Leaving Home for Winter in Spokane: Shutting Off and Draining Water

Updated November 12, 2026 · 6 min read

Why empty houses in this region are risky

The Inland Northwest sees real freezes. Cold snaps push overnight lows into the teens or lower, and the cold can stay for days. A heated, occupied house usually survives because people notice a cold room, a dripping faucet or a gurgling pipe. An empty house has nobody doing that. A pipe that splits can run until a neighbor notices water at the door, and by then walls, ceilings and floors may be soaked.

The homes that tend to get hit are the ones that sit empty by design:

• Snowbird homes in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and around Spokane, closed up from fall to spring
• Lake and cabin properties around Newman Lake, Hayden Lake, Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Pend Oreille area
• Primary homes left for a holiday trip or a long family visit
• Rentals between tenants and houses on the market

Lake places often have special plumbing: a pump and pressure tank, long supply lines from a well or a lake intake, outdoor spigots, a dock line, and an unheated crawlspace. Each is a spot where water can freeze.

Step one: shut the water off at the main

Find the main shutoff, which is commonly at the point where the line enters near the foundation, in a basement, crawlspace or utility room. Close it fully. A quarter-turn ball valve is easy. An older gate valve with a round handle can stick, so test it well before the trip, not the night before you go. If it does not close, a plumber can replace it.

With the main closed, open a faucet at the lowest level to relieve pressure and let water drain, and then open one on the top floor so air can enter. This pulls most of the water out of the lines. Close the faucets once the flow stops, and flush toilets once to clear the tank and bowl.

Step two: drain and protect fixtures

For homes that will sit through months of cold, or that might lose heat, a fuller shutdown includes:

1. Water heater. Turn off the gas or breaker first, then let the tank drain with the heater off. A tank left on with no water in it can ruin an electric element.
2. Outdoor spigots. Disconnect hoses and shut the interior valve that feeds each hose bib, then open the spigot outside.
3. Irrigation system. Have it blown out with compressed air, usually in October in this area.
4. Pump and pressure tank at a well or lake home. Follow the maker's drain steps.
5. Appliances. Disconnect the washer hoses, and shut the supply to the dishwasher and ice maker.
6. Traps and toilets. In homes that will be unheated, plumbers often pour a small amount of RV-style antifreeze into traps and toilet bowls. Use only the type made for plumbing, never automotive antifreeze.

Systems differ, and some have heat tape, radiant floors or fire sprinklers that need their own steps. If you are unsure, a plumber can do a winterization visit, and the winterizing guide for Spokane homes covers insulation and prevention for homes you keep heated.

Thermostat settings when you are away

If the house stays heated, many people set the thermostat in the mid 50s Fahrenheit. A few cautions:

• Open cabinet doors on exterior walls if you are staying in the house, but when you are away this does not help much, so insulate those pipes instead.
• Set a heat pump or mini-split to a mode that works in cold weather, and confirm it runs on a schedule you do not need to adjust.
• Check that the furnace filter is clean and that you have fuel for propane or oil heat. Fuel that runs out in January is a common cause of burst pipes at cabins.
• Replace thermostat batteries before you leave.
• Keep interior doors open so warm air reaches kitchen and bathroom walls.

Have someone check the house

A person walking through is better than any gadget. Pick a neighbor, friend, property manager or house sitter, and give them clear instructions.

• Where the main shutoff is and how to close it
• The thermostat setting and who to call if it reads low
• Your contact information and your insurance agent's
• Permission to call a plumber or a restoration company if water is found
• A short walk-through list: look at the ceilings and under sinks, feel the temperature, listen for running water, check the basement or crawlspace

Ask for a text with a photo on each visit. That dated record helps if you ever file a claim, and it proves the house was being watched.

Smart sensors worth having

A good system alerts you before the damage is large.

• Water leak sensors near the water heater, washer, kitchen sink, bathroom floors and the sump area.
• Freeze and temperature sensors that tell you when a room is dropping toward freezing, which can give you hours of warning if the furnace quits.
• Smart shutoff valves that close the main when a sensor trips or when flow looks abnormal.
• A power-loss alert or a smart thermostat that reports its status.

Choose devices that work over your home Wi-Fi and alert more than one person, since your own phone may not be on. If the house has weak internet, a cellular-connected sensor is an option. Test them once a month during the season.

Insurance and unoccupied homes

Policies treat empty houses differently from occupied ones. In general terms, many standard homeowners policies limit or exclude certain losses, including freezing, when a home has been vacant or unoccupied beyond a set period, and the number of days is often described as 30 or 60 consecutive days. Some policies require that heat be maintained or that the water be shut off and the system drained. Seasonal and vacation homes may need a different policy form or an endorsement. Wording varies by insurer, so ask your agent exactly what is required, and put any promises about notice in writing.

Flood from outside water is a separate issue and normally needs its own coverage. The page on does homeowners insurance cover water damage in Washington goes through the sudden versus gradual rule that applies to most claims. Idaho policies follow similar ideas, but check your own documents.

If you come home to water

1. Do not walk in assuming it is safe. If water is deep, if ceilings sag, or if the electrical panel is wet, stay out and call an electrician.
2. Shut off the main water valve if you can reach it without wading through standing water near live circuits.
3. Cut power to wet areas at the panel only if the panel and the floor near it are dry.
4. Photograph and film everything before you move anything.
5. Call your insurer's claim line to report the loss and ask what it requires.
6. Call a licensed crew promptly. Water that sat for days in an empty house often means drywall, insulation and flooring are saturated, and mold may already be starting. Frozen lines that burst are covered in burst pipe cleanup, and the larger dry-out is handled under water damage restoration.

Once the crew is on site, expect them to extract water, remove wet materials that cannot be saved, set drying equipment, and log moisture readings until the structure is dry. Costs depend on how long the water ran, how many rooms were soaked, and whether a rebuild follows, so the written inspection estimate is the number to rely on. The burst pipe repair cost guide lists the factors that move a bill up or down. Do not try to repair a burst line yourself unless you know how, because a plumber is typically needed to find and fix the break.

Sources and official resources

• Verify a Washington contractor (Washington L&I)
• Home insurance guide (Washington Insurance Commissioner)
• IICRC: restoration industry standards body
• Spokane weather and freeze warnings (National Weather Service)
• A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home (EPA)