My mother passed away and the heat to the house is shut off. I was told I could use windshield washer to put in water pipes, drains to keep them from freezing after water has been shut off and pipes drained (no air compressor). I was told not to use RV antifreeze. This is what I have done and now I am worried as to whether this was the right thing to do. The house is old and not insulated.

You definitely need antifreeze in there, so it can get into drain traps and low points in your pipes. There is antifreeze made especially for this purpose, which is different from RV antifreeze, and different from windshield washer.

It’s pink in color, and of course I have no idea whether you can get it wherever you are. Its primary virtue as compared to car antifreeze is that it doesn’t play hell on the environment when you drain it out. As far as using windshield washer… I’d say if where you are has fairly moderate winters that might be OK, but I sure as hell wouldn’t try it here in Maine…

Make sure to break all couplings connecting pressure tanks to pipes and pipes to your water pump, and be sure to drain out the pump itself, both from the draining ball valve at the rear and by removing the plug from the bottom.

When you antifreeze the toilets, make sure to continue pouring into the bowls until the level starts to fill, and then drops. This will show you when the antifreeze has reached the trap below. Wherever you have ball valves at the disconnected couplings get a little antifreeze in there too and work the valve back and forth.

Don’t forget the water heater. You usually have to tip it around some to get the last of the water out. Best of luck.

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