Two ways to winterize: heat on or drained
Every winterizing plan comes down to one choice: keep the house warm enough that water can’t freeze, or take the water out so there’s nothing to freeze. Each has trade-offs:
| Heat on, water on | Shut off and drained | |
|---|---|---|
| Suits | A house you’ll visit weekly or sell within weeks | A house empty for months |
| Monthly cost | Gas and electric bills continue | Minimal utilities |
| Main risk | Furnace failure or power outage while no one is there | Missed lines or traps that still hold water |
| Showing and inspections | Ready any time | Must be de-winterized first |
| Insurance | Insurer may require proof of regular checks | Insurer may want a record of the winterizing |
Whatever you choose, call your insurer first. Vacant house coverage often depends on it, as covered in our guide to vacant house insurance in Ohio.
The heat-on method
Keeping the heat on is simpler, but it only works if someone watches the house. Steps:
- Have the furnace serviced before the cold arrives, and replace the filter.
- Set the thermostat at the level your insurer and plumber recommend, and don’t turn it off between visits.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Seal and insulate. Ready.gov recommends insulation, caulking and weather stripping to keep the cold out. Pay attention to the crawl space, basement rim joists and any plumbing on exterior walls.
- Install a smart thermostat or temperature alarm that texts you if the house gets cold or the power drops.
- Check in person at least weekly, and after any hard freeze or storm.
- Keep working carbon monoxide detectors on every level, as Ready.gov advises.
Don’t heat a vacant house with space heaters, a gas oven or a generator. Ready.gov warns never to heat a home with a gas stove or oven, and to run generators only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages.
The shut-off and drain method
Draining is more work up front, but the house can sit safely for months. The usual steps:
- Shut off the water. Close the main valve inside. In Akron, to have water turned off at the street, the owner sends the city a signed written request at least one week before the desired date.
- Turn off the water heater and its gas or power, then drain the tank.
- Open every faucet, hot and cold, upstairs first, then the lowest fixture to let the system drain.
- Blow out the lines with compressed air if your plumber recommends it.
- Flush and drain toilets, then add plumbing antifreeze to the bowls and tanks.
- Pour antifreeze into every trap: sinks, tubs, showers, floor drains and the washing machine standpipe.
- Drain appliances: washing machine, dishwasher, ice maker and water softener.
- Disconnect hoses and drain outdoor spigots.
- Tag the main valve and the water heater “winterized, do not turn on,” with the date.
Keep a written list of what was done, signed by the plumber if you hired one. That record helps with your insurer and with a buyer’s inspector.
The rest of the house
Plumbing is the priority, but a vacant house in a Northeast Ohio winter needs more:
- Clean the gutters so ice dams don’t push water under the shingles.
- Shut off and cap gas to unused appliances, or have the gas company do it.
- Unplug electronics and turn off breakers for circuits you don’t need, leaving power for the sump pump and any alarm.
- Test the sump pump and make sure the discharge line isn’t frozen or buried.
- Arrange snow removal, so the house looks lived in and the walk is safe for visitors.
- Lock up and post the property. Empty houses draw trespassers; see squatters’ rights in Ohio.
A visit log that protects you
Whichever method you use, keep a simple log of every visit. Note the date, the indoor temperature or the drained status, anything unusual such as a smell, a wet spot or a tripped breaker, and who checked. Photos with dates help. If a pipe does burst, a log showing regular visits answers the first questions an adjuster will ask, and it shows a buyer the house was looked after.
Septic and well homes
Houses on a well or septic system need extra care. Ask your plumber about draining the well pump’s pressure tank and protecting any exposed well lines. Leave septic tank lids clearly marked so they can be found under snow.
If you’re selling a Summit County house with a well or septic, the point of sale evaluation still applies. Summit County Public Health says vacant homes and homes without running water must still be inspected before transfer. Plan to turn the water back on for the evaluation, or ask the evaluator how they want the house prepared. Our guide to septic and well inspections in Summit County covers the details.
Winterizing a house you’re about to sell
A winterized house can still be sold, but the timeline needs planning. Buyers’ inspectors usually want the water on to test fixtures and look for leaks. Build a few days into the inspection period to de-winterize, test, and re-winterize if the deal falls through. In Akron, remember the city’s one-week notice to turn water back on at the street.
If you renovate an empty house over the winter, the Ohio FAIR Plan’s FAQ notes it generally doesn’t insure vacant property except under its one-year Rehabilitation Program for houses under extensive, formal renovation, so line up coverage first.
Selling in cold weather has its own timing questions, covered in our guide to selling a house in winter in Ohio, and the bigger decision is on selling a vacant house.
