Protect Your Pipes
When temperatures drop, one of the easiest ways to avoid frozen or burst pipes is by winterizing your exterior hose bibs (also called outdoor faucets or spigots). It’s a quick, once-a-year task that can prevent major water damage, expensive repairs, and future stress.
🚰 Disconnect All Hoses
Why it matters:
- Leaving hoses or splitters attached traps water in the pipe—and that water can freeze and expand, damaging the pipe.
What to do:
- Remove all hoses, timers, and attachments from outdoor faucets.
- Drain the hoses and store them indoors if possible.
💧 Drain the Faucet
Even if the water is off inside, some water may still be sitting in the line.
How to drain it:
- Go outside and open the faucet to let any remaining water drip out.
- Leave it slightly open through the winter so any leftover moisture can expand without pressure.
❄️ Optional Extra Protection:
You can find inexpensive foam faucet covers at any hardware store or online. They’re easy to install and help protect the spigot from freezing temperatures.
These are especially helpful when you don’t have a shut off valve inside.
Winterizing your hose bibs is a 10-minute task that can save you from costly headaches in the spring. Your pipes (and water bill) will thank you!