Before the Freeze, Before the Guests: Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Fix the Guest Bath Drip
Two plumbing jobs belong on the calendar before the holidays. The first protects the house: outdoor faucets and exposed pipes need to be ready before the first hard freeze. The second protects your guests: the shower that drips, runs lukewarm or turns scalding when someone flushes is the one company will use.
Both fit in one weekend with basic tools. Here is the order we would do them in.
Part 1: Winterize your outdoor faucets
A frozen outdoor faucet does its damage inside the wall. Water trapped in the pipe expands as it freezes and splits the pipe, and you find out when it thaws and starts leaking into the basement or crawlspace. Do these steps before the first freeze warning, not the night of it. For the rest of the month's jobs, our sister site The Trades Almanac has an October home maintenance checklist by climate region.
1. Disconnect every garden hose
This is the step people skip, and it matters most. A hose left connected holds water in the faucet, even on a frost-free faucet, and that water can freeze and split the valve behind the wall. Unscrew the hose, drain it, and store it.
2. Close the indoor shutoff for each outdoor faucet
Most outdoor faucets have a shutoff valve inside the house, usually in the basement, crawlspace or a utility room, on the pipe that runs to the outside wall. Turn it off.
3. Drain the line
Go back outside and open the outdoor faucet all the way. Let whatever water is left run out. If the indoor shutoff has a small drain cap, open it over a bucket to empty the section between the two valves. Leave the outdoor faucet open for the winter so any leftover water has room to expand.
4. Cover it
An insulated outdoor faucet cover is an inexpensive extra layer. It does not replace draining the line, but it helps on faucets that cannot be shut off from inside.
5. Insulate pipes in unheated spaces
Check the garage, crawlspace, attic and any cabinet on an outside wall. Foam pipe insulation on exposed runs is a quick job with a utility knife.
6. Find your main shutoff now
If a pipe does freeze and burst, the first thing you need is the main water shutoff. Find it, make sure it turns, and show everyone in the house where it is. Two in the morning with water running is the wrong time to look for it.
When a hard freeze is in the forecast
On the coldest nights, a few extra steps protect pipes that run along outside walls:
- Open the cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Keep the thermostat at a steady temperature overnight, including while you travel for the holidays.
- Let a faucet on an exterior wall drip slowly. Moving water is much harder to freeze.
That last tip has a catch. Dripping a faucet on purpose is something you do for one cold night. A faucet that drips all the time, or will not fully shut off, has a worn part. Which brings us to Part 2.
Part 2: Fix the guest bath drip before company arrives
Guests use the shower you use least, and it is usually the one with the problem you have been meaning to fix. Here are the three most common problems, what causes each one, and the part that fixes it. Not sure which brand or part you have? Start with the stem and cartridge finder.
The shower drips after it is turned off
On a single-handle shower, a steady drip from the showerhead or tub spout usually means the cartridge seals are worn. The fix is a new cartridge, and on most valves it is a 30 to 60 minute job with the water shut off.
One of the most common single-handle shower cartridges in American homes is the Moen 1222. Our replacement for the Moen 1222 includes a removal tool, which helps with a cartridge that has been in the wall for years. Full steps are in the Moen 1222 replacement guide.
Delta single-handle tub and shower valves take one of two cartridges. Pull the handle and look at the cap: white is the RP19804 (1300/1400 series), grey is the RP46074 (13/14 series). The Delta cartridge and stem ID guide shows the difference, and Delta shower faucet dripping walks through the repair.
The water swings hot or cold when someone flushes
Most single-handle showers built in the last few decades have a pressure balancing part that holds the temperature steady when a toilet flushes or a dishwasher starts. When it wears or clogs with mineral scale, the shower surges hot or cold. With a full house over the holidays, that is the complaint you will hear. See signs your shower cartridge is failing.
On many Kohler tub and shower valves, the part that controls this is the GP500520 balancing cartridge. Replacing it restores steady temperature without opening the wall.
The tub spout drips on a two- or three-handle faucet
Older tubs with separate hot and cold handles use compression stems. A drip from the spout with both handles off means one stem, usually the hot side, is no longer sealing. On a three-handle faucet, water still coming out of the showerhead when the center handle is set to the tub points to the diverter stem.
Sayco 308 and T-308 three-handle faucets are common in older homes and apartments, and all three stems are available. The Sayco 308 stem guide shows which one you need. For Gerber two- and three-handle tub and shower valves, the replacement for Gerber 98-673 and 98-674 fits the hot and cold positions.
The one-weekend checklist
- Disconnect and drain every hose
- Close the indoor shutoff for each outdoor faucet
- Open the outdoor faucets to drain, then leave them open
- Put on insulated faucet covers
- Insulate exposed pipes in the garage and crawlspace
- Find and test the main water shutoff
- Run every shower and tub, including the guest bath
- Watch for drips after shutoff
- Flush a toilet with the shower on and feel for a temperature swing
- On a three-handle tub, check whether the spout runs with the shower on
- Note the brand and any part number, then match the part
Order the parts that weekend and you have time to fix everything before the first guest rings the doorbell.
Replacement cartridges, stems, seats and repair kits for the faucets already in your home, shipped from Amazon fulfillment centers with Prime delivery.
See the full FourHome assortment on AmazonFourHome is an independent brand and is not affiliated with Moen, Delta, Kohler, Sayco or Gerber. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify compatibility. For a burst pipe or a leak inside a wall, shut off the main water and call a licensed plumber.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to winterize a frost-free outdoor faucet?
Yes, partly. A frost-free faucet shuts off water farther inside the wall, but a hose left connected holds water in it that can freeze and split the valve. Always disconnect the hose. Draining the line from the indoor shutoff adds protection.
Should I let my faucets drip during a freeze?
On the coldest nights, a slow drip from a faucet on an exterior wall helps keep water moving in the pipes most at risk. Turn it back off when temperatures come up.
What should I do if a pipe freezes?
If a faucet gives little or no water on a cold morning, a pipe may be frozen. Keep the faucet open, shut off the water if you see any leak, and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels. Never use an open flame. If a pipe has burst, shut off the main water and call a plumber.
Why does my shower still drip after I turn it off?
On single-handle showers the cartridge seals are usually worn. On two- and three-handle tubs, a stem or the seat it seals against is worn. Replacing the right part fixes the drip without replacing the whole valve.
FourHome is not affiliated with or endorsed by any faucet manufacturer. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify compatibility.