Preparing your home for winter isn’t just about sealing all air leaks and foundation cracks, insulating piping, and getting your HVAC system inspected. It’s also about outdoor tasks such as disconnecting your garden hoses. Missouri has been experiencing some warmth amongst the cold so if you haven’t disconnected your lawn and garden supplies yet, it’s not too late. Here’s a closer look at why it’s important.

Why It’s Necessary to Disconnect Garden Hoses

When garden hoses are left out over the winter, any lingering water within them will freeze and cause the hose lining to crack. In addition to rendering hoses unusable in the spring, any frozen water in the hose’s control nozzle stresses the connecting pipe in your home. The added pressure can cause the pipe to crack and burst, creating costly plumbing repairs during winter. Outdoor spigot damage is common as well.

Fall is the best time to disconnect hoses because water remnants haven’t had the chance to freeze, expand, and put pressure on your plumbing system. If it slipped your mind at the time, though, there’s no time like the present to take care of this task.

How to Do It

Be sure to round up every outdoor hose on your property to reduce the chance of freeze/thaw damage. First, drain the hoses of water and store the lawn and garden supplies in a safe area, such as a heated garage or basement.

Next, shut off the water valve connected to the outdoor pipes. This is typically located in the basement of homes, though sometimes it’s found in a utility closet. Visit your local hardware store for insulated faucet jackets once all outdoor spigots have dried to protect them from the cold. 

Find the lawn and garden supplies you need to complete home winterization at Sentinel Lumber & Hardware. This Ashland, MO, supply store provides a comprehensive range of plumbing supplies, lawn and garden necessities, pole barns, and other building materials. Call (573) 657-2164 today with inventory questions or learn more about the team online.