Outdoor shower winterization

[JoeRI]

Hello,

I moved into a house equipped with an outdoor shower that I need to properly winterize (I didn’t do it properly last year and burst a pipe as a result). I need to know the best way to do it.

Here is the setup: summons Temptrol valve (cartridge type). PEX pipe inside of wall cavity to basement. Shut off valves in basement with bleeders.

last year I just shut off the inside shut offs and opened the outside shower valve to drain. I didn’t know about the bleeders. As a result, water was left in and I had a freeze/break in the spring.

this year I am going to: 1 shut off the inside shut off valves; 2 open the outside shower faucet to drain; 3 open the basement bleeder valves to drain.

I also thought maybe I should take off the shower head and attach my air compressor to the shower arm to blow air through and out the basement bleeder valves. Is this advisable? Any risk of damaging the valve by blowing air the opposite way?

Should I do anything else? I don’t think I need to take apart the valve and cartridge if I do all this. Any thoughts?

thanks in advance.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Certainly worth a try if air shoots out hot and cold bleeds your good if not you must remove cartridge. no need going crazy with pressure , if you hook compresser up solid and run it then go down under and open bleed as needed . if only one is open nothing or very little comes out.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

Rv antifreeze, pump from shower head to bleeders. Can use a pump like the one that fits into a drill.