Shutting Down Hose Bibs for Winter

Know which kind of tap you have

Standard hose bib with an inside valve. Common in older Vaughan homes. A separate shut-off valve sits on the line inside the basement, usually in the ceiling near the exterior wall where the tap comes through.

Frost-free hose bib. Its valve seat sits deep inside the wall, where the house keeps it warm. The long stem lets the water drain from the outer part when the tap is closed. Most houses built since the 1990s have these.

Steps for a standard tap

1. Disconnect the garden hose and any splitter or timer.
2. Close the inside shut-off valve fully.
3. Open the outside faucet and leave it open all winter.
4. If the inside valve has a little drain cap on its side, open it with a bucket underneath to empty the short section between valve and wall.

Steps for a frost-free tap

1. Disconnect the hose. This is the step that matters most.
2. Close the tap and confirm that water stops flowing out within a few seconds.
3. If your frost-free tap also has an inside shut-off, close it for extra protection.

Checking in spring

When you first use the outdoor tap in spring, have someone stand in the basement near where the line comes in. Turn the tap on and let it run a minute. If water appears inside, shut it off immediately. A split frost-free tube is a common and quick repair, and catching it early saves a wet ceiling. See burst pipe repair.

Irrigation and pool lines

Lawn sprinkler systems and pool fill lines need their own shutdown, often with compressed air to clear the lines. Backflow preventers on irrigation systems are particularly vulnerable to freezing and are expensive to replace. Arrange the shutdown before the first hard freeze, usually by late October in Vaughan.

When there is no inside valve

Older homes sometimes have outdoor taps without any inside shut-off. Adding one, or replacing the whole tap with a frost-free model, is a simple job. Combine it with our frozen pipe prevention checklist for the rest of the house.