Ask House Spouse · PNW Seasonal · Freeze Protection
How do I winterize outdoor faucets in Washington?
Short answer
Disconnect every garden hose, drain each hose bib by shutting off the interior stop valve and opening the outdoor spigot to drain, then cover with an insulated foam faucet cover. A leftover garden hose is the #1 cause of burst pipes in the PNW — the water in the hose freezes back into the wall and splits the pipe.
The hose is the enemy
A garden hose left attached to a bib traps water. When the water freezes, it expands, and the ice pushes back into the house-side of the bib, cracking the pipe inside the wall. You don't know it happened until you turn the bib on in April and water pours into your kitchen.
Interior shutoff
In most WA homes, each outdoor bib has an interior shutoff valve on the pipe inside — usually in the crawlspace or basement, sometimes in a closet. Shut the interior valve, then open the outdoor spigot to drain the remaining water. Leave the spigot open all winter.
Frost-free bibs
Newer bibs marked "frost-free" have a long stem that shuts water off inside the heated wall, not at the exterior handle. You still need to disconnect hoses (otherwise the frost-free feature doesn't work) but the interior shutoff step becomes optional.
What we see on Home Health Assessments
Around 74% of PNW roofs we assess show active moss establishment — accelerates shingle wear by an estimated 3–5 years if untreated.
Caught early on assessment: $220–$650 · Left until failure: $3,500–$22,000
Based on real experience across Snohomish and King County, pnw seasonal issues like this are among the ones homeowners most often miss until they become expensive. Our Home Health Assessment catches them early — while they're still a maintenance item, not a repair.
How the Home Health Assessment worksServices we'd bring to this job
Related questions
Plumbing · Leaks & Water Damage
How do I find a hidden water leak in my house?
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then watch the small red "leak indicator" dial on your water meter for 10–15 minutes. If it moves, you have flow somewhere with everything off — that's a leak. Isolate by shutting off the main to the house and the water heater; the meter tells you if it's on the incoming side or inside.
PNW Seasonal · Fall Rain Prep
What should I do to prepare my house before the PNW rainy season?
Six items, mid-October: clean gutters and downspouts, check and extend downspout runouts, seal any exterior wood cracks with caulk, verify the sump pump works (if you have one), swap furnace filter, and test every smoke and CO detector. This routine takes half a day and prevents 90% of the wet-season damage we get called for.