How to fix leaking outdoor faucet?

[atgcpaul]

I shut the water off going to an outdoor faucet in the winter. I noticed it
was dripping. I planned on fixing it in the spring. Well, spring has sprung...a
leak. Anyway, my wife had me turn the water back on and the leak is definitely worse.

Here's the problem. It's one of those anti-freeze faucets where the stem
goes a foot back into the house so the pipe doesn't burst. On top of that it
has an anti-siphon device AND has some type of screw on the knob that I
can't unscrew. I looked it up and I think it's for ant-theft/anti-tampering. I
think this means I can't service the washer inside myself without some major
surgery.

And on top of all this, I have CPCV pipes and I think this faucet is cemented
in place. I don't think there is a threaded joint inside the house.

If I have to cut it out and glue in a new one, OK. But is there a better/easier
way?

Thanks, Paul


Pictures should help. I haven't tried, but maybe that junction right after the
CPVC and brass is threaded, but I haven't tried.

[Kristofor]

I'd at least try unscrewing that... The knurled ring there just begs for it The frost protection faucet at my last place could be unscrewed in the "middle" (inside the house) for access to the valve/washer but yours doesn't look like that one at all.

[frumper64]

I went through 3 "frost free" outdoor faucets before I gave up on them. Every one developed a leak. I finally just installed a short piece of pipe to go through the wall with a threaded end and put a regular faucet on it.

[parnelli]

All of mine just unscrew from the outside- no different than replacing washers on old bathroom faucets before everything went to cartridges.

Can we get a pic of the tamper-proof screw? I have bits that I could loan you, or HF sells a set too if I recall correctly.

[Daryl]

I don't think you will have to remove the knob, just unscrew the bonnet nut and the stem will probably turn right out.

[Thalermade]

**** Paul, that picture could be from my house! Yes that brass is a screw-type connection, with some type of pipe dope or teflon tape for thread sealer.

I have not (famous last words) had to deal with a leaky faucet (yet).

Let me know what you end up doing. After this post, I will probably get a surprise leak in a week or two.

Russ

[Tom Miller]

I either did the following, or had a very realistic dream: I cut the copper pipe between the handle and the valve body, fixed the valve, and sweated a coupler to put it back together.

But mine didn't have that knurled piece that screams for unscrewing, like Kristofer points out.

Regards,
Tom

[atgcpaul]

But mine didn't have that knurled piece that screams for unscrewing, like Kristofer points out.

Regards,
Tom

Funny. I didn't notice the knurled piece until you guys pointed it out. I had
to stand on my dryer with one hand holding on to a stud and the other
hand shooting the picture about 3 ft from my head. It's going to be fun trying
to get in there to do this. Thalermade, I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks, Paul

[JR]

Paul, if you can't undo that thing by hand I think I know the tool you need. There's a type of pliers for use on faucets in bathroom vanities. The jaws of the pliers are oriented perpendicular to a long shaft. They allow you to go up from underneath the vanity to the nut holding the faucet in place and twist the nut like t-wrench.

I didn't describe it well, but hopefully you get the idea.


JR

[scorrpio]

That looks like a compression fitting. Not only there is that knurled nut, there also is a hex a bit closer to the wall. I suggest grabbing that hex with an adjustable wrench before trying to turn the knurled compression nut, or you risk snapping the PVC.

Oh, and my personal solution was to sweat a ball valve on the pipe going to a simple no-frills outside spigot. When ball valve is closed, I really don't care if the spigot is leaking ir if someone tampers with it.

[atgcpaul]

This is what I've learned. The knurled knob is indeed used for screwing in the
pipe like your garden hose; I was able to unscrew it very easily by hand.
However, that hex portion is wider than the hole drilled into the side of the house. So I need to grip the hex from the inside with a wrench and have
someone unscrew the whole faucet from the outside.

The screw on the outside knob doesn't seem to be tamper resistant. BUT, it's
a brass screw and really stuck in there that the Phillips slot is pretty mangled
now. I'm half tempted to hacksaw this portion off and buy a whole new faucet
at HD.


Paul


Edit:

OK. I'm done. Thanks for everyone's help. I guess I was afraid I'd break the
PVC pipe. Actually, it was pretty easy once everyone clued me in to what I
had to do. My wife unscrewed the faucet from the outside while I held onto
the hex part inside. I could not get the knob off which is required to get to
the washer at the bottom of the stem. I ended up buying a whole new frost
free unit tonight at HD for $20. This is a picture of it taken apart. It seems
to use a totally different mechanism to turn on/off since it only requires a
1/4 turn.

[Cheeky]

i just had to replace one of my outdoor faucets, and i installed one of the sillcock/anti-freeze as discussed here.

i hope it doesn't leak in the near future

i have to replace the 2nd one, do you guys think i should go with a standard valve?