With temperatures dropping below freezing in the Valley, it’s time to bring in those garden hoses and winterize your outside faucets.  Every year it is crucial to shut off your outdoor water supply lines correctly.  If you fail to do so, the water left in the supply line can freeze and expand causing your pipes to split.  Properly winterizing your pipes helps you avoid a cracked or burst pipe and a call to Evenflo Plumbing!

Follow the steps listed below to make sure that your hose bibs are prepared for winter:

For Standard Outside Faucets:

1) Locate the outside faucet isolation valve inside your home

• The isolation valve could be located in the basement, crawl space, or utility room

2) Shut off the indoor valve

• Every outside faucet should have its own isolation valve that will need to be closed

3) Detach the hoses from the outdoor faucet

• Drain the hoses to remove as much water as you can before putting them into storage for the winter.  Make sure you store the hoses in a heated garage or basement

4) Get as much water out of your pipes as you can

• Make sure the isolation valve is turned off, then open the drain cap that is located on the valve body, allowing air to enter to pipe.  Leave the spigot open until future use

5) Check your outdoor faucet for leaks

• Water dripping, no matter how slowly, can freeze in the pipe of fixture

For Frost Free Outdoor Faucets:

1) Detach the hose from the outdoor faucet

• Due to the mechanical design of the frost free faucets this is the only step required to winterize them

Your outdoor faucets are now prepared for winter!

For both standard and frost free outdoor faucets, Evenflo suggests installing an outdoor faucet cover (as shown) to help minimize exposure to freezing temperatures.  

If you need help winterizing your outdoor faucets, are unsure what type of outdoor faucet you currently have, or want to explore the options of installing frost free outdoor faucets, give our office a call!  Evenflo’s highly trained technicians are prepared to handle any and every plumbing issue, no matter what the season is. Rain, sleet, sunshine, or snow… Go with the Flo!