It’s that time of year again. You have to start preparing your home for the cold in whatever way you can if you want to have an easier winter—and spring. The steps you take now can help to ensure that you’re not throwing money away in a few months on costly plumbing problems that were 100% preventable!
Every homeowner in our area should start to winterize outdoor faucets before the first freeze. Learn why and how in the guide below, and contact our friendly specialists with any plumbing questions.Here’s why you must winterize your outdoor plumbing
This is something you may have heard before: water expands when it freezes. It occupies more volume, which is problematic for your pipes and fixtures in the spring. They expand along with it, which can cause pipes to burst and faucets to break. That’s why you must shut off the water and drain it from the outdoor faucets before winter is in full swing. It’s fairly easy to do, and you’ll save so much money when spring comes around.Get started on winterizing your outdoor faucets today
Here’s what you should do to ready the outside portion of your plumbing for the cold weather to come. If possible, do this before the first winter freeze.- The first step is to disconnect and store your garden hoses. But first, you’ll need to clear the hose of water. You can get creative with this, and do whatever works for you. Holding up the hose section by section and letting water drip out along the way works for many.
- Then, you’ll need to shut off the water to the outside faucets for the rest of the cold seasons. That means you must locate the shut-off valve. (Many people find it in the basement.)
- Finally, it’s important to drain all of the remaining water out from the faucet. That means you’ll need to turn on your outside faucets and you can keep the faucet open all winter. Water should stop dripping soon enough if you’ve done it right.
Contact Air Mechanical, Inc. for plumbing services in Ham Lake, MN.