It’s critical to find the leak quickly and save water use and repair costs because a leaky faucet in your outdoor area can sneakily increase your utility bill. If you’re handy around the home or are hoping to become proficient, knowing how to repair a leaky faucet is a valuable ability to make you a more independent homeowner.
Finding the Root
Before you can start repairing the leaky faucet in your outdoor, it is essential to find the source of the issue. An outdoor faucet could be leaking due to of several reasons. Suppose you observe that your outdoor faucet is leaky from the spout after the water gets shut off. The washer is probably the culprit in that case and should be replaced or tightened. If the faucet leaks from the handle when switched on, it might be the leaky stem packing.
Worn washers typically cause leaks from outdoor spigots. Apart from wear and tear on the washers, and the packing within the handle, other causes for leaks in the outdoor faucet could be frozen, damaged, or clogged pipes. Pipes are prone to becoming blocked as time passes due to mineral deposits and other deposits. Damage caused by freezing to pipes gets caused when the water inside the tube is frozen, which causes the line to contract and expand and eventually cracks the pipe. It would help if you switched off outside taps at the beginning of fall as you start winterizing your home.
Suppose the faucet leaking outside and causing the problem is quite old. In that case, replacing it might be better than investing the time and effort to repair it.
Outdoor Faucet Repair: Step-By-Step
If you have noticed the faucet in your outdoor is leaking, and you’ve identified the cause of the issue, It’s time to begin working on the solution. Before starting, take note of the essential components in your arsenal, for example:
- A new pipe
- Lubricant spray
- Thread-sealing tape
- Pipe wrenches
- Use a solid brush to remove rust from your pipes
Once you have all the supplies and are ready to start replacing or repairing. Start by tightening the packing nut on the faucet handle using the wrench, making an eighth-inch-to-quarter-inch turn. If that doesn’t solve the leak, you may require replacing the washer. Here’s how:
1: Find the shutoff valve and stop the water flow for the tap outside.
2: Unscrew the nut holding the packing.
3: Take the valve stem out from the bib of the hose and secure your fingers on the faucet’s handle.
4: On the stem of the valve, there is a screw that holds the faucet’s washer in place. Remove the screw.
5: Change the washer for the exact replacement.
6: Replace the valve’s stem by inserting it back into the hose of the bib.
7: Close the packing nut of the hose bib until secured.
8: Restart the water supply.
9: Examine for leaks that may be left.
In the ideal scenario fixing a leaky outside faucet is an easy task that most homeowners do with little effort, especially if appropriate tools are available. In certain situations, it’s necessary to replace the fixture entirely, mainly if it gets worn out and rusted or stripped.
Outdoor Spigot Replacement: Step-By-Step
1: Find the valve for water shutoff and turn it clockwise to turn off the water supply.
2: The remaining water must remove from the pipe by opening the spigot outside.
3: Turn the spigot counterclockwise to take it off. Take the pipe and the tap tight, then tear it apart.
4: Use your brush with a firm bristle to remove the threads.
5: Use the plumber’s tape to ensure the threads get sealed on the pipe.
6: Set up the new fixture, and utilize a wrench to hold it.
7: Switch off the water and look for any remaining leaks.
Suppose you notice leaks because of cracks in the pipe caused by damage caused by frost. In that case, contacting an expert is recommended instead of taking the task independently, except if you have plenty of experience working on plumbing repairs.
Ottawa Plumbing Service; we always have a choice of faucets. We thoroughly research and select which we believe to be the top faucets regarding performance, cost, quality, and design. We can handle all faucet problems if you give us a call at (613) 317-1682 or send an email to info@ottawaplumbingservice.com.
