When to shut off outdoor taps
Outdoor taps should be shut off and drained before the first hard freeze, typically October across the colder states and September farther north; reopen after the last spring frost. Set your place for your exact dates.
Shut-off and reopen reminders, every year.
Why a hard freeze ends the hose season
Water left in an outdoor faucet or the pipe behind it can freeze and expand, splitting the pipe inside the wall. A burst hose bib is one of the most common and most avoidable home insurance claims.
The dates above are based on your station's average first fall frost and last spring frost. Shut off and drain before the first frost; wait about a week after the last frost to reopen.
Shut-off and reopen dates for major cities
| City | Shut off by | Reopen after | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | NY | November 25 | March 26 |
| Los Angeles | CA | January 5 | January 9 |
| Chicago | IL | October 31 | April 11 |
| Houston | TX | December 28 | January 30 |
| Phoenix | AZ | December 25 | January 8 |
| Philadelphia | PA | November 10 | April 2 |
| San Antonio | TX | November 28 | February 26 |
| San Diego | CA | December 31 | January 6 |
| Dallas | TX | November 24 | March 8 |
| Austin | TX | December 3 | February 20 |
| Miami | FL | January 17 | January 20 |
| Tampa | FL | January 12 | January 20 |
| Atlanta | GA | November 9 | March 25 |
| Seattle | WA | November 17 | March 13 |
| Denver | CO | October 14 | May 3 |
| Boston | MA | November 9 | April 4 |
| Las Vegas | NV | December 10 | January 24 |
| Portland | OR | November 9 | March 29 |
| Minneapolis | MN | October 8 | April 30 |
| Detroit | MI | October 24 | April 30 |
| Nashville | TN | November 3 | March 31 |
| Charlotte | NC | November 3 | March 30 |
| Honolulu | HI | December 1 | April 12 |
| Anchorage | AK | September 29 | May 1 |
Questions, answered plainly
When should outdoor taps be shut off for winter?
Before the first hard freeze, which the Almanac estimates from your station's average first fall frost. Across the colder states that is October; farther north it can be September.
Do I need to drain the line or just close the valve?
Close the indoor shutoff valve if you have one, then open the outdoor tap to drain any remaining water. Trapped water expands when it freezes and can split the pipe inside the wall, where the leak may not show until spring.
When can outdoor taps be turned back on?
After the last hard frost has passed, typically about a week after your average last spring frost. Opening too early risks a late freeze; waiting a week is a safe margin for most regions.
How this page was made
Data source: NOAA 30-year climate normals via the site dataset. Method: shut-off date is the average first fall frost; reopen date is one week after the average last spring frost. Verified 2026-06-12. Full notes on the methodology page.
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