You can leave the outside spigot open all winter, which may even help avoid pressure buildup as temperatures change over the seasons. Just make sure to shut the spigot off in the spring before you turn the water supply to the outdoor faucets back on, or water will rush out from the spigot.
Typically, outdoor faucets should be opened when temperatures fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing water expands and can cause pipes to crack or burst. If you have a frost-free faucet, it provides extra protection, but you may still need to leave it open during extreme cold.
Pipes: Turn off water supply to the house and drain pipes to protect them from freezing. You can empty pipes by running the water and flushing the toilets after the water has been turned off. After draining the pipes, it is a good idea to leave the faucets open to prevent pressure build up from any water that remains.
The solution is to simply winterize the faucet or hose bib. There are several types of faucets, but winterizing them is fairly simple. Shut off the water to the faucet from inside the house and then open the faucet outside. This will protect the faucet against freezing temperatures.
As the winter season approaches, it's important to shut off your outside water and spigot to prevent frozen and burst pipes.
As you winterize, it's very important to remember to disconnect the hose for winter. A hose connected to an outside faucet is exposed to the elements. The water inside the hose can rapidly freeze when the temperature drops below 32 degrees.
Running your taps will not prevent pipes from freezing
This is especially important as this can cause frozen drains and puts undue pressure on supplies across the network.
While most of the pipes in a home are insulated from the cold and get heat from your HVAC system, pipes connected to any outdoor faucets are vulnerable to freezing conditions.
Overall, it's best that you take heed and drip your faucets when temperatures dip below freezing. A simple trickle of hot and/or cold water—both from faucets inside and outside the home—can prevent you from having to deal with a much larger issue (and bill!) in the long run.
Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
Leaving an outdoor faucet dripping in winter can prevent freezing throughout winter as running water is a lot less likely to freeze than stagnant.
One of the main functions of an outdoor faucet cover is to protect your pipes from freezing during the winter months. With winter temperatures that often dip into the teens, this is particularly useful in the Denver area. Faucet covers work by trapping heat that radiates from indoor plumbing to the outdoor spigot.
The core mechanism that sets frost-free hose bibs apart is their elongated stem or shaft, which extends from the outdoor spigot into the interior of the home, where temperatures remain above freezing.
You should open the faucets (turn them on) shortly after you turn off the main water to your house to drain the pipes, and if you're leaving the water off for an extended period, you should keep the faucets open while it's off. Opening the faucets drains the pipes once you turn the water off.
You can leave the outside spigot open all winter, which may even help avoid pressure buildup as temperatures change over the seasons. Just make sure to shut the spigot off in the spring before you turn the water supply to the outdoor faucets back on, or water will rush out from the spigot.
Insulate the spigot with a cover, drain any remaining water, and shut off the interior water supply valve to prevent freezing.
If you live in a climate with freezing temperatures, you'll want to cover your outdoor faucets in the winter rather than dripping them. Even with a vigorous drip, frigid temperatures can travel through your faucet and freeze the connecting pipes. Before using a cover, you'll need to properly winterize your faucet.
Step 1 To Winterize Outdoor Faucets: Shut Off the Water
To shut off water to the spigot, turn the gate shut-off valve clockwise until it stops. If the gate valve is difficult to turn by hand, apply a lubricating spray (like WD-40) and turn it with an adjustable wrench.
TEXAS, USA — When we reach freezing temperatures, it's typically best practice to keep the water running in your home! Dripping faucets can prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting.
Thawing Frozen Pipes
While you wait, reduce water pressure by opening all the faucets inside the home one-quarter turn. Water will begin to trickle out, helping the ice to thaw. Remember to close all faucets after full water pressure is restored.
Insulation- Preformed pipe insulation is a thick foam tube that fits tightly over pipes, helping keep the cold air from penetrating the pipe. We recommend using this combined with heat tape. Insulated Enclosure- If your spigot comes directly up from the ground then we recommend building an enclosure around it.