Three ways to prepare your plumbing for winter without being a drip

Blog Post

Kids home from school? Not sure what to talk about at those awkward holiday dinners? We’ve got you(r hose bibs) covered with some family-friendly activities to prepare your pipes for winter.

Published

December 9, 2024 9:00 am

Winter is on its way and there’s no better time to start preparing. When temperatures dip below freezing, water pipes can freeze or break. Lower your risk by taking steps now to protect your plumbing.

Preparing your plumbing for winter weather doesn’t have to be a drip! In fact, winterization can be a fun activity for the whole family.

Decorate your hose bib covers

hose bib cover colored black and decorated to look like a black cat with googly eyes and paper clip whiskers — This hose bib cover is a purr-fect example of how you can winterize your pipes with style!

Covering outdoor faucets and hose bibs is an easy way to lower the risk of your pipes freezing. Store-bought molded foam insulating covers can look a bit bland. For a more exciting look, try decorating your covers!

Need some inspiration? Check out these beautiful covers our maintenance crews recently decorated!

We recently challenged our crews to decorate hose bib covers for the winter season. Turns out they aren't just skilled at maintaining and improving Portland's water system—they're great at arts and crafts too!

Don’t want to buy a hose bib cover? No problem! Send the kids on a scavenger hunt for household materials like newspapers or old rags to use as insulation. Just be sure to cover your wrapped-up hose bib in plastic bags or wrap to keep it dry!

Water shutoff valve scavenger hunt

Close up view of a water shutoff valve with a red handle sticking out from a silver pipe — An example of a water shut off valve

The whole family should know where your emergency water shutoff valve is and how to use it so you can respond quickly if your pipes do break this winter. Go on the hunt for it now so you’re prepared later.

Most shutoff valves are located where the water line enters the house, either at the front of your house where you connect your hose, in the basement near the hot water heater, or inside the garage.

Too easy? You can also look for uninsulated pipes in unheated areas like attics, crawl spaces, and basements. Add some insulation to these pipes to help protect them from freezing temps.

Learn more about water shutoff valves

Break the ice at family dinner

Looking for a hot topic to bring up at the holiday dinner table? There’s nothing cooler than being prepared for emergencies. Break the ice by talking about where you store your emergency water supply.

You can use your emergency water supply if your pipes burst or a water main breaks near you this winter.

Learn how to build your emergency water supply