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Winterize Outdoor Faucets & Hoses

PlumbingExteriorFallOnce a year

Disconnect hoses and shut off outdoor faucets before freezing temperatures to prevent burst pipes and costly water damage.

Supplies You'll Need

A frozen hose left connected can split the pipe inside the wall — the leak often goes unnoticed until spring thaw.

Disconnect all garden hoses, splitters, and timers from outdoor faucets.
Drain the hoses completely, coil them, and store them in the garage or shed.
Locate the interior shut-off valve for each outdoor faucet and turn it off.
Open each outdoor faucet to drain remaining water and leave it slightly open for expansion.
Place an insulated foam cover over each outdoor faucet.
In spring, close the outdoor faucet first, then slowly reopen the interior shut-off valve and check for leaks.

Mark the interior shut-off valve locations with a tag so you can find them quickly next year.
Do this chore before the first hard frost in your area.

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