Keystone Restoration warns South Valley homeowners to winterize outdoor plumbing before the first freeze

Keystone Restoration Group is urging homeowners in South Jordan, Bluffdale, Draper and Lehi to disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor plumbing before the first hard freeze. The company says hose bib failures often stay hidden inside walls until spring irrigation reveals water damage.

Why it matters: - Frozen outdoor plumbing can cause hidden water damage inside walls instead of obvious leaks outside the home. - A failure that starts in the fall may not surface until spring, when irrigation systems are turned back on. - Keystone Restoration Group says early winterization can prevent repairs that require opening walls and remediating water damage.

What happened: - Keystone Restoration Group urged homeowners in South Jordan, Bluffdale, Draper and Lehi to prepare outdoor plumbing before the season's first hard freeze. - The company warned that leaving a garden hose attached to a frost-free hose bib can trap water in the barrel and lead to a split. - Founder Seth Saxton said the visible damage often appears months later, after the line is recharged for irrigation season.

The details: - Frost-free hose bibs are designed to drain on their own because the shutoff valve sits inside the heated part of the home. - An attached hose defeats that design because trapped water cannot drain and freezes inside the bib. - The resulting split may show no symptoms through winter because the line is not under pressure. - When irrigation starts again in spring, water can spill into the rim joist, sill plate and basement wall cavity. - Keystone recommends disconnecting and draining all garden hoses before the first hard freeze. - Keystone also recommends closing the interior shutoff valves that serve exterior bibs where plumbing allows, then opening the exterior bib to drain the line. - The company advises shutting down and blowing out irrigation systems before freezing weather arrives. - Exposed supply lines in crawl spaces, garages and unconditioned basements should be insulated. - Homeowners should know the location of the main water shutoff and confirm that the valve turns freely.

Between the lines: - The warning reflects a common cold-weather risk in homes with exterior plumbing: the damage is often inside the structure, not at the point homeowners notice first. - That makes prevention far cheaper and simpler than springtime remediation after water has soaked framing or wall cavities. - Keystone's message is aimed at routine homeowner behavior, not a rare equipment failure, which suggests many cases are avoidable.

What's next: - Homeowners across Salt Lake, Utah, Davis and Wasatch Counties are expected to keep winterizing outdoor plumbing as temperatures drop. - Keystone Restoration Group said it provides 24/7 emergency response for residential and commercial water losses if freeze damage does occur. - The company, based in Sandy, Utah, continues serving South Jordan, Bluffdale, Draper, Lehi and surrounding communities.