Outside Water Spigot - Fail

[jlgurr]

Here are two images of an outside water faucet at our house. The house was built in 1978 and I will venture a guess these are original install. This one in particular has given up the ghost today, the internal threads are stripped and it won't turn off completely.

The issue I have is the pipe it is connected to it not visible inside the house. The valve connects within the wall and I am hoping it's threaded. But even if it is, there is a good chance it's not going to come out without some persuasion. Has anyone ever seen one of these? And how do you suggest I go about removing it? If push comes to shove I can cut a hole in the sheetrock was just hoping it wouldn't come to that.

The house has copper pipe water lines.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[crash325]

Screw a hose one it and let let it drip somewhere useful. :laughing:

 

[turnkey4099]

Here are two images of an outside water faucet at our house. The house was built in 1978 and I will venture a guess these are original install. This one in particular has given up the ghost today, the internal threads are stripped and it won't turn off completely.

The issue I have is the pipe it is connected to it not visible inside the house. The valve connects within the wall and I am hoping it's threaded. But even if it is, there is a good chance it's not going to come out without some persuasion. Has anyone ever seen one of these? And how do you suggest I go about removing it? If push comes to shove I can cut a hole in the sheetrock was just hoping it wouldn't come to that.

The house has copper pipe water lines.

Thanks,
Jeff

View attachment 470839 View attachment 470840

Screw another shutoff valve on it. When you want to use it, remove valve and attach hose.

 

[Zerk]

Is there a packing under the handle that you can adjust or put a wrench on?

If it is copper inside the house, cut it off and pull out. If galv, there may be a threaded end right inside the wall. If not go back as far as you have to, put in a valve and a union.

I would be concerned when turning it outside, it is not turnng in the basement and filling the basement with water. This may take a wrench outside, and inside, if galv. Hopefully it is copper, easier to deal with.

 

[Zerk]

Put in a frostless hose bib.

 

[jlgurr]

Screw a hose one it and let let it drip somewhere useful. :laughing:

Good one Jim

The "drip" is fast enough that my well would be drained within an hour. Since the threads are stripped internally it's not able to be tightened. You've probably felt this type of thread failure before. Just before it gets tight you can feel it slip past the thread and you have start all over again. bummer

 

[jlgurr]

Is there a packing under the handle that you can adjust or put a wrench on?

If it is copper inside the house, cut it off and pull out. If galv, there may be a threaded end right inside the wall. If not go back as far as you have to, put in a valve and a union.

I would be concerned when turning it outside, it is not turnng in the basement and filling the basement with water. This may take a wrench outside, and inside, if galv. Hopefully it is copper, easier to deal with.

Replaced the packing a few years ago and it was only be chance that a rural old time hardware store had the part. He told me I'd ought to consider replacing it soon. I procrastinated too long.

The pipe it's connected to is very likely copper but inside a wall, I can't get a visual on the pipe. I have easy access to an upstream valve to cut off water supply during the repair. Was hoping to get confirmation this is a threaded connection.

 

[jlgurr]

Put in a frostless hose bib.

For sure. This one is frostless too and it's never frozen on us. But then again we don't get cold for long periods of time. Still, cheap insurance.

 

[Zerk]

PLus they are long enough to stick through the wall.

 

[rekees4300]

Here are two images of an outside water faucet at our house. The house was built in 1978 and I will venture a guess these are original install. This one in particular has given up the ghost today, the internal threads are stripped and it won't turn off completely.

The issue I have is the pipe it is connected to it not visible inside the house. The valve connects within the wall and I am hoping it's threaded. But even if it is, there is a good chance it's not going to come out without some persuasion. Has anyone ever seen one of these? And how do you suggest I go about removing it? If push comes to shove I can cut a hole in the sheetrock was just hoping it wouldn't come to that.

The house has copper pipe water lines.

Thanks,
Jeff

Have you considered removing and repairing the valve stem rather than replacing the entire valve? Remove the stem, take it to a plumbing store to get the proper repair parts.

 

[Zerk]

yes he did

 

[LD1]

My money says its soldered to the copper inside, and nothing will unscrew.

Either gain access inside to replace, or use a shutoff like suggested. I see in the pics you already have a double shutoff adapter on there. Does that not work or is it leaking elsewhere?

 

[crash325]

Put the hose on it. Then put a nozzle on the hose that will shut off. at least a temp patch. Me lazy & like the easy way out. :laughing:

 

[jlgurr]

Screw another shutoff valve on it. When you want to use it, remove valve and attach hose.

I've attached one of those y adapters to it. This has two ball valves in it too and for now I just keep them both closed. So, although it's a pain in the neck, we can keep the house water on until I have a repair solution.

 

[ustmd]

Have you taken the blue handle off to see if you can access the internals?

I am betting that it is a screw on. My only hope/justification is that I am having difficulty imagining the plumber doing the soldiering in that location.

 

[jlgurr]

My money says its soldered to the copper inside, and nothing will unscrew.

Either gain access inside to replace, or use a shutoff like suggested. I see in the pics you already have a double shutoff adapter on there. Does that not work or is it leaking elsewhere?

Yup, that is working so far. With all the other things going on here it will probably be that way until fall. Then I will be forced to change it out before a freeze since there is no way to get the water out of it with the current valve setup on it.

 

[jlgurr]

Have you taken the blue handle off to see if you can access the internals?

I am betting that it is a screw on. My only hope/justification is that I am having difficulty imagining the plumber doing the soldiering in that location.

Yep, we have had it apart to replace the seal on the end of the stem and to replace the packing. That was several years ago and the hardware store owner said at that time that there are no parts made for these any longer.

I like your thinking. Assuming the drywall work was done after the pipes were installed. Probably the same guy who designed the oil filter location on my truck. (that's a joke.)

 

[jlgurr]

Went shopping.... Looks like the replacement faucets are available in both sweat on or threaded versions. That means "Murphy" is probably lurking in my closet and as soon as I try to unscrew the old one he will pop out and say "You just twisted the copper sweat joint and now you are going to cut open the drywall." LOL! Oh well, it will be worth a try anyway, there are two of these on the house so we'll learn on this before doing the other. This one is at least easily accessible inside the house through the drywall inside the closet. The other faucet is located on a wall that is behind the washer and dryer but still not accessible without cutting a hole in the drywall.

If I learn the first one to be threaded then I have a better chance of replacing the second one without cutting a new hole to patch.

 

[CobyRupert]

If he puts a shutoff downstream of tune drip that defeats the purpose of a frost free and he'll have bigger problems next winter if he gets freezing temperatures.
Sheetrock on opposite side? He is looking in the basement right? Even if a finished basement, it should be in the ceiling. What do I know?
I suspect there's a nut under that blue handle that allows the core/ stem to be removed.
When I had them bust, it was easiest to just by a new frost free valve of the same length, and swap the guts of the new with the old, rather than replacing the outer valve body and especially its connections to the house pipes/peck.

 

[jlgurr]

If he puts a shutoff downstream of tune drip that defeats the purpose of a frost free and he'll have bigger problems next winter if he gets freezing temperatures.
Sheetrock on opposite side? He is looking in the basement right? Even if a finished basement, it should be in the ceiling.
I suspect there's a bit under that blue handle that allows the core/ stem to be removed. When I had them bust, it was easiest to just by a new frost free valve of the same length, and swap the guts of the new with the old, rather than replacing the outer valve body and especially its connections to the house pipes/peck.

Not sure what our house is formally called but the downstairs is not really a basement, only partially below grade. Maybe "split-level" or something like that. In any event the ceiling of the first floor is a normal sheetrock ceiling just as on the second level. The valve is outside the closet of a bedroom on the first floor. So the sheetrock is in an area that wouldn't require a lot of fancy finishing afterwards although I am too much a perfectionist to not do it right.