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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2016 09:53
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Hello All,
Have a few questions and I am hoping someone could help answer in regards to blowing out my water lines.
Here is the flow of water from my well
It starts out with a below ground shutoff valve and then in this order below.
3- water filters
1- water softener
pressure tank
hot water tank
Then into the house plumbing.
My question is what is the easiest way to blow out the lines? There is a hose drain on the bottom of the pressure tank. I would think the easiest way would be to just hook up a fitting to the hose drain to my air compressor quick connect. Does anyone drain this way? Will this do any damage to the pressure tank? I was going to pex in a hose fitting at the very start of the plumbing before the filters, but then I was thinking why can’t I just hook it up to the hose fitting on the bottom of the pressure tank or even my hot water tank drain they are both hose fittings that I could hook up to my quick connect air compressor fitting. Please let me know what your thoughts are and shed some knowledge!
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2016 15:14
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Little hard to visualize- but basically, if you attach at any of those points, will it clear all lines? Do you have the ability to drain below ground just before the pipe goes up toward the cabin? Will the pressurized air blow past the pressure regulator valve on the pressure tank?
I'm going to put an air fitting on the cold water just before the water heater, with a valve underground at the entrance to a drain, and a valve and drain at the toilet to drain that line.
Every system is probably a bit different. If you have a shower mixing valve make sure you blast it out .
Hope this helps
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2016 16:16
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The water filter cartridges are a potential problem. The filter media retains enough water to freeze/expand and ruin the cartridges. I've never had a water softener so don't know about them. However if there is retained water that could freeze/expand there could be issues there as well.
When I was investigating filtration and freezing the manufacturers or resellers I spoke with all cautioned against freezing. They recommended removing the cartridges and storing where they would not freeze. One of them was concerned about bacteria growth if the media was stored for months in a warm place. So I took to storing the cartridges between uses, in the refrigerator at home.
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2016 08:43
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Thank you for the reply… I spent some time with a knowledgeable person at home depot. He suggested blowing the lines out after the hot water tank. The rest I will have on a slant towards the pressure tank and hot water tank and then just drain the tanks at the bottom of each tank, he said gravity would take care of the tanks no need to blow them out.
As far as the filters they all unscrew I will just remove them and store them at home.
Thanks again for the reply, this is a great site!
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2016 23:37
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I tried to design my system so that the whole thing would drain downhill, with the thought that I just open a low valve and it all drains. But there were several problems with this. My pipes have to go up and over a door to get to a sink so there goes the idea of everything sloping to one low point. On demand water heaters trap water and must be drained somehow if they will be left where they will freeze. And shower mixing valves don't drain by themselves. So I've come up with a system with several downhill drain points, and the use of compressed air. Since every plumbing system is different the puzzle is different every time and needs to be addressed ad hoc.
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sparky30_06
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2016 06:53
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Be careful when blowing out the water system with compressed air. make sure you regulate it down to a lower pressure (under 40 psi). I have found that lower air pressure allows the water to pool in the low spots then get forced out. If you really wanted to you could pump the system full of glycol for the winter then flush completely when you return in the spring. A friend had a cabin in Wisconsin that we would do that to when we would snowmobile up there. pump the water system, flush the toilets several times then add additional to the toilet bows.
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2016 08:29
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Thanks for the tip with the 40 PSI. I had no idea about that. I was thinking about going with the glycol, but I usually make several trips to the cabin in the winter months. It would get expensive to do that each time. I think this system should work for me, half will be gravity drained and then a shut off valve to blow out all the lines inside the cabin. Would you guys know anything about heat tape and how good it works with pex pipes? I am going to be adding that to the plumbing project!
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RichInTheUSA
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2016 08:38
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I let gravity do the work, and don't blow them out at all. It is important to open up faucets so that the water can drain (including the supply lines to the washer).
At the lowest point in the house, there are two additional hose bibs, which when opened allow water to drain to the outside of the cabin.
I do have an electric space heater in the cellar to keep things just above freezing.
Good luck!
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