Will you really get all the water out of those cottage pipes this fall? A Canadian-made plumbing device, the Clozer II, can help. It displaces water in pipes with non-toxic antifreeze, offering more reliable freeze protection than draining and making it less likely that your dishwasher, washing machine, or water dispenser fridge will crack internally over winter.
Cottage-country plumber Brian Feeney invented the Clozer after years of fixing broken pipes “drained” by cottage owners the previous fall, and the second-generation Clozer II upped the ante with a streamlined design and lower cost. To use it, fill the on-board reservoir with antifreeze, connect the Clozer II to hose valves installed in the hot and cold pipes near the water heater (the water should be off at this point and the water heater drained). Plug in the gadget, then open the taps on each fixture one at a time. The device senses when a tap is open and pumps antifreeze into the lines. Keep the fixture running until clear water turns into pink antifreeze, then let additional antifreeze continue to run for 2 or 3 seconds to protect sink drain traps too.
At $579, the Clozer II is pricey, but it’s worth it for cottage owners who want reliable DIY pipe freeze protection without turning to a pro. Two or three years of use, and it’ll pay for itself in the plumber’s bills you’ll avoid (and the broken pipes you’ll prevent). Get it at theclozer.ca.
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