Installing a frost-free hose bibb is the best solution in any environment where freezing temperatures are a concern.
The hose bibb is the outside spigot or faucet that runs water from the inside of your house to the outside. Installing a frost-free hose bibb minimizes the chance of water freezing inside the valve or pipe and causing it to burst.
Nate Says: While installing a frost-free hose bibb is usually a straightforward repair, we recommend leaving it to a pro. The decisions and judgments a professional plumber makes during the installation process—things that are second nature to us—may not be as intuitive to homeowners.
Let us quickly walk you through what the process looks like:
To replace a regular hose bibb with a frost-free one, the first step—after turning off the water—is determining how to remove the old one. Many people see the threads and begin twisting, only to shear off the hydrant and damage the water line instead of unscrewing it properly.
Once the old bibb is removed, we often must enlarge the hole to accommodate the higher-quality replacement parts.
Selecting the proper length for the new hose bibb is crucial, and factors like wall thickness, insulation, and environmental conditions all play a role. The purpose of the long valve stem on a frost-free fixture is to reach further into your home, where it is warmer.
After inserting the bibb into the wall, we position and level it so that water drains correctly from the barrel, doesn’t pool in the faucet, and later freeze.
Finally, we reconnect the water line using the appropriate method—whether it’s soldering, ProPress, or another suitable attachment for your system.
Interested in learning more about a frost-free hose bibb? Call Schlueter Plumbing at 513-771-7588 or schedule an appointment if you have any questions about these preventive measures and your unique situation.