Winter heat
 

What is the best way to heat your house in the winter just enough to keep the pipes from freezing? Electric? Propane Stove? If so, what kind? I am always fearful of the pipes freezing even when I drain them for the winter.

If you are not going to be in the house for the winter, absolutely the best plan is to drain and blow out the pipes. This has worked for generations--water cannot burst your pipes if it is not in them. Much better than banking on a heating system that is bound to fail at some point each year.

I'm at my house once every few weeks in the winter, so I'm very well insulated, have the central propane heat at 40, and have a couple of different alarm systems. My heat fails at least once each winter, usually due to power failure.

Also remember to leaver all fawcets wide open when water is turned off.That way,if there is a small amount of water left somewhere in the pipes it can expand harmlessly if it freezes

I would recommend having a licensed plumber do it. I do it each year and shut off all heat also

Drain the house and pull the plug. It also saves your roof as you no longer have snow melt and ice build up from internal heat. Cost of a plumber is covered with 1 month of power cost.

I used to drain everything myself, but didn't have the ability to blow forced air through the system to get every last drop out. Often, when I opened in the spring, there would be a problem somewhere needing a plumber to fix it. Now I have my plumber drain the system and blow it out...No problems. In the spring, he connects everything up two days before I arrive...Money very well spent.