How to Prepare Your Spokane Home's Exterior Water Lines for Freezing Weather
When sub-zero winter temperatures hit Spokane Valley and the surrounding Inland Northwest, the last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is a frozen, burst pipe. A single ruptured outdoor spigot or flooded crawlspace can cause thousands of dollars in water damage before you even realize what happened.
While everyone knows to turn up the thermostat inside, protecting your home's exterior water lines and drainage systems is just as critical to surviving a harsh Pacific Northwest winter.
Why Outdoor Water Lines Are at Risk
Water expands when it freezes. If water is left trapped inside an exterior garden hose, an uninsulated spigot, or clogged drainage pipes, the freezing pressure has nowhere to go. It splits copper and PVC pipes right open, leading to sudden indoor flooding the moment the ice thaws and you turn the valve back on in the spring.
Simple Steps to Winterize Your Home's Exterior
Getting ahead of freezing weather takes just a little bit of preparation:
Disconnect and Drain Hoses: Never leave garden hoses hooked up to your outdoor faucets over the winter. The water trapped inside the hose freezes back into the pipe, causing it to crack behind the wall. Drain them completely and store them in the garage.
Shut Off Interior Valves: If your home has interior shut-off valves for exterior hose bibs, turn them off before the first hard freeze, then open the outside spigot to let any remaining water drain out.
Insulate Exposed Faucets: Slip insulated foam covers over your outdoor faucets. It's a cheap, two-minute fix that blocks biting winter winds from freezing the valve.
Clear Your Gutters and Downspouts: As we mentioned before, make sure water is flowing far away from your foundation. Standing water near your foundation walls combined with freezing ground can shift concrete and stress underground drainage lines.
Protect Your Investment
Taking care of your exterior maintenance in the fall saves you from emergency middle-of-winter repair bills and major headaches.
Need help getting your property buttoned up or your exterior drainage flowing right?
Call or text Blast Bros at (509) 362-3034 today for a fast, free evaluation and quote in the Spokane area!
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