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In north Texas, winter temperatures can range from 80 to 20 in a single day. I'd like to keep my hoses and water timers attached throughout the winter without fear of blowing up the hose bibs in deep freezes.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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First, have you checked to see if you have frost-free hose bibs, as we do? They look normal but the stem is 12-18" long and the actual washer/seat valve are under the house. With those no need to worry about freezing. Otherwise ia agree with Turf3, or buy some $3 Styrofoam covers.
I would not leave out any timers, they are far weaker and more likely to blow up from freezing even if well wrapped.
In north Texas, winter temperatures can range from 80 to 20 in a single day. I'd like to keep my hoses and water timers attached throughout the winter without fear of blowing up the hose bibs in deep freezes.
Could I simply wrap the bib with this heated cord? Would I need to wrap the hose as well or plumbing inside the wall?
Depends on how cold it gets. I'd ask the manufacturer this question. But a warm hose bib won't protect your hoses and timers from extreme-temperature-swing damage, even if they are fully drained.
I once lived in a drafty old farmhouse where we kept a hose from freezing using one of these cords wrapped around the entire length of the hose. It got down into the teens, but the hose in question was also in an uninsulated crawl space (makeshift plumbing repair).
The most permanent solution is to install frost-proof yard hydrants, and remove and store the timers and hoses.
How much time under freezing does it need to put bibs, timers and hoses at risk. For instance, this week we have just a few hrs 1-3 each night that may dip below freezing.
How much time under freezing does it need to put bibs, timers and hoses at risk. For instance, this week we have just a few hrs 1-3 each night that may dip below freezing.
That's impossible to say for certain without knowing how the items in question are designed and/or what they are made of. Have you googled for frost-proof hoses and timers?
If it's a dip of a few hours to 30 F, and the hoses/timers are of decent quality, then most likely they'll be OK, especially if they are in the shade in the morning - being in shade allows them to thaw slowly.
Are you new to the area? What do your neighbors do?
That's impossible to say for certain without knowing how the items in question are designed and/or what they are made of. Have you googled for frost-proof hoses and timers?
If it's a dip of a few hours to 30 F, and the hoses/timers are of decent quality, then most likely they'll be OK, especially if they are in the shade in the morning - being in shade allows them to thaw slowly.
Are you new to the area? What do your neighbors do?
Im actually not worried abotu the hoses and times. The past few winters the actual bibs busted, which was a pain to replace. The bibs seem to below before the hoses and timers.
Im actually not worried abotu the hoses and times. The past few winters the actual bibs busted, which was a pain to replace. The bibs seem to below before the hoses and timers.
Well, you said you were.
But if you're not, then the foam covers work pretty well. Just be sure to tape them on securely, and to check the tape periodically. The tape can deteriorate to the point where the foam covers will set themselves free. Also, turn off the water to the bib if you can.
But if your bibs have been freezing regularly, then I'd look at the whole plumbing setup. Because if they're freezing at 20 F, which isn't all that cold in the scheme of things, then it would be less annoying in the long run to replace your current bibs with better ones.
I need to leave the timers, hoses on the bibs because I have a tree that needs watering 2-3 times a week and I travel for weeks on end during the winter. In this part of the country, we only freeze typically at night, or for a day or two then thaw.
I need to find a way to be able to leave my timers and hoses attached to the bibs with the water on throughout the entire winter, without anything busting, because I am gone.
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