leaky faucet new mexico

Exceptionally cold winters in Santa Fe and Albuquerque tend to damage water lines every year. This year, record minimum temperatures of -31 degrees were recorded in New Mexico. Strong chilly winds can easily damage your water line, making it extremely difficult for you to repair it. In order to prevent your water source from freezing, it’s best to take precautionary measures beforehand.

Any faucets or spigots outside your house are prone to freezing. Here’s how you can winterize them to protect your water supply from cold:

Disconnect Water Source

Any taps or spigots in the outdoor space can freeze due to extreme cold. Whether or not you have freeze-proof hose bibs, you should always disconnect water supply before winters. Carefully remove hose pipes and splitters from faucets. You should also keep in mind that water pipes can burst if water is trapped.

It’s best to prepare for winters early. Most people delay the task of winterizing faucets. If you leave faucets in freezing cold air for even a night, you’ll end up spending a hefty sum on replacing spigots and hose pipes.

Inspect and Repair

If faucets or spigots in your front garden or backyard have a leakage, they are likely to burst due to extreme cold. Before the temperature drops, inspect faucets and hydrants outside your house. Water traps inside the pipes due to leakage. No matter how slowly water drips, you should get rid of the leakage problem before it becomes a nuisance.

You can hire professional plumbers to inspect the plumbing system and repair any defects. Professional workers are experienced and can efficiently detect any faults that need repairs. Make sure you’re done with the task of inspection and repairs before the temperature drops below freezing level.

Drain Water Pipes

It’s a must to drain water pipes if you want to winterize outdoor faucets or spigots. Many old houses aren’t equipped with modern freeze-proof faucets.  If this is the case, you should shut off the water supply and drain down the pipes.

On the other hand, you don’t need to drain water pipes in frost-free hose bibs. It’s easy to determine if you have a freeze-proof outdoor faucet. Its handle is round and makes a 45-degree angle with the ground. You should inspect it to ensure that the outdoor faucet is properly installed, or else you’ll have to replace your water line.

Insulate Outdoor Faucets

Once you’re done with the above steps, you need to protect water faucets by insulating it. An easy and effective way to do so is to install a faucet cover. These covers are available in square or dome shape and easily fit over your outdoor spigots. Faucet covers are made of thick foam and therefore, provide effective protection against extreme cold.

Even if you have frost-free faucets, you should keep them covered during winters. Washers and rubber gaskets can easily get damaged due to cold winds. Faucet covers are easy to install and can save you from a lot of trouble down the road.