Preparing for a Hard Winter Winterizing Your Outside Plumbing System
Northern Va. and Suburban Md. – “If the cool, crisp days of autumn are upon us,” said Mark Presgrave of My Plumber Heating and Cooling recently, “it stands to reason that freezing rain, sleet and snow will soon follow. It is time to winterize your outside hose bibs to protect your home from a burst water supply pipe.”
There are frost-proof Hose bibs and non-frost-proof hose bibs. The easiest way to identify the difference is by the location of the handle. If the handle is on top of the faucet, it is probably not frost-proof. If the faucet continues to drain for a few seconds after it is turned off, it probably is frost-proof. Both types of hose bibs need to be winterized for full protection against a burst pipe causing a plumbing leak, during a hard freeze.
First, disconnect the hose and any timer or other device attached to the hose bib. Then locate the shut-off valve (inside the house) for the hose bib and turn it off to interrupt the water supply. Back outside, simply open the faucet and let it drain completely. This simple act of prevention, which takes just a few minutes, can protect a home from serious water damage caused by a frozen, broken water pipe.
For more information regarding this plumbing alert or further information about My Plumber Heating and Air, please visit their website at www.myplumber.com. To contact My Plumber Heating and Air, e-mail myplumber@myplumber.com.
