# Warning- Outside faucet



## EatenByLimestone (Dec 13, 2009)

The cold weather came on pretty quick and I think I was probably distracted with the newborn.   I forgot to shut off the outside faucet before the 16 degree cold snap came on.  Outside valve is frozen shut.  I was able to close the inside valve.  I'm hoping I don't have to put some new line and a new valve in this spring.  

Close them up and drain them in case you forgot too!   

Matt


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## Flatbedford (Dec 13, 2009)

One of mine is frozen too. I didn't forget either. I went through my fall routine with both of them. I turned one back on to clean my boots, and forget to bleed it again. :shut:  Frozen solid now. Supposd to get warmer Sunday, maybe it will thaw out.


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## pen (Dec 13, 2009)

I've got 2 of these on my house, and invariably, I do the same thing every year.  

In my circumstance (as I am about to head to the basement and do this immediately after I post this) I will go downstairs, turn off the inside valve, curse myself for not putting in the frost free unit this summer, wait for a near freezing day, poor warm water over the outside spigot, open the valve, let drain and leave open for winter, cross fingers nothing split so I can wash my car on the next 40 degree day w/out having to break out the torch and solder!

Thanks for reminding me!   :shut: 

pen


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## bogydave (Dec 13, 2009)

I had the 6" ones on my house. When it cam time to replace them I used the 10 inch vacuum breaker ones.
The valve is 10" inside the  wall & it drains the outboard 10" when the water is shut off. 
Don't leave a hose connected thru the winter though, you'll be replacing again in the spring.
Got them at Lowes.


http://plumbing.hardwarestore.com/52-306-frostproof-faucets/frost-free-hydrant-629066.aspx


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## rowerwet (Dec 13, 2009)

I went with the vacuum breaker type this past summer while adding a new faucet to the back of the house with pex plumbing.


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## gibson (Dec 13, 2009)

Your post made me panic.  Then I thought, I never watered my lawn this summer.  Really wet spring and not so great in July.  My lawn was as green as a leprichaun's a$$, and I never put a drop of water on it.  Long story made short, the inside valves are still shut off from last year.  Don't even know if thats a good thing...


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## Lumber-Jack (Dec 13, 2009)

bogydave said:
			
		

> The valve is 10" inside the  wall & it drains the outboard 10" when the water is shut off.
> *Don't leave a hose connected* thru the winter though,


Too Late   :red:


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## Valhalla (Dec 13, 2009)

bogydave said:
			
		

> I had the 6" ones on my house. When it cam time to replace them I used the 10 inch vacuum breaker ones.
> The valve is 10" inside the  wall & it drains the outboard 10" when the water is shut off.
> Don't leave a hose connected thru the winter though, you'll be replacing again in the spring.
> Got them at Lowes.
> ...



I put two in a few years ago from Lowes. Wish they were around years ago. 
They work great.

Had to teach the wife how to turn the knob. She said
"Wow, isn't this neat!"


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## bogydave (Dec 13, 2009)

Carbon_Liberator said:
			
		

> bogydave said:
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Made me laugh.
Ben there, done that.
I hate to admit it but I did it twice, in the same year. Re-hooked the hose for something, forgot. & lost it again.
Don't tell anybody 
At least if was a quick fix, I'd just been in there & put ball valves
 a few feet before the valves, in series,  inside the crawls space, & knew what tools to take. (2 gray hair mistake)


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## LLigetfa (Dec 13, 2009)

All my outside hose bibs are the frost proof variety provided they are allowed to drain.  If you have a frozen faucet, you should be able to warm it up with a heat gun but be careful not to melt vinyl siding.  They sell these styrofoam covers as added protection.
http://www.amazon.com/Brand-1285247-Faucet-Outdoor-Insulation/dp/B002GKC2VW
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nYyReB9SL._SL500_AA280_.jpg


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## Stevebass4 (Dec 13, 2009)

i dont think i have inside shut off valves for my out door faucet


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## Corey (Dec 13, 2009)

bogydave said:
			
		

> Carbon_Liberator said:
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+1 for the vacuum breaker faucets and 10" inside shut-offs.

For years I questioned WTH having the hose hooked up had to do with a freezing faucet.  Couldn't see how the hose would change the freezing point of water at all, plus I never unhooked mine and never had a freeze up.  Then one year I got a fancy new hose end sprayer which sealed tight when it was shut off.  Sure enough, the faucet froze because it was still full of water.

Bottom line, you can leave the hose connected, just make sure to drain the water (ie leave any hose end sprayer open)


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## woodzilla (Dec 13, 2009)

pen said:
			
		

> I've got 2 of these on my house, and invariably, I do the same thing every year.
> 
> In my circumstance (as I am about to head to the basement and do this immediately after I post this) I will go downstairs, turn off the inside valve, curse myself for not putting in the frost free unit this summer, wait for a near freezing day, poor warm water over the outside spigot, open the valve, let drain and leave open for winter, cross fingers nothing split so I can wash my car on the next 40 degree day w/out having to break out the torch and solder!
> 
> ...


Be sure to pitch line downward slightly when you install. Many breaks still occur due to overlooking that step. 
Makes for a lot of easy sidejobs for me though!


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## rowerwet (Dec 13, 2009)

you can never have to many shut offs, before I bought my house it was for sale for quite a while, during that time, my neighbor noticed water running down the street and traced it to the frozen cracked faucet. He ended up having to help the water department find the shut off for the house in the frozen front yard as there was no way to shut the water off to the faucet, just the house.


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## Flatbedford (Dec 13, 2009)

Got warm enough for mine to defrost today. Now I am ready for winter.


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## billb3 (Dec 14, 2009)

I was out at 9PM doing mine the  night before the temps were supposed to drop.  

Pull the hoses down the driveway to gravity drain and shut off the faucets.



I had a regular old faucet that had to be from the forties. Never got shut off as far as I know.
It was leaking and I replaced it with a frost free rather than  repair.
It froze.
I got an even longer one. 
It froze.
I drain them all back, now.


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## gpcollen1 (Dec 14, 2009)

I did all this in plenty of time but never drained the hose.  So I ran them down the driveway to drain and left them for the week while traveling for work.  Now I have 2 hoses buried in the ice/snow.  Hopefully we will get a bit more melt...


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## Danno77 (Dec 14, 2009)

got a nice hose this summer, and just two days ago I noticed it was still laying outside. hope it aint ruined. it made a mess in the basement when it thawed, but it's an unfinished dirt floor basement anyway, and it's been too dry inside the past few weeks.


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