Outdoor Faucet Care: Preparing for Winter and Avoiding Freezing

If you live in cold areas, you know that winter doesn't always mean days with heavy snowfall or storms. But all it takes is one cold night for your outdoor faucet to freeze. And that's usually when the problems start! 

When you have a frozen faucet, it can cause cracked pipes, hidden leaks, water damage, and even unexpected repair bills that you might not want for your home. So, is there a way to prevent this problem? Well, yes! 

You can avoid most of this damage with a little preparation and a few regular habits before winter begins.

When you take care of your outdoor faucets, you can protect your entire plumbing system, too! But what exactly do you need to do to protect your outdoor faucet? Well, we have included all the tips you need in this blog!

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Why Outdoor Faucets Freeze So Easily

If your outdoor faucet freezes frequently during winter, you might wonder why it happens so often. The answer is simple - 

• Your outdoor faucets are exposed, and they usually don't get the same warmth as pipes inside your home. 
• So, when the outside temperature drops, any water left inside your faucet freezes quickly. 
• And when water freezes, it slowly expands, which creates a kind of pressure that can crack pipes behind the wall. 

Sometimes, you might not even notice the damage until you're turning your faucet back on during the spring season. And by then, water could already be leaking inside your walls. That's why professional plumbers always recommend winter preparation, even if you have lighter winters.

How to Winterize Your Faucets to Prevent Them From Freezing

When you follow these tips, you can winterize your faucet and avoid winter damage.

1. Disconnect and Drain Hoses

This is one of the most important things you need to take care of. When you leave a hose connected, it can trap water inside the faucet. And this water can freeze, expand, and start damaging your pipe. To avoid this, you need to -

• Disconnect all garden hoses
• Drain the hose completely
• Store hoses indoors or in a shed

This whole process will hardly take you two minutes to complete, but it can save you hundreds of dollars later.

2. Shut Off the Outdoor Water Supply

If you have a dedicated shutoff valve for your outdoor faucets, you'll usually find it located inside, near where the pipe exits your house. Here's what you need to do -

• Turn off the water supply to the outdoor faucet
• Open the faucet outside
• Let any remaining water drain out

After it stops dripping, you're good! If there's no water, there's nothing to freeze! But if you're not sure where the valve is, you can call for professional plumbing service to help you locate it quickly.

3. Check for Leaks Before Winter Starts

Before the temperature drops, you can take a few minutes to inspect your outdoor faucets and check for leaks. Even a small drip can turn into a big problem once the winter season begins. So, you need to look out for -

• Slow dripping after shutoff
• Loose handles or fittings
• Water pooling near the faucet

When you fix these small leaks early on, it can prevent frozen pipes and unexpected damage later.

4. Install Faucet Covers

For the best protection against winter, you can install faucet covers! They're inexpensive, and you'll find them at most hardware stores. This is how they'll work -

• They trap heat
• They block cold air and wind
• They add a layer of insulation

You need to make sure the faucet is dry before you install the cover. If there's moisture trapped inside, it can still freeze!

5. Upgrade to a Frost-Free Faucet

If your home has older outdoor faucets, you need to upgrade them to frost-free faucets. These have valves that are present farther inside your home, where it stays warm. That means you'll not have to worry about a frozen faucet even during colder nights. So, you can enjoy benefits, like -

• Lower freeze risk
• Less winter prep
• Longer lifespan

For the installation process, you need to call local plumbers for help! They'll do the job quickly and efficiently.

6. Seal Gaps and Cracks Around Pipes

During winter, cold air can sneak in through small gaps around pipes where they enter your home. That cold air can freeze pipes from the inside out. So, you need to look -

• Where outdoor pipes enter walls
• Around foundation openings
• Near crawl spaces or garages

You can seal those gaps using caulk or insulation foam. If you need help, you can always contact a reliable plumbing service provider.

7. Schedule a Quick Plumbing Inspection

If you want peace of mind, you can always contact experienced plumbers for a quick inspection at least once a year. They can -

• Check outdoor faucets and valves
• Identify weak spots in your plumbing
• Catch issues before they turn into emergencies

Experienced local plumbers know exactly what to look for and can help you avoid winter problems.

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What Happens If You Skip Winter Prep?

When you don't take the right steps to protect your faucet from the winter weather, you can face several problems! Here's what frozen outdoor faucets can cause -

• Burst pipes
• Water leaks inside the walls
• Mold growth
• Costly emergency repairs
• Damage you don’t see right away

Many homeowners only realize there’s a problem when they see water stains or rising water bills. By then, the damage is done. That's why you always need to follow some preventive measures to protect your faucet from the harsh winters! 

Also, if something feels off, you need to call experienced plumbers for help right away. They can spot the issue quickly and fix your faucet with professional care so that it works properly for the entire winter season!

Answering Your Common Questions About Outdoor Faucet Care

1. When winterizing outdoor faucets, do you leave them open or closed?

When you winterize your outdoor faucet, you should leave it open after shutting off the water supply. This can allow any remaining water inside the pipe to drain out completely. Water left trapped inside can freeze and cause pressure buildup. 

After the dripping stops, you need to keep the faucet open to help prevent freezing. This small step can protect your pipes all winter long.

2. At what temperature should you wrap your outside faucets?

You should wrap your outside faucets when temperatures start dropping below 30°F. Even if it doesn’t feel very cold during the day, nighttime temperatures can fall quickly. And cold wind can also freeze faucets faster than expected. 

So, when you wrap them early, it can add an extra layer of protection. It’s always better to be prepared before the first cold night hits.

3. What are the signs that your outdoor faucet is at risk?

Your faucet may be at risk if -

• You still have a hose attached
• Water drips slowly after the shutoff
• The faucet is older or loose
• You don’t know where the shutoff valve is
• The faucet isn’t frost-proof

If you find any of these problems or are unsure about your faucet’s condition, it’s best to have local plumbers take a look at your faucet. They’ll let you know what you need to do to fix the outdoor faucet.

4. What are some regular maintenance practices for outdoor faucets during winter?

You can protect your outdoor faucet and your entire plumbing system by following these habits -

• Check for drips, cracks, or loose fittings
• Watch for wet soil or pooling near outdoor pipes
• Open and close valves occasionally to keep them from sticking
• Clean faucet openings to prevent buildup
• Look for rust or wear
• Store hoses when not in use

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Takeaway 

When you take care of your outdoor faucets before winter comes, you can protect your entire plumbing system from damage. For this, you need to take simple steps like disconnecting hoses, sealing gaps, and checking for leaks. 

This can help you avoid frozen pipes, costly repairs, and unexpected plumbing problems all season long. And if you're unsure about the condition of your faucet or need help fixing it, you can rely on professional plumbers for help!

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Preferred Plumbing & Drain - Reliable, Licensed Plumbers Serving Loomis!

Preferred Plumbing & Drain is one of the most trusted names for providing the best plumbing service in Loomis. When you call us for help, our licensed experts will ensure your outdoor faucets are working the way they should without needing frequent repairs. 

We'll install a new faucet if we find any problem with your existing one. You can call our local plumbers in Loomis any time you want, as we're 24/7 available for you. We've been serving customers for over 19 years, so you can always rely on our team of plumbers in Loomis for high-quality services. 

You can give us a call at 800-414-0340, and we'll take it from there.