There are many things around your home that have to be prepared or winterized before the cold weather only winter brings is upon us. These tasks are done to help you avoid property damage when everything is frozen. Something you definitely need to winterize are the hose bibs on the outside of your home. Randall’s Plumbing is here to share the steps you need to take to ensure your hose bibs are ready for winter.

Winterizing Outdoor Faucets

The hose bibs on your home are the faucets that are found on the outside of your home. This is where you attach the garden hose that you use to water everything in your yard. It is important that you get these faucets ready for winter or you will end up with burst pipes as the ice starts to melt away in the spring. Here are the steps you need to take to get the hose bibs on your house ready.
– Step 1: Each of the hose bibs on your home have their own shutoff valve. These valves are usually located in the basement or storage area in your home. They are usually in close proximity to the bib itself. They have a colored handle and can sometimes be located under kitchen or bathrooms sinks if you don’t have a basement.
– Step 2: Go outside and turn the hose bib in the on direction. This will allow any water that is found in the pipe to drain out, so it doesn’t freeze in there this winter.
– Step 3: Some hose bibs have a vacuum breaker on them as an extra layer of protection. This is put in place to keep your home’s drinking water from getting contaminated. If you have a vacuum breaker with a pin, you will want to push the pin to the side and hold it in place until the water stops draining. If you have a vacuum breaker with a black ring, pull the black ring around the vacuum breaker until the water stops draining.
– Step 4: Located back at the shutoff valve, you will find a thumbscrew on it. You will need to place a bucket beneath it and remove the screw to allow a small amount of water to drain out.
– Step 5: Go outside and make sure there isn’t any more water found in the pipes by draining the bib one more time. Once you have done this, you can go and replace the thumbscrew.

Residential Plumbers & Commercial Plumbing Contractors in Marshfield, Conway & Greater Lebanon, Missouri

If you are having any problems of any kind with your plumbing system, you can turn to Randall’s Plumbing to help you get your system back up and running. We can handle anything from small repairs to larger, more complicated ones with ease. With our focus on customer service and satisfaction, you won’t regret choosing us to keep your pipes flowing. Call us today!