Summer time is here and most of us have begun watering our lawns, washing our vehicles, and catching up on landscaping projects. Some of us are finding out quickly that this winter’s hard freeze is still reeking havoc on our home’s plumbing systems.
Some of the most common instances of pipes bursting due to a hard freeze are ironically the most preventable. A burst pipe in a wall can cause a lot of damage along with a huge mess in a hurry. Outside faucets (hose bibs) are the most vulnerable fixture in a home due to freezing. They invariably protrude from outside walls and most people will not discover that they froze up until the following spring.
Outside faucets must be frost-proof in order to be up to code. The washer that closes the valve seats up against an opening must be placed far enough back so that the water doesn’t get near the outside where it can freeze, bursting the pipe due to expansion. [Read more…] about Hosed: Outside Faucet Crisis