Outdoor taps in winter, how do you protect yours?

[Phil473]

What I've done the past few winters, was to wrap a small towel and duct tape around the pipe where it meets the wall, and then put tap covers over them.

Being the nerd that I am, I've gone outside at night and checked the taps at various temperatures, during the recent cold spell.

Up to -2C and little wind chill, the taps seemed fine. At -4C, one of the taps seemed slightly stiff, so I drained the system for safety.

There's no isolation valve for the outdoor taps, so I'm going to have one fitted. Then continue to use the tap covers.

Be interested to know how others insulate their outdoor taps, if they've had a burst pipe and at what temperature.

 

[Wayners]

Our house has an outside tap on the back wall. Im of the opinion the copper pipe transports heat from inside which helps, but to stop it freezing I made a box out off polystyrene stuck together with silicone.
It's been like that for 10+ years and no problem.
Bit dark but you get the idea.

You can buy polystyrene cup that fit over a tap held with a bungee.
My father in law has a hinged wooden box on the wall lined with carpet. That's fine as well.

 

[Phil473]

Nice. Are you also turning off the water to the outside tap?

 

[Wayners]

Here you go if you want to buy something.

Apollo Outside Tap Cover

Can be easily secured over an outside tap to help protect it from frost and freezing during winter. Quick and easy to use, the cover will fit over standard outdoor taps.

www.toolstation.com

 

[Wayners]

I use the water all year especially in the winter. I think it's daft to turn water off because a outside tap is so useful.
So the tap it live. I never turn the water off.

 

[SithLordHood]

In the three properties i have lived in over the last 20 years all have had outside taps on the rear wall and i have never bothered to turn off water or insulate them over the winter. They have never caused me an issue (yet)

 

[Phil473]

In the three properties i have lived in over the last 20 years all have had outside taps on the rear wall and i have never bothered to turn off water or insulate them over the winter. They have never caused me an issue (yet)

I've had a tap freeze in one property, pipe didn't freeze fortunately.

You can get a tap cover for a fiver, slips on in seconds. Worth it...

 

[Phil473]

I use the water all year especially in the winter. I think it's daft to turn water off because a outside tap is so useful.
So the tap it live. I never turn the water off.

Both have insulating hoods, I wouldn't drain at around 1C, but at -4C I prefer the added precaution.

Takes minutes to turn off and drain.

 

[StephenStephen]

Here you go if you want to buy something.

Apollo Outside Tap Cover

Can be easily secured over an outside tap to help protect it from frost and freezing during winter. Quick and easy to use, the cover will fit over standard outdoor taps.

www.toolstation.com

I really like these - really easy to use, do a good job.

 

[mrrusty]

The one on the back kitchen wall never freezes because the copper conducts enough heat. I have isolated when we have been away. The one on the outbuilding gets turned off and isolated in winter and the tap left open

 

[foxhole]

Just have a rag wrapped around my outside taps, works fine .

 

[Phil473]

The one on the back kitchen wall never freezes because the copper conducts enough heat. I have isolated when we have been away. The one on the outbuilding gets turned off and isolated in winter and the tap left open

Our back kitchen one froze, and the boiler is right next to the inside copper pipe... It has an isolation switch which I now use, plus a tap cover for good measure.

 

[Phil473]

Be interested to know how they insulate their taps in Scotland.
Deep fried batter probably...