Leaving York For The Winter? The Complete Pipe Protection Checklist

If you're heading somewhere warmer for part of the York winter, a vacant, unheated house is exactly the setup that leads to a frozen, and eventually burst, pipe. There are two real approaches depending on how long you'll be gone: keep the house minimally heated, or shut the water off entirely. Here's the complete checklist for both.

Option A: Keeping The House Heated (Best For Trips Under A Month)

1. Set your thermostat no lower than 55°F, never fully off. This is the single most important step if you're going this route
2. Shut off and drain any exterior hose bibs from the inside, and disconnect garden hoses
3. Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm house air can reach the pipes inside
4. Ask a neighbor, family member, or property check service to physically enter the house periodically, not just check from outside, since a heating system failure won't be obvious from the street
5. If you have a smart thermostat, set up a low-temperature alert so you're notified immediately if the house temperature drops, which could indicate a heating failure
6. Consider a battery-powered leak detector placed near your water heater and any past problem areas, which can alert you or a check-in person to a leak in progress rather than finding it after the fact

Option B: Full Shutdown And Drain (Best For Extended Absences)

This removes the freeze risk entirely by taking water out of the equation. It's more involved but the most reliable option if you'll be gone for more than a month or two.

1. Shut off the main water valve where it enters the house
2. Starting from the highest point in the house, open every faucet, including outdoor spigots, to let water drain out and air in
3. Flush every toilet to clear water from the tank and bowl, then add a small amount of RV antifreeze (not automotive antifreeze) to the bowl to protect the trap
4. Drain your water heater if you're comfortable doing so, or at minimum turn it off or set it to vacation mode, since an empty or near-empty tank with the heating element still active can damage the unit
5. Pour a small amount of RV antifreeze into every sink, tub, and shower drain trap to prevent the water seal from freezing and cracking
6. Leave all faucets in a slightly open position so any residual pressure or trapped air can escape rather than building up
7. If you have a washing machine, disconnect the supply hoses and drain them too

Which Option Should You Choose?

• Gone under 30 days, house has reliable heat and someone can check on it: Option A
• Gone more than a month, or the house has a history of heating issues: Option B
• Not confident doing the full drain-down yourself: a plumber can do this as a service call before you leave, which costs far less than dealing with a burst pipe while you're away

If You Come Home To A Frozen Or Burst Pipe

Our emergency line runs 24/7, including for exactly this situation. If you're coming back from being away and find a frozen or already-burst pipe, shut off the main water valve if you can reach it and call us right away before doing anything else.

If this sounds like what you're dealing with, our frozen pipe repair and burst pipe repair pages go into more detail, and we serve Hallam, PA along with the rest of York County on the same call-only basis described here.