Quick answer
Older Takoma Park homes have plumbing that has been patched and updated over decades, so fall prep starts with knowing what you have. Test your main shut-off valve gently, check what your pipes are made of, seal drafts in old basements and crawl spaces, and protect pipes on outside walls. Then drain outdoor faucets and check the water heater.
Why older homes need a closer look in the fall
Takoma Park is known for its older homes, and many of them have plumbing from several eras under one roof: original pipes in one wall, copper from a 1980s kitchen, PEX from a recent bathroom. Each change added joints and transitions, and those are the places that fail first.
Older homes also tend to be draftier. Basement windows, gaps around old pipe and wire penetrations, and rooms added over crawl spaces let cold air reach pipes that were fine for years, until a hard freeze.
1. Test the main shut-off, gently
WSSC Water recommends finding and testing your main shut-off valve before winter. In an older home, do it carefully. Many have an old gate valve with a round handle that hasn't been turned in years.
Turn it slowly. If it's stiff, stop. Forcing an old gate valve can snap the stem or leave it stuck partly closed. If it won't turn, doesn't fully stop the water, or leaks at the stem when you move it, have it replaced with a quarter-turn ball valve. It's one of the most useful small upgrades in an older house, because you can shut off water in one motion during an emergency.
2. Know what your pipes are made of
Take a flashlight to the basement and look where pipes are exposed:
- Galvanized steel supply pipes are gray, with threaded fittings. In older homes they often rust from the inside, which can cause low water pressure, rusty water, and leaks at the threads. Look for rust stains or weeping at the joints.
- Copper supply pipes are reddish-brown or green with age. Look for green crust or pinhole drips, especially at fittings.
- Where galvanized pipe connects directly to copper, corrosion often builds at the joint. That's a common leak spot.
- Cast iron drain pipes are large, dark and heavy. Look for rust flaking, cracks along the length, or damp spots at joints.
- If you find active leaks, heavy corrosion, or very low water pressure throughout the house, that's worth a plumber's visit before winter, not after a pipe gives out.
3. Seal drafts where pipes live
Cold air is what freezes pipes. WSSC Water recommends sealing drafts around doors and windows and insulating pipes in the colder parts of your home. In an older house, basements and crawl spaces deserve the same attention.
In older homes, check basement windows that don't close tightly, gaps where the water line and drain pipes go through the foundation, and openings into crawl spaces under porches or additions. Fill gaps with caulk or foam made for the purpose, and close crawl space vents for the winter if your home has them.
4. Protect pipes on outside walls, porches and additions
Kitchens and bathrooms added onto older homes, and sinks on outside walls, are the usual suspects when a pipe freezes. If a sink or toilet has frozen before, that wall needs attention.
Wrap any reachable pipe with foam pipe sleeves. During a cold snap, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air can get in, and let that faucet drip while you're home, as WSSC Water suggests. For a pipe you can reach that freezes every year, a UL-listed heat cable installed to the instructions is an option, but the lasting fix is insulating the wall or rerouting the pipe.
5. Deal with old outdoor faucets
Older homes often have plain outdoor faucets, not frost-free ones, and sometimes no indoor shut-off for them at all. That combination is a common source of burst pipes.
Find the indoor valve, close it, and open the outdoor faucet to drain the line. Disconnect hoses. If there's no indoor valve, consider having one added, or replacing the spigot with a frost-free sillcock. WSSC Water also says every hose bibb should have a vacuum breaker to keep hose water from siphoning back into your drinking water. Newer frost-free faucets usually have one built in.
6. Check the water heater and how it vents
Look for water or rust around the base, check whether the relief valve pipe is wet, and set the temperature to 120°F, which the U.S. Department of Energy recommends for most households.
In many older homes the gas water heater vents into an old chimney, sometimes one it used to share with a furnace. If your furnace has been replaced with a high-efficiency model that vents out the side of the house, the water heater may now be alone in a chimney sized for both. That can affect how well it vents. If you see rust or soot at the draft hood, or smell exhaust near it, have it checked.
7. Finish with the standard fall checklist
The rest of our county-wide fall plumbing checklist applies too: check under every sink and around toilets for slow leaks, test the sump pump if you have one, and make a plan for travel (keep the heat no lower than 55°F).
Montgomery County specifics
- Takoma Park homes are served by WSSC Water. WSSC recommends keeping areas with water meters and interior pipes at or above 55°F, finding and testing your main shut-off valve, and draining outdoor faucets before winter.
- WSSC Water says every hose bibb should have a vacuum breaker meeting ASSE 1011 or 1019.
- If your home is in a historic district, ask before changing anything visible outside, such as adding a new outdoor faucet through a wall. Work inside the house is usually not affected.
Is this not for you?
Looking at your pipes, sealing drafts, wrapping pipes and draining outdoor faucets are all things you can do yourself. Call a plumber if your main valve won't turn or won't shut off, if you find active leaks or heavy corrosion, or if water pressure is low everywhere. If you smell gas or exhaust near your water heater, leave it alone and call your gas utility's emergency line first.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to replace galvanized pipes in my older home?
Not always right away. If you have good pressure, clear water and no leaks, you can plan a replacement rather than rush it. Rusty water, low pressure throughout the house, or leaks at threaded joints are signs it's time to start replacing sections.
My main shut-off valve won't turn. What should I do?
Don't force it. Old gate valves can break when forced. Have a plumber replace it with a quarter-turn ball valve, ideally before winter so it's ready in an emergency.
Why does the same pipe freeze every winter?
It's almost always cold air reaching it: an outside wall with little insulation, a crawl space, or an addition over an unheated space. Sealing drafts and insulating help. A permanent fix may mean rerouting the pipe to a warmer wall.
Are old outdoor faucets more likely to freeze?
Yes. Older faucets usually aren't frost-free, so water sits right at the outside wall. Shut them off from inside and drain them every fall, or replace them with frost-free models.
What temperature should I keep my older home at in winter?
WSSC Water recommends keeping areas with pipes at or above 55°F, and no lower than 55°F if you're away. Drafty older homes may need rooms with exposed pipes kept warmer.