My house is new construction and didn't have a frost-free spigot, but my plumber let me know when I had him put an extra spigot on the opposite side of my house to do watering of my plants etc..... two seperate 75' hoses instead of dragging 100+ ft of hose around to each side or disconnecting one hose and connecting it again on the other side..... FUCK ALL THAT
That outdoor spigot you rely on for watering your plants in the summer becomes a ticking time bomb come winter. Unless properly winterized, outdoor faucets can freeze when temperatures drop, causing pipes to burst, leading to water damage that can cost thousands. Luckily, prepping your outdoor faucet for winter is an easy task—much like getting your garage and windows ready for colder weather—that you can complete in under an hour with just basic tools. Ahead, we cover how to winterize outdoor faucets and why this is a chore you don’t want to skip.
Older Faucets: Most newer homes, especially those in colder climates, are built with frost-free faucets that have a shut off valve inside the heated part of the home. When you close the valve on a frost-free faucet, the water drains out of the exterior pipe, so there’s no risk of freezing. Older outdoor spigots have their shut off valve at the faucet, leaving water in an exterior section of pipe where it is susceptible to freezing.
Exposed pipes: Plumbing for outdoor faucets often run through unheated parts of the house, such as a crawl space, basement, or exterior wall, where it’s more likely to freeze.
Colder regions: Homes located in colder northern parts of the country that experience harsh winters have a greater risk of freeze damage to outdoor spigots.
Outdoor faucet insulation can add an extra layer of protection for your faucet and attached pipes when cold weather hits.
That outdoor spigot you rely on for watering your plants in the summer becomes a ticking time bomb come winter. Unless properly winterized, outdoor faucets can freeze when temperatures drop, causing pipes to burst, leading to water damage that can cost thousands. Luckily, prepping your outdoor faucet for winter is an easy task—much like getting your garage and windows ready for colder weather—that you can complete in under an hour with just basic tools. Ahead, we cover how to winterize outdoor faucets and why this is a chore you don’t want to skip.
Why You Need to Winterize Outdoor Faucets
If you’ve ever left a can of soda in the freezer then you understand why pipes can burst when the weather turns cold. When water freezes it expands by nine percent. “Pipes that supply water to outdoor faucets are inside the exterior walls of your home, and without being winterized, these pipes are full of water,” says Aaron Adams, master plumber and CEO of Suwanee, Georgia-based Aaron Services: Plumbing Heating, Cooling. “When outdoor temperatures drop, the water in these pipes freezes and expands, which causes the pipes to crack and break.”What Happens to Your Outdoor Faucets if You Don’t Winterize Them?
The biggest sign of damage from an unprotected faucet are leaks. Once a frozen pipe bursts, it can immediately start leaking or begin leaking once the weather warms and the frozen pipe thaws. “Most of the damage caused by freezing happens to the pipes in the wall that attach to the outdoor faucet,” Adams says. “If these pipes crack or break, and you haven't turned off the water going to them, you'll find water inside or outside the home, generally near that faucet.”Homes at Highest Risk of Outdoor Faucets Freezing and Damage
Though outdoor faucets can freeze in any home, the problem is more common in older homes that aren’t built with newer frost-free faucets and generally have less insulation than newer homes.Older Faucets: Most newer homes, especially those in colder climates, are built with frost-free faucets that have a shut off valve inside the heated part of the home. When you close the valve on a frost-free faucet, the water drains out of the exterior pipe, so there’s no risk of freezing. Older outdoor spigots have their shut off valve at the faucet, leaving water in an exterior section of pipe where it is susceptible to freezing.
Exposed pipes: Plumbing for outdoor faucets often run through unheated parts of the house, such as a crawl space, basement, or exterior wall, where it’s more likely to freeze.
Colder regions: Homes located in colder northern parts of the country that experience harsh winters have a greater risk of freeze damage to outdoor spigots.
What You Need to Winterize Outdoor Faucets
- Tools: wrench, screwdriver
- Materials: faucet covers, rags, bucket
How to Winterize Standard Outdoor Faucets (Non–Frost-Free)
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn how to protect your outdoor faucets from freezing:- Step 1: Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Garden hoses attached to the faucet can force water back into the home when it freezes, potentially damaging the faucet and interior plumbing.
- Step 2: Shut off interior water supply to the faucet. Find the shut off valve on the interior of the house. It should be in the crawl space or basement near the exterior wall where the faucet is. If the valve is a gate valve (it has a round handle), turn it clockwise until it stops. For a ball valve, which has a lever handle, give it a quarter turn so that the handle is perpendicular to the pipe.
- Step 3: Open the faucet outside to drain remaining water. This is an important step as any water left in the faucet could freeze, expand, and cause damage. Leave the faucet open until you put the spigot back into service in the spring.
- Step 4: Drain the interior shutoff (bleeder valve). Head back into the house to the interior shut-off valve and locate the bleeder valve on the side of the main valve. Remove the bleeder valve cap by turning it counter-clockwise. This will allow air to enter the plumbing, releasing pressure so any water left inside the pipe can drain out of the faucet. Some water may also drain out of the bleeder valve, so be prepared to catch it with a rag or bucket. Once all the water has drained out, replace the bleeder valve cap.
- Step 5: Add insulation and finalize protection. Though not a necessary step, you can add an extra layer of protection for your outdoor faucet by installing a hose bibb insulator. This outdoor faucet insulation looks like a small styrofoam cup that fits over the outdoor faucet, insulating it.
How to Winterize Frost-Free Outdoor Faucets
Unlike a standard spigot, a frost-free outdoor faucet has a long stem that extends the shutoff valve into the warm part of the home. The water in the faucet pipe and spigot drains every time you turn off the faucet, eliminating any freeze risk. “Technically you do not need to winterize a frost-free outdoor faucet,” Adams says. “However, winterizing your outdoor faucets is so simple that we recommend everyone do it regardless of the type of faucet you have.” Follow the same steps to winterize a frost-free faucet as you would a traditional outdoor faucet.Common Mistakes to Avoid When Winterizing Faucets
Leaving Hoses Connected
Disconnect and store any garden hoses when you winterize your outdoor faucet. Not only can freezing weather damage a hose, it can also cause water to freeze and back up into the spigot and plumbing, damaging it.Forgetting to Open the Bleeder Valve
Forgetting to open the bleeder valve on the interior cut off valve will trap water inside the plumbing, which can then freeze and damage the pipes or spigot.
Relying Solely on Faucet Covers
Faucet covers won’t necessarily prevent water left in the spigot or plumbing from freezing during extreme cold. You still need to shut off the interior valve and drain the spigot to properly winterize your faucet.Over-Tightening Faucets After Draining
Resist the urge to over-tighten a spigot after draining it. Over-tightening can crack plastic cartridges and crush rubber washers, leading to leaks when you put the faucet back into service in the spring. In fact, it’s best to simply leave the faucet open after you’ve cut off the shut-off valve to ensure no water builds up inside the pipe in the event that the main shut-off leaks.Troubleshooting & Early Warning Signs of Damage
Slow Leaks, Dripping, or Visible Cracks
If you forgot to winterize your outdoor faucet before a hard freeze, evaluate your faucet for damage. Look for any visible cracks in the plumbing then check for drips or leaks at the spigot and at the plumbing on the interior of the house.What Do I Do if My Faucet Freezes Anyway?
If your outdoor faucet freezes, close the main water shut-off valve in your home to prevent any potential water damage. Open the faucet, then warm the spigot and pipes with hot towels or a hair dryer. Allow the ice to melt, then turn on the house water main briefly to check for leaks. Turn the faucet off and on to make sure it’s functioning properly.When to Call a Plumber
If you notice any leaks inside or outside your home after the pipe thaws, then shut off your home’s water main and contact a plumber to repair it immediately.FAQs About Winterizing Outdoor Faucets
When should you winterize in colder climates?
Pay attention to weather forecasts and winterize your outdoor faucet before the first hard freeze, which is typically in late October or early November.Do all homes have a shut-off valve for outdoor faucets?
Homes in warmer climates may not have a main shut-off valve for the outdoor spigot. If your home lacks a shut-off valve and you live in a milder climate, you can add a spigot insulator as an added line of protection.Can you still use your outdoor faucet in winter?
You can use your faucet in winter when temperatures are above freezing; however, you’ll need to go through the process of winterizing it when you’re done using it to prevent it from freezing when temperatures drop.Are faucet covers enough on their own?
Faucet covers are not enough to protect your outdoor faucet if you live in a climate where temperatures drop below zero for an extended period. First, faucet covers only protect the faucet itself and don’t protect the plumbing leading into it, which can still freeze. Second, faucet covers only slow heat loss around the spigot. They don’t prevent it. A covered spigot can still freeze over a prolonged cold snap.MSN
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