The harsh winters of Edmonton cause plenty to freeze, but what you may not have thought about is faucets outside your home. Even if the water has been turned off for the season, leaving hoses and nozzles in place could result in freezing, and a very costly repair.
You can protect yourself from the hassle by making sure your home’s outside water sources are winterized properly.
How to Winterize Your Faucets
Avoid having to make emergency calls to plumbers in Edmonton by following these tips for winterizing your exterior faucets:
- Disconnect Hoses - Garden hoses should be disconnected from the outside faucet and placed in the garage or storage shed. Leaving them attached could result in damage to the hose and nozzle.
- Determine What Type of Faucet You Have - Not all faucets installed in Canadian homes are frost-free. If the faucet has a knob that is perpendicular to the house, it is frost-free. That means the knob turns a long stem that closes off a valve inside the house. If the knob is at a 45-degree angle, it is not likely to be frost-free and therefore, you must winterize it.
- Winterize the Frost-Free Valves - Find the service valve for your faucet outside and close the valve off. Then, turn the faucet to the “on” position. Place a container under the valve to see if any water drains. If water has drained from one or both sides of the system downstream of the service valve washer or gate, you have successfully winterized the faucet. If water has not drained, you may need to peel away the gasket that is holding water waste into place. Leave valves open throughout winter so that any water remaining inside can escape rather than freeze inside.
- Check Other Areas Too - Do not forget to check for other water supply lines in unheated areas, such as crawlspaces or basements. These pipes should be insulated to keep them warm.
- >Sprinkler Lines - Be sure to drain water from your home’s sprinkler system supply lines too by following the manufacturer’s winterizing instructions.
Always Plumbing & Heating is your resource for winter and plumbing concerns. If you have a plumbing concern, contact your trusted plumber in Edmonton today. We also offer emergency plumbers in Edmonton to attend to any issues such as frozen pipes, broken pipes and even water heaters. Give us a call at 780-489-8118 or contact us online.
