Insulating outside faucets
by
Louise
+5
Last night I wrapped a LOT of newspaper around my outside faucets and taped it securely with duct tape. I took the hoses off, of course, but forgot to turn off the water to the faucets inside the house and let them drip. This afternoon I bought two insulated faucet "socks" for the faucets but wonder if the newspaper will do just as well. I know that newspaper is a really good insulator. What should I do, if anything?
6 answers
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Can you turn off the water to the outside faucets? This is what I do this time of year to avoid freezing. This is the best way. If you do shut off water then you do not need to cover faucets (just drain water out of pipes).
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Nov 14, 2014
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I can turn the water off but if I drain the water out then I have to remove the newspaper over the outside faucets. Is this what I should do? Turn off the water, then turn it on outside to drain out and then not bother to cover the outside faucets at all? That's a lot easier.
Louise
on Nov 14, 2014
- See 1 previous
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Not many people think to let inside taps to do trickle to keep pipes open. I got told off by man who thought it was unesccesary. I had learned from my mom and dad. We lived in Eastern Canada, then moved to West coast. This man forgets how cold it gets here in Prairies. So I have basement taps on trickle and since using upstairs taps more not doing the trickle. (Sorry my spelling is off lately.)
Nancy Jenkins
on Nov 15, 2014
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I heard on a home fix-it show on the radio this morning that we don't have to let faucets drip until we have temps of 25 or less for several days, that things just don't get that cold. The soil temp, he said, is still 55 degrees. So, for now, I'm not worried, but will make some changes soon, for sure.
Louise
on Nov 15, 2014
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I live in central NY.... about half way between Syracuse and Rochester, NY... I'm also about 5 m south of Lake Ontario so when you hear the term "lake effect" , well that's me! My pipes are all insulated, I run heat tapes on them all winter and I drain the section of pipe that goes to my hose and leave that faucet wide open. On occasions it does get really cold I do leave a faucet dripping..... I also put a jug under the drip and I use that water for making coffee or watering plants, etc... You'd be surprised just how much water you can go through with what looks like a small drip. Also when it's extremelly cold I periodically go through and turn on each area... like run some water into my washing machine , my sinks, tub etc . I have found that even if you keep 1 faucet dripping in a room it may not stop the water from freezing in another branch of the pipe.
Cathy C
on Nov 16, 2014
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You should move to the South! You go thru a LOT of effort because of your location. :-)
Louise
on Nov 16, 2014
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