Winter plumbing tip

[Rhino]

Since there are a lot of first time homeowners this season, just a reminder: Don't leave your hose connected to the outside faucet during freezing temperatures.

And hopefully you had your sprinkler systems blown out already.

And drained your swamp coolers.

[DevilsTonic]

Thanks, Ryan. I did that already, but just like every spring I'm sure I'll have to call on you to come fix my fubar plumbing.

[MetaLord 9]

Thanks for the tip on the hoses mang! Gonna do that when I get home!

[GixxerCarrie]

Thanks Ryan...for already doing all mine for me..lol

[Graphite675]

Why didn't you say something a week ago!

I thought we still had time so I left my hose connected up last weekend and sure enough, split my pipe and flooded my basement

Lesson learned. Next time I'm disconnecting them and the end of August!

.

[Rhino]

Why didn't you say something a week ago!

Cuz it was still 70 degrees?

I've just saw a bunch of hoses still on in the last week, people hose watering since the sprinklers were blown out.

[dragos13]

What does leaving the hose connected on the outside have to do with the pipes on the inside? How does it cause them to break?

Just asking because I have no clue, and right now my hoses are connected lol.

[UglykidJoe]

What does leaving the hose connected on the outside have to do with the pipes on the inside? How does it cause them to break?

Just asking because I have no clue, and right now my hoses are connected lol.

If the water in the hose freezes, it expands and will burst the pipes.

[Graphite675]

What does leaving the hose connected on the outside have to do with the pipes on the inside? How does it cause them to break?

Just asking because I have no clue, and right now my hoses are connected lol.

If you have a spray handle etc. attached to the far end of the hose and water is still sitting in it it will freeze from the outside back into your house and burst the pipe. That's what happened to mine.

The shut off valve is actually about a foot inside of your house not right at the spigot outside (at least mine is). If water is sitting in it, it will freeze back into the house and split the copper pipe.

I just learned the hard way. Luckily I caught it before it completly flooded my basement but it still dumped about 50 gallons of water in there.

.

[Scer]

Shit, I forgot to disconnect the hose. Thanks Ryan!!

Yeah Casey. Basically, once the outside water freezes then it's much easier for the inside water that is "touching" the outside water to freeze as well. And burst your pipe. (sounds kinky)

save on save'as

[dragos13]

Thanks guys, I'll be heading home today after work to get the hoses disconnected

[Rhino]

What does leaving the hose connected on the outside have to do with the pipes on the inside? How does it cause them to break?

Just asking because I have no clue, and right now my hoses are connected lol.

Most houses from about the 70's on started using "freezeless" hose faucets. The handle is outside, but where the water actually shuts off is 8-14" inside, where it's heated and insulated from freezing.

When you turn the water off on a freezeless, it allows the water to drain out of the pipe where it could freeze.

Leaving the hose on doesn't allow the water to drain and the pipe stays full, freezes, and bursts. Most times people don't notice until spring when they hook up the hose and the basement floods.

In this pic, the shut off is actually at the left.

[dragos13]

Thanks Rhino thats exactly what I have on my house for the outside hose.

I will definitely be taking the hoses off and make sure everything is good. Do you recommend shutting it off INSIDE the house as well? How is that done? I'm guessing there will just be another valve somewhere on the interior of the house?

[Rhino]

With the freezeless, you don't need to shut it off inside. Older houses, usually with galvanized pipes, have the older style of shut offs that are right there. Those usually have a valve inside so you can shut it off and drain it like the freezeless do automatically. Most times even those are ok if you get one of those foam insulating covers. If it hasn't frozen for the last 40 years, you're probably good.