Frost Free Faucets

Definitely gets cold enough to cause problems, but there are a lot of variables, so it's hard to tell from here whether yours is likely to freeze or not. I'd assume it will.

I guarantee you'll never have to be reminded again after the pipe freezes and bursts.

A couple of weeks after installation I got around to reading the little sheet they have in the box and figured it was no big deal because I could simply add an external anti-siphon. So I went and bought one and then when I opened the box it explained that an external anti-siphon cannot be used with a frostfree sillcock. The anti-siphon feature would be important if I had irrigation or had any use of pesticide spraying equipment added to the hose, but I use it only for water so it's not a big deal unless I should ever sell the house. Just irritates me to pay a licensed person for a job that is supposed to meet the code and they cut corners to save a dollar or two. He could have given me the option of paying $10 more for a job that would meet the code or he could have quoted higher in the first place. I've hired three different licensed plumbers since I bought the place and they are all the same. None of them know how to solder so they use compression fittings. They don't use enough hangers. Schedule 40 pipe ends up being something without a number on it and after they leave I have to repair the leaks they left behind. I gave up and am now resigned to doing the work myself.

Bob

Depends on the individual installation, insulation quality, how warm you keep the house, etc.

I can tell you it got cold enough south of Seattle this week to split a bronze sillcock. Around 19 degrees.

Always remove the hose from frost-free faucets, or the hose can hold water in the part that's supposed to be dry, and you'll split that part of it. The one lucky part is that the split is downstream from the valve, so it doesn't gush water as soon as it thaws.

According to :

Indeed. We've had a freezeproof sillcock burst. I think the builder didn't put enough slope in it.

Can't you just take a 24" apart, and stick in a longer pipe and rod?

According to Goedjn :

Yes. If you have a machine shop. If you have access to a machine shop, it'd probably be easier to make a frost free faucet from scratch tho.

Frankly, in situations like this, I think you're better off with a traditional inside shutoff and integrated bleeder. Less things to go wrong. Ie: a frost free faucet that leaks slightly, and the outside end got plugged by a spider nest. Replacing a frost-free faucet that's burst can be kinda nasty.

I've never been enamored of the things. Largely because I don't like washer-style faucets for exterior hose bibs. Too restrictive. I use full aperture ballvalves and gatevalves for my exterior plumbing.

replying to Ryan Born, Rick Feldhege wrote: I'm having the same problem with my old farmhouse. My outside walls are 14 to 16 inches thick, but go to Supplyhouse.com and they carry an 18 inch frostproof faucet by Woodford model 17. Hope this helps.