How Disconnecting the Hose This Winter Can Save You Thousands

Winter is on us. Are you ready for it? Last year, Canadians saw the worst weather in the country in 100 years. We've never seen as many flooded basements, frozen or burst pipes, or house-fires, caused by trying to thaw plumbing systems with open flame. Last year, we replaced hundreds of hose bibs at a cost of $300 on average, which excludes burst pipes, popped faucets and the costs to homeowners who had to repair damage to floors and walls. We are always sharing tips on how you can winterize your plumbing system ahead of the rain of autumn and the snow and freezing climates of winter.

Today we're going to share with you how disconnecting your garden hoses can save you thousands of dollars this year.

What Happens to Your Garden Hose in Winter?

When you leave your garden hose outside in winter, it can freeze in the cold winter climates, particularly if some water was left behind inside the hose. Frozen water expands, causing the lining of the hose to weaken and holes to form in the walls of the pipe.

A connected hose that is frozen, may even lead to water pressure problems in the water lines or pipes of your home.

Disconnect Your Hose: Save Money on Plumbing Repairs

If ever there was a simple way to save money, this would be it: Before winter every year, disconnect your garden hoses from the outdoor taps before the excess water that sits inside the hose bibs becomes frozen. Leaving it connected through winter, would cause the water to be frozen inside the hose bibs, causing it to burst when you next turn on the spigot in spring and leading to flooding.

When water freezes inside copper piping, it expands and eventually splits. Many of the leaks between the inner and outer walls are so small that they usually go unnoticed. You may not notice the split until you turn on the faucet in spring. Likewise, you may not notice a reduction in water pressure, although the burst may continue leaking, causing slow damage to the floors and walls. While you can quickly respond to a serious leak, cleaning it up and repair it, a slow leak gradually causes damage to your building materials and allowing mold to grow.

How to Roll Up Your Garden Hose in Preparation for Winter

Follow these tips to remove any water and roll up your garden hose for winter.

1. Disconnect the hose from the hose bib.

2. Remove any possible kinks from your hose in order to remove water blockages, and to allow the free-flowing of the water. It can also cause holes to form in the hose's lining.

3. Roll the hose up and store it away for winter.

What Else Can I Do to Avoid Frozen Pipes?

Now that you've rolled up your garden hose, you may wonder how you can prevent frozen pipes. At all times, be aware of your water pressure. A drop in pressure is usually the first sign of restricted water flow, which may be caused by restrictions to your water flow. When that happens, call [company name] right away.

Our master plumber recommends that you allow cold water to trickle in a small stream when a deep freeze is expected. Also, you could install exterior insulated faucet jackets during fall in order to protect outdoor faucets and connecting lines that run into the home, from becoming frozen.

Need help? Call Anta Plumbing now to do a pre-winter plumbing checkup and repair any issues before winter takes its toll.