Outdoor Faucet Repair, Freeze Protection, and Winterization

Common Outdoor Faucet Problems

Dripping from the spout when the faucet is closed: the washer or seat inside the valve is worn. On a compression-style hose bib, this means replacing the washer — a $0.50 part and a 10-minute fix. Turn off the water supply to the faucet, unscrew the packing nut, pull out the stem, replace the washer on the end, and reassemble.

Leaking from the handle/stem area when the faucet is open: the packing (a seal around the valve stem that prevents water from leaking out around the handle) is worn. Tightening the packing nut slightly may stop the leak. If not, replace the packing — either a rubber O-ring or a graphite packing string wound around the stem.

Water sprays from the wall behind the faucet: the pipe or fitting inside the wall has cracked, usually from freezing. This requires shutting off the water supply, opening the wall from inside, and replacing the damaged pipe section. This is the expensive failure mode that proper winterization prevents.

Frost-Free Sillcocks

A frost-free sillcock has a long stem (8 to 12 inches) that extends through the wall so the actual valve seat is inside the heated space, not at the exterior wall. When you turn off the faucet, the water stops flowing inside the warm wall and the water remaining in the exterior portion of the stem drains out. This prevents freezing as long as the faucet isn't connected to a hose (which would trap water and prevent drainage).

If you're replacing a standard hose bib with a frost-free model, the installation involves removing the old faucet, measuring the wall thickness, selecting a sillcock of the correct length (the stem must extend past the interior side of the wall), and connecting it to the existing water supply pipe. The connection is usually a solder joint or a push-fit (SharkBite) fitting.

The critical installation detail: frost-free sillcocks must be installed with a slight downward pitch toward the exterior. If the sillcock tilts upward or is level, water trapped in the stem can't drain and will freeze. A 1/4 inch drop over the length of the stem is sufficient.

Winterization

For standard (non-frost-free) hose bibs, winterization means shutting off the water supply to the faucet from inside the house (there should be a dedicated shutoff valve on the supply line in the basement or crawl space), then opening the outdoor faucet to drain any remaining water. Leave the outdoor faucet open all winter so any residual water can expand without bursting the pipe.

Disconnect all hoses from outdoor faucets before winter. Even a frost-free sillcock will freeze if a hose is attached — the hose prevents the stem from draining. This is the most common cause of burst pipes from outdoor faucets and the easiest to prevent.

Insulated faucet covers (foam or hard-shell covers that fit over the hose bib) provide additional protection for standard faucets. They don't prevent freezing in sustained sub-zero temperatures, but they buffer against brief cold snaps and wind chill. They cost $3 to $10 each at any hardware store.

Replacing a Hose Bib

Shut off the water supply and drain the line. From outside, unscrew the mounting screws that hold the faucet flange to the wall. From inside, disconnect the faucet from the supply pipe (solder joint requires cutting; threaded joint unscrews; push-fit pulls out with the disconnect clip).

Pull the old faucet out through the wall from outside. Insert the new faucet through the same hole (you may need to enlarge the hole slightly for a frost-free model with a larger body). Connect to the supply pipe inside, secure the mounting flange outside, and apply exterior caulk around the flange to seal the penetration.

If you're replacing a threaded faucet with a threaded replacement, wrap the threads with Teflon tape (3 to 5 wraps, clockwise when viewing the end of the threads) before threading into the fitting. Hand-tighten, then one full turn with a wrench. Don't over-tighten brass fittings — they crack.

Frequently Asked Questions