Winter - Away - Turn Off Heat - Drain Pipes

[Descant]

Originally Posted by camp guy

... "Draining the pipes AND keeping the heat on at a low setting will probably solve both issues. The cost off the extra fuel to keep a house at a low temperature during the winter is significantly less than the cost of the repairs necessary when you try to DIY and cut corners..."

I'm mystified here.
1. If I drain the pipes (radiators, baseboards, whatever) how will I keep the heat on at 50 F?
2. If I don't drain, and keep the heat at 50F I'd guess I could easily use 300-400 gallons of oil at say $6.gallon. Let's be generous and say 150 gallons, I can get the ceiling patched/painted for les than $200.
3. If I keep the heat on, I probably have to pay somebody, or get a neighbor, to watch things to make sure the heat doesn't fail (run out of fuel?) And, what if electricity is off for several days? The pipes can freeze anyway.

[chachee52]

I didn't see anything about it being a water leak. I know way back when the camps were being put more "modern" with sheet rock people wouldn't leave the heat on and the seams would crack more. Is this what he was patching?
If not, than your neighbor has other issues I would say if he had a professional come out and fully drain the house. Our old camp we drain each year, gravity drain only, for decades and only had a few issues and they were mainly our fault. Someone thought a valve was closed and "opened it" just to have it actually be that we closed it. Never heated, no isolation to bother, only had a heater in the last 20 years that runs maybe 3 times a year.

[Biggd]

Wood expands and contracts with temperature. The bigger the temperature swing the more it will contract or expand. If you have drywall or plaster walls it can crack when unheated in the winter.
Somone mentioned $200 to repair cracks and paint, I doubt you could get someone at that price today! JMO.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Wood expands and contracts with temperature. The bigger the temperature swing the more it will contract or expand. If you have drywall or plaster walls it can crack when unheated in the winter.
Somone mentioned $200 to repair cracks and paint, I doubt you could get someone at that price today! JMO.

My guy hasn't changed his rates in 15 years. Yes, paint is more expensive now.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Descant

My guy hasn't changed his rates in 15 years. Yes, paint is more expensive now.

I hope you tip him well.
In Ma you have to pay a painter $200 just to show up! Most painters down here get a minimum of $300 a day plus materials and that's with just minor patch repairs.

[LikeLakes]

Originally Posted by Descant

My guy hasn't changed his rates in 15 years. Yes, paint is more expensive now.

He should. Please encourage him to raise his rates, no reason for a contractor or handyman to be working for the same rate given how every one of his expenses has gone up.

[LikeLakes]

Originally Posted by Descant

I'm mystified here.
1. If I drain the pipes (radiators, baseboards, whatever) how will I keep the heat on at 50 F?
2. If I don't drain, and keep the heat at 50F I'd guess I could easily use 300-400 gallons of oil at say $6.gallon. Let's be generous and say 150 gallons, I can get the ceiling patched/painted for les than $200.
3. If I keep the heat on, I probably have to pay somebody, or get a neighbor, to watch things to make sure the heat doesn't fail (run out of fuel?) And, what if electricity is off for several days? The pipes can freeze anyway.

I agree.

I think it boils down to this ... it's preferable from a structural point of view to keep heat on at a low level. The expand/contract issues of a structure that chills to zero or below in winter at times are real. But, the real world cost of heating through the winter is at a different level than just a few years ago. Like Descant said, you're burning $6 oil. I don't know of any place that can do that with less than 300 or so gallons, likely more given that our summer places are not generally well insulated. I totally get why so many people drain down rather than heat. We did for many years, only in recent years are keeping it open since more people are able to use it in winter now.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by LikeLakes

I agree.

I think it boils down to this ... it's preferable from a structural point of view to keep heat on at a low level. The expand/contract issues of a structure that chills to zero or below in winter at times are real. But, the real world cost of heating through the winter is at a different level than just a few years ago. Like Descant said, you're burning $6 oil. I don't know of any place that can do that with less than 300 or so gallons, likely more given that our summer places are not generally well insulated. I totally get why so many people drain down rather than heat. We did for many years, only in recent years are keeping it open since more people are able to use it in winter now.

My oil Co is $4.50 a gallon and it's been dropping. Still high but not as bad as it was. I was lucky I didn't need a fill up when it was $6.00 a gallon, because of the mild fall.
I do know some people that have decided to drain and winterize for the first time because of the price.