During the summer, you have the liberty of leaving your garden hose in the yard, coiled up by the side of the home so that you can use it at any time. But as many homeowners in our area know, leaving it out in the late fall and in the winter can have some serious consequences. Not only can your garden hose freeze, but the faucet itself can also suffer damages that require repairs to your home. Check out our guide and follow our steps to prevent freeze breaks later in the fall.

Disconnecting the Hose

When water freezes, it expands. That’s why, when you disconnect your hose from the faucet this fall, it’s important that you drain water from the hose completely—so that any freezing does not cause expansion in the hose that tears the material. An easy way to do this is to turn off the spigot and use a spray nozzle to get water out of the hose. Then, detach the hose and make sure any remaining water is cleared.

Draining the Faucet

This step is perhaps even more important than depressing the tube. Freeze breaks from the outside faucet can lead to costly plumbing repairs in the spring. Drain remaining water from the outside faucet by first shutting off the water supply to that area. Ask a plumber if you have trouble locating the shut-off valve that controls water flow to the outside faucets. Then, turn the nozzle to drain any remaining water from the faucet.

And that’s it! This simple step can save you a lot of money and trouble in the upcoming season. Contact your local plumber for more information.

Call APC Plumbing & Heating for more helpful advice or to schedule an appointment with a plumber in Highlands Ranch, CO. We have someone in your neighborhood today!