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which faucet to leave dripping

You should usually leave the cold-water faucet that is farthest from your water meter (or main shutoff) dripping when there’s a risk of pipes freezing.

Which faucet to leave dripping

  • Choose a faucet served by pipes that are:
    • On an exterior wall, in an unheated area, or otherwise exposed to cold air (e.g., over a garage, crawlspace, or basement).
* Far from the water meter or main shutoff, so water is pulled through the longest, most vulnerable stretch of pipe.
  • If you have multiple problem areas (for example, a kitchen sink on an outside wall and a bathroom over an unheated garage), you may drip one faucet on each vulnerable run rather than just one in the whole house.
  • When advice says “let the faucet drip,” it typically means cold side only , because cold lines are the ones that freeze, and it also reduces water-heater use.

A simple rule of thumb:

If you’re not sure which faucet to leave dripping, pick the cold tap on the highest-risk sink (exterior wall, drafty area) that is farthest from the point where water enters your home.

How much and when to drip

  • Aim for a slight trickle —about a drop every few seconds, not a steady stream.
  • Start dripping when the forecast calls for prolonged temps below about 20°F (around −6°C) or lower, especially overnight.
  • Keep it dripping as long as temperatures stay at or below freezing and pipes are at risk.

Why dripping helps

  • Moving water is harder to freeze than standing water, so a slow flow helps keep pipes from freezing solid.
  • If ice does form, an open, dripping faucet lets pressure escape so pipes are less likely to burst when water expands as it freezes.

Quick FAQ style recap

  • Which faucet?
    The cold-water faucet on the most exposed plumbing run, ideally farthest from the meter or main shutoff.
  • Cold or hot?
    Cold is usually enough; use hot only if that specific hot-water run is in a very cold, exposed area.
  • Every faucet in the house?
    No. Focus on faucets with pipes in unheated or exterior spaces, or farthest runs that are most likely to freeze.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.