As the fall approaches and the temperatures start to drop, I’ll always offer to shut off the cold water supply line feeding the garden hose for my customers. Depending on how close we are to the extreme cold weather, some will say yes that’s a good idea and thank me while others will tell me they would like to keep the water on a long as possible. Especially those car enthusiasts who like to wash and detail their own vehicles. Hey I get that, I like to wash and detail my own car so I smile and say No Problem! But don’t forget to shut it off before the temperature drops below 32 degrees.
Do you know that every year like clockwork those same customers would call me back in the spring in a panic saying they heard running water from somewhere? When I arrive to investigate I ultimately find that the cold water line feeding the front or rear yard hose line burst. Actually the pipe burst and split open during an extreme cold snap. When I get the call it’s usually as the pipe starts to thaw which could be weeks after the damage occurred. Funny thing is that on all of my service calls I make it a habit to tag (bright day-glow orange) every valve with its description so the homeowner will know what its function is. But without fail, the same people call me every spring for the same exact reason. Thinking back, I should have invested the fees charged for those repairs in a good mutual fund. Lord knows I’d be retired!
Now some of you may be saying “Hey Bob why don’t you just install a frost Free Hose Bib”? Problem Solved! In a nutshell, I hate them! So called frost free hose bibs come anywhere from 10” to 12” in length, the theory is that these extremely long stemmed hose bibs which have a traditional washer on them will shut the water off closer to the inside of the home . This is supposed to eliminate any water from reaching the outer walls of the home thereby eliminating the chances of a freeze-up. In reality these valves are more trouble than they’re worth! They leak from the packing nuts when you open them, and the washers and seats generally fail. If you Google “Frost Free Hose Bib” you’ll see exactly what I mean. I’ve worked on them occasionally, but have never installed one for any of my customers. In my opinion a good quality solid brass hose bib that’s pitched to allow the water to drain toward the outside, coupled with a good quality ball type shut-off valve will do the trick. Oh yes one mention, there is a catch! You got to remember and SHUT-OFF the WATER!. Then again you can just call me back year after year to make the necessary repairs so I can fund my RETIREMENT.
Thanks again for stopping by and watching my videos and reading my blog, I’m here to help you in any way I can. If you have an unusual plumbing problem that’s giving you a headache, please send your photos and questions to info@bobsplumbingvideos.com. HAPPY PLUMBING!
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