When it comes to time to upgrade your home appliances and fixtures, outdoor faucets are one of the essential components of your property, especially for homeowners who enjoy gardening or need an easy water source for outdoor cleaning. Outdoor faucets are also known as faucet spray, spigot, hose bib, water hose faucets and sillcocks. Although used interchangeably, these terms actually refer to various types of outdoor faucets; we’ll cover more details below.
In this article, we’ll help you understand more about what an outdoor faucet is, the different types of faucets, and how to install them properly. Suppose you’re looking to upgrade or install an outdoor faucet. In that case, PlumbingSell has everything you need – from high-quality faucets to flexible connectors and more.
Table of Contents
What is an outdoor faucet?
An outdoor faucet, also known as a hose bib or spigot, is a plumbing fixture installed on the exterior of a building to provide access to water outdoors. It’s commonly installed outside for watering the garden, washing cars or other types of outdoor water-required tasks. Most outdoor faucets have a threaded spout, making them easier to attach with a hose attachment or faucet sprayer. This allows for a wider range of usages on outdoor faucets beyond basic watering.
Outdoor faucets are connected to the home’s plumbing system via a faucet supply line. It is also noticeable that most outdoor faucets are normally only connected to a cold water line, which makes them much less complex than indoor valves. Over time, you might also consider using a faucet converter hose to expand the functionality of the outdoor faucets.
Whether you are a DIY lover or just a homeowner who wants to have a convenient water source in the backyard, having a reliable outdoor faucet will make your life a lot easier. But it is also important to choose the right type for your plumbing systems and know how to install or replace one. PlumbingSell offers a wide selection of various outdoor faucets; check out today to find the best fit for you.
Types of outdoor faucets
Outdoor faucets come in various types, and each of them is designed to suit different needs and preferences for various plumbing applications. Understanding their functions and differences among them can help you choose the right one for your project.
Hose Bibs
The hose bib is the most traditional and widely used outdoor faucet in residential plumbing projects. These faucets come out from the exterior wall and feature a classic wheel handle or quarter-turn handle to turn the water on and off quickly and easily.
Traditional hose bibs are durable and versatile, and most of them can be connected to automatic sprinklers. These outdoor faucets are popular in warmer climate areas as they are not too resistant to cold weather.
Best For: Everyday use like watering lawns, filling buckets, or washing vehicles.
Frost-Proof Sillcocks
Also known as freeze-proof faucets, frost-proof sillcocks are designed to prevent water from freezing in cold weather. This kind of outdoor faucet is designed with a long stem that extends inside the wall, where the shut-off valve is located.
As the water stops at the back of the stem of the frost-proof sillcocks, they are less likely to freeze and burst pipes during winter. This type of outdoor faucet can also be connected to a faucet supply line for the use of garden hoses and other attachments.
Best For: homes in regions with freezing temperatures.
Anti-Siphon Faucet
This type of faucet will be your best choice if it is connected to your drinking water supply. Anti-Siphon faucets include a built-in backflow prevention valve, which stops contaminated water from flowing back into your clean water supply. They often pair well with a faucet sprayer for irrigation systems.
Best For: Safe watering systems or when connecting to garden hoses for long periods.
How to install a new outdoor faucet?
With summer just around the corner, many homeowners begin their annual spring cleaning, which makes outdoor faucets an important piece of equipment. Installing or replacing a new outdoor faucet can seem intimidating, but with the right tools and a bit of patience, you can handle it over the weekend.
Step 1: Shut Off the Water Supply
Before doing any plumbing work, always remember to shut off the main water supply to your house. Open the lowest faucet in your home to drain out as much remaining water in the pipes as possible. This will help prevent unwanted leaks or spills during installation.
Step 2: Choose the Faucet Location
Pick a spot on an exterior wall close to an existing indoor water line, ideally under a sink, as this will make the connection of the faucet supply line much easier. Mark the chosen spots for the faucet on the exterior wall.
Step 3: Drill Through the Wall
Use a drill with a hole saw to drill through the wall. (If you are not sure how to do this step, you can always reach out to a handyman to help.) This hole will allow you to run a flexible pipe connecting faucets to the water supply inside your home to the new outdoor faucet location.
Step 4: Tap Into the Indoor Water Line
Turn off any local shut-off valves around the closest faucet line you located. Use a tee fitting to branch off another water line from the existing faucet supply line. Then, attach a flexible hose to connect with the outdoor faucet.
Step 5: Connect the Pipe to the Outdoor Faucet
Push the flexible pipe through the wall to the outside. On the exterior, connect the pipe to your new outdoor faucet. Notice that most outdoor faucets have threaded inlets that make them compatible with faucet converter hoses.
Step 6: Test for Leaks
Turn the main water supply and shut-off valves back on and test your installation. Run water through the new faucet and check both inside and outside for leaks. Use a faucet sprayer or connect a hose that connects to the sink faucet to test full functionality.
Step 7: Mount the Faucet
Secure the faucet to the wall using screws and wall anchors. If the surface is uneven, you might need to use a mounting bracket to keep it stable.
Conclusion
Installing a new outdoor faucet is one of the most practical upgrades you can make to your home, especially if you need to use water outdoors a lot. From understanding what an outdoor faucet is to exploring different types of them, it’s clear that choosing the right fixture and installing it properly can make your life a lot easier.
Whether you are looking for a water hose faucet or a male-to-female adapter, PlumbingSell has everything you need to complete your project. Explore our wide range of outdoor faucets, hoses and handy fittings today!
