So a bunch of water popped out of my hose faucet

[Red Squirrel]

The wrong way...







If you have a frost free valve run inside the house the first time you go to turn it on for the year... they arn't as great as one would think.

So much for watering the seeds I put on my lawn. I'm scared to try the other faucet on the other side of the house. It's where the electrical panel is. :hmm:

 

[Markbnj]

My diagnosis is: you got a leak.

 

[Soccerman06]

Only one way to find out, get watering :sneaky:

 

[Leros]

My diagnosis is: you got a leak.

At least be specific. Its leaking water.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah the pipe froze up in winter I guess, it's one of those that turns on inside when you turn it on outside so as soon as I turned it on... disaster. I had a bad feeling when I saw there was not much pressure at the hose.

Totally bulged and it even cracked the wood.

Going to get a plumber to deal with it, as simple of a project as I figured it was, guess there is more involved. Really not sure how this happened though since I even had it slanted downwards so water can fully come out. Maybe I need to clear it with air before winter... I never did that.

 

[Pulsar]

Yeah the pipe froze up in winter I guess, it's one of those that turns on inside when you turn it on outside so as soon as I turned it on... disaster. I had a bad feeling when I saw there was not much pressure at the hose.

Totally bulged and it even cracked the wood.

Going to get a plumber to deal with it, as simple of a project as I figured it was, guess there is more involved. Really not sure how this happened though since I even had it slanted downwards so water can fully come out. Maybe I need to clear it with air before winter... I never did that.

Um, so I guess you installed that?

Where's the interior shut-off valve?

To winterize a faucet like that, you close the interior valve, then open the outside. This lets the water drain out. Then, when it comes time to use it in the summer, you just open up the inner valve.

 

[IronWing]

Beats renting. :whiste:

 

[feralkid]

Um, so I guess you installed that?

Where's the interior shut-off valve?

To winterize a faucet like that, you close the interior valve, then open the outside. This lets the water drain out. Then, when it comes time to use it in the summer, you just open up the inner valve.

Not if it is a frost free sillcock like that.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Um, so I guess you installed that?

Where's the interior shut-off valve?

To winterize a faucet like that, you close the interior valve, then open the outside. This lets the water drain out. Then, when it comes time to use it in the summer, you just open up the inner valve.

When I installed it I did add a valve upstream of that pipe. Though those faucets are suppose to not require to shut off the water in winter, so I never bothered. The valve was more a "maintenance" valve so I can shut off that section without shutting off the main. The leak is actually happening after the valve. It only leaks when I open it outside.

Our hot/cold/hot/cold winter probably did not help. I'm guessing snow got in there over time, then melted, then froze, and so on. I have it tilted so water can just drip out but who knows in winter what could have happened.

And yeah, still beats renting, if I was renting it would probably take months before it gets fixed. Right now I have the choice of either going to home depot tomorrow to buy a new one and fix it myself, or hire the plumber of choice to fix it and ensure it's done properly. Though I think my issue is that it was maybe not long enough. The insulation was covering the end, which is where the valve is.

 

[Number1]

Did you disconnect the hose outside for the winter? If so, the only reason water was in the part that burst is that you did not angle the pipe enough for the water to get out when you shut the valve off.

In other words, you screwed up.

 

[zanemoseley]

Yep this happened because you left a hose hooked up. The pipe in front of the actual valve on a freeze proof faucet drains out when you turn off the valve, if there's a hose hooked up it won't drain though leaving it there to freeze. I've done the same thing and had to have the faucet replaced. Luckily it only leaks when the faucet is turned on, not all the time.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I unhooked the hose and when I installed it I made sure to angle it towards outside, though it's kinda tough to verify that it was angled enough, maybe it was not.

I'll see if there's such thing as an attachment for an air compressor so I can add it just after the shut off valve (it would have it's own valve as well to isolate it). That way I can blow it out in spring to ensure the whole line is clear. It's actually what they do for telco lines to ensure no water gets in, except it's setup permanently.

I'm also thinking, last summer I used to have the spray gun hooked up to the hose and I used to just leave the hose on. Guessing that was a bad idea as it was constantly under pressure. Hose valves are probably not designed to handle 100+ PSI of pressure constantly as normally there is an outlet on the other end (such as a sprinkler) letting it all out.

 

[Ichinisan]

"Hose faucet?"

I call it a "spigot."

 

[PsiStar]

I believe frost free valves should not be behind insulation. There are different length valves and getting a longer one would ensure that the actual valve is in the heated space ... from experience.

 

[boomerang]

"Hose faucet?"

I call it a "spigot."

It's actually a sillcock.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I believe frost free valves should not be behind insulation. There are different length valves and getting a longer one would ensure that the actual valve is in the heated space ... from experience.

I'm starting to think that may have been my main issue. The whole thing was pretty much covered in insulation, only the end was visible. It was the longest cock errr sillcock I could find, too.

 

[Leros]

It's actually a sillcock.

Actually its a water gate.

 

[Howard]

Yeah but did a mouse pop out of your grandma?

 

[PsiStar]

I unhooked the hose and when I installed it I made sure to angle it towards outside, though it's kinda tough to verify that it was angled enough, maybe it was not.
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Thinking about this a bit more, I think it is obvious the water did not drain out so the valve was not angle down enough.

Also, mine are ~18" long. Longer is more expensive ... a lot more. But they work.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

IMHO, there is no such thing as a totally worry free, bullet proof, frost free
sillcock, or hose bib. I have seen damage even when there was no water
present at all. Here is one example of the way I have installed my, *fix*, on
my house, as well as others similar to your build. The main water supply, (starting
from the right), for ALL of the outside hose bibs, and the sprinkler system is turned
off by that black ball valve. Please note that these valves are a much more positive
shut off, and rarely ever seep, unlike the standard gate valves. There is even a
hose bib variety, (hint). At the bottom of the U piping is a female threaded tee, with
a male threaded plug. This allows me to drain out any water left in the lines after
shut down. I can now easily turn my outside system on, and off should the weather
warm up, or I need to hose something down. You may be able to repair your sillcock,
but I highly doubt it. A good new one will run about $40, so why not take my hint.
In case you were wondering, the orange valve shuts down my outside hot water
hose bib.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wont even bother trying to fix it, not worth the risk. I'll get a new one. I probably will install some kind of drain as well. Idealy if they make air compressor plugs for water lines I'll add one at the shut off valve so I can blow all the water out.

Hoping to fix this tomorrow.

 

[weadjust]

Install a ball shut off valve with a bleeder. Remove bleeder cap and blow compressed air into valve to remove all the water.