What is the difference between a silcock and a hose bib?
There’s one in about every home, although it goes by a variety of names. The same object might be called a sillcock, outside faucet, spigot, or hose bib. To get water in your garden, driveway, and other areas, a hose bib is the little valve connection that is attached to the outside of your house.
What is the purpose of a Sillcock?
A sillcock (or hose bib) is an outdoor water faucet that is located and attached to the exterior of a house. Sillcocks are nothing more than spigots that you’ll find coming out of your house. They essentially have a spout in which to connect hoses to or just access tap water while outside.
What is quarter turn Sillcock?
The NIBCO® angle sillcock is a multi-purpose external shutoff valve for use in low-pressure water systems. The brass sillcock features a zinc quarter-turn handle. The NIBCO® angle sillcock is a multi-purpose external shutoff valve for use in low-pressure water systems.
What is a water Sillcock?
A sillcock is an outdoor water spigot, hose bibb, faucet or valve that is attached to the exterior of a residential, commercial or industrial building. Residential sillcocks most commonly have a handle or lever to control the flow of water.
How do you replace a Sillcock valve?
Sillcock Repair Tip:
- Remove sillcock handle, and loosen retaining nut with channel-type pliers. Remove stem. Replace O-ring found on retaining nut or stem.
- Remove the brass stem screw at the end of the stem, and replace the washer. Reassemble the sillcock.
What is outside faucet called?
Let’s talk about hose bibbs. Sometimes called an outdoor faucet (and technically termed “sillcock”), a hose bibb is a valve where you attach your garden hose.
How do you measure Sillcock?
Measure the stem from the point where the handwheel attaches to the back of the threads as show above. The measurement is the same for the figure 90 (top) and figure 80 (bottom). Take 2.5” off that measurement to get the length of the sillcock.
How does an anti siphon Sillcock work?
AKA “Sillcock”. It works by shutting off the water inside your home and allowing the water to run out of the actual faucet so that there is nothing to freeze. Years ago before these things were invented, we would just shut the water off inside the home which supplied that faucet under the house, and drain the line.
How do you keep outdoor faucets from freezing?
6 Steps for How to Protect Outdoor Faucets from Freezing
- Remove the garden hose from the faucet in the fall. …
- Shut off the upstream water supply valve feeding the outdoor faucet. …
- Drain any residual water from the faucet and pipe. …
- Install an outdoor faucet protector. …
- Insulate the pipe leading up to the faucet.
What does a Sillcock key open?
Widely used by plumbers, contractors, and engineers, it’s a simple device used to open tamper-resistant sillcocks and hose bibs. You’ll find these outdoor water faucets on almost every residential, commercial, and industrial building.
What is a frost free Sillcock?
A frost-free hose sillcock or hose bib has a stem that is 6 to 12 inches long. It prevents cold weather from freezing your pipes because the stem washer & seat valve reside inside your house. As an added benefit the anti-siphon stops water or other liquids from being siphoned back into your water supply.
Do you leave hose bib open in winter?
It’s important to remember to detach your garden hoses at the end of the season. Even if you have a “frost-free” spigot, you still need to remove the hose in the winter, or run the risk of your pipes freezing and bursting. Why? Water expands when it freezes, and nothing changes that.
At what temp should I drip my faucets?
When a cold wave hovers around or below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 degrees Celsius), it’s time to let at least one faucet drip. Pay close attention to pipes that remain in attics, garages, basements or crawl spaces because temperature levels in these unheated interior areas usually imitate outside temperatures.
Can a frost free hose bib freeze?
While they are labeled “frost-free”, there can be no 100% guarantee that a hose bib will not freeze. The best way to ensure the hose bib doesn’t freeze is to make sure to have nothing attached to it once winter comes. Hoses MUST be detached so water does not penetrate the stem of the hose bib during winter.
At what temperature should you cover outside faucets?
Taking these items into account when the temperatures are around 28 degrees or below may give you an idea if you need to take action on your outdoor faucets to protect your home from freezing pipes.
Is it better to cover outside faucets or let them drip?
You should not let your outside faucets drip. Outside water fixtures are too exposed to outside weather conditions for dripping to work. It’s a better option to drain your outside water fixtures, prevent water from freezing inside their pipes and have the faucet insulated.
What is the cap on top of an outdoor faucet?
The vacuum cap is circular and about an inch in diameter, and it either slips or screws onto the top of the faucet. The device underneath it is known as a vacuum breaker or an anti-siphon valve.
Should you let your outside faucets drip in freezing weather?
When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.
Do you turn on hot or cold water to keep pipes from freezing?
Let the cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe—even at a trickle—helps prevent pipes from freezing. Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature during day and night.
What temperature should I keep my house in the winter so the pipes don’t freeze?
Regardless of how long you will be traveling and away from home, keep your thermostat set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit or above. This will help to keep the pipes on the inside of the home from freezing and the ones under the home at a slightly higher temperature as well.
