If you have already experienced problems or are looking for a more permanent solution you can talk to your plumber about replacing your faucet with a frost free spigot.
Winterize frost free outside faucet.
Find the service valve for a particular outdoor faucet.
On the outside a frost free faucet looks the same as a traditional faucet but the parts inside the home are different.
Frost proof anti siphon sill cock faucets prevent winter water line freeze ups and stop unsanitary water from contaminating the water system.
Close the service valve.
Shut off valves every faucet should have a shut off valve inside your home or basement.
When you leave the hose connected the 4 12 chamber is unable to empty thus negating the benefit of the frost free spigot.
I don t regularly check my outside faucets in the winter.
This allows any water still in the pipe to drain out when the valve is closed as long as it was installed correctly.
So if they re leaking water i won t know until we get our 429 water bill in the mail.
Of course there is still minimal maintenance is required with the frost free spigot but far less than a standard spigot.
This is an outdoor faucet designed to operate in freezing temperatures.
Here s how to install one in your house.
Outside faucets locate all outside faucets.
Install a frost free faucet.
Faucet covers are either square or dome shaped shells that fit right over outdoor faucets or they are flexible bags made of thick fabric stuffed.
Locate all shut off valves for each corresponding faucet and.
A frozen outdoor water faucet or hose bib could be your worst nightmare.
Disconnect any hoses and drain them for winter storage.
Frozen pipes are like blood clots.
Remove splitters or any other items from each faucet.
If you have a frost free hose faucet the plumbing code allows them to be installed without a service valve.
How to winterize home plumbing.
An easy way to do this is to install an outdoor faucet cover on each outdoor fixture including frost free spigots.
On a frost free model the pipe that goes inside the house is longer than a traditional faucet with the shutoff valve sitting further inside the house where it s warmer.
This is because all you have to do to winterize a frost free valve is remove the hose from it and let it drain.
Winterizing a frost free faucet a frost free tap is designed to close off the water further back along the pipe as opposed to near the front opening like a normal faucet.
In recent years outdoor water faucets sill cocks and a water spigot have undergone two great improvements.
And when they rupture your house and your wallet will suffer enormously.
How to winterize outdoor faucet or hose bib frost free hose bib and regular seattle plumbing 206 633 1700 whether you have a regular or frost free hose.
