How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Backflow Preventers

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Every neighborhood has one. The house with a garden hose still attached in January, coiled up like it's waiting for spring. We see you. We love you. And we would really like you to unhook that hose before the next Arctic front comes rolling down I-35.

Outdoor faucets (hose bibs, spigots, whatever your grandpa called them) and irrigation backflow preventers are some of the most exposed plumbing on a North Texas house. They sit outside, they're full of water and they get zero sympathy from the wind. A little prep now can save you a lot of trouble.

Why Do Outdoor Faucets Freeze So Easily?

They're outside. That's really the whole story. The faucet and the bit of pipe that runs through the wall are exposed to the cold. If a hose is attached, it traps water in the faucet, and when that water freezes it expands. Sometimes the split happens inside the wall where you can't see it. Then the weather warms up, the ice melts and water runs into the wall cavity every time someone turns the faucet on. Surprise.

How Do I Winterize an Outdoor Faucet?

Here's the 20-minute version:

1. Disconnect every hose. Drain them and store them in the garage or shed. Hoses last longer when they're not freezing anyway.
2. Check for an interior shutoff. Some homes have a separate valve inside for outdoor faucets. If you have one, close it, then open the outdoor faucet to drain it. Leave it open while the shutoff is closed.
3. Look for drips and leaks. A faucet that drips now will be worse after a freeze. Make a note to get it fixed.
4. Install an insulated faucet cover. They're inexpensive at the hardware store, and they work. Make sure it seals snugly against the wall.
5. Check the caulk around the pipe where it enters the wall. Gaps let cold air reach the pipe.

Some newer homes have freeze-resistant style faucets designed to resist freezing, but even those can split if a hose is left attached. Hose off, always.

What Is a Backflow Preventer, and Why Should I Care?

If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, you probably have a backflow preventer. It's usually a brass assembly sticking up near the house or in a box near the meter. Its job is to keep irrigation water from flowing back into your drinking water. It's also very exposed and very full of water.

A frozen backflow can crack, and those parts aren't cheap or quick to replace. When it thaws, it can spray water everywhere.

How Do I Protect My Irrigation Backflow?

• Turn off the irrigation system at the controller for the season, or at least during freezes.
• Close the irrigation shutoff valve if your system has one.
• Drain the backflow following the manufacturer's guidance or your irrigation pro's instructions. Some systems also get blown out with air by an irrigation tech.
• Wrap and cover it. Insulated backflow covers or bags are made for exactly this. Pipe insulation plus a cover works too. Don't block any relief vents.
• Check after the freeze for cracks, drips or spraying before you turn it back on.

Our friends at G3 Property Care can help with irrigation questions on the landscaping page.

What About Pool Equipment and Outdoor Kitchens?

Same idea. Anything outside with water in it is at risk. Follow the manufacturer's freeze guidance for pool equipment, and drain and cover outdoor kitchen sinks and lines.

What If I Find a Leak After a Freeze?

If you turn on an outdoor faucet and see water inside the wall, in the garage or on the foundation, shut it off right away and turn off the main if needed. Take photos. A split pipe inside the wall can soak drywall and insulation without much warning.

CMDR Restoration, our mitigation partner (licensed by TDLR, RCO #1801), handles extraction and drying, and G3 rebuilds what has to come out. Check out how to prevent frozen pipes for the rest of the house, then call (945) 300-9018 if you need us.

Now go unhook that hose. We'll wait. If a line already split, get water damage help before it spreads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep learning: see our CMDR Restoration & Mitigation page, read Frozen Attic Pipes: How to Prevent Them and Stop Leaks, or read what homeowners say in our customer reviews.