How to winterize outdoor faucets in 7 steps
Key takeaways
- Disconnect every garden hose before the first freeze: a hose left attached traps water that can split the faucet and the pipe inside the wall.
- Pipes can start freezing once temperatures fall below 20°F, so winterize early rather than waiting for a hard freeze.
- Leave the outdoor faucet open for the winter so any remaining water has room to expand instead of bursting the pipe.
An outdoor faucet, also called a hose bib, is the weakest point in your home's plumbing each winter. Water left inside the faucet or its supply pipe can freeze, expand, and burst the pipe, often inside the wall where the damage is worst.
The good news: winterizing takes about 15 minutes per faucet and costs almost nothing. This guide covers the supplies you need, the seven steps for standard faucets, how frost-free faucets differ, the mistakes that cause burst pipes, and the spring checklist for putting faucets back in service.
What you need
Gather these before you start: an adjustable wrench or channel-lock pliers, a small bucket, a rag, and an insulating foam faucet cover for each outdoor faucet. The covers cost a couple of dollars each at hardware stores and slip right over the hose bib.
You will also need access to the interior shutoff valves. Most homes have one per outdoor faucet, usually in the basement or crawlspace on the pipe feeding that faucet. If you do not know where yours are, find them before cold weather arrives.
Step 1: disconnect every garden hose
This is the single most important step, and the one people skip. A hose left attached traps water in the faucet and the connection, and that trapped water freezes and splits the faucet.
Remove accessories like spray nozzles and let the water drain out of the hose. Coil the hose and store it somewhere dry, like a garage or basement. Use channel-lock pliers if a connector is stuck, but turn gently to avoid damaging the faucet.
Step 2: shut off the interior water supply
Find the shutoff valve on the pipe inside the house feeding the outdoor faucet. It is usually in the basement or crawlspace near the exterior wall. Turn the valve clockwise until it stops.
If the valve has a round handle, it is a gate valve and needs several turns. If it has a lever handle, it is a ball valve: a quarter turn so the handle sits perpendicular to the pipe is enough.
Step 3: drain the outdoor faucet
Go outside and open the faucet fully by turning the handle counter-clockwise. Gravity pulls the water remaining in the short pipe segment down and out through the spout.
Leave the faucet open. This is deliberate: an open faucet gives any leftover water room to expand without pressurizing the pipe walls.
Step 4: open the bleeder valve
Many interior shutoff valves have a small bleeder valve, a little cap or screw on the side of the valve body. Put the bucket underneath and turn the bleeder cap counter-clockwise.
This lets air into the line so trapped water pockets that gravity alone missed can drain out. Some water will drip from the bleeder itself, which is why the bucket is there. Once the flow stops, replace the bleeder cap.
Step 5: cover the faucet
Slip an insulating foam faucet cover over each hose bib and secure it per the cover's instructions. The foam traps a pocket of still air around the metal, keeping it slightly warmer than the outside temperature.
Covers help most on faucets that have no interior shutoff valve, where the water line stays pressurized all winter. In that situation, insulation is your only layer of defense.
Step 6: insulate exposed pipes
Wrap any water pipe running through an unheated garage, crawlspace, or along an exterior wall with foam pipe insulation. It is cheap, it slips right on, and it is the highest-value plumbing protection per dollar you can buy.
Pay special attention to pipes near outside walls. Cold air leaks through foundation gaps and rim joists, so a pipe two feet from an exterior wall can freeze even when the rest of the basement feels fine.
Step 7: winterize the sprinkler system
Shut off the sprinkler's water supply and drain it. Many irrigation systems need a compressed-air blow-out to clear every line. If yours does and you lack the equipment, hire this one out: leftover water in a sprinkler line splits it just like any other pipe.
What about frost-free faucets?
Frost-free (freeze-proof) faucets have a long stem that shuts off water 8 to 12 inches inside the warm part of the house, so the water sits behind the insulation line. They reduce risk, but they are not invincible.
A frost-free faucet still fails if a hose is left attached. The trapped water has nowhere to drain, freezes, and splits the faucet body. Disconnecting hoses matters just as much with frost-free models.
In extreme cold, a foam cover over a frost-free faucet is cheap extra insurance. And if the interior shutoff exists, many plumbers still recommend shutting it off and draining the line.
Mistakes that burst pipes
Winterize before temperatures drop to 20°F. Home-and-garden guides set this as the danger threshold: below it, water in an exposed pipe can freeze fast enough to crack copper or burst a faucet body.
Watch for a faucet that keeps dripping after you drain the line. A drip means the interior isolation valve is not sealing, and water is still feeding the line. Repair or replace the valve before winter rather than hoping for the best.
"Winterizing early will not harm your house, but you will lose convenient access to outdoor water until you turn the supply back on," notes Better Homes & Gardens. Early is safe. Late is expensive.
Never use a propane torch or open flame to thaw a frozen pipe. Aside from the fire risk, rapid uneven heating can burst the pipe. Use a hair dryer on low heat or call a plumber.
Spring: putting faucets back in service
When freezing weather has passed, reverse the process. Remove the faucet covers and close the outdoor faucets. Go inside, close the bleeder valve if you opened it, and slowly reopen the interior shutoff.
Watch the faucet and the interior valve for leaks as pressure returns. Small drips at the packing nut can often be fixed with a quarter turn of the nut. If water sprays from inside the wall, shut the valve off immediately and call a plumber: the pipe may have cracked over winter.
Inspect hoses and accessories before reconnecting. Rubber left in the sun all summer may have cracked, and it is cheaper to replace a hose in April than to discover the split mid-watering.
FAQ
Do I need to winterize if I have a frost-free faucet?
Yes, at minimum disconnect the hoses. A hose left attached defeats the frost-free design. Shutting the interior valve and adding a foam cover is still wise in harsh climates.
How long does winterizing take?
About 15 minutes per faucet once you know where the interior shutoff valves are. Finding those valves for the first time is usually the longest part.
Can a frozen outdoor faucet damage my house?
Yes. A burst pipe inside the wall can flood a basement or crawlspace before you notice. Burst pipes are among the most expensive winter home repairs, which is why a few dollars in prevention matters.
Should I leave the faucet open or closed all winter?
Leave it open. With the interior supply shut off, an open outdoor faucet lets any leftover moisture expand harmlessly instead of pressurizing the pipe.
The bottom line
Water expands when it freezes, and your outdoor plumbing is the first place that expansion finds a weak point. Disconnect the hoses, shut off the interior supply, drain the line through the bleeder valve, leave the faucet open, and add a foam cover.
Do it before temperatures drop to 20°F, not after the first cold snap surprises you. In spring, reverse the steps slowly and check for leaks before you trust the faucet again.
Cold weather hits the whole house, not just the faucets. Read our guide on how to stop drafts under doors cheaply to seal the gaps cold air uses, and check what caulk and sealant each do best before sealing exterior cracks. For another common winter casualty, see why tire pressure drops in cold weather.
Topics: winterize faucets, hose bib, freeze prevention, plumbing, home maintenance
Rive News is a research desk covering practical home and lifestyle topics. Articles are written from publicly verifiable sources.
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