Many homes with a garden have an outside faucets and we often forget to protect this element in winter. These parts are small in size, but they can harm the overall plumbing system. It is important not to forget to insulate all taps. Especially, if your region has strong frost in winter. There are many great tips to prevent outdoor faucets froom freezing.
The more experienced gardener understands the importance of this action because the consequences can be unpleasant.
Street taps and pipes are not insulated so freezing will go into the house. Try to open the tap, if the water flows, then the water in the pipes is not frozen. If the water does not flow, then the pipe is frozen and then you need to use a construction hair dryer.
Easy Steps to Prepare Outdoor Faucets for Winter
Prepare pipes and taps for frost in advance. It will be more convenient for you to do this work in the middle of autumn, when the garden no longer needs water for irrigation.
Collect your hoses so they don’t freeze or deform.
Many of them are made of rubber or eraser, but this material does not have a high level of frost resistance. You can put it away in a shed or garage.
It is important to remember that the hoses must be empty. Make sure there is no water residue inside the pipes.
To prevent frost faucets, you have to do few steps:
- Garden hoses must be disconnected from mixing systems;
- Close the water supply taps that lead to street water systems;
- Remove any residual water left in the pipes;
- Attach the outside protection of the tap (this can be a special cover, insulation and a dry cloth);
- Now you just have to insulate the pipes that lead to the street tap.
The most popular insulation material is old rugs or thick rags. You can always find something like that at home that you do not mind.
It will also be good to take a small piece of roofing material. A good solution would be glass wool, which you have left after construction work.
You can also use synthetic rubber or basalt wool. From above, the structure can be wrapped with a thick rope or unnecessary wire.
Benefits of Frost-Proof Faucets
Frost-resistant mixers are more expensive than simple models, but they have many advantages.
First, such systems last longer because they do not expand or crack in the cold.
Secondly, such valves reduce the risk of pipe rupture due to pipe freezing.
Thirdly, they can be located far from the main pipe that goes into the house.
This will prevent frost from freezing the water that goes into your home plumbing system.
It is also important to consider another feature of frost-resistant faucets. You won’t need to drain the water every season to prevent freezing spigots.
Do You Need to Cover Frost Free Faucets?
To save faucets from freezing, you need to remove the water from the pipes because the frost-resistant taps can survive the winter.
Such plumbing systems have rubber pads and washers that provide additional protection from the cold. All taps must be closed and hoses removed. Even the most frost free types are capable of withstanding mild frosts.
If your region in winter the temperature drops to -30, you do not need to wait for the crane to withstand such a load.
Almost all plumbers are advised to close the taps with special insulation if you expect more frost in winter. Protect your outdoor water system to prevent frost from going down the pipe into your home.
