Like most homes in the Boston area, you probably have at least one outdoor faucet. You use it for everything from watering your lawn and flowers to washing your dog. Should you come to find that your outdoor faucet is no longer working as intended, it’s time to consider your options. While repairing a faucet is possible (more on this below), a replacement may be the best and most cost-effective plan.
Reasons to Replace Your Outdoor Faucet
There’s no shortage of reasons to replace your outdoor faucet. Here are some times when this may be necessary:
- It no longer turns on and/or off as designed
- It leaks (which increases your water bill)
- Low water pressure
If you’re experiencing one or more of these issues, it’s time to replace your old faucet with a brand new one.
The Replacement Process
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to replacing an outdoor faucet. The steps you take depend on the cause of the problem. For example:
- If you’re experiencing a leak from the handle, you may need to replace the washer and packing nut.
- If the leak is coming from the joint, thread damage may be present. Teflon tape can help, but a replacement may be necessary.
- If the leak is coming from the spout, the inner mechanism may have irreversible damage, so a replacement makes the most sense.
Should you decide to replace your outdoor faucet, here are the basic steps associated with doing so:
- Shut off the water to your home at the main shut off valve
- Turn off the water supply
- Open the faucet to drain any water remaining in the line
- Remove the spigot by twisting it, along with the supply line, counterclockwise
- Clean any corrosion and debris from the threads
- Seal the threads with Teflon tape
- Hand tighten the new faucet before gently tightening it with a wrench (don’t overtighten)
- Turn on the water and check for leaks
If everything checks out, you now have a new outdoor faucet to provide you with reliable service for many years to come.
How to Winterize Your Outdoor Faucets
Boston is known for many things, including its cold winters. For that reason, it’s critical that you protect the exterior of your home during the winter months. Winterizing your outdoor faucet only takes a few minutes. Doing so can protect against a frozen pipe, which has the potential to burst and cause extensive damage to the interior and exterior of your home.
Here’s how to winterize your outdoor faucet:
- Turn off the water to the faucet
- Open the faucet to drain all the water from the line
- Install a faucet cover
When you take these steps, you reduce the risk of your faucet and/or water line freezing during the winter months. A faucet cover is particularly important, as it provides the area with much-needed insulation. Now that you know how to replace an outdoor faucet, there’s one last question to answer: Is this a task you’re willing to tackle yourself? At Boston Standard Plumbing, we’ve swapped out thousands of faucets over the years. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance.
Categories:
DIY Plumbing
