BWW Project #49 Close House for Winter

 BWW Project #49: Close House For Winter

Almost didn't get to close the BWW house for winter!  Medical issue with prostrate cancer very nearly kept me here for treatment.  It all hinged on whether radiation was needed, which it wasn't.  Ordinarily we would have left the day after Thanksgiving, which was already late this year.  Instead, I had a myriad of tests and went on hormone supressor pills.  We were all set to leave January 10th when I got a call for the radiology consultation.  

January 17th saw us closing the house.  This is not a real lengthly procedure at BWW because gravity drains the 1st and 2nd floor lines.  I merely have to turn off and drain the water heater, remove the clips on the water softener and blow it out, and let everything else drain down and out the floor drain.

The upstairs bathroom has 2 sinks, a toilet, and tub, all of which then get RV anti-freeze in the drains.  The downstairs has 2 bathrooms which get the same; and the kitchen sink.  In addition, I put 1/2 gallon of RV anti-freeze in the clothes washer in the basement and run it on spin and drain.  Then anti-freeze in the deep sink drain.  I use the compressor to just make sure everything has moved in the various lines.

Then the city comes and removes the meter and closes the valve at the street.  This was a little problematic because the valve at the street didn't completely close and they had to try several times before they got it.  I would not be surprised in the spring or summer if they want to replace it.

I shut off all the gas valves:  Furnace, fireplace, water-heater, and clothes dryer.

The van is parked in the garage and I put a trickle-charger on the battery to keep it up.  The initial plan was to have to come back in mid-February because of lab-work surrounding changing from one hormone blocker to another.  

I felt lucky to be able to go to Florida at all!  There was minor damage to the double-wide there from a hurricane.  A large water oak fell into the pond, but the roots leaving created some back yard damage which has to be mitigated.  Also some fascia blew off the edge of the carport and the screen door from the carport to the back yard had blown out of the frame, but not broken.  A little damage to the sprinkler system from branches being dragged past by the park workers as they removed the tree from the pond.

Forty nine projects for BWW in the first full year!  That was a lot.  There is more to do in 2025.