Freeze Less Faucets

[Patch]

I screwed up and left the hose connected to my "freeze-less" outdoor faucet. Now when I try to use it water shoots out of the fixture. The shut-off valve still works, so the problem is in the faucet. Is there a repair kit for these things, or do you need to replace the entire unit? I can see where it connects to the copper line in the basement. I can't tell if it will just unscrew or need to be un-soldered. I've looked for a web site that deals with repair\replacing them, but I've had no luck in finding one. I live out in the country & getting a plumber out would be very expensive. Does anyone know of a web site I might visit?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

If it is the outer tube that split, the entire unit has to be replaced. Mine is soldered in place, but there are threads on the outside so threading it into a fitting is also an option. Yours may be different. If it is screwed in place, replacement should be fairly easy. Take out the old, screw in the new. Use pipe sealant on the threads and, of course, turn the main water supply off first.

[trader4]

Agreed. The ones I;ve used can be either threaded on or soldered on using the same device. There's nothing to replace because what happened was the water froze and split the pipe part of the device between where the valve is and the spigot.

What you need is a new freeze proof sill c*ck. They come in various lengths, so take out the old one first.

[The Real Tom]

Are you saying the body is cracked? If so, it appears you will need to replace it.

Thank goodness the seat holds and the 'shooting' isn't in the house.

later,

tom @

[Rich256]

When putting in the floor the builder drove a nail through the pipe in mine. It had a theaded connection in the house so all I had to do was screw it out. Once I got it out I just soldered in a new piece of copper pipe.

[Dan Lanciani]

| I screwed up and left the hose connected to my "freeze-less" outdoor faucet. | Now when I try to use it water shoots out of the fixture. The shut-off valve | still works, so the problem is in the faucet.

Where exactly does the water shoot from? Is it coming out through the center of the stem? If your faucet works like the one I have there is an internal check valve (at the end of the stem) that diverts water out through the stem when there is a lack of mains pressure. A long shot, but maybe it broke...

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

[indago]

050325 1427 - Patch posted:

I ran an outside faucet in an old house of mine once and used 3/4" copper and 2 gate valves, one inside, and one outside. In the winter I closed the inside valve and opened the outside valve. In the summer I closed the outside valve and opened the inside valve. Had no problems with freezing or cracked valves. On the outside valve I soldered a 90 degree fitting so I could hang a pail on it and pour water into the bucket without having to hold it. The whole thing worked really well.

[trader4]

closed the

freezing or

Of course besides lacking in convenience, this solution would have failed exactly the same way if you left a hose attached to it, like the OP did. With the freeze proof sill c*ck, you don't have to shut it off in winter, with the possibility of forgetting before it freezes. You also can get an occasional bucket of water in freezing weather without turning anything back on.

[Curly Sue]

That would also work well to prevent your neighbor's contractors from coming on your driveway to use your water instead of the neighbor's because it's 40' closer. :<

Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!