Outdoor Faucets

Winterize your outdoor plumbing

Even though you are probably not using your outdoor faucet or spigot as much during the winter as you do during the summer, that doesn’t mean you can just forget about it for the whole season. If your outdoor faucet, pipes, and water inside them freeze, you may be in for a lot of damage.

One option is to replace your current faucet with one that is frost-proof. If that’s not an option, here are suggestions on how to keep your existing setup from freezing in the winter.

Disconnect your hose

First, remove your hose from the faucet if you haven’t done already. This is important because in addition to your pipes, your hose provides another place for water to freeze and cause damage. Disconnect the hose and store in your garage, basement, or shed until the spring.

Turn off the water

The next thing to do is to shut off the water. To do this, start by locating the control valve on the water supply pipe leading to the outdoor spigot. Turn the value clockwise to turn the water off. The control valve can also have a lever handle. If that’s the case, turn the lever so it is perpendicular to the pipe to shut off the water supply. Once the water is off, open the spigot to drain any water still in it, and/or your pipes.

Install an insulated faucet protector

Insulated faucet protectors are usually made of foam, inexpensive, and available online or in hardware stores. Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions, and when you are done, make sure that the cover is securely in place over the faucet.