Don’t Forget to Shut This Off At Your House Before Winter Hits Iowa

In my humble opinion, the cold weather hasn't been so bad in Iowa...yet. Forest Gump said it best, "Iowa winters are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." That might not be the exact quote but the point still stands.

Some Iowa winters we get a lot of snow and the temperatures aren't as bad. Sometimes we get frigid windchill and we find ourselves shoveling our driveways less. Sometimes we get a mix of both!

The first official day of winter is tomorrow (December 21) and I don't think we've really felt the true effect of winter just yet. We've had a couple of days that have felt colder with the wind but overall it's been a mild start to colder weather.

This is the perfect reminder if you haven't done this yet, turn this off at your house before winter temperatures start to take hold of Iowa.

Shut Off Outside Water for Winter

When the temperatures start to consistently be below freezing, it can be tough on the pipes at your house. According to Plumbwize, water can expand up to 10% when it freezes. If you have a pipe that is full of water and freezes, you could end up with an expensive problem if the pipe breaks or bursts.

It's not only the pipes themselves you have to worry about either. The joints and valves could also break in the process. If you have a pipe that leads outside to a water faucet, it can be vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Time can get away from you and maybe you've forgotten to do this. If you've forgotten, here's your reminder.

How To Turn Off/Drain Outside Water

Plumbwize has step-by-step instructions for you if you're not sure what the process is for clearing the pipes and shutting off the water. It's a simple process that anyone is capable of doing. If you haven't done this yet, you'll want to do this sooner, rather than later.

• 1 - Remove the hose and/or splitter from any outside faucet.
• 2 - Locate your water shut-off valve/s. Normally, you will find these in your basement.
• 3 - Close the water shut-off valve. Usually, this is done by rotating the handle to the right, or in a clockwise direction. Turn the handle until it's firmly closed.
• 4 - Go to your outside faucet, turn the water on, and empty the remaining water. You can leave it open for about a minute to be sure any excess water is gone.
• 5 - Once the excess water is gone, shut off your outside faucet.

This is a very easy preventative care process that can only help save you money. It shouldn't take you more than 5/10 minutes to complete. It's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to plumbing and saving on repairs.

When the temperatures warm up in the spring, just remember to turn the water back on to your outside faucet.