Outdoor Spigots / Hose Bibb

Let’s talk about hose bibbs, sometimes called an outdoor faucet or spigot. A hose bibb is a valve where you attach your garden hose to the water supply accessible outside. Most often a hose bibb is used during warm months. That said it can be forgotten during cold months which can result in frozen and burst water pipes unless properly maintained. Since a hose bibb is outdoors, they are exposed to freezing weather.

Most outside faucets have an inside valve that controls water flow before it reaches the outside for winterization purposes. While the location of these indoor valves can vary, they’re most commonly found under your sinks or even in a crawl space area. A solid practice is to shut off the water flow valve, open the hose bibb, remove any connecting hose, and even using an exterior cover over the faucet. These are often styrofoam covers or other insulating material. It is a good idea to follow these steps even if what you have is considered a “frost free” spigot.

If your home’s outside faucet needs replacing, you may want to consider a frost-free option. This is especially smart living in Northern Virginia where the temperatures often drop below freezing in the winter.

The main difference between a regular hose bibb and a frost-free hose bibb is where the water freezes first. With a regular hose bibb, if temperatures dip below freezing, you experience freezing at the base of the spigot next to the house. When this happens, it doesn’t take much for the water inside the hose bibb to freeze and cause the spigot to split.

You won’t necessarily notice the split right away. Most people notice the problem the first time they try to use their garden hose in the spring and can’t. A frost-free hose bibb isn’t going to freeze at the point right next to the house. If the water in the pipes freeze, it takes longer and happens further along the line.

Although manufacturers label these types of outdoor spigots frost-free, there’s no way to 100% guarantee they won’t freeze. This is why the licensed plumbers at Plumb Crazy Inc. always recommend you turn off the water going to the outdoor faucet early in the season before temperatures freeze for the first time. Otherwise, a sudden freeze can catch you off guard.

Call us at (703) 777-2483 or email us for an estimate with prompt service.