(first published in the September 2025 issue)

Winter will be here quicker than we think, which means the days of farm plumbing nightmares will soon be upon us. We checked in with some area horse farm owners and horse farm plumbers for advice on how to avoid common farm plumbing pitfalls.

Some of the most common problem with plumbing on farms are: (i) frozen or broken pipes; (ii) failed spigots, faucets, and hydrants; (iii) drain backups; (iv) broken or leaking pump handles; and (v) underground leaks. In addition, 95% of the farm owners we spoke to are on well water. That means that when your power goes out in a winter storm, you will have no water in addition to no heat.

MHC Industry Professional member First Class Mechanical (FCM) told us that “the worst problem for farms is an interruption in total water supply due to well pump failures.” Well pumps can last anywhere between 8-15 years so FCM recommends keeping track of the age of your well systems so that you can prepare for interruptions when they happen. It important to create a relationship with your local well repair company.

Wash Stalls

Most farm owners we spoke to (~60%) have interior wash stalls, and about 40% have exterior wash stalls. A large majority of farm owners with wash stalls (67.5%) do not winterize them. Wash stalls that are not winterized can lead to frozen drains, frozen pipes, and frozen or cracked hoses.

There are a few simple steps you can take to avoid frozen pipes in wash stalls. One MHC Industry Professional member told us that she “leave[s] the heat lamps on when it is consistently below freezing, and we have a heater on the other side of the wash stall, where the plumbing pipes are.” FCM says that if a wash stall is in an unheated area, then the barn manager should disconnect all the hoses and drain them to prevent them from freezing, and to prevent pipes from breaking.

Automatic Waterers

Most farm owners we spoke to (55.7%) have automatic waterers in pastures. An additional quarter (23%) have automatic waterers in stalls.

One way to minimize problems with automatic waterers is to make sure they are installed properly in the first place. According to First Class Mechanical, “proper installation is everything!” Automatic waterer pipes should be a depth of at least 36 inches and the waterer itself should be on a concrete pad. FCM told us that the “location selection is also very important. You should have a level surface with good drainage, i.e., NOT at the bottom of a hill.”

One farm owner told us that a good way to ensure that your waterers are installed properly is to use a plumber who “knows how to work with horse farms and are certified installers of automatic waterers. Most residential plumbers don’t know how to install or maintain automatic waterers.”

Surprisingly, most farm owners with waterers, whether in stalls (75%) or in pastures (61%), do not winterize them. Plumbers recommend buying waterers that come with a factory supplied heater.

If your auto-waterer is not heated, consider replacing it with one that is heated. The Equiery published an article in 2014 that rates 9 popular waterers — you can read it here: EquieryMarylanders Rate 9 Brands of Automatic Waterers – The Equiery

If you cannot replace your unheated waterer with a heated one, then FCM recommends winterizing by turning it off, draining the pipes, and blowing air through the line. Self-draining waterers do not need to be winterized.

Another way to protect waterers is to follow a Howard County farm owner’s practice of wrapping automatic waterers in horse blankets overnight when the temperature dips below 10 degrees.

No matter which methods you use to keep your farm plumbing humming, a Montgomery farm owner had the best advice for all of us: “Find a decent plumber who understands farm plumbing and will come quickly! Value your plumber as highly as you value your farrier.”

Nota Bene: Several farm owners said they use heat tape on vulnerable pipes. While heat tape can be convenient, it can pose a fire risk when barn mice or other rodents eat through it. If you choose to use heat tape, make sure it is certified tape and make sure you install it properly — don’t use it with incompatible insulation and don’t double-wrap.