Leaving garden hose connected in winter

[like2wheel]

I live in the northeast where temps sometimes dip below 0°F. I would like to leave a garden hose connected to occasionally use this winter for quick salt rinse-offs.

I find it challenging to thread the connector with gloves on, & removing them sometimes freezes my digits to the cold metal hose end. It's also in a dark spot that's hard to see the alignment of the hose.

I've got a frost proof hose bib, a hose that' flexible enough & plenty of pitch for it to drain when I stretch it out after each use, but I want to be able to let some air to be sure that that happens.

Originally I thought a screw on vacuum breaker would be a good solution, but research revealed that some water remains in the apparatus that could freeze.

My current thinking is using a hose "Y", & remembering to open the unconnected end (pointing down) after each use. Or possibly just drilling a small hole in that side so it would still drain if I forgot to open it.

Are there any better ideas out there I'm missing?

 

[readhead]

How about a set of quick connects for the hose?

 

[CarsonConcepts]

Quick connects for sure. I have them on both sides of all the garden hoses and nozzles. Makes switching sprayers, connecting hoses together for extra length and unhooking both ends for freezing temps very easy. I picked mine up at Tractor Supply. They have M & F sets, as well as two packs of just the Males (for extra sprayers and such). Never going back to threaded connections again.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-male-female-quick-connector?cm_vc=-10005
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-brass-quick-connector-with-2-male-ends?cm_vc=-10005

 

[66Caprice]

Build an insulated box to surround it. Removable for summer time, just like the hose bib covers our there.

 

[txvwnut]

QD's or the "y" will get you what you need. I shut the water off to my shop anytime theres a freeze and have a "y" connected where the garden hose is. I leave my hose looped on the hanger but have a low hose bib for the dogs water, I just open all the bibs and drain the pipes.

 

[wasfuzz]

Some quick connects stop flow if the hose is disconnected - so the outside portion of your frost proof would still freeze because it can not drain (ask me how I know) forgot to take the female quick connect of the sillcock one year!

 

[cdestuck]

I've used Y connectors for years. Both outside my house at all hose bobs and inside my garage. Works great. In the garage I even attached a short section of hose about 19" long. Great for getting a bit of water without filling up the hose.

 

[jives]

Leave the hose on all year round, assuming, of course, that your silcock has the shutoff way back in the warm house/shop. The water is shut off 10-12 inches into the warm side, there should be no or little water in the hose if you drain it, so freezing is not a problem.

 

[chruler]

Never had a problem in Connecticut leaving it hooked up.

 

[kbs2244]

Use the "Y" hose at the bib with a cap on the non-hose side.
If the hose has a good downhill run so it will drain, you can take the cap off and stash it until next time.
This will give the hose enough time to drain all the way empty.
Be sure there are no low spots in the hose to catch water.

 

[like2wheel]

Thanks guys, I ended up with a plastic Y with a ball type valve on each outet. I left the one connected to the hose open & slightly cracked the unconnected one. When you shut off the water, you can clearly hear air sucking in the unconnected outlet, helping the hose to drain & keeping water from remaining in the spigot.
I'm sure this will do fine.

 

[Radix2]

All the frost proof sillcocks I see in the store theses days have vacuum release valves in the top if them.

Course I have a few non frost free sillcocks from the 1950s on one house, never shut off inside, hoses never taken off, never a problem...so who knows.

 

[sherlocktk]

I use these on my garden hose for quick disconnects much more "glove" friendly

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AB5S9TI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

and obviously the mate to the above

 

[dsgreen3]

If you don't disconnect and blow out the hose there will be enough water left in the hose to make it a PITA to use when you want to. It only takes a couple of minutes to disconnect blow out and re connect the hose. A ounce of prevention or a pound of cure. you make the call.

 

[bob15]

Do you have any low tree branches or a hand railing that you could loop the hose over and slowly pull it over to be sure all the water is out of the hose?

Or take the extra 3 minutes and coil the hose up and put it in the basement. No chance of freezing.

Not sure what you are actually wearing when washing a vehicle, but buy a thinner pair of gloves to wear when attaching the hose. Or take them off for the 30 seconds of screwing a hose to the valve; it doesn't that long a period of time to attach a hose, even in the cold.

The drilling of a small hole will allow water to spray while the pressure is on, correct? If so, that water will pool and freeze and in time become a hazard to trying to get to the valve.

Another option: use the local car wash's self spray/wash bay on your way home.

 

[ratdoggy]

Might as well get a good plumber reference now...
You don't want any water sitting in the spigot during a freeze

 

[D45]

It is common knowledge around my area to disconnect the hose from the spigot, well before a freeze and shut the valve off, that supplies water to the spigot

While I do not taken my garden hoses inside the shed for winter, I also remove the spray nozzle so it doesn't hold or retain water

Some, me included, also spend $3 per spigot and cover them with spigot foam boxes

I do know several people that have a dedicated heated spigot line, running off of 110v power for the heat

 

[MDK22]

First world problems....

Now this is just a though maybe I am wrong here but, if you rinse your car off in the winter and it is cold enough to freeze don't you get an icy car?

On the same note. Stop being a wuss put on a pair of jersey gloves and connect/disconnect the hose and switch back over to your normal gloves after you have it disconnected/connected.

Also if that line is not heated inside you are going to have a lot of issues.

BTW they also have heated water hoses.

 

[D45]

I would rather pay $5 and use the self service car wash, and let them deal with all the rinse off dirt

 

[M-technik-3]

I drained mine before the frost and it still had water in it this week. We were having well issues and need the hose and it was frozen like a brick. Brought in basement and thawed out and solved the issue now it's hung in the garage.

We had bacteria in or well so we did the bleach method and then circulated it through the house back into the well. Appears good now after few days, will check again next week.

 

[glentre]

I have a freeze proof sill **** with a long stem with the seating washer about a foot into the building. One year I didn't disconnect the hose and the pipe froze about 6" in the wall. Just saying that having this type of faucet is no guarantee you won't have a freeze. I agree with the others that you need to have a way to ensure the hose and faucet self drains when you turn off the water to the hose.

Glen

 

[lakeroadster]

^^ And there ya go.. first hand experience.

Not a good idea leaving the hose connected. Even if the faucet is working correctly, but you don't turn if off all the way, the water freezes in the line & you could have costly repairs to deal with.

I installed these adapters on my outside spigots... they make it easier to install the hose, and if the threads get stripped at the hose end of the adapter, just remove the adapter and install a new one.

 

[D45]

I have a freeze proof sill **** with a long stem with the seating washer about a foot into the building. One year I didn't disconnect the hose and the pipe froze about 6" in the wall. Just saying that having this type of faucet is no guarantee you won't have a freeze. I agree with the others that you need to have a way to ensure the hose and faucet self drains when you turn off the water to the hose.

I have seen these "freeze proof" setups still freeze and split wide open

 

[dsgreen3]

The only way to get most of the water out of the hose is to blow it out with compressed air. If you just drain the hose there will still be enough water in it to freeze. You will be able to get the frozen plug to move out the end of the hose it's just a PITA to do.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I drain my hoses and bring them in the basement for the winter. I had one split the first year here because I took it off but never drained it.

 

[larry_g]

Consider putting a Y connector onto the hose bib;

When shutting off the spigot open both valves of the Y connector and it will vent the hose and drain the spigot all at once if the slopes of the hose and bib are such that gravity drains them.

On edit.. Re reading your OP I find that you've already thought of this, so I second your idea.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[lakeroadster]

Consider putting a Y connector onto the hose bib....
When shutting off the spigot open both valves of the Y connector and it will vent the hose and drain the spigot all at once if the slopes of the hose and bib are such that gravity drains them. lg

Slick. And leave both valves on the connector open once your done.

 

[Zedder]

Never had a problem leaving the hose connected...until last year. 12 inch frost free spiggot did nothing. $25,000 damage. I just came in from disconnecting the hose and opening the valve 5 minutes ago!

 

[matt01073]

My best friend had not one but two of the frost free setups freeze and split last year , made a nice mess in his cellar / wood shop and ruined a very nice woodworking bench that was under it . I just took the heat gun and thawed mine an hour ago its now shut off and drained , I will leave it that way till spring no way im taking that chance.

 

[RegeSullivan]

Those frost free or freeze resistant bibbs must be installed correctly and not have a hose or anything restrictive attached to be effective. They are designed so the valve is inside and the bibb out in the weather. A correctly installed the bibb will be slightly lower than the valve so when the water is shut off it will drain out the bib.

Any that I have seen freeze were installed incorrectly or a hose wash still attached. Other than that the only thing that would cause those to fail would be the temperature where the valve is located to get below freezing.

 

[D45]

I drain my hoses and bring them in the basement for the winter. I had one split the first year here because I took it off but never drained it.

Never had a hose crack because of the winter

I disconnect the hose from the house and take off the spray nozzle

The hoses/reels stay outside year round

 

[like2wheel]

First world problems....

Now this is just a though maybe I am wrong here but, if you rinse your car off in the winter and it is cold enough to freeze don't you get an icy car?

Ummm, Not quite sure what that has to do with the original question, but if you must know I pull it into the 40ish degree garage...

On the same note. Stop being a wuss put on a pair of jersey gloves and connect/disconnect the hose and switch back over to your normal gloves after you have it disconnected/connected.

HaHa, Thanks for the tip there Internet Tough Guy...but I'm the kind of guy that's always looking for a better way to do things. Walking all the way into the house to get a pair of cotton gloves to get wet doesn't sound like the best thing to do in the winter.

Also if that line is not heated inside you are going to have a lot of issues.

Not sure what this even means, but maybe "line" means "pipe", & of course my home is heated inside...

The only way to get most of the water out of the hose is to blow it out with compressed air. If you just drain the hose there will still be enough water in it to freeze. You will be able to get the frozen plug to move out the end of the hose it's just a PITA to do.

Not true, I've been using a hose outside for years. I've got plenty of downhill pitch from my spigot for the length of hose. I occasionally have a problem if it droops into a tire track in the snow, but usually bending it back & forth a couple times while pressurized will move it along. I think the key is to have a flexible rubber hose. Maybe once every year or two I might have to bring it into the basement for a little while to thaw out, but it usually flows free from the last use.

 

[ToddW]

I have seen these "freeze proof" setups still freeze and split wide open

I went through 2 $15 "freeze proof" before I just capped the location

I'll have to find some pics but we're talking ripped open brass! Appeared the 'ball' or whatever is in there got a little water behind it and then BOOOM hole the size of a needle in one case, and other case it tore open the side the size of a quarter that looked like someone used a mini-jaws of life to rip it open

 

[padroo]

I have a freeze proof sill **** on my back garage with no hose attached. We have been below freezing here in Indiana for several days now and yesterday I wanted to run the water and to my surprise it was frozen up. I put a quartz light on it and thawled it out. I think it must have been dripping and that is why it froze.
I installed it in 1983 and it has never froze before even at twenty below.

 

[lakeroadster]

I have a freeze proof sill **** on my back garage with no hose attached. We have been below freezing here in Indiana for several days now and yesterday I wanted to run the water and to my surprise it was frozen up. I put a quartz light on it and thawled it out. I think it must have been dripping and that is why it froze.
I installed it in 1983 and it has never froze before even at twenty below.

Might consider getting one of these covers from Home Depot or Lowes. They're only a couple bucks.

 

[Chevy-SS]

.... I would like to leave a garden hose connected to occasionally use this winter for quick salt rinse-offs. .....

Oh yeah! I've been doing this for almost 30 years now. What I did was to add a outdoor faucet just inside the garage door. I've done this in two houses now. This is the best way to go IMHO. Of course, this assumes you have a garage.

I never turn the faucet off. I think it might have froze up once or twice, but the hose expands so it's no big deal. It's unbelievably handy for rinsing off muddy shoes, boots, salty truck, whatever.

I should add that my garage is heated, set at 35 degrees minimum.

 

[ratdoggy]

I shut off the freeze proofs in the house and then leave them open

 

[SMKS]

I have a frost-proof faucet and last year I used the hose late in the season and forgot to remove it for a couple cold days.

It froze and broke my frost-proof faucet.

The faucet did its job, though. It broke after the connection, so there wasn't a water leak inside the house until I tried to turn it on the next spring.

 

[glentre]

I should have added to my above post that when my "freeze proof" sill **** froze inside the wall, I caught it before there was any significant damage. However, I had to cut out a drywall panel in the partition where the freeze was so I could replace it. To avoid future freeze problems, I wrapped the new one with insulation and instead of patching the drywall, installed a small hvac grille over the hole so I could get to it if it ever froze again. Plus, the grille allows the wrapped pipe to be exposed to warmer room air, hopefully ensuring against any further freezes.

Glen

 

[ChaseDE]

I have a frost-proof faucet and last year I used the hose late in the season and forgot to remove it for a couple cold days.

It froze and broke my frost-proof faucet.

The faucet did its job, though. It broke after the connection, so there wasn't a water leak inside the house until I tried to turn it on the next spring.

Right and this is what should happen if you have a failure. I had the same thing. Previous owner of the house had a frost-free bib, but she lets a hose connected to it that ran out, under ground, to a more convenient location for hookup which is nice, but she didnt let it drain before winter.

So I bought the house, few months later want to wash the car, had barely any water pressure in the hose. I tested and tested outside, coudln't figure it out till I got real close to the bib and when I cracked it open I could hear water coming out somewhere.

Went into the basement, opened the access panel and wallaaa, pipe cracked after the valve and only leaked when the spigot was open. On top of that the numbskull who installed it soldered it to a plain end piece of copper butted to the threads of the FF hose bib.....I was amazed.


Turn off water, cut that **** out, solder in a new piece of copper with a threaded fitting and installed the new bib, back in business.