Oops, we missed a couple of steps in winterizing

[Tim5055]

Well, I didn't think winterizing would be a big deal in Atlanta - now i know what I get for thinking.

Our first cold snap came on us quickly last year so I did a "quick" winterizing.  I drained the water tank, drained the HWH and blew out the lines with air, all while it was in the garage, so I didn't pop up.

Well, we just got back from our first trip of the season (5 days on the beach in SC) and we made a coupld of discoveries.

The kitchen faucet leaked when you turned it on, so that water dripped under the cabinet.  With a little investigation I discovered a small crack in the plastic faucet, obviously caused because I didn't drain the water in it last year.  When I blew it out I couldn't open the kitchen faucet.  Ah well, $28 at Lowes and now I have an all brass faucet rather than the plastic one.

The other thing we remembered was that we have a refrigerator freezer on the Niagara, rather than just the refrigerator on the Santa Fe.  When you take the last trip of the year you have to remember to clean out the freezer.  We know because we have a steak and some sausage from last year in ours.  So far baking soda and charcoal seem to be taking out the odor, but time will tell.

[ForestCreature]

When you take the last trip of the year you have to remember to clean out the freezer. We know because we have a steak and some sausage from last year in ours. So far baking soda and charcoal seem to be taking out the odor, but time will tell.

Tim, Place coffee grounds in the fridge. That works better than the above,
 Unfortunately I learned this the hard way too

[brainpause]

I guess there ARE advantages to having a low-end popup like ours!

Sorry for the trouble. But you got a better faucet out of it.

Larry

[chasd60]

I found that with my hybrid I leave the refrigerator and freezer doors open all winter but I guess that would have meant a lot more smell to get out for you.
 
 AS far as winterizing goes, always winterize if they predict temperatures down as low as 40. Why 40? Because they are always wrong and 40 means 25.
 
 Here are a few handy tips from a site I found;)

[mike4947]

Tim, I wish I had a dollar for every %%#$#% plastic faucet I've replaced over the years. They crack even when winterized. All it takes is a single drop of water and it finds a point in them that allows it to expand and crack the housing. We've found them cracked in the spring when they were flushed with RV antifreeze.
 
As for the fridge if all else fails, try and find a used appliance dealer in your area. You should be able to talk them out of or purchase a small amount of the deodorizer they use for fridges that have been closed up. There's not much that smells worse than a closed up house fridge that's been unplugged for a while or harder to get the odor out of.

[Kelly]

Here are a few handy tips from a site I found;)

That's just wrong, Charlie!

[brainpause]

That's just wrong, Charlie!

I thought it was funny! :p

Larry

[Tim5055]

Here are a few handy tips from a site I found;)

You would think that guy would talk about being careful with freezers.

[Tim5055]

Tim, I wish I had a dollar for every %%#$#% plastic faucet I've replaced over the years. They crack even when winterized.

The thing that disappoints me is that the Highlander series have really nice looking residential style faucets.  It was only after i took the darn thing apart that I discovered that it was all plastic.....
 :mad:

[Kelly]

I thought it was funny! :p

Larry

um, so did I Larry.  

[byrdr1]

Here are a few handy tips from a site I found;)

This has got to be the funniest thing I have seen here in a long time..
I am about to bust a gut laughing.. I was like, I wonder where this link will go and then right back to to TIMs website...
I am LOL
Good one!!! the best I've seen...

[tlhdoc]

I thought it was funny! :p
 
Larry

I thought it was funny too.