If you have an oil-fired or gas-fired circulating-hot-water heating system, have your plumber insert antifreeze into the system to prevent the pipes from freezing during power outages. Mine took about 20 gallons and should be good for about three years before it will need topping off. This is standard operating procedure where I am as many of the homes are owned by weekenders who don't want to have to worry about bursting pipes while they are at work in the city during the week.

-- (plumb@bob.com), March 25, 1999

Answers

Yes, our plumber told us to do it, too. He did add that it decreases the efficiency of hot-water heating systems by about 14%. Also that when you don't need it any longer you can drain it outside and it will not kill your lawn. (We don't want it down the septic, which has a good culture in it presently.) If you live in a town, you can just let it go into the sewer system.

-- Shivani Arjuna (odnsmall@aol.com), March 25, 1999.