How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets
Disconnect all garden hoses and drain them. Turn off the indoor shut-off valve that feeds each outdoor spigot. Open the outdoor faucet to drain any remaining water. Leave the handle in the open position. Install an insulated faucet cover. Do this before the first freeze every fall.
- Time
- 15 min
- Frequency
- every fall (before first freeze)
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cost
- $8
What you'll need
- Adjustable wrench (if shut-off valve is stiff)
- Insulated faucet cover
The steps
- 1
Disconnect and drain garden hoses
Unscrew every garden hose from every outdoor faucet. Straighten each hose on the ground and let it drain completely. Water trapped in a connected hose backs up into the spigot and faucet body, where it can freeze and crack the pipe even if the faucet itself is frost-free. Coil the drained hoses and store them in the garage or shed.
- 2
Turn off the indoor shut-off valve
Locate the shut-off valve inside your house that feeds each outdoor spigot. It is usually in the basement or crawl space, on the pipe that runs to the exterior wall. Turn the valve clockwise to close it. If your home does not have individual shut-off valves for outdoor lines, you may need to add one. A plumber can install a ball valve for about $150.
- 3
Open the outdoor faucet to drain remaining water
Go outside and open each faucet fully. Water that was sitting between the indoor shut-off valve and the outdoor faucet will drain out. Let it flow until it stops completely. This removes the water from the pipe section that is most vulnerable to freezing, the part inside the exterior wall.
- 4
Leave the faucet handle open
Keep the outdoor faucet handle in the open position all winter. This allows any residual water to expand without building pressure. A closed faucet traps pressure between the shut-off valve and the faucet, which is exactly what causes pipes to burst.
- 5
Install an insulated faucet cover
Place a Styrofoam or insulated faucet cover over each outdoor spigot. These covers cost a few dollars and trap a pocket of warmer air around the faucet body. Secure the cover with the attached strap or cord. The cover does not prevent freezing by itself, but it adds a buffer that buys time during brief cold snaps.
- 6
Check for drips
After everything is shut off and drained, go back inside and check the shut-off valve and the pipe leading to each outdoor faucet. A dripping shut-off valve slowly refills the pipe you just drained, defeating the whole process. If the valve drips, tighten the packing nut a quarter turn with a wrench. If it still leaks, the valve needs to be replaced before winter.
Why frozen pipes burst
Frozen pipes are one of the most common and expensive plumbing failures in cold climates. Understanding the mechanism helps you prevent it.
When water freezes in a pipe, it does not crack the pipe at the ice plug. Instead, the ice forms a blockage that traps liquid water between the plug and the nearest closed valve or faucet. As the ice plug grows, it compresses the trapped water. Water does not compress easily, so the pressure rises rapidly. Eventually the pipe splits, usually at a joint or a thin spot.
The burst often happens in a pipe section inside the wall, where you cannot see it. You discover the damage only when the ice thaws and water starts spraying into the wall cavity. By then, you have a plumbing repair plus potential water damage to drywall, insulation, and flooring. Average repair cost for a single burst pipe is $1,000 to $4,000 depending on location and damage.
Fifteen minutes of winterization every fall prevents this entirely.
Finding the indoor shut-off valve
Every outdoor spigot should have a dedicated shut-off valve inside the house. In most homes built after 1980, you will find it in the basement or crawl space on the pipe that runs to the exterior wall.
Look for a small valve, either a round handle (gate valve) or a lever handle (ball valve), within a few feet of where the pipe passes through the foundation or rim joist. There should be one for each outdoor faucet. If your home has three outdoor spigots, you should have three indoor shut-off valves.
If you cannot find a shut-off valve, your home may predate the requirement or the builder skipped it. In that case, the only option is to shut off the main water supply to the whole house, which is impractical for the entire winter. Have a plumber install a dedicated ball valve on each outdoor line. It costs about $150 per valve and takes less than an hour.
Frost-free vs standard spigots
Standard spigots have the valve seat right at the exterior wall. Water sits in the faucet body between uses, exposed to outdoor temperatures. These must be drained and shut off every winter.
Frost-free (or freeze-proof) spigots have an 8- to 12-inch stem that pushes the valve seat deep inside the heated wall. When you turn off a frost-free spigot, the water drains out of the stem by gravity. In theory, there is no water left to freeze.
In practice, frost-free spigots fail in two ways. First, a connected garden hose traps water in the faucet body and prevents drainage. This is the most common cause of burst frost-free spigots. Always disconnect hoses. Second, the internal washer can wear out, allowing a slow trickle that fills the stem with water. If your frost-free spigot drips from the spout when turned off, the washer needs replacing.
Even with frost-free spigots, disconnecting hoses and installing covers is cheap insurance. Skip the indoor shut-off step only if your spigots are frost-free and confirmed to be draining properly.
What to do if you missed the freeze
If temperatures already dropped below freezing and you forgot to winterize, act quickly but carefully.
First, check for obvious damage. Look at each outdoor spigot for cracks, bulges, or ice coming out of the faucet. Go inside and inspect the pipe from the spigot back to the shut-off valve. Look for wet spots on the wall, dripping, or frost on the pipe.
If everything looks dry and intact, the pipe may have survived. Close the indoor shut-off valve now, open the outdoor faucet to drain what you can, and install faucet covers. You got lucky. Do not skip this step on the assumption that it survived once and will survive again.
If you find a burst pipe or a wet wall, shut off the water at the main valve immediately. Do not attempt to thaw the pipe if water is already leaking. Call a plumber. The priority is stopping water flow before it causes more damage.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do frozen pipes burst?
- Water expands about 9 percent when it freezes. The ice itself does not burst the pipe. Instead, ice forms a plug that traps liquid water between the plug and the closed faucet. As more water freezes, pressure builds in the trapped section until the pipe fails. This is why leaving the faucet handle open is critical. It gives expanding water somewhere to go.
- Do frost-free spigots still need to be winterized?
- Frost-free (or freeze-proof) spigots have a long stem that puts the valve seat deep inside the heated wall. They are designed to drain automatically when turned off. But they only work if no hose is connected. A connected hose traps water in the faucet body and defeats the frost-free design. Always disconnect hoses even on frost-free spigots.
- How do I find the indoor shut-off valve?
- Follow the pipe from the outdoor faucet back through the wall into the basement or crawl space. The shut-off valve is usually within a few feet of where the pipe enters the interior. It looks like a small wheel handle or a lever-style ball valve. If you cannot find it, your home may not have one for each outdoor line. A plumber can add one.
- What should I do if I missed the freeze and my pipes may already be frozen?
- Do not turn on the faucet. Open the indoor shut-off valve slowly and check for leaks along the pipe. If you find water spraying, a pipe has burst. Shut the water off immediately and call a plumber. If the pipe is frozen but intact, apply gentle heat with a hair dryer or heat tape, starting from the faucet end and working toward the wall. Never use an open flame.
Products you'll need
This section contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Frost King Outdoor Faucet Cover (2-pack)
Insulated foam covers to prevent freeze damage
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