For a second home that will sit empty through winter, the safest approach is a full drain-down: shut off the main, drain the lines and water heater, and put plumbing antifreeze in the traps. Keeping the heat on works only if the power stays on all winter.
Why empty houses fail in winter
A house that someone lives in warns you. A drip is noticed, a cold room gets heated, a wet spot gets wiped up. A second home in Sunriver or Sisters gives no such warning. A split pipe in January can run until someone opens the door in March.
That is why winterizing a second home is not the same as winterizing a primary one. The goal is to leave the house so that no water can freeze or leak, whether the power stays on or goes out. The two main strategies are to keep the house warm enough, or to drain it completely. Draining is safer when the house will sit through deep winter.
Choose your strategy
Sunset Plumbing of Bend, a local contractor, advises that homeowners who plan to be away in winter consider full winterization, which drains the water and adds antifreeze. That is the approach for a house that will not be heated.
| Strategy | Good when | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Keep heat on at a safe minimum | You visit often or have a caretaker | A power outage or furnace failure can freeze pipes |
| Shut the main and drain only the exposed lines | Short winter gaps with a heated house | Water left in some lines can still freeze |
| Full drain-down with antifreeze in traps | The house will be empty through winter | Needs care and a re-start in spring |
| Full drain-down by a plumber | A rental or high-value home | Costs more, gives a written record |
A drain-down checklist
For a house that will sit empty
- Shut off the main water valve and open every faucet, including outdoor ones.
- Turn off the water heater, then drain it using the drain valve.
- Flush every toilet and drain the tank, then pour non-toxic plumbing antifreeze into bowls and traps.
- Disconnect washing machine hoses and the dishwasher supply, and drain the lines.
- Blow out the lines with compressed air at a low safe pressure, or hire someone who does.
- Drain hot tub supply and drain lines per the manufacturer, and ask the spa service about winterizing.
- Close crawlspace vents, shut off the irrigation supply and blow out the sprinklers.
Antifreeze and what not to use
Only use antifreeze made for plumbing systems, and look for products labeled as meeting NSF/ANSI Standard 60 or marked safe for potable water use. It is usually propylene glycol and is labeled as safe for potable water systems or RV and marine use. Automotive antifreeze is toxic and should never go into a drain or trap.
Antifreeze goes into the traps and the toilet bowls and tanks, where small amounts of water remain and can freeze. It is not poured into the supply lines. If you have a septic system, ask your septic professional about adding antifreeze to the drains, because some products affect the tank.
A written note of what you did, and when, helps the next person. Leave it on the kitchen counter, with the main valve location and your plumber's number.
If you leave the heat on
Many owners keep the heat on and trust the thermostat. If you do, set a minimum that matches the coldest weather you expect, and open the cabinets on exterior walls. Consider a remote temperature sensor that texts you if the house drops below a threshold.
A power outage is the failure that defeats a heat-on plan, so ask a neighbor or caretaker to check after storms. If a freeze does get through, frozen line repair explains what the response involves.
Insurance can complicate this. Some policies reduce or exclude coverage for water damage in a home left vacant beyond a stated period unless certain precautions were taken. Read the vacancy terms and ask your agent what they require, such as shutting off the water or keeping heat on.
Hiring a plumber for the drain-down
A plumber-led drain-down gives you a written record of what was done, which matters for insurance and for the next person. Ask what the visit covers, because the scope varies. A full job includes shutting the main, draining the supply and the water heater, blowing out lines with compressed air, adding antifreeze to traps and fixtures and tagging the main with the date.
Ask whether the plumber will also winterize the washing machine, dishwasher, ice maker and any hot tub or irrigation connections. Ask what the spring start-up costs and whether the plumber can do it. A drain-down that is not followed by a careful restart can cause its own leaks.
Confirm that the plumber is licensed and insured, and ask for the invoice to list the work performed.
Rentals and caretakers
A rental that stays occupied through winter has a different risk. Guests may leave doors open, turn thermostats down or ignore a drip. A caretaker who can walk through after each stay, check the thermostat and look under sinks catches most issues. A smart thermostat and a leak sensor alert you remotely.
Write a short house sheet with the main valve location, the water heater shutoff, the breaker panel and your plumber's number. Put it where a caretaker or guest can find it. The cost is nothing, and a flood notice that arrives with instructions is a smaller emergency.
The spring restart in order
When you come back
- Close all faucets and drain valves before opening the main.
- Open the main slowly and listen for running water or hissing.
- Check under sinks, around the water heater and in the crawlspace for drips.
- Flush toilets and run each faucet until antifreeze is gone and water runs clear.
- Refill the water heater completely before restoring power or gas.
- Reconnect hoses, washing machine and dishwasher lines and test each one.
Spring start-up
When you return, open the main slowly, close all faucets first and check each for leaks. Flush the lines until water runs clear, refill the water heater before turning it on and look in the crawlspace and under sinks. A leak that starts when pressure returns is much better caught in the first hour.
If you find a leak, close the main and call. A split pipe is the work of emergency burst pipe repair. The seasonal differences matter for each area: Sunriver properties often run in a resort setting with community rules, while Sisters homes may be on wells or the city system.