WINTER HOLIDAYS & FROZEN PIPES ANY TIPS PLEASE

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

I know it may seem obvious what to do but as both my parents are due to go to Australia to stay with my brother for 2 months (so they will be there December and January) what is the best as regards frozen pipes etc. I am just concerned as our weather has now drastically changed for the worse. I can only get to their home twice a week to check things and they do have good neighbours but should I.......
1) Set the central heating timer to come on at set times to keep the place and pipes from freezing and the chance of possible leaks.
OR
2) Turn the boiler off, and the water off.
There will timers for lights and their home is alarmed but this freezing weather is making me worry that I may get there one day and the place will be flooded.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Burnerman]

Go for (1) mate...even if you did drain down, you wouldn't get all the water out. Have the boiler coming on 2 or 3 times a day, just to keep things ticking over.
Turn the mains water off though - this won't affect the heating.
John

 

[joinerjohn]

When we went to Tenerife, last December, I set the heating to come on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. (boiler has a frost stat, but that would only protect the boiler) Turned the mains water supply off and drained as much water out of that as I could.
When we returned, the weather was freezing cold, snow and ice, but at least there were no leaks in our gaff.

 

[Corgigrouch]

OR.... Fit a room 'stat and set it to 10c and set the timer to constant....

 

[kirkgas]

Go for (1) mate...even if you did drain down, you wouldn't get all the water out. Have the boiler coming on 2 or 3 times a day, just to keep things ticking over.
Turn the mains water off though - this won't affect the heating.
John

i would go for this option but reset the timer to come on 12 hrs apart, but have the first setting in the early hrs of the morning when it will be coldest (2-4am?) its hard to decide what to do

 

[ColJack]

leave it on whatever is the normal cycle ( do they have it set on the timer or use it on permanent? ) and turn the stats on the rads down to 1..

this will keep the water in the pipes warm and the damp / cold out of the walls..

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Firstly thanks to you all for your replies. I puzzled though as turning the mains supply off. Is this the one that comes in from the road and up through the floor in their kitchen (well its in the sink base unit) is this the one I turn off completely. I dont understand how the heating will work with no water. Please excuse me but I really havnt a clue with water works.

 

[muggles]

Yes, it's the one that comes into your sink base unit. Turning that off and draining the water out of the taps won't stop your heating working as your taps aren't connected to your heating system, so the water will remain in it. The heating system doesn't need a constant supply of water, once it's filled it stays filled until it's either drained or springs a leak.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Thank you muggles, but I have also just read someone elses post with a similar issue and they asked...
'If I turn the water off and leave the central heating on, what about the fact that the central heating heats the water too? Does this have any impact on the system?'
They had no reply so I dont know what the answer would be.

 

[Corgigrouch]

If you leave the heating on, then there is no need to turn off the water as your house should never get to freezing point... but turning off the water is prudent, just in case.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

I would rather turn off the water at the mains at least to me this rules out that problem, but...
'If I turn the water off and leave the central heating on, what about the fact that the central heating heats the water too? Does this have any impact on the system?'

 

[Corgigrouch]

Thank you muggles, but I have also just read someone elses post with a similar issue and they asked...
'If I turn the water off and leave the central heating on, what about the fact that the central heating heats the water too? Does this have any impact on the system?'
They had no reply so I dont know what the answer would be.

It may... But I'll stick my neck out here and say that for two months it would be ok as the F+E tank shouls be pretty well enclosed and so any water that evaporates will condense on the lid and fall back into the tank... thougha small ammount will escape.

If you have a combi or other sealed system, then ther should be no loss at all

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Oh gosh, I thought I had it and now I'm confused again. Their boiler is not a combi its just an old Servowarm but has been very well maintained. After what I had read on here and all the replies was thinking of..
Setting the boiler to heat the radiatiors twice a day, but NOT set to heat the water. Also to turn the water off at the mains.
Would this be correct????

 

[Corgigrouch]

That'll do but it would be better if you had a room themostat....

 

[hibeealex]

It really dosent matter about the hot water being on or off, if you turn the main off, the hot wont refill from the cold tank, however as there,s no one using the hot water anyway,it wont need any cold from the tank and even with the main closed and someone using the hot it will soon stop coming from the tap, the hot cylinder will still be full of water which will get hot and cold depending on weather you have left the water heater on timed or not.
But just do as you sayn at the end, mains water off- heating set to come on a couple of times a day-hot water programmer off