Do I Have An Emergency?

[FirstHomeowner]

Hello Pro's,

Me and my wife bought our first home last year and this is our first winter here in Ontario. While shoveling snow I noticed a giant icicle around my outside spigot. Like a rookie, I had forgotten to disconnect my hose in the fall, and didn't turn off the valve in the house. I chipped the ice away and unscrewed the hose. I opened the tap outside and the water came out fine. I can't tell if it drips when it's off because its too damn cold.
I tried to turn the valve off in the house, but it is stuck open. The handle broke right off.
Do I have an emergency here? The icicle is by far the biggest i have ever seen. The inside shut off valve is under the kitchen sink, and appears to be dry.
Thanks for any help, I cant sleep thinking about this.

 

[Chefwong]

Just a weekend warrior, but if it hasn't burst from spigot to inside, I think you spared a golden bullet.....

I generally shut the feed off from the inside just to mitigate any potential that the pipe could freeze up from the spigot going back in, as in my case, it's still about a 15 foot run of uninsulated space. I'd just keep a watchful eye and possible consider a weekend project to shut the water off and change the shutoff valve on the feed side (kitchen sink)

 

[Sponsor]

 

[FirstHomeowner]

Just a weekend warrior, but if it hasn't burst from spigot to inside, I think you spared a golden bullet.....

I generally shut the feed off from the inside just to mitigate any potential that the pipe could freeze up from the spigot going back in, as in my case, it's still about a 15 foot run of uninsulated space. I'd just keep a watchful eye and possible consider a weekend project to shut the water off and change the shutoff valve on the feed side (kitchen sink)

Thanks so much for the reply, I will change the valve tomorrow, or at least cut and cap the line till spring.
Thanks again.

 

[Chefwong]

fwiw, woodford is my preferred brand on frostproof units.

 

[FirstHomeowner]

fwiw, woodford is my preferred brand on frostproof units.

Thanks, I will look for woodford.

 

[hj]

If it "dripped" that is why you had the icicle.

 

[Reach4]

They sell little Styrofoam covers for hose taps. If that is not readily available to you, you could cobble up something to insulate the tap until warm weather comes.

 

[Quarterball]

Thanks, I will look for woodford.

¼-turn frostproof sillcocks are also available