Mayfair Place
Guide to winterize the patio hose bib.
This guide applies only to ground-floor apartments.
To protect your piping from freezing and bursting during cold weather, the exterior water line must be shut off every season before winter sets in and turned back on in the summer.
To Locate and Turn Off the Valve:
1. Find the panel: Look for a square plastic access hatch (roughly 15 × 15 cm / 6 × 6 inches). These are typically located inside the entrance closet wall, though they can occasionally be found in another closet.
2. Identify the valve: Inside, you will see three valves. Next to the standard domestic Hot (red) and Cold (blue) valves, look for the 3rd valve—this controls the exterior line.
3. Shut it off: Turn this 3rd valve off for the winter season.
Pull out the plastic square with your own hands, no need to use any tools.
(If you see a screw, then you are not in the right place).
Use a flash light to see inside:
You'll find 3 valves:
Hot Water (Red)
Cold Water (Blue)
Patio Water (Blue)
Valve Positions (from the pipe):
Parallel to = OPEN.
Perpendicular to = CLOSED.
Closed Valve
IMPORTANT:
After you have closed this valve, make sure you drain the patio hose bib by letting run the water until it stops (a few minutes).
That will ensure that the pipe is completely empty.
When is it recommendable to close the valves?
Late October or early November.
You can reopen it in April.