What to check first
Find every outdoor connection
Check less-used faucets as well as the main garden supply. Include splitters, timers, nozzles and short connector hoses in the inspection. Illinois warns that retained water can freeze back toward a faucet or indoor line when a hose remains attached. [1]
Separate portable parts from installed plumbing
Identify what can be removed and drained normally and what belongs to a permanent system. Utah describes several irrigation drainage arrangements. If you do not know the valves, backflow assembly or procedure, obtain the system instructions or professional help rather than guessing. [3]
Inspect while everything is accessible
Look for split couplings, leaking washers, cracked fittings and badly kinked hose sections. Note repairs before storage. A sheltered location reduces exposure, but it does not make water left inside a closed fitting unable to freeze. [1] [2]
Choose the next step for your plant
Disconnect, empty and coil gently
Turn off the faucet, release pressure, disconnect the hose and remove its nozzle or other attachments. Lay it out where water can drain and lift sections progressively toward the open end. Coil without sharp kinks once empty, using the hose manufacturer’s storage guidance. [2]
Store dry components and finish the system checklist
Keep drained portable hoses and removable fittings in a sheltered place, with small parts together. Follow the separate instructions for the faucet and installed irrigation. For systems requiring compressed-air winterizing, use a qualified irrigation service unless you have the correct equipment and training. [1] [3]
What to avoid
- Do not leave a hose attached merely because the faucet is called frost-free.
- Do not improvise compressor pressures or treat a pump’s submersible label as a winter-storage instruction.
What to watch next
If you bring a hose out again during a mild winter spell, disconnect and drain it afterward before the next freeze. At spring startup, inspect the fittings and run the system while watching for leaks. Damage can remain hidden until the water is turned back on.
Common questions
Can the hose stay outside once drained?
A sheltered indoor location is preferable where available, but follow the hose’s material-specific storage instructions. The essential freeze precaution is removing trapped water and disconnecting from the faucet. Sun, weather and tight bends can still shorten a hose’s useful life. [2] [1]
Does draining a hose also protect an irrigation pump?
No. Illinois notes that pump storage varies by design, including some units that must be stored differently from others. Use the pump manual and any installed-system instructions; a generic garden-hose routine is not enough. [1]
Sources and review
This guide was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources below. It has not been reviewed by a botanist. Conditions and plant responses vary; use the checks above to decide what applies. Read our editorial standards.
- University of Illinois Extension: Winterize irrigation, hoses and spigots
Disconnecting hoses, freeze damage, removable fittings and pump-specific instructions.
- University of Illinois Extension: Yard equipment maintenance tips
Drained sheltered hose storage and protecting frost-resistant faucets.
- Utah State Extension: Principles of water-wise landscaping
Installed-system shutdown and drainage; professional help for compressed-air winterizing.