As the weather turns colder and temperatures continue to drop, there are many routine maintenance items that homeowners must do to keep their homes and property in tip-top shape. While items such as having your HVAC system inspected are at the top of your list, an important task that you might have forgotten is turning off the outside water and draining the pipes properly to avoid issues during freezing periods.
Supplying Water to Outdoor Faucets
Most homes have an outdoor water faucet or hose bib to supply water to, you guessed it, outside. Homeowners often use these to water lawns, clean patios, or wash their cars. It is much more convenient to hook up a hose than to run into the house for buckets of water. Problems arise when a drop in temperature causes the water inside of your pipes to expand and freeze leading to unwanted damage. Even though the pipes inside of your home may be insulated, the pipes that lead outside, faucets, and other fixtures are constantly exposed to the elements. The heat from your home is not enough to keep them from freezing, cracking, or bursting during the winter months.
What is the Best Time to Turn Off the Outside Water?
Water should be turned off before the temperatures drop below freezing. This is especially true if you will not be home during the winter and the heat will be turned off as well. Water that is left in the pipes will lose any warmth it has and begin to expand as it freezes. This can happen in a matter of hours so it is essential to turn off the outside water and completely drain the pipes as even a small bit of leftover water can cause damage.
How to Turn off Outside Water
You may be wondering how to turn off outside water for winter. You must first remove any hoses or splitters from the outdoor faucets. Once you have removed those, you should locate the water shut-off valve which can most likely be found in the basement. Shut off the water valve by rotating it until it can not turn anymore. Once the outside water valve shut off is complete, go back outside to the faucet or hose bib and open it to drain all of the remaining water. After the water is completely drained you can close the faucet or hose bib. This simple task can save you money and prevent damage to your pipes if done correctly each year.
While no one wants to deal with a burst pipe or plumbing problem, when you have an emergency you can contact Superior HVAC & Plumbing at 301-939-0685 for a consultation or to schedule an emergency repair.