You may think it is too warm to consider your outside plumbing lines. After all, it is summer time. However, protecting your outside water lines from freezing in winter is an important step in winter preparations. While the inside of your home may have protection with a heating system and insulation, exterior plumbing does not. There are several steps that you can take to prevent outdoor plumbing from freezing and reduce the chance of pipes bursting.
If you have the appropriate hose bibs installed on exterior plumbing, your winter preparations will be easy. Special bibs are manufactured that have longer shut offs. The water will be stopped before it reaches the exterior or unprotected area, of the home. Shut your exterior faucet off fully and disconnect any attached hose. Hoses that are left attached to faucets can freeze and burst.
Separate water shuts off may be available in homes with accessible basements or crawl spaces. If you have this type of shut off, turn the water off here first. Then turn on the outside faucet to allow it to drain. Once it has drained, shut it off and disconnect any hoses. If you live in a particularly cold area and do not have an interior shut off, you should consider having one installed. A quality plumbing contractor can do this quickly and easily for you.
You can also purchase special foam insulation material that is designed to fit over your existing outdoor faucets. While these do not provide extensive protection, they do help the faucet retain some of the heat from the home’s interior. These insulation systems are available at most building supply stores.
Drain and store your garden hoses in your garage or storage shed. If you do not have inside storage available, protect the hoses with a tarp. Taking these steps will help hoses last longer and prevent warping and leaks. You may also want to coat the exterior threads on your outdoor faucets will a small amount of plumber’s grease. This can also be used on the threads of your hoses to reduce rust and make spring garden start up easier
Norwalk/La Mirada, CA 91766 | (562) 219-4085
