized house

1. Air out the house immediately, in case sewer gases built up.
2. Open a faucet or two, especially high in your house, to help air escape while you re-fill the pipes. The less air, the less the system will bang and spurt later.
3. Turn on the circuit for the water pump.
4. Turn on cold water supply.
5. Turn on the water supply to the water heater.
   1. Check to see if there are any leaky pipes. If so, there may have been ice in them which may have burst the pipes. Consider PEX piping.
   2. Close the faucets you used to release the air.
6. Open and close all faucets and flush all toilets to release the air from all the branches of the pipes.
7. Only when the entire system is flushed with water turn on the water heater.
8. Turn on the house-heating system as needed.