Outdoor spigot leaking from handle when turned on

[Kameron]

My terminology might be wrong, so I apologize if I’m calling something by the wrong name. I’m trying to stop our outdoor spigot from leaking from the handle when turned on. It doesn’t leak when turned off, but water will pour from handle when it’s turned on. At first I thought it was the packing that wasn’t sealing correctly but now I’m thinking it’s from the small hole on the valve stem. When I turn the water on without the handle on, water comes out of the hole in the end of the valve stem as well as the small hole in the side. I imagine the hole in the side is causing the problem because it is behind the packing washer and nothing would be stopping water from coming out of that hole and leaking out the handle. The hole in the end of the valve stem gets blocked by the screw that holds on the handle. Does anyone know what the purpose for that hole is or how to prevent it from leaking out of the handle?

[Kameron]

My terminology might be wrong, so I apologize if I’m calling something by the wrong name. I’m trying to stop our outdoor spigot from leaking from the handle when turned on. It doesn’t leak when turned off, but water will pour from handle when it’s turned on. At first I thought it was the packing that wasn’t sealing correctly but now I’m thinking it’s from the small hole on the valve stem. When I turn the water on without the handle on, water comes out of the hole in the end of the valve stem as well as the small hole in the side. I imagine the hole in the side is causing the problem because it is behind the packing washer and nothing would be stopping water from coming out of that hole and leaking out the handle. The hole in the end of the valve stem gets blocked by the screw that holds on the handle. Does anyone know what the purpose for that hole is or how to prevent it from leaking out of the handle?

[Kameron]

Sorry, I don’t know why it posted my message twice and it didn’t include my photos.

[invalid unparseable]

I have one like that and could not access the washer to change it because of the freeze valve. The leak is not that bad and I just leave the hose attached but I also put a shut off valve on the line to it in the basement if I want to shut it off completely.

[TimR]

In my opinion, leaving an empty hose attached to a faucet does no harm. But if the hose is full of water, and there is a nozzle or other shutoff on the end of the hose, a freeze will absolutely break something, either the faucet or the pipe. A lot of people leave the faucet on for convenience and shut the water off at the end of the hose. That does no harm in the summer until you run over it with the lawnmower but in the winter it is bad news. The mechanics who worked for me disagreed. They said an empty hose sucked cold air up to the faucet and would freeze it. I don't think they were right but there was no point in arguing.

[invalid unparseable]

Only problem I had with outdoor faucets freezing when where the nozzles at the end of the hose froze they might crack.

[Marilyn Manson]

Seems to me that detaching the hose is such a simple process, why not do it?

I disconnect my hoses - both ends - when the weather turns cold. That way I don't need to blow them out. I've had hoses freeze but never pop.

The Y hose connecting the hot and cold bibs drains itself, so that's not an issue.

[trader_4]

I agree. No way an empty hose is going to get more cold air up a freeze proof sillcock than one that has nothing attached and is wide open to the air. I would expect the opposite, that less cold air, especially from wind, would get in with the hose on.

[TimR]

When I started as an engineer in the paper industry, fresh out of college, a senior engineer gave me some advice. When a mechanic tells you what they saw, pay attention. They're the ones on the floor that are actually hands on and know what happened. But as soon as they start telling you why, stop listening quick. They'll often have some theory that defies the laws of physics........and that can cause you to doubt what they saw. Just because they're wrong about why doesn't mean they're wrong about what happened, but it's way too easy to discount them.