{"id":699,"date":"2013-11-21T15:42:16","date_gmt":"2013-11-21T15:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bathursthandyman.ca\/?p=699"},"modified":"2013-11-21T15:42:16","modified_gmt":"2013-11-21T15:42:16","slug":"garden-hose-water-shutoff-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buildingology.com\/?p=699","title":{"rendered":"Garden hose water shutoff: Best practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMG_3354\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Really?\u00a0 Answer is Yes, there is a improper way to do this.\u00a0 Do you mean turning off a shut0ff? Yes already, also we will explore some good practices for how the pipes should be laid out that are attached to that valve.<\/p>\n

The most common error made is that the water shutoff valve is closed on the interior, but the existing water between the shut-off and the exterior valve (where your garden hose is attached to) is not bled out of the system.<\/p>\n

First you must shut off the water from the inside, and then open the outside valve and let the water trickle out.\u00a0 When the water is removed, you then close the outside valve Why?<\/p>\n

As we know, when water freezes, it expands, and your pipes burst.\u00a0 In contrast, frozen air does not expand, and your pipes are safe no matter the temperature of the air.\u00a0 Pipe bursting is quite common, as copper is very thermally conductive, and has the potential for heat to be lost quite easily from this connection.<\/p>\n

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\"garden<\/a>
This valve is closed and shut off properly. The bottom half of the valve goes to the exterior of the house, and water was bled out if it to fill it with air.\u00a0\u00a0 We are assuming that the space where the valve is located is conditioned and not in a crawl space.\u00a0 Crawl spaces require extra precautions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The farther your interior shut-off valve is from the external temperature exposure, the safer the pipes are.\u00a0 This is all assuming that the location of the shut-off is in a conditioned space.\u00a0 This is assuming that your penetrations are sealed with silicone at the cladding, and spray foam in line with the insulation.\u00a0 The diagram above used an old rag.\u00a0 I was there at it seemed pretty air tight.\u00a0 Hats off!<\/p>\n

\"shut<\/a>
The farther the interior shutoff valve is from the exterior exposure, the safer the connection because the copper pipe has a larger chance of being heated the farther away it is from the exterior exposed air. It is also essential that you seal the penetrations with spray foam in plane with the insulation, and silicone at the cladding<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By increasing the distance the pipe is filled with air, larger the chance it is heated by the ambient temperature.<\/p>\n

There are specialty valves such as silicock valves can also work by shutting off the valve on the interior.\u00a0 You need to make sure that your valve has a seal on both the interior as it is designed to do and the exterior.\u00a0 I am not sure all silicock valves have a seal on the exterior.\u00a0 If there is no seal on the exterior, it is useless as you need to create an air space between the two shut-off valves. \u00a0 Remember that air spaces create insulation value.<\/p>\n

Think of this system like a window.\u00a0 We know that triple pane windows insulate better than double planes, not becuase the glass has insulating value, but the separation of the air or (argon) spaces.<\/p>\n

The principle is the same with shut offs.\u00a0 If your building envelope is constructed in such a way that you know is problematic, there is no reason you can separate you pipe into two air spaces like a triple pane window.\u00a0 This method will be far more effective than\u00a0 a single silicock valve.<\/p>\n

\"two<\/a>
Two separate air spaces are better than one.\u00a0 This method is far more effective than a single silicock valve<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is it overkill?\u00a0 Depends on your home.\u00a0 The main lesson here is think about these pipes are though you are trying to make it harder for the cold air from reaching the interior (technically, the heat from escaping).<\/p>\n

Active Systems<\/h2>\n

Sometimes extra heat is required to keep the pipes from freezing.\u00a0 Heat trace cables can be used which wraps around pipes and plumbing fittings.\u00a0 For just a little extra money, you wish, you can connect them to a temperature controller that turns on the system at a particular temperature.<\/p>\n

\"Buildingology<\/a><\/p>\n