How To Winterize Your Mobile Home Toilet
If you and your family won't be at home during winter, it's essential to take precautions to safeguard your mobile home's plumbing system. Your toilet, a vital component of this system, is particularly susceptible to damage caused by frozen water. This vulnerability arises due to the porous nature of ceramic, which can crack when water freezes and expands. To avoid costly mishaps, it's crucial to winterize your toilet effectively. Partner with Spartans Properties to get you right! We Spartans Properties buy and sell used mobile homes for CASH!
Before initiating the process of winterizing your toilet, it is important to ensure that you won't need to use it for a while. Take care of any immediate needs before proceeding. To begin, the initial step is to drain the toilet. Located at the back of your toilet is a control known as a fill valve or ballcock, which regulates water flow into the tank. Before commencing the flushing process, ensure that you turn off the cut-off valve responsible for supplying water to the toilet tank. This valve can typically be found on the wall or floor near the toilet bowl, making it easy to locate. For your convenience, refer to the accompanying diagram that illustrates the various components of your toilet.
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Once you have successfully shut off the cut-off valve, gently remove the lid or top of the toilet tank and place it on the floor. This will provide you with a clear view of how the water drains as you flush the toilet. To drain the water from the tank, flush the toilet and hold down the toilet handle until all the water has emptied from the tank and begins to flow through the pipes. If you observe that the water is not draining from the tank, double-check the position of the cut-off valve and ensure that it is completely closed. Only release the toilet handle once all the water has been drained from the tank.
After emptying the tank, it's common to find residual water in the toilet bowl. Here's a helpful tip to completely remove the remaining water. However, be cautious as it may get messy. Prepare by placing old towels on the floor to absorb any spilled water. Take a bucket and fill it with approximately 3-5 gallons of water. Hold the bucket above the toilet bowl and slowly pour the water into it, progressively lifting the bucket as you pour to enhance the water's momentum. As a result, the water from the bucket will carry away the water in the toilet bowl, allowing it to flow into the drainage system and leaving the bowl nearly dry. Finally, use a sponge or the old towels to soak up any residual water remaining in the toilet bowl.
After draining the water from the toilet and taking the necessary safety precautions, it's time to proceed with adding antifreeze. To protect yourself from potential splashes, consider wearing safety glasses. Remember to use non-toxic antifreeze specifically designed for plumbing systems. It is important to pour the antifreeze into the tank, not the bowl. While doing so, hold down the toilet handle to flush the antifreeze into the bowl and eventually down the drain system.
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Once you have successfully winterized your toilet, it is crucial to extend the process to your entire home's plumbing system, including both the hot water and cold water systems. Begin by shutting off the main valve that supplies water from the municipality to your home. Prior to this, ensure that the power is turned off for both the water pump and the hot water tank. This precaution will safeguard the heating elements of the hot water tank and prevent unnecessary damage.
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Additionally, it is essential to open the drain valves and ensure that all taps, both inside and outside the house, are left open. By keeping the taps closed, a vacuum is created, trapping water in the lines and impeding proper drainage. Opening the taps will allow the water to flow freely. To remove any remaining water in the pipes, attach an air compressor to the drain valve. This will help blow out any excess water through the open taps, effectively removing moisture from the system. After all that hard work, your mobile home is ready to be sold to Spartans Properties for CASH.
