Using Outdoor Faucet In Winter

Even if your area doesnt experience long freezes nearly any region can be hit with unexpected cold.

Using outdoor faucet in winter. For older faucets there may be a drainage port. In 20 years of michigan winters i have never shut off the water to my outside faucet and never had a problem. At the end of winter remove the faucet covers and store them for use the following winter. Using the outside faucet will not cause your pipes to burst.

First a frost proof sill cock figure a below puts the faucets flow valve well within the heated walls of your home. Step 1 close the outdoor supply valve. What could cause your pipes to burst would be shutting off the faucet somewhere inside and leaving water trapped between that shutoff and the faucet outside. It is also highly resistant to water damages caused by frigid temperatures in winter.

Winterizing a regular outdoor faucet. Drain exterior faucets turn on all faucets to drain any water left in them. Its a good idea to do some maintenance on your outdoor grill at the end of the summer. Why use outdoor faucet covers.

Finally ensure that all drain valves are in the open position for the duration of the winter. By guaranteeing that no water remains in your pipes as winter sets in you can save yourself from expensive repairs. They can usually be used for several years before replacing them. If you have a basement utility sink run the hose up from there to the outside for the short time he will be using the washer.

Leave the faucet handle turned on throughout the winter. If there is open it while holding a large drinking glass under it to catch the water. Outdoor faucets in particular are prone to this kind of damage sometimes bursting under the stress of expanding ice. In recent years outdoor water faucets sill cocks and a water spigot have undergone two great improvements.

Added benefit is he can use hot water which makes pressure washing. By taking a few easy steps before winter arrives however you can eradicate the possibility of frozen outdoor pipes altogether. A plastic material commonly used for faucet supply lines cross linked polyethylene pex tubing is the recommended tubing for water supply piping systems. That means if a sudden freeze occurs or you forget to shut down and drain the water spigot water line for the winter your chances of having a pipe burst drop dramatically.

Cold winter winds find their way into any crack or hole in your home. In your basement find the shutoff valve closest to the outdoor tap. These openings also allow your. With most regular outdoor taps you can protect them using the following steps.

Compared to copper galvanized steel and pvc pex is more flexible and a lot easier to install.