When you’re putting away patio furniture and getting ready for colder weather, add one more stop to your fall checklist: your outdoor faucets.
A garden hose left connected after the last yard cleanup is easy to overlook. But preparing outdoor plumbing before freezing weather can help prevent damage—and give you a chance to catch a leaking faucet before winter makes repairs more inconvenient.
Here’s where to start.
Disconnect and drain your garden hoses
Walk around your home and check every outdoor faucet, including the ones behind the garage or near a side yard.
Turn off the water, disconnect each garden hose, drain it, and put it away. The American Red Cross recommends removing, draining, and storing outdoor hoses as part of cold-weather preparation. Read its frozen-pipe prevention guidance.
If you use a hose again during a warm spell, make disconnecting it part of the cleanup.
Check your frost-free faucet’s instructions
A frost-free faucet still needs the right conditions to work properly.
Many standard frost-free faucets shut off water farther inside the home and allow the remaining water in the faucet to drain outside. A connected hose or another restriction can prevent that drainage. Proper installation matters, too.
Manufacturer Woodford explains that its standard frost-proof faucets need a slight downward pitch and an unrestricted outlet to drain correctly. Some specialty models work differently, so follow the instructions for your particular faucet. See Woodford’s explanation.
If you don’t know which type you have, a plumbing visit is a good opportunity to identify it and learn how to prepare it for winter.
Know whether you have a dedicated outdoor shutoff
Some homes have an indoor valve that serves an outdoor faucet. If yours does, the Red Cross recommends closing that supply valve and opening the outdoor faucet to drain the line, leaving the outdoor valve open afterward.
Only operate a valve you can positively identify. If the arrangement is unclear, have a plumber explain the correct winter procedure for your home. Review the Red Cross recommendations.
Make a note of anything that needs attention
While you’re outside, look over each faucet and write down anything unusual:
- Water continuing to drip after the faucet is shut off
- A handle that is difficult to turn
- A faucet that feels loose at the wall
- Dampness or staining around the pipe opening
Take a photo and note where the problem is. That gives you something specific to discuss when scheduling service.
A useful question to ask is: “Does this faucet need a repair, or does it need a different winterizing procedure?”
Don’t forget a home you’re leaving vacant
If you’re heading out of Flagstaff for an extended winter trip, include plumbing preparation in your departure plans.
The Red Cross recommends keeping the heat set no lower than 55°F when you’re away during cold weather. A vacant home may also need a more detailed winterization plan based on its plumbing layout and heating system. Read the cold-weather precautions.
See an outdoor faucet upgrade in Flagstaff
For an example of the work involved, see our frost-free outdoor faucet replacement project. The homeowner’s existing faucet leaked down the siding, and the replacement included improved connections and sealing. Learn more about our plumbing fixture installation services in Flagstaff.
Get outdoor plumbing ready before it becomes urgent
You don’t need to wait until a faucet stops working to ask about it. Fall is a practical time to identify your outdoor shutoffs, check your faucets, and make a plan for freezing weather.
Need help preparing your outdoor plumbing for winter? Contact Bear Hug Plumbing to schedule service in Flagstaff. Tell us which faucets concern you and whether you’ve noticed leaking, loose fittings, or trouble shutting off the water.
