Are you planning to install a frost-free outside faucet? If so, you are in the right place. During summer, it’s quite easy to handle an outdoor spigot without having to worry about the damage. But, during winters, one must take the utmost care to maintain an outside faucet. Despite taking precautions, the faucet installed outdoors may get freeze due to increased moisture. In such a case, think wiser and install a frost-proof outdoor faucet. There are copious frost-proof outdoor faucets available in the market. Pick the perfect faucet that befits your requirements and head over the installation process. Get to know the complete procedure on how to install a frost-proof outdoor faucet through this in-depth guide. Have a glimpse!
How does a Frost-Proof Faucet Works?
Whenever you turn off the water flow on a frost-proof faucet, the flow gets stopped. The flow of water will remain behind the valve. Despite stopping the water flow, it doesn’t make the water get freeze. The reason is the air temperature inside the house will be warm enough. On the other hand, when you set up a frost-proof faucet outside the home, the temperature varies. When you switch off the water flow from a frost-free outdoor faucet, water remains in the outer part of the pipe. As water drains completely, no water remains in the pipe to become freeze. Hence, no water pressure will be caused in the pipes due to the formation of ice. If you reside in cold climatic regions, it’s highly essential to use frost-proof faucets outside your home. Just check the complete procedure on how to install an outdoor faucet in this post.
Tools & Materials Needed
Before diving into the guide on how to install an outdoor water faucet, just make a note of the required tools. Once you are aware of the required materials and tools, you need to arrange all of them. If you miss even a single tool, it delays the installation procedure. Just take a look!
- Tube Cutter
- Adjustable Wrench
- Hammer
- Screw Driver
- Drilling Machine
- Caulk Gun
- Pipe Wrench
- Measuring Tape
- Copper Fittings
- Flux paste
- Sillcock
- Soldering Torch
- Pliers
Once you have arranged all the necessary materials, you can go ahead to learn how to install an outdoor faucet. Just read on!
How to Install a Frost-Proof Outdoor Faucet?
There’s a way to evade the risk of a damaged pipe or outdoor wall. The primary solution to fix this problem is to prefer a freeze-proof or frost-proof faucet. By setting up a frost-free outside faucet, it diminishes the possibility of freezing water within the faucet. Usually, an outside faucet serves people in carrying out an ample number of chores especially outdoors. Washing cars, watering your garden, cleaning outside materials becomes highly flexible by installing a frost-free outdoor faucet. Despite not completely cognizant of the installation procedure, we are here to help you with this detailed guide. Check it out!
Step 1: Turn Off the Water Supply
- The first step is to shut down the water supply closer to the outdoor faucet that needs to be installed.
- This evades unnecessary water flowing at the time of the frost-proof faucet installation.
Step 2: Take Accurate Measurements
- After switching off the water supply, you need to take measurements of the outside wall.
- Make sure the materials utilized during the installation are handy with proper measurements.
- Take marking of the location where each fitting and pipe needs to be installed.
- A rough sketch of the new plumbing design is essential before making a hole in the wall.
Step 3: Insert an Outdoor Faucet
- Make a hole for fitting a new outside faucet using a hole saw.
- After making the required hole, place the faucet in an upright angle against the wall.
- Make two 1/4-inch holes and insert a couple of screw anchors in the respective holes.
Step 4: Cut the Copper Pipe
- Determine the estimated location to which the frost-proof faucet reaches inside the wall.
- Make the mark and use sandpaper to clean that particular region.
- Based on the required length of the faucet, cut the copper pipe using a hacksaw or a tube cutter.
Step 5: Detach the Faucet’s Stem Unit
- Using an adjustable wrench and pliers, just remove the frost-proof outside faucet’s stem unit.
- Unwind the gripping nut and drag out the stem assembly carefully.
- At the time of soldering, make sure to evade the rubber seat of the stem getting melt.
Step 6: Setup the Freeze-proof faucet
- Using plumber’s tape, you need to enfold the faucet.
- Push the faucet through the hole and press the projecting rim against the hole present on the wall.
- Check whether the faucet is fit into the hole perfectly.
- In case, if the hole is slightly bigger, take out the faucet.
- Fill the additional space around the pipe using adhesive caulk.
- This evades your frost-free faucet becoming colder due to moist climatic conditions.
Step 7: Make the necessary fittings
- After installing the faucet inside the hole, start fixing the connections with the essential fittings.
- Ensure you use proper tools at the time of fixing the fittings for the proper installation of the faucet.
Step 8: Connect the Pipe
- Wrap up the frost-free faucet’s end with a 1/2 inch female copper adapter.
- Using a wrench, fasten the adapter to the faucet.
- Ensure there is an adequate gap between the water supply pipe and the adapter.
Step 9: Welding the connections
- After assembling all the fittings and the water supply pipe, you need to weld the connections.
- Once the frost-proof outside faucet fitting is done, wipe all the joints using a clean cloth.
- Stay away from the hot pipe that you soldered a while ago.
Step 10: Restore the faucet’s stem unit
- Use a couple of weather-resistant screws to ensure the safety of the faucet.
- Further, re-install the stem unit into the frost-free faucet and fasten them using pliers.
- Ensure there are no leaks from the shut-off valve.
- Turn on the frost-free faucet and let the water to easily flow through the faucet.
- Run faucet and let the water flow for some time until the flux comes out.
Voila! By following this guide, you can fruitfully install a frost-proof outdoor faucet without any glitches.
Important Points to Prevent Freezing
One must follow a few significant points to evade further freezing of your outdoor faucet. Despite setting up a frost-proof outdoor faucet, there are chances to freeze. Hence, it is highly essential to follow the vital guidelines to prevent further freezing.
- Ensure you maintain your outdoor faucet that lessens the level of damage.
- It’s also important to seal around the hole near the faucet to make the region warm enough. This eventually curtails the jeopardy of freezing your faucet.
- Make sure that you use a lengthy pipe and place the valve in comfortably high temperatures. Don’t place the valve in moisture locations outdoor.
- During the installation of an outdoor faucet, make sure you set up the faucet slightly in the downside angle. This helps water to easily flow out of the pipe without any obstacle.
Conclusion
That’s all! This is the in-depth guide on how to install a frost-proof outdoor faucet. We hope this installation procedure has helped you in preventing your faucet from freezing. Feel free to ask your doubts in the comments section. Stay tuned to this website to go through more articles related to the outdoor faucets.