Winter t'stat setting

[PuddleJumper]

Just got my lake house electric bill ($$$$$).<br />I've been setting t'stat at 55 while gone to prevent pipe freeze. Temps can get down to near zero on occasion (Lake of the Ozarks).<br />Anybody know the min safe t'stat setting to prevent pipe damage? I'd like to set it lower for economy but I don't want to risk freeze damage.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

50 should be as low as I would let it go. If your not there then why not drain the pipes and put the rv antifreeze in all the drains and traps. Most of the lake houses here in VT are not insulated for winter and that is what we do. Even if you only use the place once a month in the winter it has to be cheaper then you can set the t-stat down to 40.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

If it's 31 degrees outside, you can probably set your tstat at 33 and be fine. But when it's 20 below zero and windy, you might need it to be set at 60. So there's no firm answer to this question, in my opinion. It totally depends on the construction of your house, location of water pipes, amount and location of insulation, etc. And then it varies every day anyway depending on outside temp, wind speed and direction.<br /><br />The only way to know for sure is to find the coldest, most unprotected pipe in your house on the coldest, windiest day and take its temp to make sure it's not below 32 in the worst conditions.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

I would think that,... That Maybe an Unanswerable Question,.........<br /><br />It'll depend on your house,.... Where,+ How it's Plumbed,+ Heated...........<br /><br />Water Freezes at 32*,...........<br /><br />Which 1 of your Pipes is going to Get There 1st,..????....<br /><br />How Often,+ for how Long are you away,.......<br />A Cleverly Plumbed water system can be Drained, or Charged in only a Few Minutes..........<br />And,......<br />Like I tell them up in the I/O forums,.........<br /><br />Air Doesn't Freeze............

 

[EZLoader]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

It's not just freezing pipes to worry about by setting the thermostat low but also potential condensation and the resulting mold and mildew. In our area they suggest no lower than 60 degrees to help prevent that problem. Of course it's all related to what your winter humidity is and mine is high due to winter rains.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

I visit the place every 3-4 weeks during the winter.I used to have a place I drained in the winter. Corroded the heating elements in the water heater prematurely. Besides, as EZLoader mentions, I don't want the wide temp fluctuations and humidity changes, not to mention the hassle of draining after ea wkend of use in the winter. I leave the sink cabinet doors open as well as the b'room vanity doors. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

45.....no lower...trust me...a good wind will cool it off too fast set any lower. Price a plumber lately?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

If you go every 3-4 weeks just take a good look at where the water pipes are in conjunction to the t-stat. You might want to bring a few cheap thermometers just to get measurements. Normally the further away from the t-stat you get it drops a few degrees. I would be wary of setting it too low.<br /><br />The lowest that is advised here in VT is 60. I have lived in MO and it is nowhere near as cold as VT.

 

[one more cast]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

My neighbor (who doesn't live here) has a device on a lamp that turns the lamp on when the inside temp drops below 40 degrees. When I see the light come on I go check out the problem for him.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

OMC, that's a REALLY good idea. I've seen ones that hook up to a phone that can call you too.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

A friend of mine does the same as OMCs neighbor. The devise is just a plastic block with a plug on one side, an outlet on the other, and a thermo switch inside. I've used one with a heat lamp plugged into it to keep stuff from freezing in the garage before. Actually I think those are meant for plugging heat tapes into.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

Hey CalicoKid, any idea of a source or a name for those switches?

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Winter t'stat setting

Perhaps this is the item in question... Temp Switch<br /><br />Another option is to find a voice dialer...like this.. Dialer.. it can call pre-entered phone numbers if a set temperature is hit. The small sensors are wired either normally open or normally closed as needed. The dialer has 4 channel inputs (seperate sensors in various locations) and calls to alert owner of where the problem exists....