What to do in case of power loss?

Chris Brown_2

Hi, I purchased a home that has a Weil-McLain boiler. I previously had forced air heat. I live in Buffalo New York, which is prone to severe weather storms and power outages. I can't find information about what to do in case of power outage so radiator pipes won't burst. I know for regular pipes, the trick is to keep faucets running at a slow trickle to prevent frozen pipes. What can I do for radiator pipes?

Hot_water_fan

You can use antifreeze. 

pecmsg

Back up generator. 

You will have several hours before that situation arises. 

Yes you could use antifreeze but that requires more maintenance. 

hot_rod

A back up generator would keep the heat on plus any number of other loads, lights, cooking, tv, etc
A UPS with a battery bank could rum a hydronic system for a period of time also.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@chris brown_2

Is you building hot water or steam? Also, if you lose power in most cases, it will take several days before anything freezes.

109A_5

Hello @Chris Brown_2 ,
If the ideas previously mentioned won't work for you.

Hot water: Learn how to drain the system the best you can to avoid or minimize damage. Also learn how to re-fill and purge the air out of the system.

Steam: Drain the boiler and the wet returns.

In either case if you drain the boiler you should shut off the gas to the boiler.

Also since if it gets that bad you may want to use a hose to a floor drain and let the water feed to the boiler drip as you previously mentioned. That way there is flow through the boiler water feed pipes which are usually quite stagnant. Or drain the whole house of water. Automotive Windshield solvent / antifreeze can be added to the sink and toilet traps, there may be a more environmentally friendly product. Windshield solvent is inexpensive.

HomerJSmith

You can buy a small inverter generator that will plug into your boiler. If you buy a small generator at Costco or such, stay away from those electric generators and buy a generator that runs on gas (preferably dual fuel).

HVACNUT

A generator is the best way to go, but 20 gallons of glycol is a lot cheaper short term. It does have drawbacks though. 

And if there's drafts near any heat pipes, it won't take long to freeze. So insulate any exposed piping.

WMno57

You need a plan for if your home, and a plan for if your away.
If your Home:
Keep some garden hoses in conditioned space. If worse comes to worse, use the hoses to drain the domestic water and hydronic heating systems. If you don't have working drain valves, get them installed now.
If your Away:

• Have someone who can check on the place
  
• Shut off the water (unless you are steam)
  
• Leave kitchen cabinet under sink open if on outside wall
  

Propylene Glycol for the heating system introduces too many other problems. Not worth it unless you have a space (like a garage) that constantly freezes.
Ethylene glycol in toilets will kill any pets in the home. New EG, PG, Isopropyl alcohol, and Ethyl alcohol are fine for municipal water treatment systems. The heavy metals in used automotive antifreeze are not so fine, but the solution to pollution is dilution.

Jamie Hall

Somebody suggested using automotive antifreeze in traps and the like. Even if you don't care about that use being illegal pretty much everywhere, you might be concerned about the stuff being lethal, which it is. Go and buy a couple of gallons of RV antifreeze, which is usually easily available (the Big Boxes, Tractor Supply, etc.) and use that. It's also cheaper, if you care...

But that implies that there is a chance the house might freeze. If there is, the only recourse for the plumbing system is to drain it all, thoroughly, and hope there are no low points which hold water. You can use heating system antifreeze -- ethylene or propylene glycol -- in the heating system, but it does make work on the system harder.

If you want to keep the house warm in a power outage -- generator, propert transfer switch or interlocks as required by your code, enough fuel and someone competent to start it, hook it up, and run it. That last is not Joe Sixpack from down the road, unless Joe is reliable -- and actually retained (read: paid) to keep an eye on the place.