Avoid Freezing Pipes

1. Protect all outdoor hose bibs . You don’t have to buy those Styrofoam covers. Simply wrapping the fixture with a thick rag will do the job just fine. Plus, you won’t have to chase your rag around the yard like those Styrofoam covers when high winds hit.

2. In some older homes you may find what is referred to as a “pet cock valve”, adjacent to an interior shutoff valve, in the garage and/or basement. The idea is to shut off the water supply to the exterior hose bib with the interior valve, then open the pet cock valve to drain any residual water from the pipe that extends from the shut off valve to the exterior hose bib. Use a small bucket to catch the water as the pipe is drained.

NOTE: Sometimes plumbing valves are broken by folks that are not sure which way they should be turned. A saying we recommend is “righty tighty, lefty loosey” i.e., clockwise (righty tighty) to close, counterclockwise (lefty loosey) to open.

3. Exposed pipes in the crawl space and attic are susceptible to freezing. While it is best to have these pipes permanently wrapped with black foam designed specifically for this purpose, it can be a difficult and tedious job, especially when it is already cold. A quick fix that should allow you to get through the cold spells for now is to loosely cover exposed pipes with any type of sheet or fabric. This will prevent frost from forming on the pipe exterior, a common prerequisite to water freezing inside pipes.

4. Running water? If you hear running water and nobody is home, investigate immediately. It could be a broken pipe. If it is, you will need to locate and shut off the main water supply to your house. It is surprising how few people know where their main shut off valve is. It is just as surprising how often plumbers place this important valve so that it is almost impossible to operate. If you have never used your shut off valve, be prepared for some degree of struggle. When the typical “gate” type valve has not been turned in a long time, it can be a bear to get it started. Using not too much force, or too big a wrench, coax that valve clockwise (righty tighty) until you feel the interior corrosion build-up break free, and continue turning until the flow stops.

In case you cannot turn the valve, or broke the valve handle as I once did, your back-up is the water meter outside your house. Aside from the creepy spiders, cacoons and such, this is often easier to turn off than your in-house shut off valve. All you usually need is a “crescent” wrench, also referred to a spanner. See the accompanying picture.