Why it matters
The pipe that feeds an outdoor tap runs through the wall from a heated basement to the cold outside. If water is left in it, it can freeze, split and then leak inside the wall the first time the tap is used in spring. A lot of people only find the damage in April, when they hook up the garden hose.
The steps
- Unhook the garden hose. A hose left attached holds water against the tap and can stop it draining.
- Find the shutoff for that tap inside the basement. It is usually on the pipe just inside the wall behind the outdoor tap, sometimes behind a ceiling tile or a finished wall panel.
- Turn that valve off.
- Go outside and open the tap fully. A bit of water will run out. Leave it open all winter.
- If the inside valve has a small drain cap on its side, put a bucket under it and loosen the cap to let the trapped water out, then snug it back.
Frost-free taps
Newer houses often have a frost-free tap, which has a long body that closes the valve inside the heated part of the wall. These do not need the inside shutoff closed, but the hose still has to come off, or the water in the tap cannot drain out.
Signs it already froze
If water drips from the basement ceiling or wall near the tap when you turn it on in spring, or the tap only gives a trickle, turn the inside valve off and leave it off until the pipe is checked. A split pipe inside the wall is usually a short repair if it is caught early.