Every year I'm called to someones home where the hose bib was left un-protected from the cold and the water pipe freezes and burst open causing all kinds of damage. A burst pipe means costly repairs and potential structural damage. Yellow VAN Handyman can help with these repairs, but it is best to avoid the mess and expense. Pipes located outdoors are subject to freezing once outdoor temperatures fall below 20 degrees.
Prevention is the key to avoiding burst pipes during the winter. Hose bibs, and other outdoor plumbing fixtures are found on most houses. Winterizing your home's hose bibs is an annual maintenance task that should be completed before the freezing temperatures roll in.
Yellow VAN Handyman can help winterize your home. If you want to do this yourself, here are a few steps to follow:
1) Disconnect any hoses from the hose bibs. Drain the water from the hoses. Store the hoses inside during the winter to prevent damage.
2) Turn off any valve inside your home or crawl space that supplies water just to the outdoor faucets. If you don't have a dedicated valve for the faucets, skip to Step 4.
3) Turn the handles to open the hose bibs. Let the water in the pipes drain. Leave the faucets open throughout the winter to release the pressure caused by the freezing of any remaining water inside the pipes.
4) Place insulating covers over all your hose bibs. Even "Frost Proof" hose bibs should be insulated and covered. I have seen many of these so called "freeze proof" hose bibs freeze and burst even though they are suposed to be "Frost Proof".
Taking a few minutes to make sure your exterior plumbing fixtures are protected from the winter cold will save you hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars in damages and repair cost.
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