As convenient as modern society has gotten, winter is still a regular thorn in our sides. Winter temperatures bring snow to shovel, icy roads, and potentially damage your property. Northern Virginia is no stranger to these freezing temperatures, with the state reporting over $6 million in damages from 2013-2022. If you own rental property in Fairfax County, Loudoun County, or Arlington County, you have to be ready around this time of year to protect your property from winter damage.
One of the most important aspects of the winterization process is to winterize your hose bibs. Since a hose bib is often rarely used outside of the occasional need for a garden hose, landlords can easily overlook this during the winter months. However, this can prove to be a costly mistake that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
Before outdoor temperatures fall, you'll want to understand the importance of a hose bib in protecting your property's water supply and how to properly winterize these outdoor faucets.
Why Winterize Your Hose Bibs?
Winterizing your home's hose bibs in Northern Virginia is a crucial part of preventing costly damage this time of year. When you don't take this step, it can lead to severe leaks in pipes that will need costly repair work, especially in areas with crawl spaces. Freezing temperatures can even cause burst pipes, exerting 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch on the interior of your property.
Just last winter, our team at Chambers Theory had a client who required tenants to handle winterizing the exterior hose bib on their property. One particular tenant did not do this, and it led to a burst pipe that caused $30,000 in damages. Situations like this are a big reason why we include renter's insurance in all of our lease agreements! But it should also serve as a reminder for you that you and your tenants can prevent damage like this with proper preparation.
When to Winterize Your Hose Bibs
The exact arrival of winter temperatures might vary from year to year in Northern Virginia. You might even see slightly colder temperatures earlier in Fairfax County before Loudon County on any given year for example. That means you'll want to start preparing your hose bibs early just in case.
Once the fall season is upon us, it's a good time to start getting ready. Outdoor faucets are particularly vulnerable to freezing once it gets colder than 20°F. At the very least, your hose bibs should be ready to go by the time temperatures are consistently below 30°F. This will ensure your property is secured regardless of what neighborhood of the region you're in.
Preparing for Winterization and Freezing Temperatures
In a colder part of America like Northern Virginia, the secret is that winterization is something that happens most of the year. It starts as early as the Spring season. When the temperatures begin to rise again and it's possible to use your hose bib outside again, it's a good time to inspect them as well as any hoses or other accessories used with the hose bib regularly.
Inspecting your hose bibs during this time of year can give you plenty of time to make any repairs or improvements needed to your pipes ahead of the next winter. Make sure you and your property manager are relying on qualified maintenance contractors for the work. Trying to DIY maintenance and any other property management needs is something we always recommend against.
Steps to Winterizing Your Outdoor Plumbing
Once the winter months are upon us and you're ready to start the winterization process, here are the steps you must follow with your hose bibs:
Secure Your Hoses: While not as expensive as your pipes or faucets, hoses are an expense that can add up if you're letting them get damaged every month. Start here by disconnecting them from the faucet, draining all water from them, and coiling them up for storage. You can store them in a warm place like a garage or basement until Spring.
Turn Off Indoor Valves: Next, it's time to turn our attention to the hose bibs themselves. Begin by finding the isolation valve for your hose bib and turning it off. This will stop the flow of water through that water line. Repeat the process for any additional hose bibs the property has.
Drain All Remaining Water: Finally, place buckets under all of your hose bibs and open their valves to drain any remaining water out of the line. Make sure you get as much water out as possible. Leave these valves open and allow any ice to expand down and out of the faucet throughout the season.
Further Protection For a Hose Bib
Outside of the standard winterizing steps, there are some additional protections you can utilize on your property to further secure your investment from damage. The simpler of the two is installing insulated bib covers. These can be easily found at home improvement stores and fit snugly over any exterior faucet to further insulate them from freezing over.
You can also consider frost-free hose bibs for your property. A frost-free hose bib is designed to prevent ice buildup in colder regions such as ours. These types of hose bibs are designed with a slight downward pitch that allows water to naturally drain out of them rather than stay in place and freeze. The valve component for these is also located conveniently inside the house. Once installed, they can act as a constant defense from cold weather.
Safeguard Your Property For the Winter Months and Beyond
Now that you know the steps to take to winterize your hose bibs, you'll be able to secure your rental house this winter and in the future. But why stop there? If you're currently managing your rental yourself or aren't satisfied with your property manager, we here at Chambers Theory are ready to change the game of property management for you. We utilize a blended approach of economics and psychology in our property management approach to not only protect your investment but also make your property stand out from the crowd.
We manage properties in Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Arlington County, and all over beautiful Northern Virginia. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn how we can change the game for your rental business.
Video: How to Winterize Your Hose Bibs
Watch this quick video to see how you can prevent costly winter damage to your property by properly winterizing your home.
