Help with winterizing our home...First Timers.

[CatLee]

Hey all, this is our first winter snowbirding, so we are really 'newbies'. We are trying to find out what we should do or not do to winterize our home here in Washington State for the 6 months we will be gone.

Do we shut off all the water? Do we leave the faucets open/on? Do we drain the hot water heater? Please advise.

We don't want to come back home to a mess or problems.

Thanks so much,

[rgvtexan]

From the dry Side. Welcome to iRV2
I turn the water off, leave the valves open. Empty water from toilets and fill bowl and drains with RV anti freeze (it evaporates slower) some cover the bowl with cling rap. Forward mail, put phone on Vacation or forward. Heat at 55 degrees. Open all unnecessary breakers. Lights on timers for a lived in look. Stop paper, trash, cable. Have a neighbor or friend keep a watch on the place. Frig clean out (off or on your choice) If you haven't flushed the HWH in a while go ahead and drain.
Enjoy the South!

[dieselclacker]

If you turn the water off, you should also turn off the HWH. You don't want to be heating it up with no water supply. Don't forget to arrange for care of your house plants if you have them. I have a long time next door neighbor who has a key to our home, and keeps an eye on things while we are gone. Other than that, we do just about what is stated in the above post. Enjoy your stay in the warmer climate this winter.

[dons2346]

Our house is in Birch Bay. When we leave, we turn the water off at the street, drain the yard sprinkler system, turn the water heater to "pilot", set the heat to 52 after changing batteries in the thermostat, set some lights to come on at different times, forward the mail, and notify the sheriff's department so that they do house inspection, unplug anything that is a current draw, and drive away