Winter is in full swing now in Atlanta, GA and if you haven't done it yet, it's time to winterize your home.  The first thing to do is to winterize your hose bibs.  A water line that is exposed to freezing temperatures can be disastrous if it freezes and bursts.  The main culprit of a frozen water line comes from the hose bib.  It is imperative, now that temperatures in some areas of Georgia have been below freezing for a few days, to winterize these lines. 

 The first step in winterizing your hose bibs is to find the cut offs.  These are normally located by the water heater, in the basement, in the crawlspace, or in a cabinet under a sink.  Locate the side of the home the hose bib is on and then check these locations for a shut-off.  Shut-offs generally have a knob that looks like what turns the water on and off at the hose and there should also be a small cap just below the cut-off. 

To winterize your hose bib, first turn the knob to the off position.  This normally means turning the knob clockwise, or if there is only a lever turn it so that it is perpendicular to the pipe. 

Next, go outside to the hose bib and turn it on.  If water flows normally you haven't turned the water off correctly or you cut off the water to a different hose bib.  If the water doesn't flow freely leave the bib open and go back inside to the cut-off. 

Once you are back at the cut-off open the cap that is just below the cut-off.  Depending on if this is above or below the cut-off outside water trapped in the line may flow out of this opening.  Have a towel ready incase water does come out.  Once this is open go back outside. 

New homes are now built with what is called an anti-siphon device attached to the hose bib.  This device prevents water from the hose to be sucked back into the home when the hose is turned off.  If you have one of these make sure that you pull on the small plastic rod that sticks out a little.  You may need a pair of needle nose pliers for this.  When you pull on this piece you should see water draining from the line. 

Once all the water has been drained go back inside and tighten the small cap so that when you turn the water back on in the spring it won't leak though the cap.  Also clean up any water that dripped from the cap.

Once you have drained the water from all of you hose bibs they should be safe from freezing and bursting. 

Most new homes are designed with plumbing lines in insulated walls.  This helps prevent these water lines from becoming too cold and freezing.  If the weather is going to be below freezing for an extended amount of time or you can't find all of your hose bib cut-offs it is a good idea to leave a faucet or two dripping.  This is also important for older homes where pipes may not be in insulated walls or the insulation may not be up to the standards of new construction.

Winterizing your hose bibs is just the first step in getting your home ready for the winter.  If you haven't changed the filters in your HVAC unit recently now is the time to do so.  A new filter will give you better air quality in your home and also make it easier for the fan to blow air into your home.  Also check your doors and windows for drafts.  Improper weather stripping allows cold air to freely enter your home. 

Contact us today to schedule a consultation to ensure your home is more comfortable this winter and will be ready for the summer temperatures that will be here in a few months.