How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets Toronto: Prevent Frozen Pipes (2025 Guide)

Winterize your outdoor faucets before Toronto's first frost to prevent burst pipes and costly water damage. This beginner-friendly task takes 10 minutes and can save thousands in repairs.

About this guide: Quartermaster connects Toronto and GTA homeowners with neighbour-referred plumbers who handle frozen pipe emergencies every winter. This guide comes from real plumber insights on what actually prevents damage in GTA homes.

Quick answer (for busy people)

1. Close the interior shut-off feeding the outside faucet.

2. Remove hoses, splitters, and nozzles; drain and store indoors.

3. Open the outside tap to drain the line.

4. Open the interior bleeder (little screw/cap on the shut-off) to release the last drips; close it when dripping stops.

5. Leave the outside handle open for winter. Optional: add a foam cover.

   
   

At a glance: Time: 10 min. Skill: Beginner. Estimated cost: $0-$15 (foam cover)

Why you need to winterize outdoor faucets in Toronto

Freezing temperatures arrive quickly in the GTA. Even a small amount of trapped water can freeze, expand, and crack your pipes (often behind walls where damage stays hidden until spring). As Toronto homeowners who've dealt with water damage, we can't stress this enough: 10 minutes of prevention beats weeks of repairs.

When to do this (in the GTA)

Timing: Late October or early November, or as soon as overnight lows approach 0°C. Pipes can freeze after just a few hours below 0°C, so don't wait for the first hard frost. Canadian Thanksgiving weekend is an ideal reminder to get this done every year.

Frost-free faucets still need winterizing (yes, really)

This surprises most homeowners: Frost-free faucets (also called hose bibs or sillcocks) still need winterization in Toronto winters.

You may think "frost-free" means maintenance-free. It doesn't. GTA plumbers on Quartermaster tell us "every spring" they get calls for failed frost-free faucets. As one plumber told me, “When they fail, they fail big time!”, often flooding basements when homeowners first turn them on in spring.

Why frost-free faucets still freeze:

Frost-free faucets have a long stem extending into the warm part of your house and a self-draining mechanism. But they can leak past the internal washer where water fills the tube, freezes, and bursts. Worse, you won't discover the problem until spring when water sprays inside your walls.

The winterization fix (even for frost-free faucets)

• Close the interior shutoff if you have one

• Remove all hoses

• Open the outdoor tap to drain

• Open the bleeder valve to release trapped water

No interior shutoff?  Frost-free faucets don't require them by code, but plumbers strongly recommend adding one. See "When to Call a Plumber" below.

Not sure if your faucets are winterized correctly? Book a Pro on Quartermaster for a one-time inspection and walkthrough.

How to identify your faucet type

Before you start, check whether your exterior tap is frost‑free (also called frost‑proof, freeze‑resistant) or a regular exterior faucet.

Frost-free (freeze-resistant) faucet	Standard faucet
Handle sticks straight out from the wall	Handle may be at an angle to the wall
A chrome cap on top, also called an anti-siphon valve	No cap on top
Long stem that extends 6 to 12 inches into your wall	Short profile; valve sits close to the exterior wall
Water may drip for a few seconds after you turn it off	Water stops immediately when turned off

Good to know Frost‑free faucets help, but they won’t protect a line that still has water trapped behind a closed interior valve. Proper shut‑off and draining are what matter.

What you'll need (10 minutes)

• Small bucket or towel

• Flathead screwdriver or small adjustable wrench (for bleeder screw/cap)

• Foam faucet cover (optional; recommended for standard taps)

  
  

Step-by-step winterizing exterior faucets guide

1. Find the interior shutoff valve

The shutoff valve is indoors and in a heated area to keep it from freezing.  Check these spots:

• Basement or crawlspace along the foundation wall closest to the outdoor faucet.

• Utility or mechanical room near the water heater, furnace/boiler, or laundry hookups.  (It may be labelled “hose bib,” “exterior,” or “H.B.”)

• Behind access panels: Look for square plastic access covers in ceilings or closets. You can pop these off to check inside.

• Garage wall that backs the faucet location.

• Near the water meter: Follow the cold-water line leaving the meter and look for a pipe going outside. If you still cannot find it, try asking your neighbours of similar model homes - they often put the valve in the same place.

Pro tip: Many homes have one shut-off per outdoor faucet. If you have two (front/back), you may have two interior valves.

2. Close the shutoff valve

Turn it clockwise to close. If you have multiple outdoor faucets, you may have multiple valves. No interior shut-off? See “Alternate path if you do not have an interior shut-off” below.

3. Disconnect all hoses

Go outside and remove every hose, Y-splitter and nozzle to ensure water can drain out. Shake out water, loop the ends of the hose together to keep pests out, and store indoors.

4. Open the outdoor faucet fully

Turn the handle fully open. Any remaining water should drain to a trickle.

5. Open the bleeder/drain inside 

Back at the interior shut‑off, place a towel/bucket under the small bleeder screw or cap. Open it with a screwdriver/wrench to release the remaining water in the line. You’ll hear air and see a brief drip.

6. Wait, then snug the bleeder closed

When dripping stops, snug the bleeder closed (finger‑tight plus a gentle nudge). Do not over‑tighten.

7. Leave the outdoor faucet open

Leave the outdoor faucet open for the winter so any tiny residual moisture has room to expand. Check back in a few hours. If you see dripping at the faucet or bleeder, the shut-off may need service.

8. Optional: Add insulation

For standard faucets, add a foam cover outdoors. These are inexpensive (under $10) and add a little extra protection. Frost‑free faucets can go without a cover, but using one will not hurt.

Alternate path if you do not have an interior shut-off

You can still reduce risk, especially if the faucet is frost-free.

• Remove the hose and all attachments. Shake out water and store indoors.

• Open the outdoor faucet fully and leave it open for winter.

• If the faucet is frost-free, confirm it drains, then add a foam cover.

• If the faucet is a standard tap, add a foam cover and insulate any accessible interior pipe near the exterior wall.

• Plan to have a plumber add an interior shut-off with a bleeder so the line can be isolated and drained.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

• Leaving a hose attached. This is the number 1 cause of frozen faucet damage, even with frost-free systems. Always remove and drain hoses (a connected hose traps water and can ruin a faucet).

• Skipping the bleeder valve. That leftover pocket can burst the line; open and drain it.

• Bleeder left open all winter. Close the bleeder after draining; leave only the outside handle open.

• Closing the outdoor faucet. Keep it open to allow drainage and prevent pressure buildup

• Waiting for extreme cold. Winterize when overnight lows approach 0 °C. It's a myth to wait until the thermometer hits –10 °C.

  
  

What to do if your pipes are already frozen

This is common. Plumbers start getting calls about frozen and burst pipes in December and through January and February. Once a Toronto deep freeze hits, homes without winterized faucets begin to have water damage problems.

What to do if this happens to you:

• Turn off the interior shut-off that feeds the outside faucet. No interior shut-off? Close the home’s main water valve while you work.
  

• Open the outside faucet fully to relieve pressure and gives thawed water somewhere to go.
  

• If your shut-off has a bleeder (small screw/cap), place a cup/towel and open it to vent pressure and let meltwater drain. Leave it open while thawing then close it when dripping stops.
  

• Warm the indoor section of pipe near the exterior wall slowly with room heat or a hair dryer on low. Keep electrical tools away from water and use a GFCI outlet. Never use a torch or open flame.
  

• Watch for leaks and be ready to shut off the main immediately if a split pipe starts spraying.
  

• If flow won’t return or you see damage, call a plumber. The freeze is likely inside the wall or outdoors.
  

• Once thawed, finish winterizing: let it drain, close the bleeder, leave the outside handle open for the winter, and add a foam cover if you have one.

  
  

When to call a plumber

• You can’t find or do not have interior shut-offs after checking common locations

• There’s no bleeder valve, or you’re unsure the line has fully drained

• The shut-off is stuck, leaking, or seems damaged

• You suspect a past freeze or notice corrosion or staining

  
  

Get a quote from a neighbour-referred plumber

Every job booked through Quartermaster is backed by our Good Neighbour Guarantee (up to $2,500 in coverage).

First-time winterizing? Many homeowners book a Pro for the first year to learn their system, then DIY confidently every fall after.

Spring re-open checklist (30 seconds)

• Close the outside handle

• Close the bleeder snugly

• Open the interior shut-off

• Crack the outside tap open and check indoors for drips at the shut-off and bleeder