Before the first hard freeze: protecting pipes, wells and water for animals

The first hard freeze tends to arrive on a night when nobody is quite ready for it. In town, the worst outcome is usually a cracked garden hose. On a rural property with a well, a pump house, a crawl space and animals that need water every morning, a single cold night can cause real damage.

A few hours of work now can prevent most of it.

Outside the house

• Disconnect and drain hoses. A hose left attached can hold water in the spigot and split the pipe behind the wall. If you have frost-free hydrants, make sure they drain properly.
• Shut off and drain outdoor lines that run to gardens, barns or shops if they will not be used through the winter.
• Blow out sprinkler or irrigation lines if you have them, or have someone do it.
• Close crawl space vents and patch gaps where cold air gets under the house.

Inside the house

Pipes in unheated spaces freeze first. That means crawl spaces, unfinished basements, attics, garages and pipes that run along exterior walls.

Foam pipe insulation from the hardware store is cheap and easy to install on exposed lines. For pipes that freeze every year, electric heat cable rated for pipes, installed according to the instructions, can help.

On very cold nights, let faucets on exterior walls drip slightly and open the cabinet doors under sinks so warmer air reaches the pipes.

And find your main water shutoff now, while it is easy. If a pipe does burst, you want to be able to turn the water off in seconds, not search for the valve while the floor floods.

Wells and pump houses

A private well system has its own weak points. The pressure tank, the pressure switch and any exposed pipe between the well and the house are all vulnerable.

If the pressure tank is in a separate pump house, make sure the building is insulated and that any heat source is designed for the job. Heat lamps and makeshift heaters cause barn and pump house fires every winter. A thermostatically controlled heater rated for the space is much safer.

If your water stops after a cold night, the problem is often a frozen pressure switch or line, not the well itself. Never use an open flame to thaw pipes. A hair dryer or a heat gun on low, used carefully, is safer, and if you cannot find the frozen section, call a plumber or a well contractor.

Water for animals

Livestock need water every day in winter, and many need more than people expect because they are eating dry feed. A frozen stock tank is one of the most common winter problems on small farms.

Tank heaters and heated waterers work well, but they need regular checks. Make sure cords are protected from chewing and that heaters are rated for the tank they are in. Check waterers every day, especially after the coldest nights, and break ice if needed.

Pets that live outdoors need unfrozen water and real shelter out of the wind, too.

A quick check after the first cold night

The morning after the first hard freeze, walk the property. Turn on each faucet, check the well pressure, look under the house if you can, and check every water source for animals. Problems found early are much easier to fix than ones found after a week of single-digit nights.