Why outdoor faucets freeze first
The American Red Cross lists outdoor hose bibs among the pipes most exposed to severe cold. Water left inside expands as it freezes, which can split the pipe. Our post on preventing frozen pipes covers the rest of the house.
The steps
- Disconnect the hose. Remove it from the faucet, drain it, and store it somewhere warmer. Homes & Gardens notes a frozen hose can make the problem worse and the plastic can split.
- Fix any drip first. NBC4 Washington, working with Michael & Son, says to check for drips and repair them, since water that builds up can freeze in the pipe or fixture.
- Shut off the inside valve. If your home has a valve inside that feeds the outdoor faucet, close it before the first frost. The Red Cross says to close the inside valve supplying each outdoor hose bib.
- Open the outdoor faucet and leave it open. This drains the remaining water and lets air in. In the Red Cross's words, "so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand."
- Add protection. Michael & Son suggests considering a hose bib cover, typically thick foam, or a frost-proof hose bibb. Homes & Gardens notes purpose-made covers are widely available at DIY stores.
If there is no inside shut-off valve
NBC4's guidance is that if the line can't be isolated, use extra insulation. A plumber can add a shut-off valve and, if you want, replace the faucet with a frost-proof one. Those are the kind of small jobs we coordinate.
If a faucet is already frozen
Homes & Gardens suggests thawing it gently by wrapping it in a towel soaked in hot water or slowly pouring warm, not hot, water over it. If that doesn't work, call a plumber. If you see water where a pipe should be dry, shut off your main valve right away. Our post on finding your main water shut-off explains how.
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these. Where they disagree, the post says so rather than averaging them into a single number.