Organic Answers Column – October 5, 2022 – Freeze Miser
Plan Ahead – Have Freeze Miser on Your Outdoor Faucets this Winter
The average date for first frost here in North Texas (most of us are in Zone 8) is October 30. From that point on, it is possible to have heavy weather that brings on a hard freeze, so now is the perfect time to plan for those cold months, and your plans should include a Freeze Miser for every outdoor faucet. The Freeze Miser is a unique and innovative freeze protection device that protects all outdoor water supplies such as faucets, hoses, float valves for animal waterers, RV water hook ups, pumps around water wells, and more.
The Freeze Miser protects an outdoor faucet from freezing by automatically and mechanically releasing water from the faucet that has reached a water temperature of 37°F or lower (five degrees above freezing). It does not require servicing, batteries or adjustment. Its installation is easy and quick.
The primary technology used by the Freeze Miser was developed 20 years ago by the manufacturer. Tens of thousands have been utilized by Agri businesses to protect animal waterers from freezing. The Freeze Miser was a further development of that technology to address the need for a simple, robust and easy-to-install device that protects an outdoor faucet from freezing, while using the minimum amount of water possible to achieve that goal. And the beauty of the Freeze Miser is that you don’t have to attach a Styrofoam or other insulated cover and if you attach it to a Y-connector can have use of the hose during cold weather.
Installation takes less than a minute and no tools are required. Simply screw the Freeze Miser on the outdoor faucet by hand, OPEN the faucet valve to full open. Your outdoor faucet is now protected from freezing. The water usage comparison between a manually dripped faucet and the Freeze Miser protected faucet is quite dramatic. Obviously, with a manually dripped faucet, it is set to drip before it gets cold enough to freeze and sometime after the threat of a freeze it is then turned off. The amount of water expended is all wasted water! The Freeze Miser only releases water that is 37oF or colder.
During freezing temperature conditions, the comparison is still dramatic. For example, assume 25oF to 32oF average temperature. A manually dripped faucet is usually dripping at about 1/4 of a gallon per minute or 15 gallons an hour. Part of the equation revolves around the issue that if a faucet drip rate is set too low, the rubber seals may close the discharge altogether and the faucet freezes, so most people drip at that rate to make sure that it does not stop the flow inadvertently.
The Freeze Miser, at the same temperature range will release about a 1/2 gallon per hour, all else being equal. Basically, the manually dripped faucet at that temperature range will use 30 times the amount of water the Freeze Miser will. Conversely, the Freeze Miser can adjust for multiple situations that may not be apparent. But always with the intent to hold a 37oF temperature in any application. There are myriad uses.
Once properly installed, the Freeze Miser ensures that your outdoor faucet will not freeze while using the least amount of water possible.
When you consider the age-old hassles of turning on the drip, turning off the drip, or forgetting to turn it off, along with other setbacks (e.g. wasted time, needless worry, and water waste), the Freeze Miser is the most secure, cost effective and easiest way to prevent a faucet from freezing.
This device requires no batteries or electricity and comes with a 2-year warranty. Made in U.S.A. For more information or to buy, go to freezemiser.com.
