outside faucet frozen?

oldfella1962 · Jan 1, 2018

A few minutes ago I just remembered with as cold as it is, I better let my outside faucets/spickets or whatever you might call them run at a trickle to keep them from freezing. South facing faucet no problem. North facing side of the house, the knob won't turn - I'm assuming it's frozen up. So now what? Is the damage already done? Do I wait until it gets above freezing (hopefully sometime tomorrow) and try it again?
How do I know if a pipe is damaged? We've been living in the house for about fourteen years now and this has never happened - I'm sure over the years I have forgotten to let it trickle on a few nights but nothing was ever damaged.
Any advice on how I should handle this?

landlocked · Jan 1, 2018

Damage probably not done yet. I would take a hair dryer out there and try to thaw it now. Might not be above freezing long enough tomorrow to thaw it out. If damaged it will be obvious when it thaws

3ringer · Jan 1, 2018

Probably not Frozen. It may be seized from corrosion . Spray it with WD 40 and let it sit. Later try again.

Hooked On Quack · Jan 1, 2018

Pour warm water on the spiggot, then ease open.

NE GA Pappy · Jan 1, 2018

wrap it in a towel and pour boiling water on it. let it sit for a few minutes and it should turn if it is frozen

oldfella1962 · Jan 1, 2018

landlocked said:
Damage probably not done yet. I would take a hair dryer out there and try to thaw it now. Might not be above freezing long enough tomorrow to thaw it out. If damaged it will be obvious when it thaws

I used a blow dryer on it - within about a minute I could turn the handle, and in about another minute the water started flowing. I guess only the first inch or two was frozen up. I'm letting it run at a pretty good trickle for the rest of the night.
I can't believe I forgot to do this now that winter is upon us! :huh:

Artfuldodger · Jan 1, 2018

I always put those foam insulators over my hose bibbs. My pool is froze over. I should go start the pump.

Artfuldodger · Jan 1, 2018

Artfuldodger said:
I always put those foam insulators over my faucets. My pool is froze over. I should go start the pump.

It wouldn't start so I threw a blanket over it. It wasn't froze up as I could turn the shaft with pliers.
When I came back in 68 degrees felt warm.

Killdee · Jan 2, 2018

Do you not have stops in the basement or crawl space to turn off your outside hose bibs?

Jeff C. · Jan 2, 2018

Killdee said:
Do you not have stops in the basement or crawl space to turn off your outside hose bibs?

X2, turn off then drain.

I've always just covered mine and never had an issue though. Although I had a brick home and crawl stayed relatively warm with vents closed throughout Winter.

T-N-T · Jan 2, 2018

Do the styrofoam covers do any good on hose bibs?
I always let trickle.

I have actually seen brass hose bibs freeze for days and then thaw without harm. But I know that's a terrible risk

Jim Baker · Jan 2, 2018

Artfuldodger said:
I always put those foam insulators over my hose bibbs. My pool is froze over. I should go start the pump.

If it the hose bib type on outside wall just wrap with old rag and put a 20 oz red solo cup over it.

Killdee · Jan 2, 2018

Mom used to wrap ours with a leg off of wore out blue jeans or flannel then put a coffee can over it. We didn’t have shut offs in our old house.

NE GA Pappy · Jan 2, 2018

I use the 12 inch frost proof faucets. the water is back under the house and not exposed to the weather, so it really has to be cold to freeze

Artfuldodger · Jan 2, 2018

Jeff C. said:
X2, turn off then drain.

I've always just covered mine and never had an issue though. Although I had a brick home and crawl stayed relatively warm with vents closed throughout Winter.

Maybe the crawl space heat transfers through the pipe a bit to the faucet which is covered with insulation. My crawl space vents are plugged in the winter. It is fairly warm under there. I'm sure this helps keep the faucets from freezing with their insulation.

I guess a house on a slab would provide some heat transfer from the house heat along the pipes to the faucets.

Artfuldodger · Jan 2, 2018

My above ground pool piping didn't fair so well. The pipe leaving the filter to the pool froze and busted into PVC slivers. I couldn't get the pump to come on as I normally run the pump when it gets below freezing.
The pump is OK so today I wrapped one of those heat wires around it. I insulated the rest of the piping and the pump over the heat wire.

I remember when folks used newspaper & tape for pipe insulation.

dwhee87 · Jan 2, 2018

Artfuldodger said:
My pool is froze over. I should go start the pump.

letting mine run 24/7.

Milkman · Jan 2, 2018

Our pool has a freeze stat that brings on both pumps when it goes below 36 degrees
Never a freeze problem but we are on WEMC’s Christmas card list

Lukikus2 · Jan 2, 2018

If you guys are talking about above the ground pool pumps. I would recommend draining them totally. You won't need any chlorine for a while anyway. I can't afford for mine to bust.

1gr8bldr · Jan 2, 2018

I use a version of this with a hard plastic cover. Don't get the bag tie on type. They will let cold transfer through the surrounding material. Your in a sense protecting the pipe and brick, etc from dropping to low.

https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Building...rd_wg=Op8vN&psc=1&refRID=YTNQ2301WHNFKSJ67HM8

outside faucet frozen?

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