How to Prevent Outside Faucets from Freezing

You may not be worried about your outside faucets freezing during the sweltering hot summer months, although it’s much better to prevent a catastrophe than respond to one.  As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Most plumbing pipes are located inside the home, receiving the benefit of warmth and insulation. If you live in a climate that experiences a change in seasons and cold winter months, you must take steps to prevent outside faucets from freezing. When an outer faucet freezes, it can burst and cause tremendous damage to the inside of your home. Not only must you repair the frozen, broken pipe, you will also be faced with replacing siding, drywall, carpeting and any damaged home furnishings.
The best time to maintain your outside faucets and prevent catastrophic pipe damage and water damage from occurring inside your home is before the onset of freezing temperatures.  Follow these tips to prevent outside faucets from freezing and protect your home.

Pre-Winter Draining

It is important to drain your pipes prior to experiencing the first freeze of the winter. To properly drain your pipes, you must first locate the valve that controls your water flow to your outdoor faucets and turn it off.  This valve is usually located in the basement if you have one. Once the valve is off you can open your faucet and allow all of the water to drain completely. Make sure that you remove any pipe splitters, hoses or attachments to ensure that your pipe drains completely.

Install a Woodford Frost Free Hose Bib

A frost free hose bib runs several inches inside the house and can be installed to replace your current old faucet.  A frost free hose bib can include a pressure relief valve on the end of the long pipe, located inside the house.  Woodford offers a patented Model 19 that will prevent pipes from bursting, even if a hose is unintentionally left connected during freezing temperatures.  There are many various models of frost free hose bibs with specifications to meet various environments and situations.
Follow these tips to protect your pipes and your entire home, and contact Eagle Mountain Products for assistance in choosing the right frost free hose bib for your outside faucets.


We offer exceptional customer service available weekdays from 6:30 am to 4:00 pm MST at 1-800-308-0864, or via email to: sales@eaglemountainproducts.com.  We offer a wide selection of high quality Woodford and Watco pipe and plumbing products, known for high quality and dependability.