Do you or do you not leave outside faucets dripping when it's freezing?

[TexPatriot]

I was told by the company that drilled my well and set my pressure tank to leave my furthest outside faucet running, not dripping, running at a constant stream during the upcoming freezing temps. And leave indoor faucets running at a trickle. I was all set to do that at noon tomorrow.

Now I'm getting the completely opposite advise on my local news.

They're saying, "Don’t drip your outside faucets. Your hose spigots need to be covered and turned off to protect against the pipe from bursting."

So, which is it?.

The last major freezes in 2011 and 2021 I didn't leave the faucets dripping, just covered, and the PVC pipes froze at the pressure tank and broke.

 

[BCP]

I would cover up exposed pvc pipes and maybe leave a couple dripping. Get up at night and flush a toilet. ALL of my plumbing stuff is either indoors+insulated or underground.

 

[NoDopes]

Depends on the spicket. Newer ones shut off way inside the wall for insulation. A cover is generally enough. In 2021 people lost power so there was no inside heat to help the walls stay above freezing. Modern lines are also PEX which have a little give to them.
I've not heard of a full stream, but If the trickle is too low, it could freeze up on the faucet. Pools have to pump constantly to avoid freezing. If you have access, there is heating wraps for water lines that can help as long as you have power.

 

[DIBBS]

I would recommend not leaving outside faucets dripping. They do make a styrofoam cover that will help insulate them some.

Inside you can leave faucets trickling and cupboard doors open to allow heat in..

FYI-It' sposed to be -16 here tonight <Eastern WA>, and the wind has been howling for several days. Libby MT -28 overnight, we had friends just move there. Our Wind chill is 20-35 below. Needless to say the wood stove in the basement has been gobbling.

Hope you are nowhere close to these temps and have no plumbing problems.

 

[Bradu]

If you have to leave it dripping, then you need to have the correct hose bibs installed.

 

[Cowpokey]

Take the hose off the bibb of your house, no need to let it drip. If you leave the hose connected it stays full of water, which is when they will freeze and break, with the hose disconnected the water is shut off inside the wall and it drains out after turned off. If you have hydrant* style sticking out of the ground do the same thing...when they are shut off the water goes back down the pipe lower than the ground will freeze. The 120+ year house I grew up in back in SD, mom would leave the cupboard doors open under the kitchen sink so it would stay warm enough, otherwise they would freeze when it got down to -20ºF or below...that house had damn near no insulation.

*Hydrant stye:

 

[gunjunkie45]

Do you not have shut offs on your exterior water in the south? Fuck a $20 valve. Shut the water off and drain the line. What the fuck is wrong with you people? It's currently 10 degrees here and will be negative 8 by tomorrow morning. Why do you just build shitty in the south?

 

[Aftermath]

I was told by the company that drilled my well and set my pressure tank to leave my furthest outside faucet running, not dripping, running at a constant stream during the upcoming freezing temps. And leave indoor faucets running at a trickle. I was all set to do that at noon tomorrow.

Now I'm getting the completely opposite advise on my local news.

They're saying, "Don’t drip your outside faucets. Your hose spigots need to be covered and turned off to protect against the pipe from bursting."

So, which is it?.

The last major freezes in 2011 and 2021 I didn't leave the faucets dripping, just covered, and the PVC pipes froze at the pressure tank and broke.

Disconnect hoses and such from outside, turn them off, insulate with the styrofoam covers. If not available, wrap with insulation and 100 mph tape.
Get a small electric heater for your pressure tank house.
Or a big one.
Or, if you are concerned about electricity failure, get one of the Kerosun type heaters. Those will keep you warm inside your hooch when the power goes out, too.THESE WORK WITHOUT ELECTRICITY You can buy fuel at every Lowe's, Ace, Home Depot I've been to.

 

[gunjunkie45]

There is a reason the south lost the war. This shit seems to happen every year or two but heaven forbid you actually build a home correctly so all you don't have to freak out every time you have weather. Seriously I'm beginning to think all the southern stereotypes are for real. This is just stupid.

 

[Jgunner]

Drain the whole house down. Save a few buckets of water to flush, how long is this supposed to last? Fill a bathtub if its gonna be that bad. Propane heaters or a generator if you are even slightly possible to lose power. Not too hard to combat a temporary problem.

 

[TexPatriot]

Do you not have shut offs on your exterior water in the south? Fuck a $20 valve. Shut the water off and drain the line. What the fuck is wrong with you people? It's currently 10 degrees here and will be negative 8 by tomorrow morning. Why do you just build shitty in the south?

This is probaly what I end up doing. I have people coming over Christmas and wanted indoor plumbing but I may just shut the well off at the tank and drain the lines. I was going to that originally because I can't get consistant, one sided advice.

The 'expert' that installs these wells and tanks said he runs his sprinklers wide open on his well, that flowing water can't freeze. Everyone else says just cover faucets outside and not to drip. I've had busted pipes every time I've followed that method so fuckit, Ill just shut it down and drain the lines.

The pressure tank and well head aren't in a well house.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

My hose bibs are well inside The foundation.

1960’s Vermont builders apparently had access to some really great hose bibs!

Sirhr

 

[Jgunner]

Ya your from the south before I even look...

My outside spigots are on a separate valve and line. I've had snow at my door for the last week and a half. It's not cold as some places, but it is cold enough to freeze outside spigots for the last 2 months here.

 

[gunjunkie45]

In the North we never shut the whole thing down unless you live in a trailer from the 60's. We have individual shut offs on the exterior lines generally located 6 feet inside the foundation. On top of that all our underground plumbing is buried at least 4 ft deep because that's usually as deep as the ground will freeze. For as often as you all get cold snaps, you'd think you could construct your houses properly.

 

[91Eunozs]

Drain your irrigation lines, and either insulate, or drip the exterior hose bibs. Getting something like this automatic drip system is a better idea vs. leaving the exterior bibs on a continuous drip though:



Put it on a “Y” connector so you still have access to a hose spigot if needed while this is attached for whatever reason.

 

[TexPatriot]

Drain the whole house down. Save a few buckets of water to flush, how long is this supposed to last? Fill a bathtub if its gonna be that bad. Propane heaters or a generator if you are even slightly possible to lose power. Not too hard to combat a temporary problem.

The fronts supposed arrive in Central Texas by noon tomorrow when temps drop like a rock with 40 mph wind gusts and windchills -8 to -10 Friday morning.

It's supposed to last from tomorrow night until Sunday when it starts to warm up.

I have to bake a ham tomorrow plus other cooking and it's nice to have warm running water when dealing with a greasy ham.

 

[Jgunner]

The fronts supposed arrive in Central Texas by noon tomorrow when temps drop like a rock with 40 mph wind gusts and windchills -8 to -10 Friday morning.

It's supposed to last from tomorrow night until Sunday when it starts to warm up.

I have to bake a ham tomorrow plus other cooking and it's nice to have warm running water when dealing with a greasy ham.

I'll have to check my forecast, none of that sounds fun in the slightest.

 

[Aftermath]

This is probaly what I end up doing. I have people coming over Christmas and wanted indoor plumbing but I may just shut the well off at the tank and drain the lines. I was going to that originally because I can't get consistant, one sided advice.

The 'expert' that installs these wells and tanks said he runs his sprinklers wide open on his well, that flowing water can't freeze. Everyone else says just cover faucets outside and not to drip. I've had busted pipes every time I've followed that method so fuckit, Ill just shut it down and drain the lines.

The pressure tank and well head aren't in a well house.

While it is SORTA true that running water doesn't freeze...think of the creeks and rivers in Alaska frozen solid...the real danger in this idea is what happens when the power fails and all those lines are full of water?

Draining works, too. SORTA. It's exceedingly difficult to get a true and full drain. Open your lowest elevation valve and leave it open, then blow the lines out systematically. Once the entire system is all blown down, leave several of those valves open to allow for the ice that forms from the water you still couldn't get out that pools into low spots, to expand and not break pipes.

As for the tank, pump and well not being in a well house...WTF?
First, you have been there for more than one freeze and already had those pipes damaged...WTF?
Second, you CAN build a little tent from a cheap ass tarp from Harbor Freight and use the heaters as I mentioned earlier but...WTF?

 

[Statusquo]

Light the house on fire. Shouldn’t freeze. Then rebuild it correctly.

 

[BufordTJustice]

Don't leave your spigot running. Its only supposed to get really cold a couple days. If temps get up above freezing during the day, and/or the sun does come out, it shouldn't be too big a deal. As mentioned above, houses in Texas aren't built for cold. Drain lines if possible, couple heat lamps in a well house or under a cover of some sort (wood box, trash can, etc) If necessary, you can put crumpled up newspaper under the styrofoam covers.

 

[TexPatriot]

While it is SORTA true that running water doesn't freeze...think of the creeks and rivers in Alaska frozen solid...the real danger in this idea is what happens when the power fails and all those lines are full of water?

Draining works, too. SORTA. It's exceedingly difficult to get a true and full drain. Open your lowest elevation valve and leave it open, then blow the lines out systematically. Once the entire system is all blown down, leave several of those valves open to allow for the ice that forms from the water you still couldn't get out that pools into low spots, to expand and not break pipes.

As for the tank, pump and well not being in a well house...WTF?
First, you have been there for more than one freeze and already had those pipes damaged...WTF?
Second, you CAN build a little tent from a cheap ass tarp from Harbor Freight and use the heaters as I mentioned earlier but...WTF?

I used the canvas tarp / tent with a heat lamp method but when we had the big freeze of '21 and power was off as much as on, the pipes froze at the well and tank.

I said next time I'm going to just drain everything. The cabin is on pier and beam on a very steep hill, sitting on beams on three columns on four of it's corners. The back deck is like being on a second floor and all of the area underneath the cabin including the plumbing, although wrapped and insulated with foam tubes, is exposed.

 

[NoDopes]

Just wrap it all.

 

[hafejd30]

If your water situation is completely handicapping you what’s your insulation/house heat looking like? Maybe nobody will want to come over

 

[Im2bent]

https://www.hunker.com/13417595/how-to-use-heat-tape-on-pvc-pipe

 

[hafejd30]

Just guessing this is a trailer house or double wide? No basement just unheated crawl space under the house we’re the lines run?

 

[theLBC]

Its going to be -40 here in MT the morning, and I get 14 feet of snow a year average...
I never leave my shit dripping.
Just shut off and disconnect outside hoses, if you want you could insulate with some 2" blue board but I don't do that either, are pipes are buried 8 feet under ground and pressure tank is in basement.
you could get a small milk house heater to put by the PT if your concerned

been working tonight with somebody in calgary and he was saying -40 wc for him.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

We are really grateful for the people that love the great white north.
Snow shoes
Snowmobiles
Snow Sleds
Snow shovels
Snow tires
See the pattern? We don't want any part of it. Y'all can have it. We'd rather be eaten by bugs in 100 degrees and 80% humidity

There is a reason the south lost the war. This shit seems to happen every year or two but heaven forbid you actually build a home correctly so all you don't have to freak out every time you have weather. Seriously I'm beginning to think all the southern stereotypes are for real. This is just stupid.

The only people freaking out are the Yankees that have invaded.
A couple years ago I did a replacement HVAC system for a family from Maine. They moved here in December. He could not understand that a heat pump was sufficient and wanted it replaced with a gas furnace. They left six feet of snow and were laughing about schools being closed for a threat of a dusting of snow. I had to explain that he needs to realize that it'll be gone in a day or two and we really don't think that work and all the other shit people up north do is all that important that it can't wait a day or two.
We understand that y'all would be shut down from September until June.
When we hear people from the north bragging about how hardcore they are during winter we think: stooopidity shouldn't be bragged about.

 

[Redmanss]

The fronts supposed arrive in Central Texas by noon tomorrow when temps drop like a rock with 40 mph wind gusts and windchills -8 to -10 Friday morning.

It's supposed to last from tomorrow night until Sunday when it starts to warm up.

I have to bake a ham tomorrow plus other cooking and it's nice to have warm running water when dealing with a greasy ham.

Windchill has no influence on the freezing temperature of water, nor any other effect on inanimate objects other than how fast heat gets stripped from them down to air temp, period. It's simple science, you cannot cool something below air temp without additional influence like evaporation, and wind isn't an additional effective influence on actual temperature. https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-faqs

Even poorly insulated homes have zero issues with pipes freezing down to 10F or so, but a lot better to leave cabinets open like mentioned above if colder than that.

My air temp is -13F right now, wind chill -41F, and only put the styrofoam covers on the outdoor spigots because the land lady of the rental I have asked me to. My personal home two hours north that's at -22F right now doesn't have anything on those, and I'm not telling the son to put them on either because they have the proper type installed and have had zero issues in colder weather.

As far as running a drip or running a stream, it's your money, your flooding that it will cause and your pile of ice that will build up. If you want to run one indoors to make you feel better, sure, again it's your money, but I wouldn't do it more than a small drip, especially if you're on a septic. Where does all that water go?

Ever seen a picture of a river iced over top? Moving water absolutely can and does freeze...

 

[Forrest84]

This is probaly what I end up doing. I have people coming over Christmas and wanted indoor plumbing but I may just shut the well off at the tank and drain the lines. I was going to that originally because I can't get consistant, one sided advice.

The 'expert' that installs these wells and tanks said he runs his sprinklers wide open on his well, that flowing water can't freeze. Everyone else says just cover faucets outside and not to drip. I've had busted pipes every time I've followed that method so fuckit, Ill just shut it down and drain the lines.

The pressure tank and well head aren't in a well house.

I have a well house I re Plummer completely and don’t have any insulation on my pipes. I just shut it off at the tank and drain everything. Doesn’t happen enough in Houston for me to spend energy messing with anything when I have a to do list a mile long year round I can barely pay for at this point let alone get through sleuth the amount of free time I have

 

[hafejd30]

Well its -23 outside

View attachment 8027053

I have 2 feet of snow in my front yard
View coming home tonight it looks like this 9 months out of the year...
View attachment 8027052


No faucets covered

But hey what the fuck would I know

I'm Just A Peckerwood That Lives In Montana With To Many Guns "YA HAPPY"

Faucets up north are all hydrant type. Where the water is turned on and off 10” inside the wall. Guessing the ones down south are simple gate valves or 1/4 turns

 

[TXAZ]

I‘m a cover and heat tape guy.
here’s a thermal image at the bottom of the page of tape I put out along an outside line. You can see the heat tape working, bright yellow line.

Here is the specific:

KING CWP Pipe Trace Cable 120-Volt 560-Wat 80 ft. with Stat and Plug CWP560-80 - The Home Depot

The KING Electric CWP series of pipe freeze cables are designed to keep pipes from freezing and water flowing down to negative 40F. Pre-assembled with thermostat and grounded plug, this kit is ready to

www.homedepot.com

 

[Aftermath]

looks like this 9 months out of the year...
View attachment 8027052

I'm Just A Peckerwood

9 months might be a bit of an exaggeration. The rest is not being questioned.

 

[TexPatriot]

It's too late to heat tape or anything other than turn the WELL OFF and drain it and the line leading to the cabin. This was a vacation lake cabin that I turned into a fulltime bugout cabin. The well was turned off and everything drained when not in use.

Once I survive this I'm heat taping the pipes and building an insulated well house.

Again, I'm going to turn the well OFF, not just shut the water off coming out of it, and hopefully the pressure tank drains enough there is no water left in it to freeze. Then tent it and put a heat lamp under it. That Siberian front is supposed to hit at 10:00 to noon tomorrow like a freight train and I need to have everything done by then.

 

[mahlv]

If you're on a private septic DO NOT leave faucets running. It doesn't take much to foul your leach system

 

[Campguy308]

I'm in Texas and i have a few faucets outside at ground level Fed by PVC. Last year it got down to -7 here. I wrap my outside faucets with various stuff such as old scrap fiberglass insulation or old towels and shirts, then I put a small ice chest over the top. Never a problem so far.

I don't like leaving inside faucets running when i go to bed at night because i have a septic tank. I have done it without a problem, but i still dont like it.

People bitch about trailer houses, but the ones that i have seen route the pex pipes right next to the heat duct work where possible. Thats all good as long as you have power.

 

[Campguy308]

The pressure tank and well head aren't in a well house.

I'd fix this as soon as you are able. Everyone around here I know in North TX uses an insulated well house with a 110v outlet inside to run an incandescent light bulb or small electric heater.

 

[gunjunkie45]

Okay
Snow can fall any month of the year here.. but is usually mid September to late May Early June...
9 Months of Winter 3 months of Fucking Tourists is super accurate ....

I'm one of the tourists. If it weren't for all the California transplants fucking up the place I'd have moved there. I visit every other year. Took my honeymoon there. You do truly live in a paradise. I'm from Northern Wisconsin originally so the whole snow and cold thing is no stranger. You have the scenery to go with it.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

If you have a shut off valve and can shut it off and open the outside faucet to remove the water from the line in that area, that is by far the best thing to do. Not everyone wilk have that, but a drip only works to a point. If you leave it dripping and it gets really cold for multiple days without going above freezing (which is about to happen) then it will simply freeze with water full in the line and bust your line. If you don't have a vale to shut off and drain the line out, insulating it is the only option you have. The little Styrofoam covets work really well with a little hand warmer in them before you go to bed at night. Big packs or hand warmers are cheap compared to replacing a busted line in the wall. Again, if you can drain it, even if you have to do that each night before bed, I'd definitely recommend that because it's a sure thing.

 

[TexPatriot]

I'm one of the tourists. If it weren't for all the California transplants fucking up the place I'd have moved there. I visit every other year. Took my honeymoon there. You do truly live in a paradise. I'm from Northern Wisconsin originally so the whole snow and cold thing is no stranger. You have the scenery to go with it.

I dated a woman from Wisconsin, good looking and a total fuck machine but crazier than shit. Liberal too, a social worker before she lost her job with the state.

I looked her up in a background search and saw she got busted for two DWI's, Attempting to flee AND...Crimes against morality. I Googled that and Prostitution / Public lewdness came up.

And she hated the cold while she was down here in Texas and bundled up like she was in Siberia.

Social worker *snort

 

[gunjunkie45]

I dated a woman from Wisconsin, good looking and a total fuck machine but crazier than shit. Liberal too, a social worker before she lost her job with the state.

I looked her up in a background search and saw she got busted for two DWI's, Attempting to flee AND...Crimes against morality. I Googled that and Prostitution / Public lewdness came up.

And she hated the cold while she was down here in Texas and bundled up like she was in Siberia.

Social worker *snort

Social Workers will be Social
Workers.

 

[TexPatriot]

If you have a shut off valve and can shut it off and open the outside faucet to remove the water from the line in that area, that is by far the best thing to do. Not everyone wilk have that, but a drip only works to a point. If you leave it dripping and it gets really cold for multiple days without going above freezing (which is about to happen) then it will simply freeze with water full in the line and bust your line. If you don't have a vale to shut off and drain the line out, insulating it is the only option you have. The little Styrofoam covets work really well with a little hand warmer in them before you go to bed at night. Big packs or hand warmers are cheap compared to replacing a busted line in the wall. Again, if you can drain it, even if you have to do that each night before bed, I'd definitely recommend that because it's a sure thing.

I've got a shut off valve coming from the tank but I need to leave it open and let the pressure tank drain out through it too. I'm as concerned about the tank having water in it and freezing as I am the lines.

I'm beginning to believe the 'Be sure and leave outside faucets dripping' by supposed experts in the media is wrong.

 

[TexPatriot]

I'm in Texas and i have a few faucets outside at ground level Fed by PVC. Last year it got down to -7 here. I wrap my outside faucets with various stuff such as old scrap fiberglass insulation or old towels and shirts, then I put a small ice chest over the top. Never a problem so far.

I don't like leaving inside faucets running when i go to bed at night because i have a septic tank. I have done it without a problem, but i still dont like it.

I don't like that either. I don't even like the shower water draining into the septic tank. It's pointless and stupid.

In fact, as soon as I can, I'm turning everything that isn't the comode line into a grey line. The shower water and sinks can run out below the cabin and water the trees.

 

[Campguy308]

I don't like that either. I don't even like the shower water draining into the septic tank. It's pointless and stupid.

In fact, as soon as I can, I'm turning everything that isn't the comode line into a grey line. The shower water and sinks can run out below the cabin and water the trees.

Same here. Mine all goes into septic. The grey water should just run out on the ground where I live.

 

[Maggot]

Disconnect hoses and such from outside, turn them off, insulate with the styrofoam covers. If not available, wrap with insulation and 100 mph tape.
Get a small electric heater for your pressure tank house.
Or a big one.
Or, if you are concerned about electricity failure, get one of the Kerosun type heaters. Those will keep you warm inside your hooch when the power goes out, too.THESE WORK WITHOUT ELECTRICITY You can buy fuel at every Lowe's, Ace, Home Depot I've been to.

A 50 lb propane tank and a little buddy heater work sell and dont have the smell of the kero.

 

[anon]

The people on the radio aren't speaking to those with wells and septic, but rather city dwellers.

South of I-10 in the Houston area, a lot of winters, the amount of time spent below freezing can be measured in hours. Below freezing for maybe 3 - 4 hours before the sun is back up, and then only a few days of it. Lots of family photos with people in shorts during Christmas. My part of the family came in to town 100 or so years ago.

https://www.deandraper.com/blog/snow-in-houston

The global warming is where we're getting our cold.

 

[Bender]

You guys have running water? In the house?

 

[OldSalty2]

Why leave it dripping?

How big a yard you have?

Make an ice rink bro!

Once it hits freezing hook up the 1in garden hose and let her rip.

 

[SilentStalkr]

Faucets up north are all hydrant type. Where the water is turned on and off 10” inside the wall. Guessing the ones down south are simple gate valves or 1/4 turns

Usually 1/4 turns, 2 feet inside the outside wall with PEX line for a well built southern home. But it also doesn’t typically get that cold in the south even tho I’d rather them adopt some of the characteristics of northern built homes anyways.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Wow. The information, comments, conjecture, and 'facts' in this thread are definitely entertaining. Some are downright hilarious.

To clarify a few different points, so-as-to muddy the waters somewhat AND get all ironical (see what I did there?), ya'll need to know that there are two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT styles of "hose-bib" sold on the market. There is the "internal shut-off" style made for cold-weather climates, and the "external shut-off" style made for balmy tropics which starts at the Canada/U.S. border and continues south.

Definitely not "all" hose-bibs are the same. So be careful with that statement AND checklist.

"moving water doesn't freeze"..... uh huh. Yup. That's a fact. Except for every river, creek, crik, and slough. They ALL freeze, to one extent or another. Now, to help explain matters, there is the ratio of "volume" and "velocity" and there is a whole set of criteria that match up with that. Couple that with 'temperature' and it gets complicated'er.

Metal will freeze. Water inside metal will freeze. The colder it gets, the more the molecules 'expand'. When that expansion overcomes the metals plasticity, then you've got a break. It's up to you to run the numbers, OR the odds, and see how it plays out.

The water supply lines to homes in this city are between 6 and 8' down from grade. There are MANY houses each year, that have 'frozen water lines'. Yes, that is water supply lines. I won't even get into the electri-magical methods that they use to thaw those lines. But, a 'temporary' fix is to run a garden hose from your NEIGHBOR'S hose-bib, AND you have to leave a faucet in the house running with a constant stream 'just a touch more' than drips. And yes, that can (and does) work for a few months, until Spring when the problem miraculously "goes away".

There are many different ways of plumbing a house. Those ways have changed over the years/decades as the BUILDING CODES have changed/adapted to newer methods, better materials, and other factors as well.

When the answer from someone starts with "You could just....."

Don't.

Run away while you still can.

And yes, I have 2 pairs of snowshoes downstairs, in the 'just in case' pile. Actually, 1 pair of snowshoes and 1 pair of 'bear paws'. There's a difference.

For when the power is out, here, we do have contingencies, secondary contingencies, as well as redundant contingencies. I'm thankful that we've never had the power out long enough that we need to entertain the redundancies,,,, but there's still there if needed.

I'll be not many here are even going to have a clue about 'electric roofs', right? Matter-of-fact, I just unplugged ours today. And yes, the "building codes" that enabled the necessity for that need have been improved and changed, to which construction nowadays (when done properly) do away with the need to have an electric roof. Ain't that gooder? At least it stops the indoor rain in the winter.

I hate having to need an electric roof, but I sure am glad we have it.

Have fun, play with that, enjoy, and right now it is -24/-32 outside.

 

[JoshPutman]

Just face reality. If you are in the south and it freezes or heaven forbid, snows even a little, y'all are just gonna fucking die. Don't worry about anything, just make out your wills and make all final arrangements for your northern kin to follow, if you have any.