Before you begin. This procedure is general reference information, not professional advice. Equipment varies by manufacturer, model, and year. Always follow the documentation supplied with your equipment — where it differs from this page, follow the manufacturer. Verify that you have the tools, the working conditions, and the ability to do this task safely. If anything is unclear, if the equipment is damaged, or if the task exceeds your experience, stop and use a qualified professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for the outcome. This site accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury arising from the use of this information.
Specifications marked unverified could not be traced to a manufacturer source. Do not rely on them — obtain the value from your equipment documentation.
Summary
The single most expensive misunderstanding in home plumbing is that a frost-free outdoor tap looks after itself. It does not. Arrowhead Brass states it plainly in its own wall hydrant guide: the only cause of a burst frost-proof hydrant is water freezing inside a hydrant that did not drain, and a properly installed one always drains unless a hose or another device was left attached. Woodford says the same about its best-selling freezeless faucet — it will not burst if it is installed correctly and the homeowner detaches the hose. So the hose is not a detail. The hose is the job.
The damage is also invisible until spring. Water freezes in the hose first, then works back through the spout toward the valve seat, which on a frost-free tap sits inside the heated wall — so the copper splits inside the wall cavity and you find out when you turn the tap on in April and the ceiling below gets wet. This page removes the hoses, closes the indoor shut-off valve, opens the tap, drains the line through the bleeder cap, and deals with the vacuum breaker that catches people out. It also tells you where to stop: a tap that points upward will never drain and that is a plumber's job, not yours.
Necessary equipment
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Adjustable spanner | Use the spanner on the drain cap of the shut-off valve. |
| Small container | The container catches the water from the drain port. |
| Cloth | Put the cloth below the valve to keep the floor dry. |
| Labels | A label on each valve helps you next year. |
| Flashlight optional | The space near the basement ceiling is dark. |
Remove the hoses and the devices
Estimated 4 min to 10 min
Source: Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
Source: Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
REMOVE THE HOSE FROM EVERY OUTDOOR TAP BEFORE THE FIRST FROST.
A hose keeps water in the tap. The water becomes ice and the tube in the wall can break.
- Remove the hose from every outdoor tap.2mReport a problem with step 1, Remove the hoses and the devices
- Arrowhead Brass tells you to remove all the hoses when frost is possible.
- Woodford says that its freezeless faucet will not burst if you detach the hose.
DO NOT LEAVE A TIMER OR A SPLITTER ON THE TAP.
Arrowhead Brass says that a hydrant is not for a timer or a splitter.
- Remove every other device from the outdoor tap.2mReport a problem with step 2, Remove the hoses and the devices
- Arrowhead Brass names an irrigation timer, a Y hose splitter and an add-on backflow preventer.
- Each of these devices keeps water in the tap.
- Look at the angle of the tap.1mReport a problem with step 3, Remove the hoses and the devices
- Arrowhead Brass says that the tap must point down to drain.
- A tap that is level, or that points up, does not drain.
- Speak to a plumber if your tap does not point down.
Find the shut-off valve for each tap
Estimated 8 min to 18 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
- Find the shut-off valve for each outdoor tap.5mReport a problem with step 1, Find the shut-off valve for each tap
- Boshart says that the valve is on the supply line inside the building.
- Boshart says that the valve is usually at the basement ceiling near the wall.
- The valve is on the same wall as the tap outside.
- Attach a label to each shut-off valve.2mReport a problem with step 2, Find the shut-off valve for each tap
- Write the position of the tap on the label.
- Put the container and the cloth below the shut-off valve.1mReport a problem with step 3, Find the shut-off valve for each tap
Drain the line
Estimated 8 min to 17 min
Source: How do I winterize my outdoor hose bibb faucets? · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
MAKE SURE THAT THE VALVE IS FOR THE CORRECT TAP BEFORE YOU CLOSE IT.
A closed valve on the wrong line stops the water to a different fixture.
DO NOT USE FORCE ON A VALVE THAT DOES NOT MOVE.
An old valve can break in your hand and release the water supply.
- Close the shut-off valve.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Drain the line
- Boshart tells you to turn the valve to the OFF position.
- On a lever valve, look for the lever across the pipe.
- Open the outdoor tap fully.1mReport a problem with step 2, Drain the line
- Boshart tells you to open the outside faucets to let the water out.
- Wait until the water stops.2mReport a problem with step 3, Drain the line
- Arrowhead Brass says that a hydrant with a self-draining vacuum breaker gives a gentle stream for 15 to 20 seconds.
CLOSE THE SHUT-OFF VALVE FULLY BEFORE YOU REMOVE THE DRAIN CAP.
Water can escape from the drain port with force.
- Remove the drain cap from the shut-off valve.2mReport a problem with step 4, Drain the line
- Boshart says that this breaks the air lock.
- Boshart says that the water then drains from the line.
- Let the line drain fully.2mReport a problem with step 5, Drain the line
- Wait until no more water comes from the drain port.
- Install the drain cap again.1mReport a problem with step 6, Drain the line
- Boshart tells you to replace the drain cap after the line drains.
- Close the outdoor tap.<1mReport a problem with step 7, Drain the line
- Boshart tells you to close the outside faucet at the end.
Drain the vacuum breaker
Estimated 3 min to 5 min
Source: Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
- Look for a vacuum breaker on the outdoor tap.1mReport a problem with step 1, Drain the vacuum breaker
- The vacuum breaker is the wide part behind the hose thread.
- Arrowhead Brass says that a self-draining type drains the tap without your help.
- If the vacuum breaker is a manual type, hold the drain tab open.2mReport a problem with step 2, Drain the vacuum breaker
- Boshart tells you to hold the vacuum breaker open until the drip stops.
Drain and store the hoses
Estimated 5 min to 11 min
- Drain the water from each hose.3mReport a problem with step 1, Drain and store the hoses
- Hold one end of the hose above your head and walk along it.
- Water that stays in a hose becomes ice and damages the hose.
- Put each hose in a building.2mReport a problem with step 2, Drain and store the hoses
- A garage or a shed is satisfactory.
Record the work
Estimated 3 min
- Examine each outdoor tap after the first hard frost.2mReport a problem with step 1, Record the work
- Look for water on the wall below the tap.
- Write the date of this work in your records.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Record the work
- Record the position of each shut-off valve also.
Terminology
This page uses one term for each item and holds it throughout, as ASD-STE100 requires. Equipment sellers and other guides use the names below for the same parts.
- outdoor tap
- Also called: outdoor faucet, hose bib, hose bibb, spigot, sillcock, garden tap, outside tap, yard hydrant, the tap on the outside wall
- frost-proof wall hydrant
- Also called: frost free faucet, frost-free spigot, freezeless faucet, freeze proof faucet, non freeze hydrant, anti freeze tap, the long one that goes into the wall
- shut-off valve
- Also called: stop valve, isolation valve, stopcock, cut off valve, shutoff, the valve in the basement
- drain cap
- Also called: bleeder cap, bleed cap, waste cap, drain port, bleeder valve, the little cap on the side of the valve
- vacuum breaker
- Also called: anti siphon, backflow preventer, anti-siphon device, the bulge on the end of the faucet
When to use a professional
Stop if the tap does not point down. Arrowhead Brass says that a tap that is level, or that points up, does not drain. A plumber must correct the angle. No winterization procedure makes a tap that cannot drain safe.
Stop if you cannot find a shut-off valve for the tap. Some homes have no separate valve for the outdoor line. A plumber can install one, and that work is not on this page.
Stop if the shut-off valve does not move, or if it leaks when you turn it. Do not use force. Speak to a plumber.
Stop if the tap continues to drip after you close it. A tap that does not close fully keeps water in the tube. Speak to a plumber before the first frost.
Stop if you have an in-ground irrigation system. That system needs a different procedure and different equipment. Speak to an irrigation contractor.
Stop if you find water on the wall below the tap, or a wet area on the ceiling below it. Close the shut-off valve. Speak to a plumber immediately.
Stop if the tap is above the ground floor, or if you cannot reach it from the ground.
Common questions
I have a frost-free spigot. Do I still need to winterize it?
You still have to take the hose off, and that is the part people skip. Arrowhead Brass is unusually direct about it: the only cause of a burst frost-proof hydrant is water expansion inside a hydrant that did not drain, and a correctly installed one always drains unless a hose or another device was left attached. Woodford says its Model 17 will not burst if it is installed correctly and the homeowner detaches the hose in freezing conditions. Frost-free means the valve seat is back inside the warm wall — it does not mean the spout can hold water and survive.
What actually happens if I leave the hose on over winter?
Arrowhead Brass describes the sequence step by step. Water stays trapped in the hydrant, the water in the hose starts freezing and the ice works backward toward the seat of the faucet, and the pressure inside the copper tubing exceeds what it can take and bursts it. Because a frost-free tap's seat is inside the wall, the split is inside the wall too. You do not find out in January — you find out when you turn the tap on in spring and water comes out somewhere it should not.
Should I leave the outside tap open or closed for the winter?
You will read both online. The only manufacturer instruction we could confirm is Boshart's, and it says to open the outside faucet to drain the line, then remove the bleeder cap to break the air lock, then replace the drain cap and close the outside faucet. So: open while draining, closed when you are finished. If your own tap's manufacturer says otherwise, follow them — but this page is not going to pick a side of an argument on the strength of anonymous advice.
Where is the shut-off valve for my outdoor faucet?
Boshart gives the usual location: on the supply line inside the building, normally at the basement ceiling just inside where the line passes out through the wall. It will be on the same wall as the tap, so work out which wall the tap is on and look there first. Not every home has one, though, and if you cannot find a valve there is nothing to be gained by guessing at other valves — that is a plumber's visit and worth it, because without an indoor shut-off you cannot drain the line at all.
What is the bulge on the end of my outdoor faucet and does it matter?
That is a vacuum breaker, an anti-siphon device that stops garden water being drawn back into your drinking water. It matters here because it can hold water. Boshart's instruction for the manual kind is to hold it open until it stops dripping; the self-draining kind opens on its own when the hose comes off. Arrowhead Brass notes that a hydrant with a self-draining vacuum breaker keeps running in a gentle stream for about 15 to 20 seconds after you turn it off, so do not assume the first trickle stopping means it is empty.
Do I need to put one of those insulated covers on the tap?
None of the manufacturer documents behind this page requires one, so this page does not tell you to buy one. What all of them require is that the hose comes off and the tap drains. A foam cover on a tap that still has a hose attached and a column of water inside it does essentially nothing — it slows heat loss, it does not remove the water. Get the water out first; a cover is at best a small extra margin after that.
My tap points slightly upward. Is that a problem?
Yes, and it is not something you can work around. Arrowhead Brass says a frost-proof hydrant must be installed at a slight downward angle toward the spout so it can drain when shut off, and that a hydrant installed level or at an upward angle will not drain properly and may suffer freeze damage. There is no draining procedure that fixes a tap which physically cannot drain. That one is a plumber.
When should I do this?
Before the first hard freeze rather than after it, which in most of the northern United States and Canada means some time in autumn. None of our sources publishes a date, and no date would be right everywhere anyway. The trigger is the forecast, not the calendar — and the job is quick enough that doing it a few weeks early costs you nothing but an outdoor tap you cannot use.
Related procedures
- How to fix an outside tap that drips or won't shut off by replacing the washer and the packing inside the stem
- How to winterize a garden irrigation or sprinkler system before it freezes
- How to keep water pipes from freezing in a cold snap, and what to do if one has already frozen
- How to winterize a pressure washer pump before freezing weather, and what to put in it
- How to fix a leaky faucet that drips from the spout or weeps around the handle
- How to check and replace the fill hoses on a washing machine
- How to find your main water shut off valve and check that it actually works
- How to start up a garden irrigation or sprinkler system in spring
Sources
Every specification on this page is traced to one of these sources. Tier 1 is a manufacturer document, a published standard, or a government safety authority. See Standards for the full tiering rule.
- Tier 1Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker)
- Tier 1How do I winterize my outdoor hose bibb faucets?
- Tier 1Model 17 Freezeless Faucet
Revision history
Current version 1 · updated 2026-07-29 · next review due 2027-07-29
- v1 · 2026-07-29First draft. Sourced to Arrowhead Brass, Boshart Industries and Woodford Manufacturing. The burst mechanism and the drainage angle come from the Arrowhead Brass wall hydrant guide, which is the only source read for this topic that explains why a frost-proof tap bursts; the drain sequence comes from Boshart; Woodford supplies the manufacturer statement that a freezeless faucet is only freezeless with the hose detached. No government source is cited: the energy.gov Energy Saver article on frozen pipes 404s and is recorded under rejected, and the EPA WaterSense home maintenance page was read and covers irrigation and pools but not outdoor spigots. All four verified specifications carry no spec_key because data/specs.json is written centrally after the merge. Every hazard is NOTICE or CAUTION: the realistic consequence of this job going wrong is property damage, and inflating a level to look serious is as much a defect as downgrading one.
Corrections to this page are listed in the public corrections log. Reports that are credible and not yet verified are listed in the public errata register, and an open one renders above the step it concerns.
Comments and corrections
Found an error? A correction with a manufacturer source is applied and logged publicly. You can also write to corrections@fixchecklist.com.
Every step above carries its own report control, which tags the report with that step so a correction reaches the right place. For anything about the procedure as a whole — the order of the sections, a step that is missing, something that did not match your equipment — use this: report something about this whole procedure.