Hose connections outside your home (plumbers call them “hose bibs”) should be equipped with a shutoff valve inside your home, usually in the basement or on the first floor. It should be close to where the outside hose bib is mounted on the outside wall of your home. This shutoff valve should be equipped with a small drain on the side, almost like the screw-on cover of an air valve on your car or bicycle tires. Once you’ve located this shutoff valve with the drain on the side, check to see if it is closed tight or if it is open. If you did a proper winterization of this hose bib previously, it should still be open. Follow the steps below in order to de-winterize your hose bib:
- Close the small drain valve on the shutoff inside the building. This is usually a cap-type drain, with a small cap resembling a bicycle tire air valve cap. Hand-tighten it until it is fully closed.
- Go outside to the hose bib and remove any connected hose(s). Close the hose bib to a full closed position.
- Open the shutoff valve inside the building. If it is a lever-type ball valve, the closed position should be one-quarter turn so that the handle runs perpendicular to the valve body and connected piping. If you have a gate-type valve with a round handle, turn the handle counter-clockwise until you hear water start to flow. Do not open it fully yet!
- Check for leaks inside. With the line now under pressure, check for leaks. Pay special attention to the following areas:
- Observe the valve closely, especially where the handle is attached to the valve body
- Observe all visible piping from the valve to the penetration to the outside hose bib
- Observe all finished ceilings & walls (if any) where piping from this valve to the hose bib may be concealed.
- If you observe any leaks, reach out for assistance
- Once you have confirmed there are no leaks inside, return to the hose bib outside.
- Check for leaks outside. With the line now under pressure, check for leaks. Pay special attention to the following areas:
- Open the hose bib and let water run until it flows steady without any air, then close it
- Observe the hose bib closely, especially where the handle is attached to the valve body
- Ensure that water does not leak by the valve while it is closed
- If you observe any leaks, reach out for assistance
- Check again for leaks inside. Check inside valve and piping again – repeat step #4
- Use the hose bib normally until next Fall.
- Repeat the above process for all the remaining hose bibs throughout your home.
- That’s it! You’ve successfully de-winterized your hose bibs.
Pretty simple, right? Well, usually. As long as the valves and hose bibs are in good working order, this should all be easy. Common problems you might encounter include:
- Valve handles that won’t move or are extremely stiff
- Valves that have a grinding feel when you try to operate them
- Valves that feel closed, but are not stopping the water flow to the hose bib
- Drain ports on shutoff valves that won’t come apart
- Drain ports on shutoff valves that break or crumble when manipulated
- Excessive corrosion observed on any part of the valves or piping you are working with
If you run into issues with any of these steps, take care of it now before you need them for the coming Spring & Summer. Don’t wait, because the weather sure won’t, and you don’t want to be stuck with an unexpected leak. Whether you’ve begun the process and uncovered a problem, or you just don’t want to deal with it yourself, we’re here if you need us. You can set up a visit painlessly by clicking here.
Hopefully this easy tip on de-winterizing your hose bibs will get you up & running for your Spring & Summer outdoor water needs – at least that’s our hope. And if you have any questions or comments, we love hearing from our clients. Just respond to this email to let us know how you’re doing.
Yours for Happy Plumbing,