It's supposed to be really cold tomorrow. Am I supposed to make sure my outdoor hose faucets are completely off or am I supposed to let them drip a little?

Do you guys let your indoor sink drip at all to prevent freezing?

Make sure all outdoor hoses are disconnected from the faucet.

 

I've never left outdoor faucets dripping. The way most are made the actual cutoff is back under the house and somewhat protected.

If you leave your outdoor faucet dripping you may end up with a big icicle. Hoses should be disconnected and I’ve always used one of those styrofoam covers. I can actually access my hose bibs connection from inside and will use a small space heater in the space on really cold days .

If you leave your outdoor faucet dripping you may end up with a big icicle. Hoses should be disconnected and I’ve always used one of those styrofoam covers. I can actually access my hose bibs connection from inside and will use a small space heater in the space on really cold days .

 

This I use the Styrofoam covers as well.

It's supposed to be really cold tomorrow. Am I supposed to make sure my outdoor hose faucets are completely off or am I supposed to let them drip a little?

Do you guys let your indoor sink drip at all to prevent freezing?

 

Jeez, you sound like my wife panicking,LOL. On a more serious note, just make sure outside faucets are completely turned off, no need to let inside ones drip. If you have never had trouble in the past, you will be fine.

I do not live in the area, but freezing lines are generally a result of sustained cold weather. I get there will be a dip for a few days, but is it forecast to be a sustained cold spell?

I do not live in the area, but freezing lines are generally a result of sustained cold weather. I get there will be a dip for a few days, but is it forecast to be a sustained cold spell?

 

It's supposed to warm up by the weekend, but we are looking at extreme cold for the next 48-72 hours, and a 36 hour stretch of single digit temps. That's more than enough time for pipes to freeze in those conditions.

We always let at least one inside faucet drip in weather like this. I always thought that spending a few dollars on a few gallons of water was preferable to the (possible) alternative.

 

One of those "ounce of prevention" scenarios.

If you have never had trouble in the past, you will be fine.

 

I work in insurance and have handled homeowners and commercial property claims for a little more than 20 years. I'd guess about 95%+ of the claims I've handled due to frozen plumbing occur on properties that have never had trouble in the past.

 

I would recommend letting your faucet drip, particular for sinks which are located adjacent to an outside wall, that typically is where I see issues occur with frozen plumbing.

 

Another place would be where plumbing lines run in an attic. Often the pipes can be exposed due to insulation settling or being blown around. As long as you disconnect any hose from your outside faucets, those fixtures should be ok. We get those claims in Spring when somebody who left a hose on over the winter decides to do something like wash their car for the first time.

I would recommend letting your faucet drip, particular for sinks which are located adjacent to an outside wall, that typically is where I see issues occur with frozen plumbing.

 

Another easy thing to do on faucets located in these locations is to open up the cabinet doors underneath the sink. Let some heat get in there and warm up that portion of the wall where the lines are run.

I live in a “historic” (Okay...old) house. I have poor insulation in certain areas. I tend to get a frozen pipe or two every year. I already had one over the weekend. I can’t imagine how it won’t freeze tonight, but I do have a new plan to try.

I live in a “historic” (Okay...old) house. I have poor insulation in certain areas. I tend to get a frozen pipe or two every year. I already had one over the weekend. I can’t imagine how it won’t freeze tonight, but I do have a new plan to try.

 

Can you run heat trace along the pipe in your trouble areas? If so, this would help a lot.

Can you run heat trace along the pipe in your trouble areas? If so, this would help a lot.

Maybe. This is not my area of expertise by any stretch of the imagination. The trouble is that it is sooooo difficult to get anyone in my area to come and do this type of work. My plumber agreed to remodel one of my bathrooms back in the summer. Well, the room is demolished but I now haven’t seen or heard from him since October.

I am anticipating a local water shortage.. Seems to happen every year. They either blame the people who let their pipes drip, or the people who don’t and allow their pipes to burst. Always a good time.

It's supposed to be really cold tomorrow. Am I supposed to make sure my outdoor hose faucets are completely off or am I supposed to let them drip a little?

Do you guys let your indoor sink drip at all to prevent freezing?

How are the pipes prevailing ?

Edited January 30, 20197 yr by True blue (and gold)
Fixed quote tags