# Exterior spigot won't shut off completely...



## jill.costello

The hose spigot on the side of my house has decided to dribble. No amount of hand-turning will shut it off completely; the freezing temps I'm sure are the reason....must be some internal rubber o-rings or something has contracted and, voila....dribbling water....

My house is concrete block and stucco....the spigot juts out from this concrete block wall only about 2 inches.... 

How in the world do I replace this thing without busting out around the pipe?? I really, really, really don't want to be doing concrete/mortar work in 34 degree weather....


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## po boy

Jill,

I have two that are in brick walls and they do have rubber washers. The cap should screw off so you can replace the washers. This is something I normaly do myself, but being in the brick walls I did call a plumber and had both repaired as well as some other small plumbing issues during the one hour min. charge..


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## fordy

..............IF the washers can't be replaced too stop the leak , most likely a plumber will have too "sweat" the full valve body off the copper pipe with a propane torch ! He may have too remove some of the bricks surrounding the valve so he can gain access too the copper pipe . Have him install a freeze proof valve . , fordy:cowboy:


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## jill.costello

Here is a picture.... Do you mean unscrewing the top part that includes the handle? [FYI, I meant to post this in HQ...oops...]


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## jill.costello

Also, I was wrong...this thing doesn't jut out hardly at all! They seem to have applied the stucco right up it's "throat", lol...


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## po boy

Same ones I have, see that big nut under the handle... That is where the washer is. I had a plumber do mine because I was concerned with breaking the sucker


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## po boy

If that thing comes out from your crawl space, it can be cut from the inside and new copper ran.


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## Windy in Kansas

po boy has the right idea for you. 

With the water turned off remove the screw that is securing the handle onto the stem. With the handle off a wrench can easily be placed on the nut around the stem. Counter-clockwise will remove it. Since it is brass it won't be rusted in place. 

Once the nut is removed you can place the handle back on temporarily to turn the stem assembly counter-clockwise just as you would normally open the faucet. Instead of stopping when it would normally be open if you keep turning the assembly will simply screw out of the faucet. The washer needing replaced is on the end of the stem opposite the handle. Try your best not to force and break off the screw holding the washer in place.

If the faucet has been allowed to drip for very long there is likely a water groove cut into the seat that the washer presses against. The groove will need to be dressed away. Some washer kits contain a dressing device. What works best for me is to use a Dremel rotary tool with a grinding disc and grind away on the seat until it is smooth.

A NEW fresh washer that is not hardened from setting in a box is best.

You should probably replace the packing around the stem while you have the nut off of it. Could be one of several different styles. Taking the parts to a good hardware store and asking for the proper parts should get you fixed right up. 

If the seat has a water groove and isn't dressed in all likelihood the faucet will still leak even with a new washer. 

About the only difficulty you might encounter is either getting the handle off---tap on the back side of it to force it up and off, or removing the washer screw in the stem.
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By the way, the correct term for the faucet is "hose bib".


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## jill.costello

Thank you so much! THIS, I can do! I have often arrived at the Ace Hardware and held up some misc. parts to the guy and said, "I need these doohinkies..." and he sets me up....<grin>

Now...I've got to figure out how to shut the water off...... (just moved here end of July...still "learning" the house....)


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## nancy237

We had the same thing and one way to shut it off/prevent freezing and deal with it later is to crawl under your house into the crawl space and 
there is probably a shut off valve near that faucet . 
Then you can open the outside faucet and let it drain out (if it hasn't already)

Also in the warm weather you can attach a hose with a handheld sprayer attachment on the end and that becomes your shut off . Better to fix it but we have 2 leaky ones that are done this way for now.


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## fordy

......................Most residential mains are in the street , you probably have a circular metal container in your front yard with a lid marked "water" , it will have a cutoff that should stop all flow into your home ! You'll need one of those tools made specifically for this job , they are sold at hardware stores . 
......................You'll be money and time a head just too call a competent plumber and let him fix your problem ! , fordy


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## Cabin Fever

To go along with what Windy in Kansas has described:


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## jill.costello

I am one of the last on my street to still have my own well. I have 2.5 acres in the city, zoned with a horse-use-waiver: lucky me!!!!!!

So, yeah, I still have to trace from my well to my crawlspace to find my shut-off....


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## fordy

jill.costello said:


> I am one of the last on my street to still have my own well. I have 2.5 acres in the city, zoned with a horse-use-waiver: lucky me!!!!!!
> 
> So, yeah, I still have to trace from my well to my crawlspace to find my shut-off....


....................The cutoff valve should be At the well , coming out of the pressure tank ! , fordy


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## jill.costello

You are correct, sir! Shut off the water at the pump, and unscrewed the bonnet nut; the rubber washer is in crumbly bits: we have found the issue! I am on my way with the handle/bonnet nut / washer bits combo to the hardware store for a replacement!

Thanks y'all!!


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## Windy in Kansas

You could also draw a reserve supply of water and then shut the electricity off to the well IF there is no shut off valve elsewhere.

Thanks Cabin Fever that does help.


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## Harry Chickpea

"The hose spigot on the side of my house has decided to dribble. No amount of hand-turning will shut it off completely; the freezing temps I'm sure are the reason....must be some internal rubber o-rings or something has contracted and, voila....dribbling water...."

Men over a certain age can relate to this problem... 

The way you are doing it is correct, but if it was summer and you needed a quick fix, you would just screw on a hose splitter and make sure both valves on it were closed.


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## Windy in Kansas

Perhaps it should be pointed out to some reading this thread that a hose bib and a freeze resistant faucet are two entirely different things other than they both provide water through the side of the house.

From this site: http://www.woodfordmfg.com/woodford/HowAFaucet/HowaFaucetWorks.html









With a freeze resistant faucet the water shut off isn't outside of the house like a hose bib, it is inside the house proper via a tube portion of the faucet which extends into the building and with the shut off valve at the far end of the tube. They should be installed slightly tilted down so that all water can drain from them.


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