At a Glance: How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets
- Hose off first. A hose left on keeps water trapped in the faucet.
- Close the inside valve, then drain. Water you drain out can’t freeze.
- About 15 minutes and a few dollars. No special tools for most homes.
To winterize outdoor faucets, you take off the hose, close the shutoff valve inside the house, open the outdoor faucet to drain it, and add a foam cover. That’s the whole job. Jump to the supplies or skip to the steps.
The first hard freeze always seems to show up a week early. The good news is this is one of the easiest jobs on the fall list. Once you know where the inside valve is, you’ll be done in about 15 minutes. And you won’t be wondering about that faucet all winter.
Here’s why it matters. When water freezes in a pipe, it expands. Frozen faucets can create a lot of pressure that can damage pipes and spigot parts.
Most of this is already in your garage. The one thing worth picking up is a foam faucet cover. Look for one with a cord loop that pulls tight, so it sits flat against the wall and wind can’t get under it. A two-pack covers most homes. (paid link)
- Protects outdoor faucets from extreme temperatures
- 5/8-inch expanded polystyrene shell
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
What do you need to winterize outdoor faucets?
About 15 minutes per faucet (our estimate)
- A bucket. To catch the water when you open the faucet.
- A flashlight. For finding the shutoff valve in the basement or crawl space.
- A rag or towel. For drips at the valve.
- An insulated foam faucet cover. One per outdoor faucet.
- Foam pipe insulation (optional). For any pipe that runs through an unheated garage or crawl space.
Quick tip: Walk around the outside of your house first and count your faucets. Many homes have more than one, and the one behind the shrubs is easy to forget.
How do you winterize outdoor faucets, step by step?
Four easy steps. Do them on a mild afternoon before the forecast drops into the 20s, the range where University of Illinois research found unheated pipes start to freeze.
1. Take off the hose
Unscrew the garden hose and any splitter or timer. Drain the hose, coil it, and store it in the garage or shed.
Even a frost-free faucet needs the hose off. Frost-free faucets are built to drain after each use, but only when no hose is attached. With a hose on, the water stays put, and that’s when it freezes.
2. Close the inside shutoff valve
Look on the inside of the wall behind the outdoor faucet. In most homes, it’s in the basement, a crawl space, or a utility room. You’re looking for a small valve on the pipe that runs to that wall.
Turn it off. A round handle turns clockwise until it stops. A lever handle turns so it sits across the pipe. Set a rag under it for drips.
3. Open the outdoor faucet to drain
Head back outside and set your bucket under the spout. Open the faucet all the way. You’ll get a short rush of water, then a trickle, then nothing. That’s the water that was sitting in the pipe, and now it can’t freeze.
If water keeps running and doesn’t slow down, the inside valve isn’t fully closed. Go back and give it another turn.
4. Add a foam cover
Slip the loop of the cover over the faucet and pull the cord tight so the cover sits flat against the wall. A foam cover is a little jacket for the faucet. It helps on bitter nights, but it only works if you drained the faucet first.
Want to watch it done first? This short video from TLC Plumbing Heating Cooling Electrical walks through winterizing an outdoor faucet.
Two easy things to get right
Don’t skip the hose. A hose left on traps water in the faucet, even the frost-free kind. Hose off, every fall.
Don’t cover a faucet that’s still full. A cover keeps a little warmth in, but it can’t stop a full pipe from freezing in a long cold snap. Drain first, then cover.
What does it cost to winterize outdoor faucets?
- $0: Hose off, valve closed, faucet drained. That’s the most important part, and it’s free.
- About $5 to $10: Add a foam cover for each faucet. (Planning estimate. Covers are sold singly and in packs.)
- $150 to $400: Have a plumber add an inside shutoff valve or swap in a frost-free faucet. (Planning estimate only. Prices vary a lot by area, so get a quote.)
What if your outdoor faucet has no shutoff valve inside?
Some older homes don’t have one. If you can’t find a valve on the pipe behind the faucet, take the hose off and put a cover on for now. Then have a plumber install a shutoff. It’s a small job for them, and it makes this a 15-minute task every fall after.
If a pipe does freeze, never try to thaw it with an open flame or a torch. You might be able to thaw it with a hand-held hair dryer, starting near the faucet end with the faucet open, as this frozen pipe guide explains. If a pipe bursts, shut off the water at your main shutoff valve and call a plumber. Make sure everyone in the house knows where that main valve is before winter, not during a leak.
How do you know you nailed it? On the first freezing morning, take a look. If the spigot isn’t frosted solid and nothing is leaking at the wall, your faucet is ready for winter.
Doing a full fall checklist? Our guide to winterize your home covers windows, doors, and drafts too.
You’ve got this
Take the hose off, close the inside valve, drain the faucet, and cover it. Fifteen minutes now, and you won’t think about that faucet again until spring.
Show us your setup
Got a clever way to mark your inside valve so you find it every fall? Share a photo with us on Facebook, pin this one to your home maintenance board on Pinterest, and catch more easy fall fixes on Instagram.
A few helpful answers
Winterizing outdoor faucets FAQs
Timing, frost-free faucets, and covers.
Before your first hard freeze, ideally on a mild fall day. Many areas see that in October or November. If the forecast says the 20s, don’t wait.
Yes, at least the first step. Frost-free faucets are made to drain after each use, but only with the hose off. Take the hose off every fall, and add a cover if you like.
Pipes in unheated spots can start to freeze below about 20 degrees outside. That guideline comes from University of Illinois research, and pipes can still freeze above it. Drain your outdoor faucets before it gets that cold.
Yes. Keep it closed until the last hard freeze has passed in spring. Then make sure the outdoor faucet is closed, open the valve inside, and check for drips.
Not on its own. A cover helps on cold nights, but it can’t stop a full pipe from freezing. Take the hose off and drain the faucet first, then add the cover.
Do you cover your outdoor faucets or just drain them?
Draining is free and does most of the work. A cover costs a few dollars and adds a little peace of mind. Some folks do both, and some do neither and hope for the best.
Which one are you? Vote, then tell us in the comments the oddest spot you’ve ever found an inside valve.
