Even though we are having a bit of a rebound from cooler weather here in the Chicago suburbs, there is not denying that winter weather will be here soon. Some parts of the area have already reached freezing overnight, in fact. That means, savvy homeowners need to think about protecting their outdoor plumbing.
It might not be quite time for it, but we thought it might be helpful to help you have a checklist on how you should prepare your home’s outdoor water supply by explaining how to turn the outside water off for the winter before it freezes and causes some major issues:
- Turn off your outdoor water supply valve: many homes in the Chicago area have valves which are located inside of the house (oftentimes in the basement or crawlspace). Whether you call it a valve, a spigot, or a silcock, this usually looks similar to the valve for your garden hose. Carefully turn this fully to the off position.
- Remove all your hoses: make sure you take the time to unhook your hose from your house’s outdoor faucet and remove any fixtures on the other side of your hose. Now is a good time to bring your hoses indoors or otherwise cover them after you unravel them to remove any water. If you leave water standing in your hose, depending on the type of hose you have, you might have problems with cracks due to expanded water in the line.
- Turn on the water full blast: to remove any excess water in your line, turn on your outdoor faucet by turning the valve to the on position. Run all of the pressure out of the line until water reduces to a trickle.
- Turn the water off: Once all of the water has been drained, turn the spigot off again.
- Cover your faucet with insulation: It’s a great idea to cover the now drained faucet with an insulated cover. These are usually cones made of Styrofoam with a weatherstripping gasket and a rubber cord. Slip the rubber cord over the faucet and tighten your cover.
Protecting your outside plumbing from deep freezes in the winter can save you tons of money and headache as the temperatures drop. A faucet cover costs less than $5, but its benefits are great!
If you need any help prepping your plumbing for the winter or with fixing leaks or other plumbing issues, give DRC Plumbing and Sewer a call any time: day or night!