A friendly Reminder... Bleed your exterior hose bibs

With the cold finally getting to the freezing point it's important for everyone to bleed their exterior hose bibs so water can't freeze in the pipes.

For homes in southern walk you can follow these steps (not sure if other homes in broadlands use this type of faucet system. Check your home documentation):

1. In the basement shut both of the exterior faucet valves.
2. Go outside and open the faucets and push back the plastic ring.
3. Go back into the basement and behind each faucet is a bleeder knob. Turn the knob to and allow water to bleed into a bucket until it stops and tighten the knob back up
4. Go outside and shut the exterior faucet valves and pull the plastic ring back into place.

Next year all you have to do is turn the water back on and you'll be good to go.

Here's a good link for a seasonal home mantinence checklist:
http://www.newbeginningshomeinspection.com/?D=65

 

Yup your right. You can definitally leave them open as well. That is up to the home owner. I've been told by numerous sources that once the line is free of water it just does not matter but leaving them open is completely valid as well. If you want to be safer about it then I suppose leaving them open would be the safest thing to do. It's a convienence thing being able to just turn the water on in the spring and not have to worry about going to each faucet and making sure they are all closed up. The most important thing is getting the water out of there so it won't freeze. That will definitally break pipes.

 

Do not forget to drain your automatic sprinkler systems too. Below 35 degrees water will freeze and may burst water pipes.

Foodie

 

Maybe you have different water out that way but here in Ashburn the freezing point of water is still 32 degrees

 

OP dude--

Thanks for correcting my typing blunder--yes, I know it is 32 degrees!

I was studying late and was typing late on forum too.

Foodie