🍂 Drain Outdoor Faucets and Save 💸

As summer makes way to fall and cooler weather settles in, it’s time to tackle some home maintenance tasks. The outdoor tasks are always the tougher ones to check off the list. But you can do it. A quick and easy (and essential) one is draining the outdoor faucets. Prevent frozen pipes. Avoid costly repairs. Prolong the life of your faucets and hoses. 

Here’s the why and the how.

Why You Should Drain Outdoor Faucets in the Fall

When temperatures drop, any water left inside outdoor faucets and pipes can freeze. Water expands as it freezes, and this expansion can cause the pipes or faucets to crack or burst. A homeowner’s nightmare. These types of repairs can be costly, especially if a burst pipe floods your home or yard.

Prevent Frozen Pipes: When water freezes inside a pipe, the expanding ice can exert enough pressure to break the pipe, leading to leaks once the ice melts.

Save on Costly Repairs: Bursting pipes or damaged faucets require significant repairs, and sometimes you’ll need to replace entire sections of plumbing. Draining your faucets is a simple and inexpensive task that can save you thousands in repair costs.

Extend Faucet Lifespan: Properly winterizing your outdoor faucets not only protects the pipes but also helps ensure the longevity of the faucets themselves, preventing corrosion and wear over time.

How to Drain Outdoor Faucets

Draining your outdoor faucets is a simple task, but it does require the following few steps to ensure everything is completely winterized.

Step 1: Shut Off the Water Supply

Locate the shutoff valve that controls the water flow to your outdoor faucets. This valve is often located in your basement, crawl space, or utility room. Turn the valve to the “off” position.

Step 2: Open the Faucet

After you’ve turned off the water supply, head outside and turn on the outdoor faucet fully. This allows any remaining water in the line to drain. We like to drain the water into a bucket and discard away from the house (maybe the garden needs some watering?)

Step 3: Disconnect Hoses and Attachments

Remove any garden hoses, nozzles, or attachments from the faucet. And store! You’ll be very happy to store that hose in the garage or basement and come back to it in working order in the spring.

Step 4: Drain the Hose

While disconnecting the hose, it’s also a good idea to drain the hose itself to prevent any trapped water from freezing and damaging it over the winter. Store the hose in a dry, sheltered place like a garage, basement or shed.

Step 5: Install a Faucet Cover (Optional)

For extra protection, you can install an insulated outdoor faucet cover like this. These covers help prevent any cold air from creeping into the faucet and cause freezing.