Outdoor faucets make life easier when you’re washing your car, watering the garden or filling a kiddie pool. But that convenient outdoor spigot also creates a potential hazard in the colder months. If you don’t protect your outdoor faucet from freezing, it can cause major damage inside your home. Learn how to keep outside faucets from freezing to protect your plumbing system.
Outdoor vs. Indoor Faucet Protection
The pipes leading to indoor and outdoor faucets can freeze under the right conditions. However, your outdoor faucets have a higher risk of freezing due to their location outdoors, especially if you don’t take precautions to prevent issues.
Your indoor faucets are inside your cozy, warm house, and many of the pipes leading to indoor faucets are also in warmer areas. Pipes that run through exterior walls can freeze in extremely cold temperatures, but you can take precautions, such as keeping the cabinets under your sink open, letting the faucets run lightly and insulating the pipes.
Unless you follow steps to protect outdoor faucets from freezing, those faucets are fully exposed to frigid outdoor temperatures. Any water remaining in the pipe leading to the spigot can freeze. While you may not have to take any precautions to protect indoor pipes and faucets, you’ll need to take extra steps to protect outdoor faucets from freezing.
What Problems Can a Frozen Outdoor Faucet Cause?
A frozen outdoor spigot might not seem like a big deal. You likely won’t be using your exterior faucet during the colder months anyway. Unfortunately, that’s not the main problem.
When water freezes and turns into ice inside the spigot and the pipe leading to it, the water expands and puts pressure on the pipe, which can cause the pipe to crack or burst. When the ice thaws and reverts to its liquid state, it leaks into your home, where it can cause structural damage to your walls and flooring. You’ll need a plumber to replace the damaged pipe section and faucet. You may need other contractors to make home repairs if the pipe leaks.
Tips to Protect Outside Spigots From Freezing
Fortunately, you can take steps to prevent the issue, including:
- Removing the hose. When you’re done using the hose for the year, disconnect it from the spigot. Leaving the hose attached can trap water in the hose, spigot and pipe, which could freeze and cause damage.
- Insulating the pipes. It can help to insulate the pipes that lead to the exterior faucet. Foam covers are easy to install over exposed water pipes. You can also install heat tape along the pipes for extra warmth that can prevent the water from freezing.
- Using a hose bib cover. There are different types of hose bib covers that offer protection from freezing. The cover acts as an insulator against cold outdoor air. Some covers are also designed to trap heat from the house, keeping the air warmer around the spigot.
- Installing a frost-free hose bib. You can get a special frost-free hose bib if you live in a cold climate. The design positions the shut-off valve further down in the pipe, so it’s inside the home in a warmer area. When you turn off the faucet, the water in the outside portion of the pipe drains to eliminate the risk of freezing.
- Shutting off the water and draining the faucet. If you have a shut-off valve specifically for your exterior faucet, you can shut it off for the colder months. Once you close the valve, turn on the faucet to let out any water that remains in the pipe.
What to Do if a Pipe Freezes or Bursts
Gently thawing the pipe or getting water moving again can help correct a frozen pipe. Try turning the outdoor faucet on to see if you can get some water to run through it.
You can also apply gentle heat to the frozen sections of the pipe. A hairdryer works well, but you can also use a heat gun. Avoid anything that uses a flame or extreme heat. Thawing the pipes slowly with lower heat can help prevent additional damage to the plumbing.
Inspect the area for leaks if you suspect the pipes are frozen. Keep a bucket nearby to catch the drips as the ice thaws. This can prevent major flooding.
Bluefrog Plumbing + Drain Can Help
For an even easier solution, call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain at the first sign of a problem. Our residential burst pipe replacement services help fix the problem and minimize the effects of your frozen outdoor faucet.
