Is your out of doors faucet leaking or dripping? A leaky out of doors faucet will be not solely annoying, but additionally wasteful. In the USA, the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) estimates {that a} single leaky faucet can waste as much as 10,000 gallons of water per 12 months. That is lots of wasted water! Fortuitously, altering an out of doors faucet is a comparatively easy plumbing restore that may be accomplished in a couple of hours. Learn on to discover ways to change an out of doors faucet step-by-step.
Earlier than you start, you may want to collect a couple of instruments and supplies, together with a brand new out of doors faucet, a wrench, a screwdriver, and a few plumber’s putty. Upon getting your instruments and supplies prepared, you may comply with these steps to vary your out of doors faucet. 1. Flip off the water provide to the tap. The water provide is normally situated inside the home, close to the water heater. 2. Open the skin faucet to launch any remaining water strain. 3. Unscrew the outdated faucet from the pipe. 4. Apply a bead of plumber’s putty across the threads of the brand new faucet. 5. Screw the brand new faucet onto the pipe. 6. Tighten the tap with the wrench. 7. Activate the water provide to the tap. 8. Test for leaks. If there are any leaks, tighten the tap additional.
Altering an outside faucet is a comparatively easy plumbing restore, however it’s necessary to comply with the steps fastidiously to keep away from leaks. When you’re not comfy with plumbing repairs or in case you encounter any issues, you may all the time name a plumber for assist.
Figuring out the Sort of Faucet
To efficiently substitute an out of doors faucet, it is essential to first decide its kind. This entails analyzing the tap’s deal with, spout, and total design. This is an in depth information that will help you establish the assorted varieties of outdoors taps:
Compression Taps
Compression taps are the most typical kind of outdoor faucet. They function two handles, one for decent water and one for chilly, which management the circulate of water by compressing a washer towards a seat. Compression taps are comparatively simple to restore and substitute.
| Traits | Look |
|---|---|
| Two handles for cold and warm water | Cross handles or lever handles |
| Compression washer seals the water circulate | Could require periodic tightening |
| Inexpensive and extensively out there | Historically styled, but additionally out there in fashionable designs |
Single-Deal with Taps
Single-handle taps supply a extra up to date look and ease of use than compression taps. They’ve a single deal with that controls each the temperature and circulate of water. Single-handle taps will be categorized into two principal sorts:
Ball Taps
Ball taps use a spherical valve to regulate water circulate. When the deal with is turned, the ball rotates, permitting water to circulate by way of completely different channels and blend. Ball taps are sturdy and comparatively simple to restore.
Cartridge Taps
Cartridge taps make the most of a replaceable cartridge that incorporates all the interior elements accountable for mixing and controlling water circulate. These taps are simple to put in and substitute, making them a sensible choice for DIYers.
Gathering Essential Instruments and Supplies
Earlier than embarking on this job, it is essential to collect all the required gear and supplies. This may guarantee a easy and environment friendly alternative course of. This is a complete record of things you may want:
Instruments:
| Software | Objective |
|---|---|
| Adjustable wrench | Tightening and loosening nuts |
| Faucet wrench | Rotating faucet nut |
| Pliers | Gripping and bending objects |
| Screwdriver (Phillips and flathead) | Eradicating screws |
| Tape measure or ruler | Measuring lengths |
| Security glasses | Eye safety |
Supplies:
- Substitute outdoors faucet
- Faucet washer
- Plumber’s tape
- Joint compound (optionally available)
- Substitute o-rings (if obligatory)
Shutting Off the Water Provide
1. **Find the primary water shut-off valve:** That is normally situated within the basement or crawl house close to the place your water provide enters your house.
2. **Flip off the valve:** Use a wrench or pliers to show the valve clockwise till it stops. This may lower off the water provide to your total residence.
3. **Test to verify the water is off:** Activate a faucet in the home to verify the water is not flowing. Whether it is, there could also be one other shut-off valve situated close to the tap that must be turned off.
4. **Open the tap outdoors:** This may assist drain any remaining water from the pipes and make it simpler to work on the tap.
5. **When you have a frost-free faucet:** There can be a drain plug situated on the backside of the tap. Take away the drain plug to permit any remaining water to empty out.
6. **When you have a hose bib:** Flip the hose bib on and off a number of occasions to empty any remaining water.
Detaching the Deal with and Stem
Detaching the deal with and stem is an important step in changing an out of doors faucet. This is easy methods to do it:
1. Take away the Deal with
Find the screw or cap securing the deal with to the stem. Use a screwdriver or wrench to take away the screw or cap and pull the deal with off.
2. Expose the Stem
As soon as the deal with is eliminated, you may see the stem protruding from the tap physique. There could also be a nut or packing nut holding the stem in place. Use a wrench or pliers to loosen the nut.
3. Loosen the Lock Nut
Beneath the nut or packing nut, you may probably discover a lock nut. Use a wrench to loosen the lock nut, however do not take away it utterly.
4. Extract the Stem
Now comes the tough half. Gently grasp the highest of the stem with an adjustable wrench or pliers. Pull upward to extract the stem from the tap physique. Watch out to not injury the threads.
The stem could also be caught resulting from mineral buildup or corrosion. If this occurs, attempt utilizing a penetrating oil to loosen it. Let the oil penetrate for a couple of minutes earlier than trying to extract the stem.
If all else fails, it’s possible you’ll must seek the advice of a plumber to extract a caught stem.
| Instruments Required: |
|---|
| Screwdriver or wrench |
| Adjustable wrench or pliers |
| Penetrating oil (optionally available) |
Changing the Valve Seat
As soon as the stem is eliminated, you will note the valve seat. It is a small, rubber or plastic washer that sits inside the tap physique and creates a seal towards the stem. If this washer is worn or broken, it may possibly trigger leaks.
To exchange the valve seat, merely take away the outdated one with a screwdriver or pliers. Watch out to not injury the tap physique. As soon as the outdated washer is eliminated, insert the brand new one into the tap physique and tighten it down with a screwdriver.
Changing the O-rings and Washers
The O-rings and washers in a faucet are used to create seals between the completely different elements. Over time, these seals can put on out or grow to be broken, which might result in leaks.
There are sometimes two O-rings in a faucet – one which sits between the stem and the deal with, and one which sits between the stem and the tap physique. There may be a washer situated between the stem and the deal with.
To exchange the O-rings and washers, comply with these steps:
- Take away the tap deal with.
- Take away the stem.
- Take away the outdated O-rings and washers.
- Apply a small quantity of plumber’s grease to the brand new O-rings and washers.
- Insert the brand new O-rings and washers into the tap physique.
- Reassemble the tap.
To exchange the opposite O-ring, comply with these steps:
- Take away the tap deal with.
- Take away the bonnet nut.
- Take away the cartridge.
- Take away the outdated O-ring.
- Apply a small quantity of plumber’s grease to the brand new O-ring.
- Insert the brand new O-ring into the cartridge.
- Reassemble the tap.
Reassembling the Stem and Deal with
As soon as the stem has been changed, it is time to reassemble the tap deal with. This is a step-by-step information:
- Screw on the deal with: Align the deal with with the stem, guaranteeing that the splines or notches match. Rigorously screw the deal with onto the stem till it’s cosy.
- Tighten the setscrew: Find the setscrew on the base of the deal with. Utilizing a small Allen wrench or screwdriver, tighten the setscrew to safe the deal with.
- Reinstall the deal with cap: If the deal with has a detachable cap, place it over the deal with and press right down to safe it.
**Putting in a Deal with with a Bonnet:**
Some taps require a bonnet to be put in between the deal with and stem. To do that:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Place the bonnet over the stem. |
| 2 | Align the holes within the bonnet with the holes within the deal with. |
| 3 | Safe the bonnet by inserting the screws by way of the holes and tightening them with a screwdriver. |
As soon as the bonnet is put in, comply with the remaining steps above to complete assembling the deal with.
Connecting the Water Provide Line
Now that the outdated faucet is eliminated, it is time to join the brand new water provide line. This is easy methods to do it:
- Wrap the threads of the water provide line with Teflon tape, clockwise, to create a watertight seal.
- Rigorously hand-tighten the water provide line onto the outlet pipe coming from your house.
- Use a pair of adjustable pliers to additional tighten the connection, however watch out to not overtighten and injury the pipe or line.
- Test for leaks by turning on the water provide and observing the joints. When you discover any leaks, tighten the connection additional.
- If the water provide line is simply too lengthy, you may trim it utilizing a pipe cutter.
- Wrap the tip of the water provide line with electrical tape to forestall sharp edges from chopping into the washer when the tap deal with is turned.
- Thread the water provide line into the inlet of the brand new faucet and tighten it securely utilizing a wrench.
Testing the Faucet for Leaks
As soon as you’ve got put in the brand new faucet, it is time to check it for leaks. This is a step-by-step information:
- Activate the water provide. Slowly activate the water provide to the tap. Test for any leaks across the base of the tap, the deal with, and the spout.
- Test the bottom of the tap. Examine the world the place the tap meets the sink or countertop. Search for any water droplets or moisture.
- Test the deal with. Transfer the deal with forwards and backwards a number of occasions. Search for any leaks across the deal with stem or the packing nut.
- Test the spout. Run water by way of the spout and examine it for any leaks. Search for water droplets or moisture across the spout base or the aerator.
- Use a flashlight. In some instances, leaks will be laborious to identify. Use a flashlight that will help you examine the tap for any hidden leaks.
- Test underneath the sink. When you discover a leak underneath the sink, examine the connections between the tap and the water provide strains.
- Tighten any unfastened connections. When you discover any unfastened connections, tighten them utilizing a wrench or pliers.
- Change any worn-out components. When you discover any worn-out components, resembling O-rings or washers, substitute them with new ones.
| Symptom | Doable Trigger | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Leak on the base of the tap | Unfastened connection | Tighten the connection |
| Leak across the deal with | Worn-out O-ring or washer | Change the O-ring or washer |
| Leak from the spout | Broken aerator | Change the aerator |
Preventative Upkeep for Out of doors Taps
Defend your out of doors taps from freezing and expensive repairs with proactive upkeep. Listed below are important steps to lengthen their lifespan and forestall complications.
1. Examine Frequently
Test for leaks, cracks, or unfastened connections. Tighten any unfastened components and restore or substitute broken elements promptly.
2. Shut Off Water Provide
Throughout freezing climate, flip off the water provide valve inside your house to forestall frozen pipes and tap injury.
3. Drain Remaining Water
After shutting off the water provide, open the tap to launch any remaining water and forestall freezing.
4. Insulate Uncovered Pipes
Wrap uncovered faucet pipes with pipe insulation to reduce chilly air publicity and cut back the chance of freezing.
5. Cowl the Faucet
Use a faucet cowl or insulating sleeve to create a further layer of safety towards chilly air.
6. Test for Broken Hose Bibs
Study the hose bib (the threaded half the place a hose connects) for cracks or leaks. Change broken hose bibs to forestall water from seeping into partitions or foundations.
7. Lubricate Transferring Elements
Apply a silicone-based lubricant to transferring components, resembling the tap deal with and stems, to make sure easy operation and cut back put on and tear.
8. Clear Out Sediment
Take away any collected sediment from across the faucet base to forestall clogging and guarantee correct drainage.
9. Take a look at the Faucet Yearly
As soon as annually, check the tap by turning it on and off. Confirm if it flows easily and shuts off utterly.
10. Particular Concerns for Freeze-Susceptible Areas
Faucet Sorts:
| Sort | Freeze Resistance |
|---|---|
| Frost-Free | Sure, gives built-in safety towards freezing |
| Commonplace | No, requires extra safety measures |
Further Safety Measures:
How you can Change an Outdoors Faucet
Changing an out of doors faucet is a comparatively easy plumbing restore that may be accomplished in a couple of hours. By following these steps, it can save you your self the price of hiring a plumber.
Supplies you have to:
- New outdoors faucet
- Adjustable wrench
- Teflon tape or pipe dope
- Plumber’s putty (optionally available)
- Bucket
Steps:
- Flip off the water provide to the tap. There must be a shut-off valve situated inside your own home, close to the water heater or underneath a sink. If there isn’t a shut-off valve, you have to to show off the water provide to your total home.
- Open the tap to launch any remaining water strain.
- Unscrew the outdated faucet utilizing an adjustable wrench. If the tap is caught, it’s possible you’ll want to make use of a penetrating oil to loosen it.
- Apply Teflon tape or pipe dope to the threads of the brand new faucet.
- Screw the brand new faucet onto the water provide pipe. Tighten the tap till it’s cosy, however don’t overtighten it.
- Apply plumber’s putty across the base of the tap to forestall leaks.
- Activate the water provide and examine for leaks. If there are any leaks, tighten the tap till the leaks cease.
Individuals Additionally Ask
How do I do know if my outdoors faucet must be changed?
There are a couple of indicators which will point out that your outdoors faucet must be changed:
- Leaking: A leaking faucet is a standard signal that it must be changed. Leaks can happen across the base of the tap, the deal with, or the spout.
- Dripping: A dripping faucet is one other signal that it might have to be changed. Dripping can happen even when the tap is turned off.
- Frozen: In case your outdoors faucet has frozen, it might have burst. A burst faucet will have to be changed.
- Broken: If the tap is broken, it might have to be changed. Harm can happen resulting from put on and tear, or from being hit by an object.
Can I substitute an out of doors faucet myself?
Sure, it’s potential to switch an out of doors faucet your self. Nevertheless, you will need to have some fundamental plumbing information and expertise. In case you are not comfy working with plumbing, it’s best to rent a plumber to switch the tap for you.
How a lot does it value to switch an out of doors faucet?
The price of changing an out of doors faucet will range relying on the kind of faucet you select and the labor prices in your space. Nevertheless, you may count on to pay between $50 and $200 for the tap and labor.
