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If you live in a cold climate
area, and have older outdoor faucets, it is important to make sure you
turn the line stop valves off during the cold months. The line stop
valves enable the water to flow to your outdoor faucets and usually sit
a few inches back inside your home. With these valves turned off you can
then turn on the outdoor faucets and allow them to drain and remain open
during the winter months.
An alternative to older
outdoor faucet models is the frost free outdoor faucet or sillcock. |
A frost free sillcock is designed such that the shut off valve sits 8-12”
back inside the sillcock pipe. As a result, the valve sits inside the warmth
of the home and prevents the outdoor faucet / sillcock from freezing during
winter months.
Remove
Existing Outdoor Faucet
To install a frost free outdoor
faucet, start by turning off the line stop valve to the outdoor faucet and
draining the water from the pipe and existing faucet.
Leave the outdoor faucet in the on
position after the water drains out.
Next remove the screws that hold
the existing faucet to the home.
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Now, from inside the home,
measure back the length of the exiting outdoor faucet pipe plus 3-4 more
inches and mark the pipe. This mark should sit between the line stop valve
within the home and the interior wall surface.
Place a bucket underneath your
pencil mark.
Using a hacksaw or pipe cutter,
cut the pipe where you marked it. |
Go outside the home and pull the existing outdoor faucet from the
exterior wall.
Install New
Frost Free Outdoor Faucet
Now slide your new sillcock unit
into the hole and measure the gap from the end of the sillcock’s pipe to the
end of the supply line. You will need this measurement to calculate a new
piece of copper pipe to tie the sillcock to the supply line.
When measuring the length of filler
pipe required, make sure you account for a threaded fitting that will allow
the sillcock to screw into the fitting, and a strait fitting to tie the supply
line to the sillcock. If you make the small length of copper pipe too long
your sillcock will not fit flush up against the exterior of the home. If you
make it too short you will not be able to connect the supply line to the
sillcock/threaded fitting/short-pipe assembly.
After cutting the small length of
filler copper pipe, slide the sillcock into the home and test fit the length
of copper pipe and fittings. Make sure they tie together well. Also make sure
you have accounted for having to screw the sillcock onto the threaded fitting.
This can consume about 1/4th inch of the length of the thread
fittings.
Now disassemble the pieces.
Next clean all fittings and pipe
ends with steel wool and a rag.
Then apply flux to the fittings and
pipe sections that need to be soldered.
Using a propane torch solder
together the fittings and small pipe assembly.
After flowing the solder on each
joint use a clean rag and gently wipe the joint. Be careful not to burn
yourself.
After the joints have cooled wrap
Teflon tape around the threaded fitting.
Now screw the threaded piping
assembly to your sillcock. Use a couple of wrenches to make sure the
connection is tight.
Next insert your sillcock assembly
into the exterior wall and attach the straight fitting over the end of the
supply line.
Again using a propane torch, solder
the straight fitting to the supply line. Again, quickly wipe down the joint
with a rag just after soldering it.
Using a couple of screws attach the
outdoor faucet to the home.
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Testing Your
Work
Finally, turn on the stop line
valve and you frost free outdoor faucet / sillcock should be ready to go.
Test the sillcock by turning it off
and on. Examine your fittings for leaks. If any are found, turn off the stop
line valve, turn on the sillcock and drain any water from it.
Examine where the leak is flowing.
Once you have found the offending joint, heat it up with your propane torch
and disconnect it (don’t burn yourself). Re-clean the joint, apply flux and
reflow the joint.
Test the system again and with any
luck you have a leak free, frost free outdoor faucet.
Additional Home Plumbing Resources
Faucets, Shower Heads, Sinks and Bathroom Fans from Amazon.com
