0

Now that I've disconnected my hose for the winter, I can see that the exterior faucet/valve on the house I just moved in to has a slow drip (drips once every several seconds). I worry about the water getting behind the stone facade and freezing and displacing things. How can I fix a drip on this kind of valve?

enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here

Improve this question
1
  • Google: How to Fix a Leaky Hose Spigot | Ask This Old House
    – Steve Wellens
    Oct 15, 2021 at 4:36

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

You'll want to turn off the water to your house. Then turn the brass nut below the handle counterclockwise with an adjustable wrench and remove the valve stem. There should be a washer at the bottom of the valve stem, replace it, reassemble and you should be good to go. If it still leaks, check the seat in the valve base where the washer presses up against to see if it's smooth and forms a good seal. If it doesn't, there are kits available to grind the seat smooth. In this case, it might be easier to just replace the faucet. Check the back side of the wall to see if you can determine how to remove the faucet since it might be a silcock.

Improve this answer
3
  • Like much of everything else on the exterior of my house, the base of the faucet is completely covered and embedded in stucco. Behind that will be brick, and then my front room's wall. Replacing the faucet would be a messy, involved, and expensive endeavor indeed. I will try the other things listed first.
    – NeutronStar
    Oct 15, 2021 at 15:11
  • As @JACK indicates replacing the washer will probably do it. However, if it gets cold enough to freeze you might want to consider either a freezeless faucet or a shutoff inside the house. Since it's a new house for you check in the basement for a shutoff - you may already have one. If so, use it and save yourself a headache in the spring.
    – HoneyDo
    Oct 15, 2021 at 17:12
  • @HoneyDo, the house is new to me, it's 50 years old itself. I updated my question text for clarity. There's no shutoffs inside the house, I have to go out to my sidewalk and pull up a metal cover to turn off the water to my house.
    – NeutronStar
    Oct 16, 2021 at 15:22

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.