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Plain-English article
Outdoor Spigot Leaking in Thornton, CO: Causes and Fixes
An outdoor spigot is simple, and it is also the first thing to fail in a cold snap. A drip from the handle is a small repair. Water inside the wall is a bigger one.
By the Thornton Plumbing Co. team ·
Where is it leaking
Look at the handle, the spout and the wall behind. A drip at the handle when the spigot is on means worn packing. A drip from the spout when the spigot is off means a worn washer or seat.
Water inside the house on the wall below the spigot, in a basement ceiling or a crawl space, means the pipe has split behind the wall.
Fix a handle leak
Turn the packing nut a quarter turn using a wrench. When that fails to stop the drip, shut off the water, unscrew the nut, wrap the stem with packing string or replace the packing washer and reassemble.
If the stem is corroded, replace the spigot.
Fix a spout drip
The washer at the end of the stem is worn. Shut off the water to the spigot, remove the stem and replace the washer. Clean the seat with a cloth.
If the seat is rough, a seat dressing tool smooths it. Otherwise replace the spigot.
Where it leaks and what to do
The spot of the drip tells you the repair.
| Leak location | Cause | Repair |
|---|---|---|
| Handle when on | Worn packing | Tighten or replace packing |
| Spout when off | Worn washer or seat | Replace the washer |
| Wall or ceiling inside | Split pipe behind the spigot | Shut off water and call |
| Vent on the spout | Vacuum breaker washer | Replace the breaker |
Freeze damage
A hose left attached holds water in the spigot, and it freezes and splits the pipe behind the handle. The leak does not show until the spigot is turned on in spring.
Disconnect hoses in autumn, drain the line and shut off the interior valve if there is one. Foam covers help but do not replace draining.
Frost-free spigots
A frost-free spigot has a long barrel that shuts off the water well in the warm part of the wall. It must slope slightly downward so water drains out. A hose left on can still hold water and cause a freeze.
They are a good choice in Front Range winters. A plumber can swap one in. See faucet and sink repair.
Sprinklers and backflow
Many outdoor spigots have a vacuum breaker, a small device on the spout that stops hose water from drifting backward. If it leaks from the vent, the washer inside is worn. Replace the breaker or the spigot.
Winterize the irrigation system too. See backflow testing for the larger equipment.
Which kind of leak is it
A drip from the spout when the valve is closed usually means a worn washer or seat. Water around the handle, only when the spigot is open, points to the packing nut or stem seal. Water inside the wall or in the basement ceiling near the spigot, even when it is closed, suggests the pipe behind the faucet has split.
Look carefully at where the water first appears. A wet floor under the sill plate can be mistaken for a condensation problem, but a steady drip from the pipe tells a different story.
Why frost-free spigots still fail
A frost-free sillcock puts the valve seat deep inside the house, so the water in the long barrel can drain after you close it. That only works if the barrel slopes slightly downward toward the outside and the hose is removed. A hose left connected holds water in the barrel, which freezes and cracks the pipe where you cannot see it. The split stays hidden until the spigot is turned on in spring.
A hose left connected through a cold night is a common cause of this problem. Disconnect hoses and splitters in autumn, and cover the spigots with insulated hose bibb covers if you wish.
Fixing a small leak yourself
For a leak at the handle, tighten the packing nut a quarter turn and test. If it persists, shut off the water to the spigot, take off the handle, replace the packing or the stem washer with matching parts and reassemble. A dripping spout often needs a new washer at the end of the stem.
If the leak is inside the wall, stop. Close the shutoff for that line, and call. Water in a wall cavity can soak insulation and framing fast. Our burst pipe repair page describes how a repair is handled, and faucet and sink repair covers fixtures indoors.
Adding a shutoff and winter habits
An interior shutoff valve on the line to each outdoor spigot lets you stop the water in fall and drain the line. Without one, the only option is the main. If your house has no interior shutoff, ask a plumber about adding one when a spigot is replaced.
In fall: remove hoses, close the interior shutoff, open the outside spigot to drain the line, and leave it open until spring. In spring: close the spigot, open the shutoff slowly and look for drips inside before you walk away.
Replacing the whole spigot
If the body is cracked or the handle is loose and corroded, replace the spigot. A frost-free model with a built-in vacuum breaker is a good choice, since it stops dirty hose water drifting back into the house line. It is a short job for a plumber, and the new spigot must slope downward to the outside.
Check the hose and the fittings too
Sometimes the leak is not the spigot at all. A worn hose washer, a cracked splitter or a loose quick connector can spray at the same spot and look like a faulty faucet. Swap in a new rubber washer, hand tighten the connection and test again before you take anything apart.
Quick answers
Asked about outdoor spigot
The usual cause is a worn washer or seat.
The pipe may have split inside the wall. Shut off the water and call.
Disconnect the hose and drain the spigot. A foam cover adds some protection.
It has a long stem that shuts off water inside the warm wall.
Connected services
Backflow Testing & Prevention
Stop irrigation and building water from reversing into the drinking supply with tested devices. Open page
Burst Pipe Repair
Stop an active flood, then remove and replace the cracked or ice-split stretch of pipe. Open page
Related reading
Sprinkler backflow preventer winter care
The brass backflow assembly on your sprinkler line cracks if it freezes. Here is what it does and how to protect it. Open page
How to thaw frozen pipes
A frozen pipe is a warning, not yet a flood. Here is how to thaw one safely, when to stop and what to do if it splits. Open page
Locating your main water shutoff
Know where it is before the flood. Here is how to find your main shutoff, test it and what to do if it will not turn. Open page
Spigot leaking?
Phone in and say where on the spigot the water appears.