Winterize outdoor faucets in Canada
Frozen hose bibs are one of the most common — and expensive — winter insurance claims in Canada. Prevent it in 15 minutes.
What you'll need
- Foam faucet cover ($3–$5 at any hardware store)
- Knowledge of where your interior shut-off valve is
Steps
- Disconnect every garden hose from outdoor faucets. A connected hose traps water that freezes and splits the pipe.
- Drain the hoses and store them indoors or in a shed.
- Find the interior shut-off for the outdoor faucet. It's usually on the basement ceiling or wall on the same side as the hose bib, with a small bleeder valve.
- Close the interior shut-off.
- Open the outdoor faucet fully to let any trapped water drain out. Leave it open all winter.
- Open the bleeder valve on the interior shut-off briefly to drain the pipe between the two valves. Catch water in a cup.
- Install a foam faucet cover as extra insulation.
Frost-free faucets
If you have a frost-free hose bib (long stem), you still must disconnect hoses — the freeze protection only works when the faucet can drain back into the heated part of the house.
When to do it
Before the first night below 0°C. In most of Canada, that's mid-October to early November.