How To Repair Leaking Outdoor Faucet

A leaky outdoor faucet can bulldoze up your utility bills in a sneaky way, which is why it'due south critical to catch the leak early and reduce water waste — not to mention money waste product. Whether you're handy around the house or hoping to get so, learning how to fix a leaky outdoor faucet is a useful skill that will help make you a more self-sufficient homeowner.

This May Also Interest Yous: Prevent Frozen-Pipe Problems by Knowing These Things Down Cold

If you observe yourself struggling, you can always reach out to a professional merely, until then, read on for our helpful guide on how to fix a leaky outdoor faucet.

Identifying the Cause

Earlier you lot tin begin repairing a leaky outdoor faucet, you lot first need to identify the cause of the problem. An outdoor faucet might leak for any of several reasons. If yous observe that your outdoor faucet leaks from the spout when the water is turned off, then the washer is likely the problem and needs to exist tightened or replaced. If the faucet is leaking from effectually the handle while it's turned on, then it may exist the stalk packing that'southward leaking.

Outdoor spigot leaks are often due to worn-out washers. Besides wear and tear of the washers and packing around the handle, other causes of outdoor faucet leaks tin include damaged, frozen or chock-full pipes. Pipes can become clogged over time due to mineral deposits and other buildup. Frost impairment to a piping occurs if water in the pipe freezes, which causes the metal to aggrandize and contract, and eventually cracks the piping. That'due south why information technology'southward essential to plow outside taps off in the autumn when you begin winterizing your dwelling.

If the leaking outdoor faucet in question is quite old, information technology may be more worthwhile to only replace information technology rather than invest time and money in a repair.

Associated Costs of Outdoor Faucet Repair

Fixing a leaky outdoor faucet can toll very footling or nothing if you lot're just tightening or replacing a loose washer. Withal, if y'all're going to supersede the outdoor faucet entirely, the toll of replacing each role can add up. Replacing a spigot costs roughly $100, while a new contumely hose bib with a shutoff valve can price around $200. On average, the cost of repairing or replacing an outdoor faucet ranges from $50 to $300. A hose bib by itself costs $five to $10, so if you can handle it yourself, you'll likely save a lot of money.

Outdoor Faucet Repair: Stride-by-Step

Once you notice your outdoor faucet leaking and have established the source of the problem, it's time to become to work on a solution. Before y'all brainstorm, brand certain you have the necessary parts on hand, including:

• A replacement spigot (Take a look at the old spigot to ensure you choose the correct replacement; spigots are either male or female and vary in size.)
• Spray lubricant
• Thread-sealing record
• Pipe wrenches
• A sturdy castor to remove corrosion from your pipes

When you have all the materials ready, you lot can begin the repair or replacement process. Showtime, endeavor tightening the packing nut backside the faucet handle with a wrench with a uncomplicated eighth-inch to quarter-inch turn. If that doesn't set the leak, you may need to replace the washer. Here's how:

1. Locate the shutoff valve to cut the h2o supply to the exterior tap.

2. Unscrew the packing nut.

3. Pull the valve stem out of the hose bib, holding steady with your hand on the faucet handle.

4. On the valve stem, you'll see a screw holding the faucet washer in place; remove this screw.

5. Swap out the washer with an identical replacement.

6. Replace the valve stalk by pushing it dorsum into the hose bib.

7. Tighten the packing nut on the hose bib until it's secure.

8. Plow your water supply back on.

9. Check for any remaining leaks.

In the best case scenario, fixing a leaky outdoor faucet is a uncomplicated procedure that almost homeowners can carry out with minimal effort, especially if the right tools are at the ready. In some cases, you'll need to replace your spigot entirely, peculiarly if it'southward old and stripped or corroded.

More Related Articles:

• How to Repair a Leaky Faucet
• Tips for Fixing Leaky Faucets
• Replacing Faucets: What You Should Know
• How to Install a Kitchen Faucet
• 3 Plumbing Do'southward and Don'ts

Outdoor Spigot Replacement: Footstep-past-Stride

1. Locate the water shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to shut off your h2o supply.

2. Drain the remaining water from the piping by opening the outdoor spigot.

3. Twist the spigot counterclockwise to remove it. Grip the pipe and spigot tightly, then pull them apart.

4. Use your house-bristled brush to make clean the threads.

v. Utilize your plumber's record to seal the threads on the pipage.

6. Install the new spigot and use a wrench to secure information technology in place.

seven. Plow the water dorsum on and check for any remaining leaks.

For leaks that occur due to cracks in the piping from frost impairment, it's advisable to merely contact a professional rather than taking on the chore alone, unless yous have a lot of experience dealing with plumbing repairs.

Investing in a plumbing repair plan from HomeServe can save you the trouble of fiddling with a leaking outdoor faucet yourself. Allow the professionals handle the job of outdoor faucet repair so you lot can feel confident that your home is beingness properly serviced.

Source: https://www.homeserve.com/en-us/blog/how-to/outdoor-faucet-repair/

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