Northern Virginia Save Yourself From the Pain of a Burst Pipe
Freezing temperatures are settling in! Now is the time to prepare your outside faucets. When done correctly before the first deep freeze, this plumbing task can save you from the pain of experiencing water damage in your home from a frozen pipe. Sadly, the pain from that plumbing leak in your home may not be evident until spring!
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It does happen and those leaks caused from the outside faucets can go unnoticed for quite some time. When the pipe freezes and later unthaws that leak can go unnoticed for quite some time. Imagine how devastating it would be to discover a wet and mildewed carpet!
Here’s a few steps you can take to prevent your outdoor faucets from freezing.
First, walk around your home and:
- Locate all exterior faucets
- Remove any attached hoses
Second, go inside the home and:
- Locate the individual shutoff valve for each supply line leading to the faucet. These are lever-style valves (older homes may have a round handle that you have to turn until it stops) are typically near the main water shutoff valve or the ceiling of the basement. They also have a bleed cap to drain any residual water that is in the pipe.
- At the shutoff valve turn the water off.
- Go back outside to open the faucet and drain any remaining water.
- Go back inside to the shutoff valve and remove the bleeder cap to drain any remaining water out of the pipe. Hold a cup under the bleeder to capture the water.
- Replace the cap and close the outside faucet.
Here in Northern Virginia we have many older homes. Depending on the age of your home, you may not have indoor shutoff valves. In that case, simply find an experienced plumber near you to winterize your outdoor faucets.
Should you winterize frost-free or freeze-proof faucets?
Although the name of these faucet fixtures sounds reassuring it still is a good idea to winterize them. With unpredictable weather forecasts we can’t predict how much the temperature will drop. Plus, you’ll have that added peace of mind that you have done your due diligence!
Need Help? M.E. Flow can Winterize Your Outdoor Faucets for you! Call (571) 350-3183 or fill out the form on this page.
Winterizing My Outdoor Faucets.
For additional tips on preventing your pipes from freezing check out this article.