Winterize Outdoor Plumbing: 4 Essential Steps to Prevent Frozen Pipes
As home inspectors, checking exterior pipes and foundations is one of our top priorities during fall walk-throughs. Specifically, water left inside hoses, faucets, and underground lines expands as it freezes, which can burst pipes and lead to thousands of dollars in hidden water damage that we frequently uncover during spring inspections. Fortunately, you can winterize outdoor plumbing by following these four definitive steps.
1. Disconnect and Store Garden Hoses
Your first line of defense is removing any attached hoses. To begin, unscrew all garden hoses from your exterior faucets. Next, drain any remaining water out of the hoses by walking their length, coil them loosely, and store them indoors in a temperature-controlled space like a garage or shed. Otherwise, leaving hoses attached can trap water in the spigot, causing the fixture to crack behind your walls as the water expands into ice. To Verify: Check that water no longer drips from the ends of the hoses and that they are completely empty before storing them away for the season.
2. Shut Off Interior Supply Valves
To completely isolate your exterior plumbing from the cold, you need to cut off the water supply from the inside. First, locate the shut-off valves inside your home that feed water to the outdoor spigots. We usually find these along the basement ceiling or crawlspace rim joists during our structural checks. Then, turn these valves clockwise to the “Off” position. To verify: Head outside and turn on an outdoor faucet. After a few seconds, the water flow should stop entirely, and the lines should run completely dry.
3. Drain and Insulate Outdoor Faucets
Once the interior supply is off, open the outdoor spigots and leave them open all winter. This allows any residual water to drain out and gives any remaining moisture room to expand safely if ice forms. Next, cover each faucet with an insulated exterior faucet cover (often called a faucet sock). Secure these tightly using exterior tape or the built-in drawstring to ensure a proper seal. To verify: Ensure the faucet handle remains in the open position and the insulating cover seals tightly against the exterior siding to block frigid air from reaching the metal.
4. Blow Out Underground Irrigation Systems
If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, simply shutting off the water isn’t enough. Instead, shut off the main irrigation water supply and connect an air compressor to the system’s blow-out port. Following that, use the compressor to force the remaining water out of the pipes, zones, and backflow preventers section by section. Ultimately, pushing compressed air through the lines ensures no water is left to expand and crack the underground PVC. To verify: Check each sprinkler head visually or run a manual test cycle briefly to confirm that only air—and no water spray—comes out of the system. Of course, an alternative is to contact a reputable home irrigation company to do this for you.
In summary, taking the time to properly secure your exterior water lines ensures your pipes survive the freezing months intact, saving you from emergency plumbing repairs when the spring thaw arrives. As your trusted home inspection professionals, we highly recommend adding this quick process to your annual fall home maintenance checklist.