The first hard freeze in Carroll County tends to sneak up on people. One week you’re mowing the lawn, the next you wake up to frost on the windshield and a garden hose still attached to the house. That hose can cost you far more than a new one.
Water expands about 9% when it freezes. In an outdoor faucet or an exposed pipe, that expansion can split copper and crack PVC. Worse, the damage often hides inside the wall until spring, when you turn the spigot back on and water pours into your basement.
Here’s how to winterize your outdoor plumbing before temperatures drop for good.
1. Disconnect and drain garden hoses
A connected hose traps water in the faucet. When that water freezes, it can burst the pipe behind the wall, even on a frost-free faucet.
- Unscrew every hose from every outdoor spigot
- Drain the hoses and store them in a garage or shed
- Remove splitters, timers and quick-connect fittings too
2. Shut off and drain your hose bibs
Many older homes in Westminster and Baltimore have standard hose bibs that need to be shut
off from inside.
- Find the interior shut-off valve for each outdoor faucet, usually in the basement or crawl
space near the exterior wall. - Close the valve.
- Open the outdoor faucet and let it drain completely
- If the interior valve has a small bleeder cap, open it to release trapped water, then close
it again. - Leave the outdoor faucet open through the winter.
If you can’t find a shut-off for an outdoor spigot, that’s worth fixing before winter. A plumber can add one.
3. Check whether you have frost-free sillcocks
A frost-free sillcock (also called a frost-proof hose bib) has a long stem that shuts water off inside the heated part of the house. They’re a smart upgrade, but they only work if:
- No hose is attached when it freezes
- The faucet is installed with a slight downward pitch so it drains
- The valve seat isn’t worn or leaking
If your frost-free faucet drips after you shut it off, have it checked. A leaking seat can let water sit in the stem and freeze.
4. Blow out your sprinkler system
Irrigation lines run shallow, so they’re especially vulnerable. Draining them by gravity alone usually leaves water in low spots and sprinkler heads.
- Shut off the water supply to the irrigation system
- Turn off the controller or set it to rain mode
- Have the lines blown out with compressed air to clear remaining water
- Insulate the backflow preventer and any exposed above-ground piping
The backflow preventer is the most commonly damaged part of a sprinkler system in winter. Replacing one costs far more than protecting it. If you’re not comfortable running an air compressor through your lines, a professional can handle it.
5. Protect exposed pipes
Walk around your home and look for plumbing in unheated spaces:
- Crawl spaces and unfinished garages
- Pipes along exterior walls
- Outdoor kitchens, pool equipment and well houses
Foam pipe insulation is inexpensive and easy to install on accessible runs. For well houses and pump equipment, which are common across rural Carroll County, make sure any heat source or insulation is in working order before the cold arrives.
6. Seal gaps where cold air gets in
Cold drafts near pipes cause more frozen lines than the outdoor temperature alone. Seal gaps around pipe penetrations, dryer vents and basement rim joists with caulk or spray foam.
Signs a pipe froze or burst
If you missed a faucet and temperatures dropped, check for:
- No water, or only a trickle, from a faucet
- Frost on an exposed pipe
- Water stains or dampness on a basement wall near an outdoor spigot
- A spigot that sprays from the handle when you test it in spring
If you suspect a burst pipe, shut off the main water valve and call a plumber right away.
Let a local plumber handle it
Huzzah Plumbing helps homeowners in Westminster, Eldersburg, Baltimore and across Carroll County get ready for winter. We can install shut-off valves, replace worn hose bibs with frost-free sillcocks, insulate vulnerable lines and repair any leaks before they turn into water damage.
Want your outdoor plumbing winter-ready? Call Huzzah Plumbing at 443-343-2920