When you are away in winter, keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher, the level the American Red Cross recommends. In older Chicopee homes with pipes on outside walls, porches or drafty sills, set it higher, in the low 60s. For trips longer than a few days, also shut the main water valve and open faucets to drain the lines. Came home to a burst? Call (413) 603-1274.
Why 55°F is a minimum, not a target
The thermostat measures the air in the middle of the house. Pipes inside exterior walls, under sinks and along the basement sill sit in much colder spots. When it is 5°F outside, a wall cavity in an old house can be near freezing even with the living room at 55°F. The older and draftier the house, the more margin you need.
Before you leave
- Set the heat to the low 60s in older homes, 55°F or more at minimum.
- Check fuel. Fill the oil tank. An empty tank shuts the boiler down. See oil ran out and the pipes froze.
- Open sink cabinet doors on outside walls.
- Shut the main water valve and open a low faucet to drain the lines, for trips longer than a weekend.
- Turn off the water heater or set it to vacation mode if the water is off.
- Ask someone to check the house every day or two during cold snaps.
- Consider a smart thermostat or a freeze alarm that texts you if the temperature drops.
The insurance angle
Many policies exclude freezing damage if the home was not kept heated, or if it was vacant and the water was not shut off and drained. Keeping heat on and shutting the water off protects your claim as well as your pipes. See vacant house burst pipe insurance.
Smart thermostats and alerts
A smart thermostat or a simple Wi-Fi temperature sensor can text you if the house drops below a set temperature, usually around 50°F. That gives you or a neighbor time to check the furnace before pipes freeze. They also show you if the heat is cycling normally while you are away. Many need Wi-Fi, so they may not alert you during a power outage. A sensor with its own cellular or battery backup covers that gap.
Who should check the house
Ask someone you trust to walk through every few days, and daily during a cold snap. Give them a short list: check the thermostat reads normally, look at the basement floor and under sinks, listen for running water, and know where the main valve is. Leave them your number, the number of your heating company, and ours.
Long trips
For trips of more than a week in deep winter, the safest plan is heat set no lower than 55°F, a daily check during cold snaps, and the main valve shut off with the lines drained.
Questions
Can I turn the heat off if I shut the water?
Not unless the whole system is fully drained, including heating loops and traps. Water left in pipes can still freeze and crack them. Keep some heat on.
Do automatic shut-off valves help?
They can stop a burst from running for days while you are gone. See do automatic water shutoff valves work.
Came home to water? Call now
Call (413) 603-1274 now. Locally owned in Chicopee.