How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets

Every spring, plumbers get the same call: “My water bill is huge and there’s water coming from somewhere.” The culprit is usually an outdoor faucet that froze and cracked during winter. The pipe burst inside the wall where you couldn’t see it, and it’s been leaking for weeks. Winterizing your outdoor faucets takes 30 minutes in the fall. Ignoring it can cost $5,000-15,000 in water damage repairs. Your choice.

Why This Matters

When water freezes, it expands. Inside a pipe, that expansion creates tremendous pressure—enough to split copper, crack PVC, and blow apart fittings. The damage often happens where you can’t see it:

• Inside exterior walls – Pipe runs to outdoor faucet pass through framing
• In crawl spaces and basements – Supply lines to hose bibbs
• At the faucet itself – Even “frost-free” faucets can fail

The real danger: the pipe bursts during the freeze, but you don’t notice until it thaws and water starts pouring into your wall. By then, you’ve got mold, damaged drywall, ruined insulation, and a very expensive problem.

Frost-free hose bibbs help, but they’re not foolproof:

• The shut-off is supposed to be inside the heated space
• If installed wrong or the pitch is wrong, water stays in the pipe and freezes anyway
• Even frost-free faucets need hoses disconnected

Step-by-Step Winterization

Step 1: Disconnect All Hoses

This is critical. A hose connected to a faucet traps water inside:

1. Unscrew all hoses from outdoor faucets
2. Drain the hoses completely
3. Store hoses in garage or shed
4. Never leave a hose connected during freezing weather

A single hose left connected can destroy a frost-free faucet that would otherwise be fine.

Step 2: Drain the Faucets

For standard faucets:

1. Turn off the indoor shut-off valve (usually in basement, crawl space, or utility area near where pipe exits house)
2. Go outside and open the faucet fully
3. Let water drain out completely
4. Leave the faucet open for winter

For frost-free faucets:

1. No indoor shut-off required (that’s the point)
2. Just disconnect hose and verify no dripping
3. If you have an indoor shut-off, close it and drain for extra protection

Step 3: Check for Indoor Shut-Off Valves

Locate the shut-off valves for each outdoor faucet:

• Usually within 3-5 feet of where pipe exits house
• Often in basement ceiling, crawl space, or utility area
• Look for a valve on the pipe feeding each faucet

If you find them:

1. Close the valve (turn clockwise)
2. Open the outdoor faucet to drain
3. Leave outdoor faucet open for winter
4. If there’s a drain cap on the indoor valve, open it to drain remaining water

Step 4: Insulate the Faucets

Even drained faucets benefit from insulation:

1. Faucet covers – Styrofoam or rigid foam covers that fit over the faucet, secured with a strap or cord. Cost: $3-5 each at any hardware store.

2. Faucet socks – Pouches filled with insulation that wrap around the faucet and secure with Velcro or drawstrings.

3. DIY option – Wrap faucet with towels or rags, cover with a plastic bag, secure with duct tape. Not pretty but effective.

Install covers after draining, before first hard freeze.

Step 5: Address Any Leaks Now

If you noticed dripping faucets during the draining process:

• Dripping from spout = worn washer or cartridge (easy fix)
• Dripping from handle = packing nut loose or worn (easy fix)
• Constant dripping from wall = bigger problem

Fix leaks before winter. A dripping faucet can freeze at the outlet and back up into the pipe.

Types of Outdoor Faucets

Standard hose bibb:

• Pipe runs straight through wall
• Water sits in pipe from indoor valve to outdoor handle
• MUST be winterized with indoor shut-off and draining

Frost-free hose bibb:

• Long stem extends into heated space
• Shut-off happens inside the house
• Designed to self-drain when closed
• Still need to disconnect hoses

Anti-siphon faucet:

• Has backflow prevention built in
• May have additional components that can freeze
• Follow same winterization steps

If you don’t know what you have, winterize it anyway. Better safe than flooded.

What NOT to Do

• Don’t use heat tape on faucets – Fire hazard, not designed for this use
• Don’t leave hoses connected – #1 cause of frozen/burst faucets
• Don’t assume “frost-free” means “winter-proof” – They still need hoses disconnected
• Don’t crank valves too tight – Can damage washers and seats
• Don’t ignore dripping faucets – Fix before freezing weather

Warning Signs of Problems

• Low water pressure at outdoor faucet (could be pipe partially frozen)
• Frost visible on pipe near faucet
• Faucet dripping constantly despite being off
• Water stains on interior wall near faucet location
• Unusually high water bill (hidden leak from frozen pipe)
• Sounds of water running when nothing is on

If a faucet froze and burst, you may not know until the thaw—when water starts appearing in places it shouldn’t.

DIY vs. Call a Pro

DIY: Disconnecting hoses, draining faucets, installing faucet covers, locating and operating shut-off valves, replacing washers in dripping faucets.

Call a pro: Repairing burst pipes, installing new frost-free faucets, replacing damaged valves, any work inside walls, leak detection for hidden burst pipes. Find a licensed plumber →

When to Winterize

• Timing: Before the first hard freeze (32°F or below for several hours)
• Early is fine: October or November in most climates
• Late is dangerous: Once temperatures drop below freezing, pipes can freeze overnight

Check your local weather and plan accordingly. An early fall weekend is a great time to knock this out.

Spring De-Winterization

When freezing weather is past:

1. Remove faucet covers
2. Close any outdoor faucets you left open
3. Open indoor shut-off valves slowly
4. Check each outdoor faucet for leaks
5. Run water briefly to clear any debris
6. Reconnect hoses

If you discover a leak, you’ll know immediately—before it’s been running for weeks.

The Bottom Line

Winterizing outdoor faucets is one of those tasks that takes 30 minutes and prevents a $10,000 disaster. Disconnect hoses, drain pipes, install covers, and don’t trust that “frost-free” label. The first hard freeze always comes faster than you expect. Get ahead of it.