Preparing for Winter: An Essential Guide to Winterizing Your Toilet
Winterizing your toilet is an important task to ensure that it is safe throughout the winter months, particularly if your home has a tendency to get cold. Freezing temperatures can cause substantial damage to your toilet and associated plumbing, so it’s important to take the necessary precautions before the cold hits. The purpose of winterizing your toilet isn’t to simply turn off the water, it’s also to drain the tank and bowl to prevent any water from sitting and freezing, which is where the real damage comes in.
The first step of this process is to turn off the water supply to the toilet, which is done by switching off the fill valve (or “ballcock”) to the toilet tank. Usually located on the left side of the tank, this switch will turn off the water going into the tank, preventing water from freezing. Once the fill valve has been switched off, flip the shut-off valve located outside the toilet, near the wall towards the back or on the left side under the tank. This switch will determine whether the toilet is cut off from the water supply at all.
At this point, you need to prepare for the water in the tank to drain out, which is when a little messiness could occur. Lay some towels around the toilet bowl and find a bucket with a capacity of 3-5 gallons. Place the bucket above the toilet and begin pouring the water into the bowl. As you pour, slowly lift the bucket higher to increase the pressure of the water flowing from the bucket. This will push the remaining water from the toilet bowl into your drainage system, emptying out the tank and bowl. Dab a sponge or washcloth on the inside of the bowl to make sure everything is completely dry.
The last step of the winterizing process is to add an antifreeze, typically a non-toxic liquid designed for plumbing systems. When pouring the antifreeze into the toilet tank, make sure to wear safety glasses in case it gets into your eyes. Pressure from the antifreeze will help it spread through other parts of your plumbing. Holding the lever down while pouring will help push the antifreeze into your bowl and other pipes.
Winterizing your toilet is an essential step in ensuring your plumbing stays safe during the winter months. By following the above steps, you’ll make sure that your home’s plumbing is set up for success in the colder months and will be able to prevent the potential for some costly plumbing repairs. Once you finish winterizing your toilet, make sure to take the necessary steps to winterize the other water lines in your home to make sure that your plumbing is ready for the cold.
