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Freezing outside faucet


How to Protect Outdoor Faucets from Freezing

You look at the forecast and see sub-zero temperatures are coming your way. What does that mean for your pipes? Frozen pipes are no homeowner’s idea of a good time. Avoid a worst-case scenario by learning how to protect outdoor faucets from freezing and causing serious problems for your home’s plumbing.

You can freeze-proof your outdoor faucets and protect pipes from freezing or bursting. Keep reading for simple steps you can take to ensure your outdoor plumbing is safe, even on the coldest days of the winter.

Why You Should Care about Winterizing Your Outdoor Faucets

While most of the pipes in a home are insulated from the cold and get heat from your HVAC system, pipes connected to any outdoor faucets are vulnerable to freezing conditions. Any time the outside temperature dips below freezing, there’s a chance the water inside the pipes will freeze, expand, and potentially lead to burst pipes and water damage in your home.

The good news is you can avoid a call for emergency plumbing due to frozen pipes by simply learning to freeze-proof outdoor faucets.

6 Steps for How to Protect Outdoor Faucets from Freezing
  1. Remove the garden hose from the faucet in the fall.
    By taking this proactive step before freezing weather arrives, you’ll be ahead of the game and can avoid having to run outside to stow the hose in the middle of an ice storm.
  2. Shut off the upstream water supply valve feeding the outdoor faucet.
    Typically, you will find this valve several feet from the outside wall. Turn the handle to the valve in a clockwise motion until it stops. If it has a lever handle, turn the lever until it is perpendicular to the pipe.
  3. Drain any residual water from the faucet and pipe.
    This will ensure there isn’t any water left behind after shutting off the valve that could freeze and expand. If water continues to trickle out, even after you’ve shut off the upstream valve, replace the leaky valve.
  4. Install an outdoor faucet protector.
    A foam faucet cover offers an additional layer of protection to freeze-proof your faucet and pipes. You can find an inexpensive cover from hardware stores or online. Make sure the cover is securely in place over the faucet.
  5. Insulate the pipe leading up to the faucet.
    Purchase foam insulation to cover any exposed plumbing connected to the outdoor faucet.
  6. Install a freeze-proof faucet.
    If you’d rather not go through the hassle of properly winterizing your outdoor faucet and pipes each year, you can install a freeze-proof or frost-free faucet. Designed to function in freezing temperatures, a frost-free faucet will enable you to continue using the faucet year-round.
Turn to Mr. Rooter
® Plumbing for More Winterizing Solutions for Your Residential Plumbing

Whether you need professional assistance installing a freeze-proof outdoor faucet, or you require emergency plumbing services due to frozen or burst pipes, the local experts at Mr. Rooter Plumbing are here to help. We offer friendly, professional plumbing services to keep your home’s plumbing in optimal working condition—no matter what the winter weather throws your way.

Call (855) 591-0128 today to connect with your local Mr. Rooter Plumbing location, or schedule an appointment online.

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How to Prevent Outdoor Spigots From Freezing

By

Bob Formisano

Bob Formisano

Bob Formisano is a licensed architect and builder with nearly 40 years of experience building new homes and restoring older homes. One of his specialties is repairing old systems dating back to the 1920s, including galvanized water pipes, knob-and-tube wiring, and more. His home repair articles for The Spruce span more than 10 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 08/02/22

Reviewed by

Richard Epstein

Reviewed by Richard Epstein

Richard Epstein is a licensed master plumber with over 40 years experience in residential and commercial plumbing. He specializes in estimating as well as design and engineering for plumbing systems, and he works for one of New York's largest union plumbing construction companies.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

Fact checked by

Jessica Wrubel

Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel

Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

The Spruce / Sarah Lee

Project Overview

Worrying about outdoor spigots freezing every winter is something that most homeowners can relate to. But this doesn't have to be such a perennial problem.

If you have a standard spigot, there are simple winterizing steps you can take that make it unlikely you'll have a problem with freezing. You can also go a step further and replace a standard faucet with a frost-proof faucet.

What Is a Frost-Proof Faucet?

A frost-proof (also called "freezeproof" or "frost-free") faucet provides better protection against freezing and eliminates the need to winterize the faucet—other than removing the hose.

Keep reading for two ways to prevent your outdoor spigots from freezing during the wintertime.

Equipment / Tools

Winterizing a Standard Spigot
Installing a Frost-Proof Faucet

Materials

Winterizing a Standard Spigot
Installing a Frost-Proof Faucet

The Spruce / Sarah Lee

How to Winterize a Standard Spigot

  1. Remove the Hose

    If there is still a garden hose connected to the outdoor faucet, remove it from the spigot, drain any residual water in the hose, coil it up, and store it in a dry location.

    The Spruce / Sarah Lee

  2. Shut off the Water

    Locate the control valve on the water supply pipe leading to the outdoor spigot. If you have metal water pipes, this is usually a brass ball valve located several feet from the outside wall. Turn the handle on the control valve clockwise until it stops. If the valve has a lever-type handle, turn the lever so it is perpendicular to the pipe.

    Tip

    As you can see, preventing a standard (not frost-proof) spigot from freezing requires a shutoff valve on the supply pipe leading to the faucet. If your spigot does not have this kind of shutoff valve, it's best to install one to simplify annual winterizing tasks.

    The Spruce / Sarah Lee

  3. Drain the Spigot

    Fully open the outdoor spigot and let all residual water drain out of the pipe. If the water trickles and never fully stops, the indoor shutoff valve is faulty and must be replaced. Close the spigot valve.

    Hold a bucket under the shutoff valve and remove the bleeder cap on the valve, if it is equipped with one. You may need pliers to loosen the cap. Let all residual water in the line drain into the bucket. Reinstall the bleeder cap, and tighten it snugly.

    The Spruce / Sarah Lee

  4. Install an Insulated Faucet Cover

    Add an insulated faucet sock or faucet cover to the faucet, if desired. Although these covers don't create any heat of their own, they do trap a small amount of heat radiating from the house, and this is usually enough to prevent the faucet from freezing and bursting—especially if you have also followed the recommended steps for draining the pipes.

    The Spruce / Sarah Lee

How to Install a Frost-Proof Faucet

The surest way to prevent an outside faucet from freezing is to replace a standard faucet with a frost-proof one known as a sill-cock. These faucets are controlled with a long rod that extends into the home, where a cartridge or compression valve controls the flow of water. Since the valve itself is located within the safe warmth of the home, it is almost impossible for it to freeze.

A frost-proof faucet is a 6- to 20-inch unit with a hose spigot and control handle at one end and a connector on the other end of the tube for attaching to the indoor water pipe. As a further safety measure, these faucets are designed to be self-draining; when you shut off the faucet handle, any residual water in the long stem will drain out of the tube.

These faucets can be attached to the plumbing pipe with a compression, soldered, PEX, or push-fit connection. For most people, it's best to buy a faucet with a push-fit style of connector, such as the SharkBite brand. This will be the easiest install, as it requires no soldering and can be used with any type of water supply pipe.

If you have trouble finding a frost-proof faucet with a push-fit connector, you can use a standard threaded type, and then use a female threaded-to-push-fit transition fitting to join it to the water pipe. If you have PEX tubing in your home, there are also frost-free faucets that are fitted with PEX-type connectors.

Warning

A project of this scale is best left only to professionals or experienced DIYers: Do not attempt this unless you are confident in your plumbing skills.

  1. Shut off and Drain the Water

    Turn off the water to the supply pipe leading to the outdoor spigot. If the water pipe does not have its own control valve, you must turn off the water to the entire house, using the home's main shutoff valve.

    Open the outdoor spigot and drain the remaining water from the supply pipe.

    The Spruce / Sarah Lee

  2. Remove the Old Spigot

    To remove the outdoor faucet spout, start by removing any mounting screws, then turn the spout counterclockwise to unscrew it from the end of the pipe. You may need to use a pair of channel-lock pliers to twist the faucet spout. Pull the faucet out from the wall on the exterior side. Purchase a new frost-free faucet of the same size. It is important that the length and diameter of the pipe match the old faucet.

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  3. Prepare the Water Supply Pipe

    Because of the long valve stem on a frost-proof faucet, it is usually necessary to cut the water supply pipe where the tube of the faucet will connect to it. Use a tubing cutter (for copper pipe), a hacksaw (for galvanized steel or PVC pipe), or a PEX tubing cutter for PEX pipe. Remove and discard the cut-off section of pipe running to the outside of the house.

    Debur the inside and outside of the cut end of the water supply pipe with sandpaper or emery cloth. Make sure the outside of the pipe is clean and smooth so it can accept the connection fitting on the new frost-proof faucet.

    Mark the end of the pipe at the push-in distance specified by the manufacturer (usually about 1 inch from the cut end of the pipe).

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  4. Attach the Frost-Proof Faucet

    Insert the frost-proof faucet through the wall from the outside and position the spout so it is right-side-up. Go inside and push the faucet's fitting end straight onto the pipe, pushing as far as the fitting will go. It should reach the push-in mark on the pipe, indicating the pipe is fully inserted into the fitting.

    If you are using a standard threaded-type faucet, screw on the push-fit transition fitting to the faucet's tube first, before attaching it to the water pipe.

    From the outside of the house, secure the faucet flange to the wall surface using corrosion-resistant screws, which are usually provided with the faucet.

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  5. Test the Faucet

    Open the valve on the faucet, then turn the water back on at the shutoff valve and allow water to run freely out of the faucet spigot. Open and close the faucet spigot several times to confirm that it is working properly and that there is no leaking where the faucet tube connects to the water pipe.

    When satisfied that the faucet works correctly, seal the joint between the faucet flange and the house wall with exterior caulk.

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Reasons for the appearance of ice and frost on the external and internal unit of the air conditioner, what to do

The air conditioner is a convenient climatic device that creates a comfortable temperature in the house during the hot season. However, during the operation of the air conditioner, many owners often have to deal with various equipment malfunctions, one of which is the “symptom” of freezing of the outdoor or indoor unit.

In the article we will consider the reasons for the formation of frost on the indoor or outdoor unit of the air conditioner, how to solve the problem. nine0003

 

Contents:

Why the air conditioner is covered with frost and ice

There are a lot of reasons for the appearance of frost and ice on different parts of the air conditioner, and not all of them indicate the presence of malfunctions.

When freezing of the air conditioner is not a breakdown:

  1. When it is very cold on a hot day, a layer of light frost may appear on the evaporator. This symptom is not a cause for concern. nine0022
  2. When defrosting the outdoor unit, when the air conditioner is heating, ice may form in a small amount, which is also not a reason to call a specialist.

When the indoor unit of the air conditioner freezes

The appearance of frost and frost on different elements of the indoor unit may indicate operational errors and other problems associated with a malfunction of some elements of climate technology.

When the indoor unit freezes and how to fix the problem:

  1. Severe contamination of the indoor unit mechanisms, which causes ice to form on the evaporator. The air conditioner starts to cool the air poorly, water may drip from the unit, an atypical crack is heard during the operation of the device. Complex cleaning of filters, fan, evaporator and other elements of the indoor module will help to solve the problem.
  2. Refrigerant leak, system depressurization. With such malfunctions, the performance of the split equipment decreases, the evaporator freezes, and the device itself works non-stop, trying to “catch up” with the desired temperature. Such a malfunction is eliminated only by experienced specialists from the service center. nine0022
  3. The reason for the formation of frost may be the failure of the temperature sensor. In this case, it needs to be replaced.
  4. A clogged capillary tube has occurred. It is not so easy to clean it yourself, you will need a special high-pressure compressor.
  5. Poor flaring or crease of thin copper tube. In this case, the damaged area is repaired or the part is replaced.
  6. Control module failure. Repair or complete replacement of the failed control board is required. nine0022

Freezing of the evaporator of the indoor unit can occur due to incorrectly selected temperature conditions, as well as due to errors in the installation of equipment. To accurately determine and eliminate the malfunction, it is recommended to seek help from the masters from the service center.

Frost on the outdoor unit of the air conditioner

Frost can also form on the parts of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, which usually occurs more often when the equipment is running on heating. Consider what malfunctions this alarming “symptom” occurs and how you can solve the identified problem. nine0003

Causes of frost on the outdoor unit:

  1. Contamination of the fan and heat exchanger with street dust and debris. The owner of the device can fix the problem if there is free access to the outdoor module. To do this, clean contaminated parts using a high pressure washer or clean water jet.
  2. Moisture has got inside the device and provoked freezing of a thin tube, as a result of which it is covered with ice. This problem, in turn, leads to difficulty in the movement of the refrigerant, and as a result, freezing of the entire outdoor unit occurs. nine0022
  3. For normal operation of the air conditioner at low temperatures, a smaller amount of refrigerant is required, and if freon is in excess in the system, freezing occurs. The problem is eliminated by removing freon in a small amount. This work is carried out by experienced craftsmen.

Freezing of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner also occurs if it is used for heating when the outside air temperature is lower than indicated in the user manual. nine0003

What to do to stop the air conditioner from frosting up

If ice is found on the indoor or outdoor unit of the air conditioner, it is necessary to disconnect the device from the mains and wait for it to completely thaw. After that, an inspection of the internal parts is carried out to determine the exact cause of the malfunction.

If frosting occurs due to contamination of internal parts, the owner can clean them using water, soapy water and a soft cloth.

Not every person is able to independently understand the device of climate equipment in order to determine the exact cause of the malfunction. Experienced specialists from the service center, who accept applications for repair and maintenance of split systems all year round, will help to solve any problem with a malfunction of the air conditioner. nine0003

Why the air conditioner tubes of the outdoor unit freeze up

When buying an air conditioner and using it, we usually do not pay attention to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. For the user, the internal and external state of the indoor unit is most often important. Although the effective operation of the entire climate system depends on the outdoor unit. Often problems with the outdoor unit can occur during the cold season when working for heating.

In 99% of cases, the pipes are frozen is a consequence of the lack of regular service maintenance of air conditioners.

The outdoor unit consists of several elements. Of these, the following components can freeze over:

If frost appears on some parts of the outdoor unit, do not sound the alarm. In some cases, this is the standard situation. These cases include:

If a very large amount of ice has formed on the pipes, then this symbolizes problems in the system.

Why does the thick pipe of the outdoor unit air conditioner freeze over? The process of cooling to the end takes place outside the indoor unit, while the "boiling" of the refrigerant occurs in the gas tube. That is why freezing occurs. nine0003

Often, the main problem of frosting is not in any breakdown of the system, but in improper installation, unprofessional repairs or improper service.

The main causes of freezing of the suction pipe:

  • Kinked gas pipe If the air conditioner is installed incorrectly, inexperienced installers can bend the tube too much. This may lead to a violation of the circulation of the refrigerant. In the future, it will partially boil in a large tube, and it will freeze over. nine0022
  • Too much refrigerant. In this case, freon will boil not only in the evaporator, but also in the gas tube.
  • Path too short. For correct installation, the manufacturer of the air conditioner must indicate in the instructions how long the route is necessary for the efficient operation of the air conditioner. If these recommendations are not followed, freezing of the tube and very low pressure simply cannot be avoided.

If at the moment the air conditioner began to work worse, the indoor unit began to leak, although it used to work fine and it was not refilled, everything indicates a breakdown. In this table, we will display the breakdown options and the possibility of their solution. nine0003


Why is the thin tube of the outdoor unit air conditioner frosted over? This problem is due to the fact that the refrigerant boils before entering the evaporator.

Frost on a thin tube may occur due to incorrect installation, maintenance or repair. Therefore, it is very important to contact the experts in their field. The main mistakes in the work of masters that lead to icing of a thin tube:

  • Path length too long.
  • Moisture in the cooling circuit. This may be due to the fact that the freon leak was incorrectly eliminated or the wrong refueling was made.
  • Partial closure of the valve on the liquid tube. In this case, freon boils before the evaporator, so freezing occurs.

If freezing and problems with the operation of the air conditioner appear after some time after normal operation, most likely some kind of breakdown has occurred. In this table, we will display the breakdown options and the possibility of their solution. nine0003


Why the tubes of the outdoor unit air conditioner freeze up

If you bought an inverter model, then a slight frosting of the tubes is normal when you work on heat. But it is very important to remember that the air conditioner must be used according to its characteristics. If you do not have an inverter model, then the lowest temperature at which it can function for heat is not lower than 7 ° C. There are also inverter ones, but they have their limits, there are different models that can operate down to -15°C, up to -20°C and even -30°C. If you ignore this rule, it can lead to damage to the climate system.

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