To winterize an outdoor shower, close the indoor shutoff that feeds it, open the shower valves so the pipe drains, open any low-point drain cap, take the head off if it traps water, and disconnect every hose from frost-free faucets so they can empty.
By the Shore House Pipes editors · sources checked October 31, 2026 · how this manual is written
The valve in a frost-free faucet sits inside the warm house and the long stem drains toward the outside. A hose left on holds water in the stem, which then freezes and splits it, often inside the wall where nobody sees the leak until spring.
Wrapping the valves can help against wind, but never cover or block the flood openings in the foundation below an elevated house. FEMA requires those openings to let floodwater in and out.
From the Woodford Manufacturing YouTube channel. The still picture is stored on this site; nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. The video's advice is the channel's own; where it differs, this page's safety steps come first.
Each source was opened and the cited figure or sentence checked on October 31, 2026. Steps marked PRO are described, not taught: they belong to a licensed plumber or the utility.