How to Replace a Spigot | Ask This Old House
In this video, Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert, Richard Trethewey, explains a variety of failure points in a hose spigot and demonstrates how to replace one that is damaged beyond repair.
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Richard Trethewey demonstrates a couple of ways to fix a leaky hose spigot. Richard explains that there are two places a spigot usually fails—the bonnet and the stem— and shows how to easily stop the leak and extend the life of your spigot.
How Do You Keep Outdoor Spigots from Freezing in Winter?
With your average spigot, the washer sits on the outside of the house, so in the winter, water is prone to freezing if it is not shut off and drained.
Instead, Richard advises using a frostproof spigot. It has a longer stem that reaches inside the house, meaning the washer end is far enough away from the outside, so it is safe from the cold and will prevent a frozen pipe.
Time: 1 hour
Cost: $50
Skill Level: Moderate
Tools:
Wrench [https://amzn.to/3xnZTmW]
Phillips screwdriver [https://amzn.to/3aorzy7]
Tape measure [https://amzn.to/3elTmjH]
Torch [https://amzn.to/2P6Wg3g]
Pipe cutter [https://amzn.to/3tQueZf]
Shopping List:
Teflon tape [https://amzn.to/3tDIB2X]
Coupling [https://amzn.to/3gu0eOD]
Solder [https://amzn.to/3v7tejl]
Flux [https://amzn.to/3xfsz1a]
Emery cloth [https://amzn.to/3gre846]
Fitting brush [https://amzn.to/3n93roj]
Stainless steel screws [https://amzn.to/3n5zXre]
Steps for Replacing a Spigot:
1. Shut off the water supply.
2. Go inside and find the line that goes to the spigot.
3. Cut the pipe in an accessible place. Use a bucket to catch any remaining water.
4. Remove the spigot and pull the pipe out.
5. Get a measurement for the new pipe connection. The new work has to be the same as the old. If you are not worried about it fitting the spigot opening, extend the pipe using a threaded adapter and Teflon tape.Otherwise, solder the pipe into the frost-free faucet connector. But first, remove the inside stem so the rubber washer doesn’t melt when you go to solder.
6. Slide the spigot into place.
7. Solder the connection using a coupling fitting.
8. To secure the new spigot, use stainless steel screws to make sure they don’t rust over time.
9. Turn the water back on and test the connections.
Where to find it?
Richard replaced the existing spigot with a ½” x 12” Brass MPT x SWT Heavy Duty Frost Free Anti-Siphon Outdoor Faucet Hydrant [https://thd.co/3vepmgN], which is manufactured by Prier Products [https://www.prier.com/] and can be found at most home centers.
The other tools and materials Richard needed, both for soldering the new valve and repairing the old one, can all be found at home centers and plumbing supply stores.
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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.
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How to Replace a Spigot | Ask This Old House
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How to replace a Noel sign with a spigot
nice richard has a new GMC.
I love it "we're going to pull this out" SNAP "yeah just look at this, it fell apart inside there"
I call it a hose bib at my house.
That’s a hose bib
Packing and packing nut wow you need to go back to plumbing school you non union scab
Frost free hose bib
Full City Water Pressure ™️
Why are outdoor water spigots always installed installed near the electrical box? Is that really where you want water?
Would definitely just replace the spigot vs repair. Easier in the end.
This Old House can you block Kevin from commenting on every single video?
Or you can buy a new spigot for like 2-3 bucks.
I guess the homeowners are in witness protection????
I don't like to call people out but you should have installed two sweat 45 degree fittings to get the hose bib able to drain once it is shutoff because it was still holding water in the shaft of the hose bib. It could still freeze from water being left in the bib and the reason I no is I've already had to replace a few because of that mistake just letting you know, looking forward to the new video of you going back and fixing it properly thanks
Nice job Richard walking us through all the options including install a new one.
One thing that is important with the long spigot is to have a slight angle when installing it. Lower on the outside, higher on the inside. Even though the washer is in the building away from the cold, there will still be water in the pipe that can freeze and break the pipe. The slight angle allows the water in the pipe to run out after you shut the water off.
It must be different in the US, in the UK new taps (or faucets) for outside cost about £7 or around $10. You'd never bother wasting your time trying to fix or service one unless you'd no choice.
Terrific video! Thanks. I'll try to fix my duck shaped spigot that's leaking before replacing it.
Waterproof grease aka silicone?
Important detail not covered: the frostless bibb needs to be installed with a slight tilt so water in the line can drain when shut off.
Also, hoses must be removed when there is risk of freezing temperatures…. or the water can’t properly drain.
0:20 tap??
Mine was soldered like that, however the builder had a union installed after the shut off valve. Made it so much easier to replace.
Job security soldering the FP. Too lazy to drill the hole out bigger and install the FIP for east future removal by unscrewing it instead of cutting soldering again.
I have a home where the Builders soldered the inside like you did, to me it looked cheap, and they did not know what they were doing. I had to replace / rebuild the system.
Don't listen to this clown, he isn't a plumber and has bad techniques and little real understanding of plumbing
For what you pay for that kit full of washers you can buy a new valve, nice video!
Right heer. Right heer is where you learn about plumbing.
My time is not that cheap. I will prefer to replace with $3.99 spigot,
I pooped my undies
Great segment. Loved seeing that PRIER C-144 install example. Let us know if we can help or provide examples anytime.
Two things I can count on Richard for – a cutaway of the product, and a reference to "full city water pressure". 😀
I'm a plumber in Ontario Canada, And I still have to rip these frost free hose bibbs out all the time. They freeze and bubble from the frigid temps, and even our Michigan brothers can get colder weather. I've had these actually damage a customers ceiling. They didn't think it was the outside tap because the leak was intermittent. When they used the outside tap, it would cause a leak through the body and into the home.
I always smear a dab of grease on the threads of the bib screw that holds the washer in. Never had one back out in 35 years but I never had one I greased break off either. Here in the south we are plagued with tight crawl spaces so we use pex on our sill cocks and leave a 16" diameter loop in it under the house. When one fails (someone left the hose on ) simply shut off the street cock, slide the old one out, cut the pex and crimp on a new one! Done in less than 30 minutes and you didn't have to crawl on your belly like a reptile!
What's the song playing while he's soldering?
A local plumbing company would not install a rebuild kit on a leaky outdoor faucet and would only replace it (for $750). Found and bought a rebuild kit online for $20, installed it myself in about 20 minutes (carefully reading the instructions), and now it works like new.
I have similar problem and will require replacing the whole thing. I am not handy and was wondering getting into cutting pipe, soldering etc. is easy enough? Has anyone come up that curve from a total novice? Thanks.
This dude is a caveman
Yeah I wish I knew about soldering inside the threads. Put an adapter on and had to mallet tap it through brick. I pity the fool who has to remove it
can anyone help me out, i changed my leaking spigot to a frost proof one. I cut the pipe a few months ago and left the project for a while.Just had someone finish it off, but when we turned the water back on, theres no water flowing through the pipe. I dont know what the reason is because after the valve that turns the water off for the spigot there is no other valve that needs to be opened. I think its some air trapped but it makes no sense, thanks in advance!
So your telling me that you couldn’t of put the piece threw the wall then attached that one piece with Teflon tape .. your creating a flow reduction by putting the pipe on the inside
This was good info, but why still use copper pipe?
I have outdoor faucet that doesn't stop turning. So I have to watch the water flow as I turn the handle to shut off water. When I see the water stop flowing then I stop turning else I can turn the handle around and around. Does anyone know what is the issue?
You make excellent videos, I am a professional handyman, and admire & learn a lot from your videos. You are a brand name in yourself, very professional, organized and informative. Thank you, Sir!
I got galvanized pipe going to mine, and I think it’s shrinking inside the pipe
Makes it look easy but down here in the south we don't have basements or easy access to replace our outer faucets
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos
Instead of soldering use shark bites they work better and you can take them off and on
Richard is excellent at explaining this stuff.
Where was this video when I needed it last February? I had to call the plumber and they charged me a thousand!! (other stuff was done too)
I use spray foam around them (in the hole area) to seal them in after installed
Please buy my children's book on Amazon called: Hey Mon Cool It $4.99
I have a situation where my outside Spicket is missing the handle to turn the water on and off how do I repair that
How do you do this when the ceiling in the basement is finished? Are you stuck having to cut into the ceiling or is there a way to thread a faucet on/off?
I missed the part where you measure the length of pipe you need.
That frost proof can cause problems. I've seen this happen twice. Some one turns off the valve, but leaves the hose connected and still full of water. The temperature drops freezing the water in the hose, and on up into the pipe just inside the wall, splitting that piece of pipe, between the valve and the outside connection. After it all thaws out. You turn on the hose again, water starts spraying out that split in that short piece of pipe. At my house it was behind the bricks under the house. Dont leave your hose connected and full of water if temps can drop.
I want to know how to replace one on a brick home.
My washing machine, sinks and toilets all have flexible lines of some sort for the last couple of
feet. Why does my spigot need to be soldered all the way through?
Please don't call the plumbing police…I used a stainless washing machine line and a couple of adapters when I replaced my spigot. I still had to solder one fitting, but next time I replace it (probably won't live that long) it will take 3 minutes.
How bout hose bib?
Thank you so much! Such a great explanation. Thanks to this video I fixed my first tap with no previous experience !
Subbed
it is difficult for me to access the inside. I wonder what I can do?
i really need to master how to solder copper.
Or just cut it off and use a sharkbite faucet. I’ve never had a sharkbite fail. I cannot say the same for soldering/sweating. And guess what, if it ever does, I just put a new on in its place. Sharkbite makes such a good product. Better faucets than the typical generic ones too. this comment brought to you by sharkbite
Wish I knew to remove the handle and insides before heating my old one , pretty sure I cooked like he said.. great video thanks!
I'm looking for an apparently older/vintage spigot just to get the type of bonnet that has two threaded areas — not just the threads that squeeze/secure it onto the spigot body, but the threads that make the stem go up and down to seal the rubber washer against the seat.
My older building's spigot (body) would be a nightmare to replace, so with a worn seat of threads in the bonnet, I'm trying to find a replacement bonnet only — or a spigot with that type of bonnet to replace mine.
Every spigot/sillcock that I encounter nowadays, is the type shown here — with the threads inside the actual spigot body — which simply won't work.
The stem's threads have to be in the bonnet itself.
Any ideas?
Why did I wait so long to watch this video before finally fixing my two leaky spigots…
Full city water pressure is gonna be my band name.
This video inspired me to try out the teflon tape at 3 different spots and stopped the leak. Been failing to take off the leaky hose bib for 7 months and I was finally going to call a handyman. Saw this video when I couldn’t fall back asleep this morning, so I’m just stunned that this problem is finally over. THANK YOU!
I bought the house from the guy who invented the non freezing spigot. Actually, one of his employees came up with the idea but the patent went to the boss. The house was built in the mid 1960s and all the outdoor spigots were that type. The problem we had is they all leaked and in order to fix them they had to remove interior furnishings, which we never did.
Such a helpful well narrated video. I really appreciate the time and effort put forth for this material. Thank you.
What part do you measure to get the correct length when replacing the long stem on a frost free hose bibb?
How can you tell what type of Frost Proof Faucet to get when you have no basement?? Its a slab home.
Wouldn't you need something in the line to let the air in when you close the valve from the inside so that the water can drain out & prevent freezing in the winter?